The Temperamentals at New World Stages
Last night I went to see The Temperamentals at New World Stages and it was phenomenal! I managed to score relatively cheap tickets through the LunchTix program (only $32.50 for fourth row seats!) and we specifically went on a Monday so we could attend the TalkOUT discussion after the show.
First the show… it was incredibly engaging, entertaining and informative. The set is incredibly sparse, basically some chairs on a black stage and the cast was five white men in suits. The writing had to be great to keep an audience entertained through two acts and it really was amazing. I knew nothing about The Mattachine Society before going to see the play. It was fabulous to watch history play out in front of me. I was initially disappointed that the big name lead, Michael Urie, had the night off. But Michael’s understudy, Vince Gatton was a cutie petutie and a fabulous actor. I had forgotten all about Michael after the first scene. I really enjoyed watching all of the actors transform with the characters throughout the play.
The TalkOUT discussion happens after the shows on Monday nights. Last night we had the writer of the play as a moderator and five activists, including Gavin Creel from HAIR who co-founded Broadway Impact and Tom Viola, the Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The discussion was an added bonus included in the price of my ticket. It was interesting to hear other people’s perspectives and hear how the gay rights movement in progressing into the future although at times I thought a few of the lesser known activists droned on a bit.
All in all, it was a fabulous evening. I highly recommend this play to anyone who likes good theater or wants to learn about a little known piece of U.S. history.
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