Spoon Theatre

Through correspondence and monologue in the style of readers theatre (in the vein of The Exonerated), Women and War is a collection of stories told by generations of Americans impacted by conflict, from The Great War to the War in Iraq.  From housewife to worker, young bride to nurse, mother to widow, and now, young woman to soldier, these are tales of sacrifice, love, determination and hope told by those who bravely persevere on the home front and on the battlefield. Women and War marks Retro Productions' first original piece in its five year history.

About the Company: Retro Productions

It is the mission of Retro Productions to present works of retro theatre. Retro is defined as "involving, relating to, or reminiscent of things past (American Heritage Dictionary)." At Retro Productions we will strive to tell good theatrical stories which have an historical perspective -with an emphasis on the 20th century- in order to broaden our own understanding of the world we live in. We believe through stories of human lives and struggles, both dramatic and comedic, we can understand social history and culture and how it affects us today.

Retro received recognition from their first two productions of Catholic School Girls and Mrs. California (as River Heights Productions) then gathered momentum in their third season with the Retro production of Still Life. Also directed by Ric Sechrest, Still Life received accolades from playwright Emily Mann: "Your production got it...Every aspect of the experience was first rate. Retro is clearly a company dedicated to creating impeccable work that truly matters," and Heather E. Cunningham's performance was honored alongside Romeo and Juliet’s Lauren Ambrose and August: Osage County’s Deanna Dunagan as one of Backstage's ‘2007 Performances to Remember’.

Retro Productions put themselves on the map in their fourth season producing Sally Nemeth's Mill Fire and What I Did Last Summer, called "...first-rate: brisk, sweet and occasionally quite moving," by playwright A.R. Gurney. This, their first season in residence at The Spoon Theater, garnered six 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Award nominations: two for performance and four for design, a New York Magazine ‘Off-off Broadway pick’ and the growing reputation of ‘the finished effect of a Retro Production’ (The Fab Marquee, Mill Fire). Kicking off with The Tender Trap and concluding with When You Comin’ Back Red Ryder? Retro's fifth season is proving that with a design team that has the ability to achieve 'theatrical time travel,' (The Fab Marquee) and "a powerful display of New York's dramatic talent," (offoffonline) Retro Productions is “...becoming a reliable source for first-class work.” (United Stages).

Retro Productions concludes their second season in residence at midtown’s Spoon Theater with Mark Medoff’s Off-Broadway hit When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder?. Directed by Ric Sechrest, this Drama Desk, Obie and Outer Critic’s Circle award-winning drama returns to New York City for a special limited engagement, May 7-23, 2009.

Originally produced Off-Broadway by Circle Repertory Company in 1973, Mark Medoff’s emotional drama took the theatre world by storm with its authentic, heart-wrenching depiction of the transformation of an era. It’s the end of the 60s in New Mexico and an early morning shift change at Foster’s Diner turns ugly when Teddy walks in. Steak and eggs evolve into taunting and bullying and before long the patrons and diner staff are helpless puppets in Teddy's cruel game, too terrified to resist him. Will they pull together to overcome him or be shattered by his emotional abuse?

In the depraved nightclub called BATH the wildest of desires can come true. This seedy underground petri dish is where you will meet Captain Absolute, who gets off on role playing & Lydia Languish, who likes to dominate. Julia Melville gets hot playing games & Faulkland likes to watch. The smoky haze of the dance floor finds the disgustingly dirty Bobby Acres trying on women's panties all while the heavily made-up Mrs. Malaprop works the stripper poles. Look closely and in a back corner booth you might find vile Lucius O'Trigger polishing his naked sword. Under the pulsing lights of a haze-filled dance floor beasty-boys David and Fag break-dance. Thomas likes to be choked. It's obvious because he's hanging from a noose. Come to BATH. You just might meet a girl named Lucy who hides things up her skirt.  A Comedy of (bad) Manners

In violence Tiny is born, in vengeance saved, in remorse redeemed. Caught in the tribal warfare of generations there are two trails to tread - one of the nation, one of the heart. His epic journey in music, movement, masks, boots.

No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs, is the story of a Black family in the South living under the rigors of racism. Rawl Cheeks is a loving family man devoted to his wife Mattie and children Joyce and Matoka. The Cheeks are a close-knit church going family struggling to make ends meet. In order to supplement their income they allow Yaveni Aaronson, a sociologist, to do research on their family. Yaveni, a Jew, is gathering material, comparing the trials and tribulations faced by the Blacks under racism with that of the suffering of the Jews under racism, both in Europe and in America. (Oregan Coast News Signal)

In Association with NY Deaf Theater. www.nydeaftheatre.org

This ferocious black comedy presents 8 artists playing 4 roles, in our 'co-playing' style. Three people meet in a deli and 4th person, a man, acts as a truth serum on them, revealing who they really are under their exterior mask. If I take away the face you present to the world---are you then left disabled?