Welcome to a special bonus episode; episode 7 of the Alliance Theatre Podcast. Join Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth in an interview with Jesse Green, Co-Chief Theatre Critic for The New York Times.
Jesse Green is the co-chief theater critic for The New York Times.
From 2013 to 2017 he was the theater critic for New York magazine, where he had also been a contributing editor, writing long-form features, since 2008. Before that, he wrote about theater and other cultural topics for the Arts & Leisure section of The New York Times while covering broader subjects for The New York Times Magazine. Articles he has written for these and many other publications have been recognized with nominations and prizes from the National Magazine Awards and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, among others.
Entertainment Weekly called Mr. Green’s novel “O Beautiful” (Ballantine/Random House) “one of the best first novels of the year,” in 1990. He is also the author of “The Velveteen Father: An Unexpected Journey to Parenthood,” a memoir published by Villard/Random House in 1999 that was named one of the best nonfiction books of the year by The Los Angeles Times Book Review, one of the 10 best memoirs or biographies of the year by Amazon.com, and one of the best parenting books of the year by Child magazine. It won the Lambda Literary Award for Biography or Autobiography in 2000. His short fiction has appeared in Mademoiselle, Mississippi Review, and The American Voice, among other magazines, and his essays have been published in many collections.
Before turning to writing, Mr. Green worked in the theater as a gofer, a copyist, and a musical coordinator on Broadway shows. He has also written cryptic crosswords and other puzzles for many publications. He is a 1980 magna cum laude graduate of Yale College, with a degree in English and Theater.
For more information about the Alliance Theatre Podcast please click here.
Welcome to episode six of the Alliance Theatre Podcast: an exploration of theatre and the people who make it happen. Join A’riel Tinter and Ansley Usery in an interview with BOLD Artistic Associate and Alliance Theatre Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Co-Chair, Hershey Millner, as they discuss the landscape of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the world of theatre, the importance of fostering these conversations, and how to have them.
For more information about the Alliance Theatre Podcast please click here.
My dad signed me up for a three-week summer camp at the Springer Theatre Academy back in the day. Since I was only 9-years-old I had no objections, as “yes” seems to come naturally at that age. When I arrived, everyone was already in grey t-shirts with their respective names written on them and were chit-chatting, or what some might describe as my own personal 9-year-old hell. It turns out that I had found some objections. Too late. Me and my tie-dye Scooby Doo t-shirt went and sat down alone on a very classy olive-green velvet theatre seat parallel to the chatty kids. (I made sure that there was no eye contact.)
A Dumbledore-type figure, (but think dad shoes and a grey t-shirt with the name “RON” written on it,) walks onto the stage. This is Ron. In a strange way, I think Ron introduced me to magic. Ron was wise and majestic and confident and gentle and calm and felt like pure light. Ron walks onto the stage and introduces himself, the staff, and says some things that I can’t remember. The Professor McGonagall of Springer was Amy. That night my parents and I ran into Amy at Walmart and Amy said, “Hey Ansley!” and I was wearing a jacket over my newly obtained grey t-shirt with the name “ANSLEY” written on it so there was no way she could’ve read my name and had to have actually remembered it, and that was some more magic. I remember looking at my dad being like “did you just see that?”
The rest of the week I sort of existed as a witness. Some people call that “being reserved.” Adults call it “being bitchy.” During the next two weeks something clicked. I ended up winning “Most Improved” for my class at the end of the summer, which meant that my shyness was cured! Ron had a way of bringing the best out in people and it spread like wildfire.
For the next 10 or so years I continued to attend the Springer Theatre Academy each summer. Sometimes for two weeks, sometimes for four. Sometimes I interned for free enrollment, and sometimes I volunteered for special events. That. Place. Was. Haunted. Magic. Let’s come back to this.
Quickly after “I gave up theatre” because I realized that the real world (freshman year studying college theatre) was not like the Springer Theatre Academy, and then a few different lifetimes took place.
When I moved to Atlanta I was really lucky to have gotten a chance to work at Horizon Theatre and then at the Alliance in admin. I love theatre because I’ve seen what it can do, so admin was a safe place to go to help indirectly support something I believe in.
One of the perks of working at the Alliance is that we get free education classes… or one free education class. I’m not sure how many but definitely one, and one makes a difference. I was enrolled in Sarah Donnell’s acting class and had suddenly reformed a pure bond of theatre love. That something had clicked again. At one point during grown-up acting class at the Alliance, Teacher Sarah says “love is saying yes to what is.” As I look back on my time at the Springer Theatre Academy, the magic suddenly made sense.
Magic is perhaps a word used to describe something so simple: acceptance. “Saying yes to what is.”
The idea of acting is scary. Straight up, it just is. It takes SO MUCH vulnerability to let yourself be seen like that because imperfection is inevitable, just as it is in being human.
Quick detour: I’ll never forget the time I was 13-years-old and stood on that big Springer Opera House Stage in front of my classmates doing one of Shakespeare’s dramatic monologues from Romeo and Juliet with a mouth full of braces and other metal contraptions, and couldn’t say “reeky shanks.” Quite seriously, I remember being very into the drama and then arriving to “wreakeh scthaynkscth.” It certainly took us all by surprise, so there was no way of avoiding communal laughter. I completed the monologue, got my feedback which only included a small nod towards my speech impediment, and then we moved onto the next person. Adult acting class here was the same way. There were times when I couldn’t remember lines and barreled through a scene without any emotion whatsoever because it was the only way I could get the words out. There were times when we were asked to move around the space using our whole bodies and I was worried that people would notice my ill-fitted bra or how I don’t totally understand how my body moves in connection with itself. There were times when we were asked questions to dig deeper within our own psyche to connect with a particular text, and then we had the toughest task of letting people see us respond honestly to something that hurt, or something that brought us joy, so on and so forth.
For some reason, it seems that as adults we tend to work really hard at “being adults.” To maintain an image of perfection (don’t even get me started on the topic of social media,) that is generally void of honest emotion and vulnerability. Considering reading length, I won’t go down that rabbit hole here.
However, if we all learned to accept ourselves, and to accept others, and to accept what is, I suspect we may feel a little freer to take chances in other parts of our lives that excite us. To take chances on the things that matter.
That’s what taking a theatre class has done for this gal. To take some chances and accept what is no matter the outcome.
And if you’re reading this and feel a pull to take the chance, but are also really nervous, I think that’s natural. You do it anyway. Feel free to ask me any and all questions you may have, as I believe it’s a risk worth taking. Here’s the link to our education classes in case your fancy is tickled. And here’s to you being you!
If you’re looking at the ads for our new production Maybe Happy Ending, and thinking to yourself, “Hey, this guy looks familiar!”— You’re right!
Kenny Tran, star of recent local productions including The Little Mermaid (Serenbe Playhouse) and Men With Money (Aurora Theatre), returns to Atlanta to make his Alliance Theatre debut as the lovable Helperbot Oliver in this heartwarming musical. Recently, we sat down with Kenny to talk about the show and his favorite city hot spots.
How did you find yourself in Atlanta originally?
My first job after graduation was as an Acting Apprentice at Serenbe Playhouse. After spending a year here in ATL, I moved to NYC, but I had a great opportunity to return to the Aurora Theatre for work, including the new musical Men With Money last year. Ever since I arrived in Atlanta, I had the Alliance Theatre down as somewhere I wanted to work. To work at the Alliance is an absolute dream, so I’m eating it up. The audiences are so giving, so thirsty for good and new theatre, and the Alliance does everything possible to bring the best shows to their patrons. It’s an honor to return to Atlanta and be a part of it.
How does it feel to be working on a show like Maybe Happy Ending?
It’s so incredibly exciting. Many actors never get the chance to do new work, and many more actors never get to work on new musicals that are as astounding as Maybe Happy Ending. The writing is honest and the music incredibly moving and specific. I feel so unbelievably lucky and dazed to forever be a part of this show’s journey. I’m a little nervous that I peaked a little too soon, getting to work on Maybe Happy Ending.
What’s it like to work to work Director Michael Arden and your fellow castmates?
Michael is such a brilliant director, obviously, but what I think he does that’s special is that he really appreciates and values his entire team—from actors to stage managers, to technicians, to staff, everyone. It’s important to him that each and every person invests in the story we’re telling, and that every person feels like they’re invested in by the whole team. Every person involved with the show is a collaborator and has something valuable to add, that’s Michael’s vision, and it’s the most supported I’ve ever felt. I absolutely adore my cast, and they’re all the most fun, snarky, sarcastic, loving group of humans. It’s a small show (even with understudies, we’re only 8 people), so we spend a ton of time together, AND we still spend time together outside of rehearsal—which doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I’ve worked with many people who I’d rather not spend more than the time we have to work together.
What are some of your favorite places or activities in Atlanta and why?
I LOVE WAFFLE HOUSE. The saddest part of moving away from the Midwest—Kansas City— and from Atlanta was the lack of Waffle Houses. There are no WaHo’s in NYC and it tears me apart inside. No diner in NYC can live up to those hashbrowns, the feeling everyone gets hanging out at a WaHo, the cheap prices! Aside from WaHo, I love a burger at The Vortex, the bars at Edgewood, and Piedmont Park. I joked with a friend at one point that if I were going to live in Atlanta, I’d want to live right next to the park. Also, kind of weird, but I love the ATL airport. It’s huge for one, and two, there’s SO MUCH FOOD in there! I love Buford Highway for the amazing Vietnamese food (I brought my mom to a restaurant a year ago on Buford Highway and she loved it), I love the various small pockets of Korean businesses and restaurants in and around Lawrenceville. Mostly, I just eat in Atlanta, and I’m always down for suggestions, PLEASE!
What do you hope audiences take away from Maybe Happy Ending?
The magic and reality of love. What does it fully mean to love someone?
How are you similar to your character of Oliver and how are you different?
I really feel the most similar to Oliver in the journey he goes through. Without spoiling the show, the way Oliver grows up through the challenges and truths he has to come to terms with really makes me think of myself. Oliver isn’t really the most social and is very goal-oriented. Some of that comes from being a Helperbot, but I’m very social, and, I like to think, very friendly and welcoming. Maybe I’m also not the best at setting a schedule for the day, either. Oliver is okay repeating the same actions and tasks every day, and I CANNOT DO THAT EVER. I’m so kinetic and I get bored easily, so I generally switch up my life and schedule regularly.
How did you first get interested in the world of theatre?
I got started in 6th grade with the role of Guard 3 in Aladdin Jr. If you’re familiar with the show at all, you’d know that the role of Guard 3 doesn’t exist and they had to write me in. So, I was incredibly close to never finding theatre. You never know what small detail could lead to the rest of your life!
Anything else you would like our audiences to know about you? Or the show?
Honestly and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for coming to this show. It’s funny to think about the show because talking to the writers or the other actors, everyone has a different interpretation of what the show is trying to say and what it means to them. It’s the most special show I’ve had the privilege to give myself to. If you haven’t seen the show, I hope you can, and after you do, I hope that you love those around you harder and more fully than you ever have before.
See Kenny Tran as Oliver in Maybe Happy Ending on the Coca-Cola Stage through February 16th.
Kenny Tran and Cathy Ang in Alliance Theatre’s
Maybe Happy Ending. Photo by Greg Mooney.
Our Teen Ensemble watched the first preview of the musical Maybe Happy Ending and shared some thoughts regarding the show below. Let’s take a look!
The English language debut of Will Aronson and Hue Park’s musical, Maybe Happy Ending was a beautiful success. Directed by Michael Arden, the show is a tender statement about the power of love. The story explores love as a whole and embarrasses it as the illogical, yet empowering force that it is.
The show is complemented by absolutely breathtaking stage design. Moving screens, projections, optical illusions and other special effects make for a completely immersive experience. The story takes the audience through unique locations, each as beautiful as the last. The simplistic yet catchy music along with the clean lighting and smooth transitions creates a modern aesthetic that complement the futuristic setting. As a whole, Maybe Happy Ending is a tender tribute to the love that brings so many of us together.
Alivia, 11th grade
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Last week, I had the honor of seeing the 1st preview performance of Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden. Something interesting about this show is that it was first premiered in South Korea and this new version is the first production in English. I am so glad that this show came to Atlanta first. This show is about two robots that meet and go on an adventure trying to help each other. While on their adventure, they do the one thing robots are not supposed to do, fall in love. I understand that the plot may sound a little “strange”, but this show is filled with tears, joy, fear, and much more human emotion than you would expect. This show is one I would not want to miss. It worked so hard just to come to America, which means that is a sign to buy your ticket NOW!
Colleen, 11th grade
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Maybe Happy Ending, written by Will Aronson and Hue Park and directed by Michael Arden, was nothing short of brilliant. Not only was this production headed by an extremely talented and charming cast, but it was also technologically ingenious. I normally don’t like when tech is used heavily in shows, I feel like it causes the art to lose its charm and honesty, however, the tech in Maybe Happy Ending is used so skillfully that the show manages to remain very grounded. Even though this show is about robots, the emotions seem more real than most shows about actual humans. The way the writers portrayed the robots facing human emotions was somehow incredibly accessible and honest. Not only was the show technologically brilliant, but I also can’t stress enough how beautiful this show is. Each different set-piece is stunning. Each set completely transforms the stage and is remarkably aesthetic and artistic. I have never been so enthralled in a show before. It was nothing like I have ever seen before. All in all, Maybe Happy Ending was directed and written extremely skillfully and was portrayed by an amazing cast and expert crew and is without a doubt some of the best theater I have ever seen.
Fiona, 11th grade
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Maybe Happy Ending co-writtten by Will Aronson, and Hue Park & directed by Michael Arden is about two retired Helper Bots living across the hall from each other in a futuristic version of Seoul Korea. Oliver (Kenny Tran) and Claire (Cathy Ang) learn what it means to love and be loved while on a journey to visit Oliver’s former owner James (John D. Haggerty). Both of the characters know that they’re robots and can’t truly experience human emotion, but they both have a strong understanding of these emotions they don’t have.
It’s very difficult to explain why this show is so magical. It’s one that you have to see in order to understand. I could rave on and on about the visuals of this show, but what really caught my attention was the acting. Kenny Tran and Cathy Ang have such an amazing chemistry, and I felt like I was watching them meet for the first time. They definitely have a grasp of their characters, intentions, and objectives. At the beginning of they play there are a lot of humorous moments about them being robots, and the acting is very constrained, but enjoyable. In the middle I started to forget that they are robots and saw a very human side of the characters falling in love and going through heartbreak. Then at the end they come full circle and the acting becomes confined, but loose because of their new life experiences. Of course, I can’t leave out the one and only Dez Duron who appropriately, and respectfully stole the show in his scenes.
The scenic designer, Dane Laffrey, did an excellent job, seeing this expansion that the characters have, and complimented them by opening up the stage at these big moments. All of the visuals follow the same pattern that the acting has. I’m so conflicted by the visuals. Although they were amazing and I loved every moment, I found that in some of these visually stunning moments I lost the actors and some of the story. I felt that they were over shadowed, but that’s where I feel conflicted because I was entranced by every moment and I wouldn’t change a thing about this play. It is truly a work of art.
Jude, 11th grade
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Two near-obsolete robots, one completely obsessed with swing jazz, take a road trip and fall in love. This story shouldn’t work, but it instead encompasses the core of human emotion and is the epitome of fragile beauty in a musical. Maybe Happy Ending is the most visually stunning production that I have had the pleasure of seeing. Under the direction of the one and only Michael Arden, Scenic Designer Dane Laffrey, Lighting Designer Travis Hagenbuch, and particularly Projections Designer Sven Ortel have created a masterpiece to be the medium through which this beautiful story is told.
It is so refreshing and crucial to see a powerhouse Asian-American cast onstage, delivering breathtaking performances. Growing up as a young Asian-American girl, I was especially drawn to Cathy Ang’s breathtaking performance as Claire.
The orchestrations for this production are phenomenal and help to underscore and drive the plot seamlessly. The work of Will Aronson and Hue Park is touching in such a unique way and Music Director Deborah Abramson captures the essence of this and breathes life into the music. Everything about this production is brilliant and I, for one, will be returning to see Maybe Happy Ending as many times as possible.
Julia, 12th grade
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Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden, is a musical that is masterfully otherworldly. The plot, weaved by Will Aronson and Hue Park, is paced to perfection. The musical tells of two obsolete helper bots— robotic assistants made to help humans— in a futuristic Seoul, and their journey to find their purpose, and in the process, finding their humanity as well. Oliver, played by Kenny Tran, begins the show, setting the energetic mood. After the opening song, fate brings Claire— played by Cathy Ang— to Oliver’s door, and their chemistry is vibrant and charming from the start.
Every scene had such an intricate design and detail, leaving the audience in a constant state of amazement. The scenic design, led by Dane Laffrey and reinforced by the lighting of Travis Hagenbuch, made the set feel surreal, like the stage was no longer tangible. Because of the tireless efforts of the stage hands and crew, change in scenes and setting was always a smooth transfer. Choice in color of lighting also helped represent the characters intentions and emotions.
Kamryn, 12th grade
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Maybe Happy Ending, written by Will Aronson and Hue Park, is one of the most visually stunning musicals to grace the Alliance Theater’s Coca-Cola Stage. Those familiar with musicals and Broadway expect nothing but the best from director Michael Arden and he continually delivers in a way that even the most creative of us wouldn’t think to execute. I was fortunate enough to be able to see a preview performance of Maybe Happy Ending and it absolutely blew me away. I was knocked out of this world. Maybe Happy Ending is a show that you are unable to compare because it is unique in story, song, and visuals.
Like a child, the striking colors of the show captivated my attention and drew me into a world of song, love and hope almost as if it were a dream. There was a simplicity to some of the scenes that makes you focus on the actors more and in those moments, you are nowhere near disappointed. Cathy Ang, who plays the role of Claire, is an adorably talented singer who has a control of her voice that I’ve never experienced before and would happily watch a thousand times over. Kenny Tran who delivers Oliver is an amazing actor and watching his performance you can clearly see the unending love that he has for the world he is in and its characters. Together Ang and Tran deliver a performance that is unmatched in care and sweetness as well as in a way that even if you’ve never loved and lost you certainly have a clear idea and feeling of it afterwards. Dez Duron’s voice is only comparable to that illustrious voice of Michael Buble, so much so that you by the end you are left feeling unsatisfied and only left wanting to hear more from him. It’d be possible to talk about the performance all day long, but the experience could have never been had if it weren’t for Will Aronson and Hue Park. This isn’t the first show that the two have done together and after Maybe Happy Ending I can only hope that it won’t be the last.
The performance delivery and beauty are even more special to the city of Atlanta as this is Maybe Happy Ending’s American premier and it is an honor for Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre to help create such a wonderful, breathtaking show. As I was fortunate enough to see the preview, I do have a little bit more insight into the show and the thought process of the making of it, so as I watched it I believe I was able to understand some aspects of the show better. The show itself did leave me with some questions, though, that I don’t think were intentionally supposed to be unanswered. But no questions could prevent me from wanting to see the show again and support however I can. Maybe Happy Ending is a must-see for all no matter the age or feelings towards musicals, it is a story that makes love look even more like the most welcomed pain there is no matter what you are.
Keturah, 12th grade
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Last week the Alliance Theatre Teen Ensemble had the honor of going to the American premiere of Hue Park’s and Will Aronson’s Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden. Not knowing what to expect I skeptically waited for the show to start. To say this show blew my mind is an understatement. I laughed and cried throughout the show awaiting each moment with anticipation. This show written by Hue Park and Will Aronson and directed by Michael Arden is something unbelievable and I will never forget it.
The story follows Claire and Oliver two retired helper bots as they journey to Jeju Island. With the accompaniment of a potted plant and the tunes of Gil Brently they learn how not to be alone and that they may be more human than they think. Overall the cast was amazing. I connected with each individual character. The leads Cathy Ang and Kenny Tran had such great chemistry and did just an excellent job of pulling on my heart strings. A character that really stood out was JiYeon, Claire’s former owner, played by Diana Huey. Even though she was never physically on stage I was captivated each time she appeared.
Entering the Coca-Cola Stage, I was quite puzzled, when I first looked at the set. I knew the show had many technological factors, but I was not prepared for what was to come. The set design was amazingly mind-blowing. The set was futuristic, but contemporary bright and welcoming. The set not only showcased where the characters were but also how they felt, and it did that through movement. The use of screens, the stage, and lights were unbelievable. I truly felt as if I was going through life with them rather than watching as an audience member. Shout out to Dane Laffrey the scenic designer, Travis Hagenbuch the Lighting designer, and Sven Ortel, the projections designer for making this show a visual masterpiece.
I am happy to say that I will definitely be seeing this again. In fact, many of my friends are excited to see this show. Thank you so much to the cast and crew for bringing this story and allowing us to see this masterpiece.
Maybe Happy Ending is running now until February 16th on the Coca-Cola stage at the Alliance Theatre. For tickets visit their website at alliancetheater.org or call (404) 733-5000. Happy theater going!
Micah, 12th grade
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The new musical Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden and written by Will Aronson & Hue Park, is an incredible show that I would highly recommend anyone who is looking for a fresh piece of theatre. Originally written in both Korean and English and beautifully translated into full English, the show takes you on the journey of a quirky and loveable Helperbot (a robot) named Oliver along with the adventurous Helperbot Claire. One is able to watch the bond form between these two robots as they travel and attempt to find their paths in life after losing touch with their owners. The showcasing of this growing connection and relationship throughout the show is very entertaining to watch, both as a result of the brilliance of the writers (who were able to re-write, re-score, and translate an entire show!!), and of all six actors. In addition, the set of the show is likely one of the most innovative and creative sets to exist – I cannot do justice in words to how the usage of multiple sliding panels and tube lights combine to form a futuristic, otherworldly look which fits the idea of “robot” incredibly well. Overall, Maybe Happy Ending is a wonderful show that will stay with you & inspire you to see the world from a new perspective.
Nicky, 11th grade
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Maybe Happy Ending is an adorable show about love. Written by Will Aronson and Hue Park and directed by Michael Arden, it is based on a Korean musical that had premiered in Seoul in 2016. Set in a futuristic Seoul, the story is about Claire and Oliver, two retired helper bots who live across from each other in their retirement community. They meet when Claire needs to borrow Oliver’s charger, and from there on they end up on an adventure together. The two main characters are adorable. I loved Oliver and his little plant, and Claire’s outfit looked so cute.
The shows cast is amazing and incredibly talented. From Cathy Ang, who played Claire and Kenny Tran, who played Oliver, to John D. Haggerty, Who played every single character that Claire and Oliver interact with at home and on their adventure, and Dez Duron whose amazing voice captures the audience and had us swaying in our seats. Daniel J. Edwards and Diana Huey, who were Claire’s former owner, did an amazing job of portraying a couple falling in and out of love.
The story takes you on a whirlwind of emotions from happiness to sadness to pure joy and everything in between. The music creates a mood for the entire show that takes you to a whole other world and keeps you there even after the show, when the music is inevitably stuck in your head for the next week. You then start looking up the Korean show and soundtrack so that you can hear the songs, but that’s beside the point. It is a sweet show, with fireflies, jazz music, and robots acting more human than some people I know. It has messages of loss, love, broken hearts, connections to people we care about. No matter how out of touch you feel at some point you have to feel connected to one of these characters.
One of my favorite parts of the show was the stage, and I don’t want to say too much because the stage itself is a work of art that holds surprises that I think are so much better if you don’t expect them. The designers who put it together and the backstage crew who make it work have worked INCREDIBLY hard and deserve so much praise for making that set work. Claire’s old owners would appear projected around the stage, in Claire’s memories. The integration of the technology worked with the show and made it feel multidimensional. And the designs of their rooms did a good job of reflecting who each of them was.
If I had any criticisms of the show it would most likely be that, as this was the first full tech run of the show, there were some points were I could see the backstage crew rushing to get everything changed for the next scene while another scene was still going on, and that was kind of distracting to me. Otherwise it is an amazing show that deserves so much love and attention. It is definitely one I would recommend and take friends to see (as long as you don’t mind them seeing you crying). It’s one you should definitely check out.
Sara, 12th grade
Alliance Theatre’s Teen Ensemble is in partnership with:
