The World Premiere Production

CHATTING WITH THE TEA PARTY

Robert Moss Theater
440 Lafayette, 3rd Floor
30 January-21 February 2016

Written by: Rich Orloff
Directed by: Lynnette Barkley

Featuring: John E. Brady, Maribeth Graham, Richard Kent Green and Jeffrey C. Wolf

CHATTING WITH THE TEA PARTY proudly announces that it is NOT an anti-Tea Party play. Well, it’s not exactly pro-Tea Party either. A playwright, Rich (surrogate for Richard Orloff) decides that he wants to figure out just who these Tea Party people are, and goes around the country interviewing more than 63 Tea Party local leaders and members. Surprisingly (not) he discovers that they are people! And while he develops a growing respect for their passion and willingness to take action, he rarely finds any common ground nor does he find them willing to accept facts if they don’t conform to their opinions.

A trio of very talented actors (John E. Brady, Maribeth Graham and Richard Kent Green) play the various interviewees and the playwright’s liberal friends, slipping chameleon-like into different skins with just a suggestion of costume change (i.e. a jacket or scarf). They also keep the play moving with their subtle scene changes.

As the playwright, Jeffrey C. Wolf is trapped in a journey that has no arc. After his first interview, he seems to know just as much as after his last one. This lack of growth bogs the show down and makes it feel repetitious, no matter how good the supporting trio are. It is obvious that Orloff was very careful to not make fun of his characters, but he sure could have used more humor.

- Jean Tait -