Invisible Theatre News

One-woman show offers multiple perspectives | The Invisible Theatre : One-woman show offers multiple perspectives Actress takes minimally decorated stage and doesn't let it go Posted Apr 17, 2012 Dave Irwin TucsonSentinel.com The Invisible Theatre’s Susan Claassen may have to relinquish her crown for one-woman shows. With its latest offering, “The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead,” Claassen, the theater’s charismatic managing artistic director, is making room for her protégé, Betsy Kruse Craig. “The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead” closes the Invisible Theatre’s 42nd annual season with a seven character tour-de-force. Betsy Kruse Craig, who is also an associate director at IT, takes the minimally decorated stage and does not let it go. Portions of her costume changes occur on-stage through a screen, so that we can better appreciate the extent of her transformations. The play unfolds as each character layers on information to the narrative from h...

'Vengeful Redhead': 7 characters, 1 actress : Embodying each requires more than a wig change Kathleen Allen Kallen@azstarnet.com   |  Posted:  Thursday, April 5, 2012  Betsy Kruse Craig is a stage veteran. Still, her upcoming performance in Invisible Theatre's "The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead" has got her a wee bit nervous. You see, she plays all the characters - young, old, male, female, blonde, brunette and redhead. "The play is intense," admitted Craig. "It's nothing like I've ever done before. Getting all those words and people straight …" The play's conceit is this: Rhonda has been married for 17 years when her husband calls her and tells her it's over; he's moved out of the house. This revelation, and her intent to confront the woman involved with her husband, brings on a catastrophic event. There are seven characters in the play, and each one has a different take on what happened at that event. T...

Lucie Arnaz on NPR!

Claassen & Co. mostly deliver the goods in 'Dancing' Look Ma, IT has a winner, if imperfect Kathleen Allen Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Sunday, February 12, 2012 Two weddings and a funeral serve as the backdrop for Invisible Theatre's latest, the world premiere of Janet Neipris' "Look Ma We're Dancing." So does some mighty intense sibling rivalry in this production directed by Gail Fitzhugh. And no one can do intense quite as well as Susan Claassen, IT's artistic director and one of the two sisters in this comedy. Claassen's Vi has a strong wit, impeccable timing and a New York City sophistication. She brings all that to Montana to attend her sister Franny's wedding (Franny is nicely portrayed by Susan Kovitz). Trouble is, she and Franny haven't spoken in a year, when something went terribly wrong at their mother's funeral. Franny isn't as interesting as Vi; nevertheless, Kovitz holds her own against Claassen - which isn't...

LOOK MA WE'RE DANCING : GENTLE REMINDERS FILL "LOOK MA WE'RE DANCING" By Chuck Graham TucsonStage.com Family members may not be the world's most reliable support group, but we always have to remember: home is the place where, when you go there, they have to take you in. Playwright Janet Neipris and the players at Invisible Theatre celebrate such enduring truths in the world premiere production of her light comedy with a heart, "Look Ma We're Dancing" directed by Gail Fitzhugh. Susan Claassen is full of feisty confusion as Vi, the intellectual sister of Franny (Susan Kovitz) the sociable sister – the one mom always liked best, at least in Vi's opinion. Read the entire review here: LOOK MA WE'RE DANCING

'Look Ma, We’re Dancing' is gentle Jewish-centric comedy | The Invisible Theatre : The Invisible Theatre 'Look Ma, We’re Dancing' is gentle Jewish-centric comedy Play is a funny, acerbic exploration of sibling rivalry Feb 9, 2012 Dave Irwin TucsonSentinel.com The Invisible Theatre’s latest play, “Look Ma, We’re Dancing,” is a gently acerbic comedy of sibling rivalry. The protagonists are two grown-up hyper-competitive New York Jewish-American princesses. We watch as they try to reconnect to their individual lives and their sisterhood following the death of their mother — the glue that had held their family together. Tim Fuller/Invisible Theatre From left, Burney Starks, Susan Kovitz, Susan Claassen and James Blair star in The Invisible Theatre's production of 'Look Ma, We're Dancing. Vi, played note-perfect and knowingly by IT artistic director Susan Claassen, arrives in Montana to surprise her sister, Franny, played by Susan Kovitz, before Fran...

Sibling rivalry lives in 'Dancing' : Sisters vie for late mom's attention at Invisible Theatre premieres comedy Sibling rivalry lives in 'Dancing' Tayler Wancour For The Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Thursday, February 2, 2012 Death doesn't always kill the need for mom's approval. In "Look Ma We're Dancing," two adult sisters fight over their dead mother's affection. Funny moments, sibling rivalry at its finest and family issues take center stage in the Janet Neipris play, which has its world premiere at Invisible Theatre Tuesday. "The humor is in the characters, and then it has moments that are poignant where it moves the audience. I love that combination," said playwright Neipris, chairwoman of the Dramatic Writing Department at the Tisch School for the Arts at New York University. IT collaborated with Neipris for about two years on "Look Ma We're Dancing." The company has been producing Neipris' work since she...