CurtainUp
CurtainUp
The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings
HOME PAGE

SITE GUIDE

SEARCH


REVIEWS

REVIEW ARCHIVES

ADVERTISING AT CURTAINUP

FEATURES

NEWS
Etcetera and
Short Term Listings


LISTINGS
Broadway
Off-Broadway

NYC Restaurants

BOOKS and CDs

OTHER PLACES
Berkshires
London
California
New Jersey
DC
Connecticut
Philadelphia
Elsewhere

QUOTES

TKTS

PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS

LETTERS TO EDITOR

FILM

LINKS

MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
A CurtainUp Review
Extinction

By Amanda

No Offense man, but you're an asshole.
Michael Weston and James Roday
(Photo: Carol Rosegg)
A play does not have to have high ambitions in order to provide its audience with a fulfilling, thought-provoking experience. Gabe McKinley, the playwright responsible for the tight, understated Off-Broadway play Extinction understands this concept well. McKinley explores what evolution might mean in the face of our 21st century, using four characters within two rooms, in the span of one evening.

Two aged college roommates, Finn and Max, meet in Atlantic City for a weekend reunion of sorts; it seems as though the two mainly keep in touch with an annual wild-weekend. It has been just over a year since their last debauchery session, and a lot has happened in their lives within that timeframe.

For Max (Michael Weston), the well-to-do pharmaceutical salesman, his news is straightforward — his mother recently died. For Finn (James Roday), the PhD candidate at Columbia, his news is a bit more complicated. He slowly leaks pieces to Max, hoping to soften the blow, but the upshot is still clear: Finn wants to move on with his life, and leave their sordid — shared — past behind. However, doing this without Max's financial help would be more than challenging.

Our modern world highly cherishes two things — money, and education. However, one does not always begat the other. And when it comes to evolving, and survival of our genes, what cherished assets will help our children? Who is more likely to have children, to want children? Extinction certainly speaks to these theoretical discourses, and more. But onstage, the direct struggle is of two men desperately trying to hold onto their own identities of self. The result is devastating and cruel, but affecting and truthful.

Two Atlantic City women (Amanda Detmer and Stefanie E Frame) join the production about halfway through this ninety-minute one-act, fast-forwarding the evening's events and emotions. All four performers are talented and fully engage in their roles. Roday, Weston and Detmer's experience mainly lie in film and television, and their skills in that realm translate well to theater. Stefanie Frame's resume is a bit shorter, but she more than holds her own — she is compelling as the lost soul Victoria.

Extinction is an LA-NYC transfer. Let's hope the film-centric city has more rock-solid theater coming our way.

Extinction By Gabe McKinley
Directed by Wayne Kasserman
Cast: JamesRoday, Michael Weston, Amanda Detmer, Stefanie E.Frame
Set Design: Steven C Kemp
Costume Desing:Gali Noy
Lighting Design: Mike Durst
Production Stage Manager: Audra L Roberson
Cherry Lane Theatre 38 Commerce Street, 212 239 6200
Through March 14, 2010
Tuesdays at 7pm, Wednesday — Saturday @ 8pm, Sunday at 7pm.
Reviewed by Amanda Cooper based on February 24, 2010 performance
REVIEW FEEDBACK
Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
  • I agree with the review of Extinction
  • I disagree with the review of Extinction
  • The review made me eager to see Extinction
Click on the address link E-mail: esommer@curtainup.com
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V):

Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email. . .also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review.

You can also contact us at Curtainup at Facebook , Curtainup at Twitter and at our Blog Annex
Subscribe to our FREE email updates with a note from editor Elyse Sommer about additions to the website -- with main page hot links to the latest features posted at our numerous locations. To subscribe, E-mail: esommer@curtainup.comesommer@curtainup.com
put SUBSCRIBE CURTAINUP EMAIL UPDATE in the subject line and your full name and email address in the body of the message -- if you can spare a minute, tell us how you came to CurtainUp and from what part of the country.
South Pacific  Revival
South Pacific


In the Heights
In the Heights


Playbillyearbook
Playbill Broadway Yearbook


broadwaynewyork.com


amazon



©Copyright 2010, Elyse Sommer
Information from this site may not be reproduced in print or online without specific permission from esommer@curtainup.com