FALLEN ANGELS
Dorset Theatre Festival
July 2010
“DTF’s FALLEN ANGELS A ROMP. Audiences will be delighted by this fun romp through the ups
and downs of love, lust, and alcohol consumption...The director and actors are to be given
credit for providing substance, modern relevance and tremendous energy to the simple story...
Audiences will find themselves laughing riotously at the women's antics and commentary.”
- Jessica Palmer, Manchester Journal
“ANGELS FAR FROM FALLEN. Dorset Theatre Festival continued its renaissance 35th anniversary season under new artistic director Dina Janis by turning to a classic farce, Noel Coward's longtime audience favorite, "Fallen Angels." Directed by Suzanne Agins, the action flows from morning to evening to the next morning, to the heights of titillation and back, all with rollicking humor. Veteran performers [Amy Lynn] Stewart and [Jeanine] Serralles, Ying to each other's Yang, took the near-capacity audience through an evening of innuendo, arousal, and downright guffaws. They proved that hiding a bit from view still builds allure. Both pushed us to the brink of expectation. They used their physical gifts and period dress to flaunt their sensual selves in a tapestry held together by Coward's clever repartee...Ryan Palmer's set design was beautifully done. Jacqueline Firkins' costumes of Julia and Jane were an array of rainbow hues and high fashion for the times, a visual cornucopia not to be missed.”
- Telly Halkias, Bennington Banner
“Directed by Suzanne Agins, Coward’s 1925 comedy of manners is worthy of applause thanks to significant efforts by the cast and director... By the time Act 1 comes to a close, you’ve fallen in love with the charming, yet morally questionable duo, as they anxiously await the arrival of their ex-lover. Mayhem ensues, culminating in a tour de force as Stewart and Serralles stumble and slur their way through an increasingly drunken Act 2...Both the direction and set design deserve special mention. The set is understated, with a pale blue design, allowing you to focus on the actors and their decadent costumes. The direction is also tight and professional. While Coward’s writing is at times dated, the director and company clearly worked diligently to create such a laugh-filled show, which is where the heart of the show lives - in the interpretation and delivery of each line, and the design and production of the set.”
- Chelsea Slosberg, The Free George
“It takes this company of young, invigorated American actors only 92 minutes to play out the 24 hours of this piece...Together alone, for the most part, in Act Two, these two actresses give us every possible stage of friendship from uneasiness to antagonism to love and trust and even to ugly disdain. As their collaborative reunion with their former lover turns into a drunken brawl they become funnier and sillier and even more loveable than they were before. And watching them play through the third act’s twists and turns is hilarious...Suzanne Agins has pulled this production together without flaws. She has delivered delicious Coward on a summer stock platter with young hopefuls playing bigger and better than they knew they could. It looked like the twenties, sounded like the twenties and for 90 minutes it felt like the twenties. You can’t ask for more than that while "wallowing in a quagmire" (see the show and get the reference).
- J. Peter Bergman, Berkshire Bright Focus
Berlind Theatre
Princeton University,
November 2009
“It is the sign of a truly great production when the performances, design and direction come together to succinctly communicate a story to the audience. "My Fair Lady"...does just that.”
– Zach Zimmerman, Daily Princetonian
“It’s a pleasure to hear them sing... [Laura] Hankin portrays a somewhat delicate Eliza, with a very lovely and pure soprano voice. She is especially delightful in “I Could Have Danced All Night.” Fennell sing-talks his way amusingly through some of the funnier pieces, notably “I’m an Ordinary Man” in Act 1 (the humor in this show is one of its fortes). Among the very large cast, those with prominent and strong contributions include Gabriel Crouse as the rough-hewn, cocky Alfred Dolittle; Andrew Linz as Colonel Pickering, Higgins’ alter ego and stabilizer; Liana Kissinger-Virizlay as Higgins’ disapproving mother; and Dan Corica as Freddy, who does a plaintive turn outside Higgins’ door, “On the Street Where You Live.” Set design and lighting by Mimi Lien and Nick Francone, respectively, are elegant, economical, and period perfect. From the plush purple curtain to the Edwardian-style footlights, the mood is restrained elegance. Even the street-urchins and peddlers in the opening scene at Covent Garden seem to have been drawn from an illustrated Edwardian novel. This carries over to Emily Pepper’s costume designs, which are in a range of very tasteful, muted earth tones, or black and white. And what a luxury it is to have the expanse of the Berlind performance space for this lavish production. To fill it, Ryan Migge’s inventive choreography is another standout.” – Bob Brown, Princeton Packet
Cherry Lane Theater,
March/April 2009
“They're cruel, they're reckless, and they're dangerous as hell. They're
teenage girls, and Deirdre O'Connor has their number in Jailbait, a
terrific little play. Funny, shocking and sad. Dynamite production.”
– Marilyn Stasio, Variety
“Packed full of awkward pauses and things left unsaid, Deirdre
O’Connor’s carefully observed and occasionally wobbly coming-of-age
drama, Jailbait, is a more mature take on the kind of losing-your-virginity narrative that has been trivialized by countless hours of television drama. Ms. Payne, the most persuasive performer in the cast of the director, Suzanne Agins, does some marvelous acting here.”
– Jason Zinoman, New York Times
"Deirdre O’Connor’s drama— well written, well acted, and well directed (by Suzanne Agins) — makes a strong inaugural production for Cherry Lane’s new venture, the Cherry Pit." – The New Yorker
"Under director Suzanne Agins's unfussy hand, the talented cast expertly transforms would-be stereotypes into painfully real and complex people." – Raven Snook, TimeOut New York
“O’Connor provides a humorous take on the excitement and pitfalls of dating at any age. The four cast members are sensitive to the nuances required for their respective roles. Suzanne Agins’ minimalist direction focuses attention on plausible character development.” – The Associated Press
“The possibility of statutory rape may not seem like the most appropriate subject to laugh about, but Deirdre O'Connor's Jailbait -- the first production in the Cherry Lane Theatre's new Cherry Pit space on Bank Street -- is full of humor. However, this bold and dynamic new play is also filled to the brim with genuine emotion and a complex treatment of a controversial subject. O'Connor's writing is character-driven, and director Suzanne Agins strikes a nice balance between playing up the comic moments and giving weight to the more thoughtful and dramatic scenes.” – Dan Balcazo, TheaterMania
“Jailbait could be the most searing portrait of teenage female longing since Joyce Carol Oates’ 1964 short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (later adapted into the 1985 film Smooth Talk, with a very young Laura Dern). Flavorful dialogue aptly captures adolescence peering into maturity, and the exchanges amongst all four actors are natural-sounding and often quite funny, but never in a preciously designed manner. And director Suzanne Agins has used the difficult Cherry Pit space (once the former Bank Street Theater) to great advantage.” – Jason Clark, TheaterOnline.com
“Boy, do they hit a home run. Director Suzanne Agins does a fantastic job of telling the story simply. Agins avoids being too clever. Instead she guides her actors to genuine connections with each other and revelatory discoveries within themselves. What could easily become melodramatic is light and comic, allowing the poignant moments to hit home. Deirdre O'Connor has given us a show that is at once funny, entertaining, intellectual, endearing, and at times heartbreaking. With a script that is spot-on, a director who has crafted a simple piece of human truth, and a cast with impeccable commitment, Jailbait proves to be one of the most enjoyable things I've seen in a long time. Go see it!” – Joshua Chase Gold, nytheatre.com
“Jailbait starts with a simple moral issue--two fifteen-year-old girls getting involved with two thirtysomething "boys"--but thanks to Deirdre O'Connor's exceptional writing, the cast's dead-on characters, and Suzanne Agins' lightly emphatic staging, it quickly becomes something far more emotionally complex. It's as compelling as it is comedic: it's bait, in other words, that you won't mind being hooked on.”
– Aaron Riccio, Theater Talk (Top Pick)
“Intelligently handled by the young author, this coming-of-age story presents us with a quartet of characters to searingly show us what happens when teens get in over their head, and passion spins out of control… The director at hand is Suzanne Agins, and a good hand she has.”
– Deirdre Donovan, Curtain Up
Williamstown Theatre Festival,
July 2007
“The Williamstown Theatre Festival has invested
much in the way of talent and resources to present Wing It, which is one of the best productions in the history of its Free Theatre…The reasons to rush to Wing It are for Cox’s clever lyrics and cocky repartee, Kris Kukul’s refreshingly tuneful music and Suzanne Agins’ inventive direction and crisp pacing. There aren’t many freebies in theater, and when there are, one often gets what he pays for. Here is that odd duck that has been created with such love, craft and enthusiasm that it is priceless.”
– Ralph Hammann, North Adams Transcript
“There is lively, catchy music, zippy dancing, a couple of puppets, a snarly villain (two, in fact), a few moral lessons and an awful lot of talent both on stage and from the show’s creators – composer Kris Kukul, librettist/lyricist Gordon Cox, and director Suzanne Agins, who also conceived “Wing It.” It’s about the most disarming 75 minutes you are likely to spend in a theater.” – Jeffrey Borak, Berkshire Eagle
SILENCE
Roundtable Ensemble, January 2007
A High 5 Pick of the Week
Theater Talk’s Top Five Favorites
“Moira Buffini's Silence renders her audience spellbound. Each member of Silence's first-rate cast conveys a necessary dramatic element to evoke emotion and honesty. Boosted by its shining performances and clever writing, Silence conveys a much-needed message of hope...providing a few laughs along the way for good measure.”
– Nicholas Luckenbaugh, Show Business Weekly
“Director Suzanne Agins gets comedic timing from the cast in even the most unexpected places. Agins also gets a well-executed and energetic performance out of her players.” – Lori Fromowitz, Off Off Online
Williamstown Theatre Festival,
July 2006
“Lucy and the Conquest is a wild ride.”
– Jeffrey Borak, Berkshire Eagle
“Suzanne Agins and her design team have therefore given it an aptly and piquantly abstract staging.”
– Elyse Sommer, Curtain Up
“The WTF production on the Nikos Stage is under the peppy direction of Suzanne Agins, with a cast that’s appealing.”
– Jonathan Levine, The Pittsfield Gazette
“The technical sophistication of this of this production is impressive. Suzanne Agins, director, ably handled the physical staging of the piece.” – Jane Hudson, Berkshire Arts
“Director Suzanne Agins keeps this wild ride from veering off its tracks.” – Ron Lee, WBRK, Pittsfield MA
“This is going to be what’s called a rave review. Lucy and the Conquest, written by Cusi Cram, is a triumph for this company. Directed by Suzanne Agins, it offers uniformly stunning performances and an original script that captures the imagination.” – Carol King, Schenectady Daily Gazette
The Kraine Theater,
February 2005
“It’s a kick…to hear the actors…deliver [Gordon Cox’s] dialogue, under the direction of Suzanne Agins.”
– Andrea Stevens, The New York Times
“The simple design of the stage and the costumes throws the spotlight on the acting, which is superb. The crucial questions which are addressed in this play are defused by the often hilarious comedy.”
– Anastasia Donde, Show Business Weekly
“Very cool, very entertaining—a satisfying work by a talented playwright…Director Suzanne Agins keeps it moving at the requisite fast clip…The Secret Narrative of the Phone Book is a lot of fun. It’s so well-crafted and so clever.”
– Martin Denton, nytheatre.com
“Suzanne Agins’ [production is] adrenaline-filled and rapid fire.” – American Theater Web
“Directed by Suzanne Agins, the production moves at a fast clip and provides acute commentary on global conspiracies as well as human relationships.” – Dan Bacalzo, TheaterMania.com
SPIN MOVES
UC San Diego
April 2003
“Excellently, impressively, acted and directed…The beautifully haunting play is deliciously unpredictable, and thanks to an outstanding cast, under the expert direction of Suzanne Agins, it builds to multiple climaxes that both stop and touch the heart.” – Pat Launer, KPBS San Diego
“Director Suzanne Agins…seems to have such a terrific feel for how to bring Weitzman’s scripts to the stage.”
– Rob Hopper, San Diego Playbill
“Weitzman’s play as staged by the imaginative Suzanne Agins is a rip-roaring comedy, again with deep stuff running just under the surface.” – Charlene Baldridge, La Jolla Village News
“Director Suzanne Agins, the technical staff and
performers create a sense of heightened drama
that suits the near-tragic, faintly comic tale of
incest, vengeance, murder and suicide…Director
Agins is in command all the way. Everything ties
into the development of the story, from Sarah’s off
-key singing and Lavinia’s intensity in the first
scene, to the crude sexual wrestling near the finale. She isn’t afraid to be obvious, as in Orin’s incestuous behavior toward Christine, or to underplay strong gestures, such as Ezra’s dismissal of his daughter Lavinia in favor of his wife, Christine.”
– Bill Fark, North County Times
“Sterling acting from top to bottom and artful direction by Suzanne Agins.”
– Rob Hopper, San Diego Playbill
“Suzanne Agins intelligently stages Mourning Becomes Electra.”
– Charlene Baldridge, La Jolla Village News
ARRANGEMENTS
UC San Diego
April 2002
San Diego Playbill Award for Outstanding Direction
San Diego Playbill Top 10 of 2002
“Ken Weitzman’s new play artfully blended together dark and original comedy, brilliantly conceived characters, and a captivating plot with a cast and director (Suzanne Agins) to match, creating one of the most surprising and enjoyable shows of an amazing year in San Diego theatre.”
– Rob Hopper, San Diego Playbill
“Quirky, whimsical and wonderfully well written, excellently acted and designed, and outstandingly, inventively directed, by Suzanne Agins.” – Pat Launer, KPBS San Diego
“A fantastic production packed with a beautiful ‘arrangement’ of hilariously inventive comedy and well developed, touching drama.” – Rob Hopper, San Diego Playbill
“Suzanne Agins directed the multilocale piece with a keen visual sense, pulling fine performances from Makela Spielman as the obese, intuitive Donna, and Christine Albright as her compulsively skinny sister, Ros.”
– Anne Marie Welsh, San Diego Union Tribune
KPBS San Diego Patté Award for Outstanding Direction
San Diego Playbill Award for Outstanding Direction
“Well-produced, well-acted, well-directed…a spiffy, funny, poetic and profound production directed by Suzanne Agins….Extremely clever visuals…The cast is uniformly excellent and imaginatively directed by Agins.”
– Charlene Baldridge, La Jolla Village News
“Director Suzanne Agins deftly trimmed the story quite a bit for the stage. She also added much to the humor with some modern day references, including the chorus breaking into a chorus of Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream).”
– Rob Hopper, San Diego Playbill
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