ROLY POLY PRODUCTIONS
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Mr. Chekhov & Mr. Porter

A MEDICINE SHOW PRODUCTION WITH THE ROLY POLYS
Poster Illustration by Peter Fasolino / Design by Janet Bentley
Conceived by Regan Vann Batuello
developed by Janet Bentley & Andy Evan Cohen

directed by Janet Bentley
Music Directed, curated, & arranged by Andy Evan Cohen
Choreography by Madeline Jaye
Produced by Medicine Show Theatre


Two great men. One great love affair. Mr. Chekhov and Mr. Porter find one another at long last—just in time to warm your winter!  Written, directed, and musically curated and arranged by Janet Bentley and Andy Evan Cohen, Mr. Chekhov and Mr. Porter marries the unbridled joy of Cole Porter's music to the beautiful dreams of Anton Chekhov's characters.  Love is in the air, and we are so looking forward to warming the cockles of your heart! Join us for a remarkable, zany, music-filled evening of whimsy, gorgeous language, and profound silliness.
“I hope that in the next world I shall be able to look back upon this life and say: ‘Those were beautiful dreams..’”
—Anton Chekhov


january 31 - february 24, 2018
"Director Janet Bentley’s inspired staging has the cast of 12 creatively entering from all over the theater and scenes are performed in different areas as well.  There are several arresting production numbers that are aided by choreographer Madeline Jaye’s simple yet expressive dances.  Ms. Bentley crucially has actors conveying the right tone of the plays and songs."
- Darryl Reilly, theatrescene.net
More Reviews for Mr. Chekhov & Mr. Porter
MR. CHEKHOV & MR. PORTER PROGRAM
BASEMENT
by Michael Hagins
directed by Janet Bentley

September 28 – October 15, 2017
at The Gene Frankel Theatre

A Tuskegee Airman and a French farm girl in 1944 are brought together by the mayhem of war.  Alone and forced to fend for herself, Katrine Faustin rescues Lt. Michael Crawler when he crash-lands near her devastated family home.  An unexpected friendship endures language barriers and bombs as the radio fills the air with news both frightening and hopeful.

VIEW BASEMENT TRAILER
BASEMENT made Parity Productions' list of qualifying productions for October 2017.  Parity Productions  is New York's theatre company that is dedicated to developing and producing new work and committed to hiring a minimum of 50% women and transgender playwrights, directors, and designers on each show they produce.
"Beautifully performed, finely written and impeccably presented, playwright Michael Hagins’ two-character, W.W.II era Basement is an engrossing and old-fashioned, historical romantic drama."
theatrescene.net
BASEMENT Reviews
BASEMENT Program
Michael's Story of BASEMENT

OUR INAUGURAL PRODUCTION

HORSE
written and directed by Janet Bentley
with choreography by Gus Solomons, Jr.

NOMINATED FOR 10 PLANET CONNECTIONS AWARDs

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
JUNE - JULY 2017
@ The Flamboyan * 107 Suffolk Street * New York, NY

Meg’s new client brings more to the table than just a unique skin care formula. A product testing morphs into a hallucinogenic heroine’s journey as Meg is forced to redefine her entire conception of reality and identity. What is more real: city life or the myths we live by?
HORSE featured Rachael Schefrin, Tatyana Kot, Demetrius Blocker, Peter Collier, Linus Ignatius, and Nancy Wolfe*

*Appeared courtesy of Actors' Equity Association
"Ms. Bentley has vibrantly coordinated all of the presentational elements into an intriguing 75-minute production with her commanding staging. The present, the past, and inner lives all converge through the flawless unison of movement, dance and stage effects."
- darryl reilly @ theatrescene.net
"Janet Bentley leads her adventurous cast right through the eye of the storm of self-perception, crossing eons in the process."
- Ed Malin @ Outer Stage
HORSE Program

A Staged Reading of EXPERIMENTING WITH KATZ by David A. Gill

Produced by Julia Botero in Association with Roly Poly Productions
Michael Katz has come out to his mother for a second time, the first time not having gone well and driven him to a nervous breakdown. This time, though, his mother arrives in town on a mission to make certain he gets "fixed"- doing whatever it takes. Set in Chicago in the midst of an unseasonable blizzard, "Experimenting with Katz" deals with issues of coming out, and the repercussions from family and friends. Through comedy, it highlights the absurdity of those who use their ignorance about the LGBT community as a justification for their actions, while ultimately proving harmful to the very people they love.
Featuring Andrew Glaszek*, Jacob Lewis Lovendahl*, Anne Newhall*, Marie Eléna O'Brien*, & Paul Pakler*
Directed by John Tillotson
Production Stage Managed by Dan Burns
Sound Operation & Engineering by Janet Bentley
This is a Free Staged Reading followed by a Q&A with the cast, playwright, and director. Wine and cheese provided.
November 2017
The Playroom Theatre
151 W. 46th Street, 8th Floor
*Appeared courtesy of Actors' Equity Association

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  • Home
  • About
    • Janet Bentley
    • Andy Evan Cohen
    • The Roly Polys
    • Shows >
      • Now Playing
      • Past Shows >
        • Reviews
        • READINGS
      • In the Works >
        • The Empathy Project
  • Services
    • Directing
    • Sound
    • Live Production Services
    • Promotional Videos
    • Online Production Services
    • Equipment Rentals
  • Contact