BWW Reviews: NSFW: THE OFFICE PLAYS - Where OFFICE SPACE Meets SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

THE GENESIS PROJECT written by Christian Simonsen and directed by Leighza Walker is a strong opening to the evening. The assembled cast of four works well together, but Robert Meza's sardonic, witty portrayal of Angel 4 makes the show. This is a fun comedy about four angels being tasked with planning the creation of the universe. When they receive their project, they are told they God expects them to come up with a plan to create the world in six days.

42 by Leighza Walker and directed by Amy Pope is about a woman turning 42 and looking to spice her life up. The stand out performer in this play is Danielle Bunch's Ev'Lyn who manages to actually work while the rest jabber around her. Then at the climax of the play she offers her opinion of what the newly 42-year-old Becky, played well by Leighza Walker, could incorporate into her life.

Randi Hall's TALKING TO WALLS is directed by Tom Stell. In my opinion, this play could have taken place anywhere, and having it in a more public place than afterhours at an office may have made it a bit more thrilling and exciting. It seems if there was a true risk of being overheard, that the play would be stronger. Tom Stell has directed the two actresses well, ensuring that their emotions do soar in the piece and engage the audience. I would have liked to see more movement on the stage though. The cubicles kept the women static. Both Clarity Welch and Sarah Heddins do fantastic jobs with their assigned roles. This play has great depth, dealing with issues discussed in Women's Studies classes and the Queer Theory branch of literary criticism.

Anna Julia directs AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME by Abby Koenig. This play examines the two-faced nature of working in an office because as soon as someone is gone the remaining members of the cast talk badly about the person. Individualized calls to the conference room for a layoff signals each cast member's exit, making it fun for the audience to see who will get fired next. Allen Titel's Mark stands out for being sublimely sarcastic and then breaking down when his number is called.

Brian Heaton's HOW DO YOU LIKE SQUIRREL NOW?, directed by Leighza Walker, is a shock-value comedy that provides interesting insight into the motives behind office place violence. Gene Kato's bitter and psychologically broken Stan is tired of being called Squirrel, so he brings a gun to work so he can kill his co-workers. A group of his co-workers help him plan his morbid retribution, leaving the audience laughing at the dark comedy.

THE ORIGIN STORY OF LEWIS HACKETT by Ron Burch and directed by Leighza Walker is a fantastic examination of office space gossip. As three coworkers gossip about Lewis Hackett and how he got his promotion, two actors play Lewis and the boss. Lewis and the boss bring to life their incredulously exaggerated stories, leaving the audience smirking and laughing. Norm Dillon, Sarah Heddins, Amy Warren, Robert Meza, and Tom Stell all deliver fantastic portrayals of their characters in the play, really selling this story to the audience. Leighza Waker's direction keeps the pacing moving at a perfect pace and superbly utilizes the space on the stage as well.

Duncan Pflaster's SECRET SANTA, directed by Jon Harvey, is my favorite work in the bunch. It is a hysterical pastiche of clichéd office stereotypes all forced into the same Christmas party where madcap craziness ensues. Standout performances include Clarity Welch's hyper sexualized Christmas song, Anna Julia's awkward caT Loving lady that annoys the others, and Michael Weems ranting Daniel after he thinks he has won the lottery. While some of the antics may play as shocking for the sake of shock value, Jon Harvey's direction makes it work and leaves the audience laughing and uttering, "wow!"

Alex Dremann's ON THE FLOOR directed by Tom Stell showcases how downhearted the mundane can make us. Tom Stell spends the play lying on the floor, refusing or unable to move because of how deeply his melancholia has affected him. Amy Warren tries desperately to coax him off the floor. The piece is well acted, but when compared to the others picked for the showcase, it is not wholly memorable.

David is a Special Education teacher with a passion and love for the performing arts. He aspires to become a full time theatre critic and/or professor of Drama as Literature.

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