Charm is the latest knockout from the consistently awesome MCC Theater. The clouds part over this new Off-Broadway triumph to reveal theater that is fresh, exciting, and just plain good.
5 Reasons You Should See It:
1. Two words: Sandra. Caldwell. Sandra plays Mama Darleena, based on the real story of trans woman who galvanizes a group of at-risk youths at a Chicago LGBTQ center. She delivers a career-defining performance that is so raw and real that it will blow your mind. This woman can ACT!
2. Will Davis' energetic direction. Will is an extremely gifted director who was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award (kinda like the Off-Broadway Tony Awards®) last season for Men On Boats. He keeps the octane flowing in every single scene in Charm.
3. Just like Transparent, Charm informs the audience about a complicated world without being Wikipedia-ish. Cis audience members will sympathize with characters dealing with issues specific to the trans community because they will sympathize with the universal human issues those characters are dealing with. This is all thanks to Philip Dawkins' brilliant (and extremely accessible) playwriting. Bonus: it's hilarious!
Photos: Joan Marcus
4. The entire cast is superb. There are no weak links in this group, which was cast via community outreach and even social media. Special shoutout to Marky Irene Diven. Her heartbreaking performance proves she is an actress to be reckoned with. She's gonna catch the attention of awards nominating committees!
5. MCC Theater is welcoming 75 at-risk youths to see their shows this season, including Charm. This partnership with the Gracie Mansion Conservancy includes workshops with cast members and creative teams in addition to tickets in an effort to increase access to arts and culture to these New Yorkers. Yas, yas, and more YAS to this!
Runs through October 15.