The Baby Monitor (International Dublin Gay Theater festival 2019 || Theater at the 14th Street Y 2018)
REVIEW QUOTES
"The Baby Monitor asks courageous questions about gay parenting, race and discrimination from loved ones – And this tight-knit cast really do feel like a family, each performance echoing and bouncing off the others with a skill that makes the relationships depicted appear hauntingly real... Some in the LGBT+ community who have suffered discrimination from loved ones still love who have discriminated against them. We try to give people second chances, but it puts our safety at risk – and The Baby Monitor shows that, when we ask ourselves whether we should stop trying, there’s sometimes no easy answer." -Cassia Gaden Gilmartin, Gay City News (Dublin, Ireland)
"If we learned anything from Ireland’s marriage referendum it is that many people still have misgivings about gay parents. Children were frequently used as a stick to beat the yes side with and the amount of misunderstanding and ignorance around the issue was shocking. This makes this play perhaps rather timely for Irish audiences as same sex couples are still fighting for equal rights when it comes to parenting... Extremely thought provoking this will no doubt reopen debates amongst some audience members about same sex parental rights and the complications of surrogacy. At 75 minutes it doesn’t outstay its welcome and for those not familiar with the complexities and prejudices that often accompany same sex parenting this will prove a very educational piece." -No More Work Horse (Dublin, Ireland)
"Even in an era with an explosion of visibility for LGBTQ people in the media, few of those portraits have gone beyond “skin deep”. The Baby Monitor is unafraid to navigate into previously uncharted territory, particularly when it comes to tackling the issue of the deeply ingrained prejudices still faced by LGBTQ people– even as we enter 2019, even in “progressive” cities like the play’s setting of Boston, and even when it comes from people who call themselves our allies. Just as Stallings’ drama boldly taps into the feelings of its well-written, multi-faceted characters, it challenges the audience to do the same." -Jed Ryan, Lavender After Dark (New York City)
“The Baby Monitor by David Stallings is a fascinating examination of how quickly our intimates resort to self-serving, backstabbing deception just when their loyalty is most needed. That it involves the relatively new phenomenon of gay parenthood gives it an added impact. That it is written with a thorough understanding of the complexities of gay parenthood vs. conservatives-in-liberal-clothing keeps it constantly edgy… Antonio Miniño’s direction not only keeps things flowing, but almost makes up for the lack of a set. He understands just how to bring out passions and uneasy silences when necessary.” -Joel Benjamin, Theater Scene (New York City)
“5 Stars! Holiday gifts came early to the East Village this year... we were treated to a 5-star performance of Different Translation's The Baby Monitor at The Theater at The 14th Street Y... Although billed as a “workshop” of the play, the production is over-qualified to be called such. So check it out now, while it’s still priced accordingly" - Opplaud New York (New York City)
“The plot centers around the suspicions a woman harbors concerning her gay cousin’s treatment of the toddler son he shares with his husband. By fleshing out this nightmare scenario with all-too-common misunderstandings stemming from distinctions in race, class and religion, playwright David Stallings has delivered something far richer than an issues play. It is a thoughtful examination of the ways in which simply tolerating differences rather than embracing them can cause irreparable damage to our societal fabric… Direction by Stallings’ husband Antonio Miniño is skillful, with an engaging blend of quiet touching moments and palpable strain.” -Cathy Hammer, The Unforgettable Line (New York City)
REVIEW QUOTES
"The Baby Monitor asks courageous questions about gay parenting, race and discrimination from loved ones – And this tight-knit cast really do feel like a family, each performance echoing and bouncing off the others with a skill that makes the relationships depicted appear hauntingly real... Some in the LGBT+ community who have suffered discrimination from loved ones still love who have discriminated against them. We try to give people second chances, but it puts our safety at risk – and The Baby Monitor shows that, when we ask ourselves whether we should stop trying, there’s sometimes no easy answer." -Cassia Gaden Gilmartin, Gay City News (Dublin, Ireland)
"If we learned anything from Ireland’s marriage referendum it is that many people still have misgivings about gay parents. Children were frequently used as a stick to beat the yes side with and the amount of misunderstanding and ignorance around the issue was shocking. This makes this play perhaps rather timely for Irish audiences as same sex couples are still fighting for equal rights when it comes to parenting... Extremely thought provoking this will no doubt reopen debates amongst some audience members about same sex parental rights and the complications of surrogacy. At 75 minutes it doesn’t outstay its welcome and for those not familiar with the complexities and prejudices that often accompany same sex parenting this will prove a very educational piece." -No More Work Horse (Dublin, Ireland)
"Even in an era with an explosion of visibility for LGBTQ people in the media, few of those portraits have gone beyond “skin deep”. The Baby Monitor is unafraid to navigate into previously uncharted territory, particularly when it comes to tackling the issue of the deeply ingrained prejudices still faced by LGBTQ people– even as we enter 2019, even in “progressive” cities like the play’s setting of Boston, and even when it comes from people who call themselves our allies. Just as Stallings’ drama boldly taps into the feelings of its well-written, multi-faceted characters, it challenges the audience to do the same." -Jed Ryan, Lavender After Dark (New York City)
“The Baby Monitor by David Stallings is a fascinating examination of how quickly our intimates resort to self-serving, backstabbing deception just when their loyalty is most needed. That it involves the relatively new phenomenon of gay parenthood gives it an added impact. That it is written with a thorough understanding of the complexities of gay parenthood vs. conservatives-in-liberal-clothing keeps it constantly edgy… Antonio Miniño’s direction not only keeps things flowing, but almost makes up for the lack of a set. He understands just how to bring out passions and uneasy silences when necessary.” -Joel Benjamin, Theater Scene (New York City)
“5 Stars! Holiday gifts came early to the East Village this year... we were treated to a 5-star performance of Different Translation's The Baby Monitor at The Theater at The 14th Street Y... Although billed as a “workshop” of the play, the production is over-qualified to be called such. So check it out now, while it’s still priced accordingly" - Opplaud New York (New York City)
“The plot centers around the suspicions a woman harbors concerning her gay cousin’s treatment of the toddler son he shares with his husband. By fleshing out this nightmare scenario with all-too-common misunderstandings stemming from distinctions in race, class and religion, playwright David Stallings has delivered something far richer than an issues play. It is a thoughtful examination of the ways in which simply tolerating differences rather than embracing them can cause irreparable damage to our societal fabric… Direction by Stallings’ husband Antonio Miniño is skillful, with an engaging blend of quiet touching moments and palpable strain.” -Cathy Hammer, The Unforgettable Line (New York City)
Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell (Theater at the 14th Street Y, 2016)
"A masterpiece on the awakening of feminism" - Theatre is Easy
"This is a trip to Hell worth going to, in a hand-basket or otherwise...In the words of the titular character (played by Amanda Jones), “If this is Hell, Hell is Heaven!” The audience will feel the same way with this deliciously decadent new theater piece." - The Huffington Post
"Equal parts gravitas and wit...A richly imagined garden of passions, philosophy and humor" - Blog Critics
"David Stallings should be commended for writing a piece that has amazing female parts that are so flushed out and human. All too often women in shows lack a three-dimensional state because the story is surrounding the man... a must see" Theater in the Now
"Let the magic of Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell set you free." - New York Theater Review
"A masterpiece on the awakening of feminism" - Theatre is Easy
"This is a trip to Hell worth going to, in a hand-basket or otherwise...In the words of the titular character (played by Amanda Jones), “If this is Hell, Hell is Heaven!” The audience will feel the same way with this deliciously decadent new theater piece." - The Huffington Post
"Equal parts gravitas and wit...A richly imagined garden of passions, philosophy and humor" - Blog Critics
"David Stallings should be commended for writing a piece that has amazing female parts that are so flushed out and human. All too often women in shows lack a three-dimensional state because the story is surrounding the man... a must see" Theater in the Now
"Let the magic of Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell set you free." - New York Theater Review
Dark Water (Theater at the 14th Street Y, 2014)
"BOTTOM LINE: A haunting environmental fable based on a continuing real-life tragedy...Stallings’ verse -- fluid, poetic, and so musical characters often do break into song -- gives Gulf sea life a magical quality, while the specter of death and disaster grounds the show in encroaching terror."--Amanda LaPergola, Theater is Easy
"Stallings’ choices are stylistically daring and unusually effecting. By the end we realize we are watching in these characters’ struggles for survival something akin to a Greek tragedy and all the more so because they are innocent creatures and have had no hand in what we have done."--Carole Di Tosti--Blog Critics
"BOTTOM LINE: A haunting environmental fable based on a continuing real-life tragedy...Stallings’ verse -- fluid, poetic, and so musical characters often do break into song -- gives Gulf sea life a magical quality, while the specter of death and disaster grounds the show in encroaching terror."--Amanda LaPergola, Theater is Easy
"Stallings’ choices are stylistically daring and unusually effecting. By the end we realize we are watching in these characters’ struggles for survival something akin to a Greek tragedy and all the more so because they are innocent creatures and have had no hand in what we have done."--Carole Di Tosti--Blog Critics
The Stranger to Kindness (Robert Moss Theater, 2011)
"Deftly written and ably performed by its small cast, “Stranger” shows the effect that individuals have on one another and reminds us that often a friend can be closer than family and family can be strangers.
The play features a heartbreaking performance by Susan G. Bob as Lena, a lonely woman whose friend and neighbor, Nance, stops answering her door. Hoping for the best, but fearing the worst, Lena calls the police and Nance’s son. Worried about Nance’s fate and disturbed by the son’s reaction, Lena is forced to look at her own life and the unyielding loneliness that can be found even in one of the world’s largest cities.
Director Heather Cohn accentuates every ounce of feeling in Stallings’ script to create a moving and memorable evening."
-Stage Buzz
The play features a heartbreaking performance by Susan G. Bob as Lena, a lonely woman whose friend and neighbor, Nance, stops answering her door. Hoping for the best, but fearing the worst, Lena calls the police and Nance’s son. Worried about Nance’s fate and disturbed by the son’s reaction, Lena is forced to look at her own life and the unyielding loneliness that can be found even in one of the world’s largest cities.
Director Heather Cohn accentuates every ounce of feeling in Stallings’ script to create a moving and memorable evening."
-Stage Buzz
The Family Shakespeare (June Havoc Theater, 2011)
"The Family Shakespeare raises key questions around the timely issue of censorship. These larger questions, along with a gifted cast, make for a compelling production... Cotton Wright is wonderful in her portayal of Henrietta, convincingly embodying a woman who is both intelligent and articulate yet also naive and childlike... The intricate, visually dazzling costumes by Rachel Dozier-Ezell add great beauty and authenticity, and often times resemble creations that would wow even on modern catwalks."
-Theatre Is Easy
"Part Shakespeare In Love, part Sam Shepard play in corsets, The Family Shakespeare is an interesting story. The actors gave solid performances. Eric C. Bailey has some of the show’s best laugh lines, Alexandra Cohen-Spiegler is a delightful Dorcas, and Cotton Wright is an engaging Henrietta. The costumes by Rachel Dozier-Ezell are beautiful, and the set by Blair Mielnik is quite creative in the small theatre space. The show’s director Antonio Miniño has created some delightful staging sequences... It’s nice to see a new play in period costumes about censorship, family and poetry. It’s infinitely better than staying home and watching reruns of the network-approved version of Sex and the City."
-nytheatre.com
"The time is right for David Stallings’s new play The Family Shakespeare... Cotton [Wright] is charming, with a naturally evident love of poetry and a contagious sense of play. Corey [Tazmania] is quite the opposite in an equally exciting way. Her harsh and pessimistic look on life is believable without falling into the stereotypes of villain or shrew. Instead, her complex, tortured past is on stage with her at all times. Frankie Seratch as the ten-year-old Fen is also loveable and honest, which is impressive especially at such a young age... The Family Shakespeareis interesting and provocative with an active thesis, which sets it apart from the crowd"
-Show Business Weekly
"The performance has excellent production values (especially in Rachel Dozier-Ezell's costumes and Dan Gallagher's lights) and a versatile cast, especially Cotton Wright, whose performance as Henrietta Bowdler is worth the price of admission... The Family Shakespeare offers a pleasant theatrical experience."
-OffOffOnline
"It is always risky to create a work of art with an unambiguous message, and an anti-censorship message is no exception. Ambiguity, irony, and multiple meanings are the stuff of good art; an unambiguous message, no matter how right or passionate, risks sliding into agit-prop. Playwright David Stallings’s The Family Shakespeare, which recently opened at the June Havoc Theater in Manhattan, avoids this trap. It comes down decisively on the side of freedom, but also gives Thomas Bowdler, famous for his early 19th century expurgated versions of Shakespeare’s plays,
a chance to make his case."
-The Free Expression Policy Project.
-Theatre Is Easy
"Part Shakespeare In Love, part Sam Shepard play in corsets, The Family Shakespeare is an interesting story. The actors gave solid performances. Eric C. Bailey has some of the show’s best laugh lines, Alexandra Cohen-Spiegler is a delightful Dorcas, and Cotton Wright is an engaging Henrietta. The costumes by Rachel Dozier-Ezell are beautiful, and the set by Blair Mielnik is quite creative in the small theatre space. The show’s director Antonio Miniño has created some delightful staging sequences... It’s nice to see a new play in period costumes about censorship, family and poetry. It’s infinitely better than staying home and watching reruns of the network-approved version of Sex and the City."
-nytheatre.com
"The time is right for David Stallings’s new play The Family Shakespeare... Cotton [Wright] is charming, with a naturally evident love of poetry and a contagious sense of play. Corey [Tazmania] is quite the opposite in an equally exciting way. Her harsh and pessimistic look on life is believable without falling into the stereotypes of villain or shrew. Instead, her complex, tortured past is on stage with her at all times. Frankie Seratch as the ten-year-old Fen is also loveable and honest, which is impressive especially at such a young age... The Family Shakespeareis interesting and provocative with an active thesis, which sets it apart from the crowd"
-Show Business Weekly
"The performance has excellent production values (especially in Rachel Dozier-Ezell's costumes and Dan Gallagher's lights) and a versatile cast, especially Cotton Wright, whose performance as Henrietta Bowdler is worth the price of admission... The Family Shakespeare offers a pleasant theatrical experience."
-OffOffOnline
"It is always risky to create a work of art with an unambiguous message, and an anti-censorship message is no exception. Ambiguity, irony, and multiple meanings are the stuff of good art; an unambiguous message, no matter how right or passionate, risks sliding into agit-prop. Playwright David Stallings’s The Family Shakespeare, which recently opened at the June Havoc Theater in Manhattan, avoids this trap. It comes down decisively on the side of freedom, but also gives Thomas Bowdler, famous for his early 19th century expurgated versions of Shakespeare’s plays,
a chance to make his case."
-The Free Expression Policy Project.
Barrier Island (Center Stage NY, 2010)
"Stallings is a master of dramatic irony, revealing elements about certain characters with the precision of a surgeon...
Much like August Osage County, one has to experience this show in order to not be robbed of the surprises it harbors."
Broadway World
"Broadway-level"
Performing Arts Insider & Lively-Arts
"Incredibly moving... The deep, penetrating questions of roots vs. bravery vs. leaving vs. cowardice are ones not easily answered, and to Stallings credit, he doesn't try to. He lets you decide for yourself."
Theatre Is Easy
"A thoughtful examination of the daily emotional and psychological 'storms' weathered by a handful of resilient Galveston natives."
Show Business Weekly
“David Stallings has created such an honest, sometimes awful, sometimes heartwarming portrayal of what it means to come from a small town that it will either make you homesick… or happy you were born in New York.”
The Happiest Medium
“We may not know why barrier islands exist, but we know that they're capable of forming and maintaining in a variety of environmental settings. The characters in this drama are made of the same mettle. And because they have the courage and stubbornness to stand, we stand with them.”
Stage and Cinema
Much like August Osage County, one has to experience this show in order to not be robbed of the surprises it harbors."
Broadway World
"Broadway-level"
Performing Arts Insider & Lively-Arts
"Incredibly moving... The deep, penetrating questions of roots vs. bravery vs. leaving vs. cowardice are ones not easily answered, and to Stallings credit, he doesn't try to. He lets you decide for yourself."
Theatre Is Easy
"A thoughtful examination of the daily emotional and psychological 'storms' weathered by a handful of resilient Galveston natives."
Show Business Weekly
“David Stallings has created such an honest, sometimes awful, sometimes heartwarming portrayal of what it means to come from a small town that it will either make you homesick… or happy you were born in New York.”
The Happiest Medium
“We may not know why barrier islands exist, but we know that they're capable of forming and maintaining in a variety of environmental settings. The characters in this drama are made of the same mettle. And because they have the courage and stubbornness to stand, we stand with them.”
Stage and Cinema
Anaïs Nin Goes To Hell (Connelly Theatre, FringeNYC 2008)
" Thank the gods for David Stallings' Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell"
Village Voice
“With [David] Stallings well-paced script…this thoughtful two-act is a uniquely polished presence at the Fringe”
Village Voice
“A dramatic comedy about love, waiting, death and being trapped on an island with historical women.”
NY Press
“For a play about woman, but written by a man, it tapped into the greater female psyche”
NY Press
“This production has a lot going for it. I enjoyed the way that the characters interacted with one another, especially Andromeda and Heloise. I was also amused by the interactions and budding friendship of Queen Victoria and Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas. It also has a great premise and a very enjoyable musical interlude.”
nytheatre.com
“It's nice to see a play that relies on strong women. The relationships he created for the
characters are extremely interesting.”
nytheatre.com
“David Stallings takes on the idea with wit and style.”
Broadway World
“Stallings' play is full of ideas about feminism, moving on, and acceptance. It is also full of humor, pathos, and heart.”
Broadway World
“David Stallings has written a fascinating and thought-provoking play, full of humor, smut, philosophy, and a smattering of Karen Carpenter.”
Stage Buzz
Village Voice
“With [David] Stallings well-paced script…this thoughtful two-act is a uniquely polished presence at the Fringe”
Village Voice
“A dramatic comedy about love, waiting, death and being trapped on an island with historical women.”
NY Press
“For a play about woman, but written by a man, it tapped into the greater female psyche”
NY Press
“This production has a lot going for it. I enjoyed the way that the characters interacted with one another, especially Andromeda and Heloise. I was also amused by the interactions and budding friendship of Queen Victoria and Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas. It also has a great premise and a very enjoyable musical interlude.”
nytheatre.com
“It's nice to see a play that relies on strong women. The relationships he created for the
characters are extremely interesting.”
nytheatre.com
“David Stallings takes on the idea with wit and style.”
Broadway World
“Stallings' play is full of ideas about feminism, moving on, and acceptance. It is also full of humor, pathos, and heart.”
Broadway World
“David Stallings has written a fascinating and thought-provoking play, full of humor, smut, philosophy, and a smattering of Karen Carpenter.”
Stage Buzz
Arpeggio (45th Street Theatre NY, 2007)
“Playwright David Stallings has given us a devastating portrait of today’s permanent un-grown-ups and framed it in the context of the current music scene, without commentary.”
Theatre Scene
“At its heart, Arpeggio is a tight, well-plotted psychological thriller in the same vein as nail-biting films, Fatal Attraction and Single White Female.”
Off Off Online
Theatre Scene
“At its heart, Arpeggio is a tight, well-plotted psychological thriller in the same vein as nail-biting films, Fatal Attraction and Single White Female.”
Off Off Online
Folie A Deux (Rock Theatre NY, 2006)
"David Stallings proves himself both a playwright and an actor to watch"
HX Magazine
HX Magazine
