Five reasons you don't want to miss LIZAFest

Five Reasons You Don’t Want To Miss LIZAFest

Tell the truth now:  Haven’t you wanted to be in the “know” before everyone else?  Wouldn’t you love to know “who’s who” long before the rest of the world?  At a fancy dinner party don’t you think it’d be cool to say, “Oh yeah, I know who you’re talking about.  I remember seeing something they did, before they hit it big.”  Well why wait?  Invest in your future coolness now.

Opening this Wednesday, June 24th, Manhattan Repertory Theatre is bringing you LIZAFest, a festival containing nine, one act plays, all written by the lovely and talented Liza Lentini.  The Examiner had the chance to sit down with Liza herself and discover why you, and you, (and yes even you silly,) should take this festival in.

The First Play She Wrote Was Too Cutting Edge For Theater

“I wrote The Janitor at age 12,” Liza says.  “I had no idea you couldn’t create a scary horror movie on stage without making it a satirical mess.  For years I hated the play, regarding it as a failure, and now I celebrate its unabashed ridiculousness!”  Alas, The Janitor, is not on the docket for LIZAFest, but there are more than enough freaky plot points to make up for it.

She Shines In The Face Of A Challenge

“There’s a play in the festival called The C Zone, which I wrote when I was 19.  I showed it to my then housemate, a talented young director named Jason Bermudez and he loved it so much he was determined to produce it.  From there, it was invited into the Regional American Collage Theatre Festival, (a big deal in the college world).  There was a professor in my undergrad who was terribly unsupportive of my writing and the play’s early success.  She told us we couldn’t go because there was no money in the budget.  So, Jason and I held a fundraiser, applied for funding through the college and rented our own rooms at the festival.  Shortly after we were critiqued favorable by Paula Vogel, who came up to me and said, ‘I want you to study with me.’”

Liza’s Really “Into” Murder

“ON STAGE OF COURSE,” she wants to make that clear.  “My personal life is subdued, private and absurdly normal.  But there’s a running theme throughout most of these plays - people just keep getting killed!  In the three history plays the murderesses are based on real women.  In all the other plays... I’m not sure what my excuse is.”  Liza smiles.  “I guess there’s nothing more dramatic then a good old fashioned killing.  I repeat, On Stage!”

Liza Teaches You How To Pick Up Chicks

“Ordinarily, this really isn’t true.  But there is a play in the festival about a very bad pickup artist.  I’d encourage anyone curious to come and judge for themselves if they could make these pickup lines work!”  Sounds like a challenge.  Who’s in?  Gentlemen, reserve you tickets now.

The LIZA In LIZAFest Does Good Things

“In 2006 I stopped and said to myself, ‘I have all this schooling and training... how can I do something good with it?’  So I started Elephant Ensemble Theater.”  Elephant Ensemble Theater’s main mission statement is to bring free children’s theater to kids in New York City hospitals.  Theater with an uplifting and educational message.  “It’s the best use of my talents to date.”

Liza encourages all aspiring writers, young and old, to see this festival of her work.  “I consider every play I write to be a lesson in playwriting.  That said, with each new play I try to stretch myself, both in subject and structure.  LIZAFest has some pretty crazy plays in it, and such a variety, too.  I can’t deny that.  Just come and see for yourself.  Meet a live Gnome!”

This festival is not just about showcasing Liza’s talents but about how much she truly loves the art form.  “If you judge success based only on money, very very few people will become ‘successful’ playwrights.  Many other forms of writing have made me more money than I will ever see from my dozens of plays, but no matter what, I always admit - I’m a playwright at heart.  Plain and simple”

LIZAFest opens Wednesday, June 24th and runs through Sunday June 28th.  The C Zone runs at 7:00 p.m. and Madness, Mayhem and More Mayhem at 9:00 p.m. on the 24th, 25th and 26th.  “Do You Really Want To Eat Me: The History Plays are on the 27th & 28th at 7:00 p.m..  For tickets call 646-329-6588.

For more on Liza visit http://www.lizalentini.com/

For more on Manhattan Repertory Theatre visit http://www.manhattanrep.com/index.html

For more on Elephant Theatre Ensemble visit http://www.elephanttheater.com/