PRETENDING TO FLY Comes to Under St. Marks

"Pretending to Fly" does more than fly - it soars. The latest original work of documentary theatre from Infinite Variety Productions (IVP) is currently in previews at Under St. Marks. There are two shows left before it flies to the Edinburgh Fringe in August. Don't miss it!

It is the summer of 2020, and NYC is in the grips of the Covid-19 lockdown. Roommates Kaitlyn (Kate Szekely) and Frances (Marie Donna Davis) are in survival mode. They need to survive the pandemic and the limitations of a city on pause. To escape their confinement, they go up to their roof with folding chairs, props, and their imaginations. But is that enough to keep the friends together and save their sanity?

Frances, an actress, struggles to thrive and longs to return home to her parents who live in another state, away from the restrictions of the city. Kaitlyn, a historian, is the more resilient of the pair, and she's determined to go on living with the help of her muse, Carla Horowitz. Carla is the subject of Kaitlyn's dissertation. She was a WASP (Women Air Service Pilot) in WWII and her actual words help shape the play. It is Carla's fearless determination to fly that inspires the two young women to reenact parts of her life and use their imaginations to-at the very least-pretend to fly. While Carla's vibrant, spirit of adventure helped free her throughout her lifetime, it is only a temporary panacea for the two roommates. Despite their vivid imaginations, they are forced to return to reality. Their flight of fantasy soars excitedly through the sky but lands them back on their rooftop in a world where freedom is restricted and it's challenging to just be yourself. Where are the "blue skies and tail winds" they both long for?

What the play does brilliantly is juxtapose the past and Carla's story with similar ideas and themes in the present. The dialogue is based on interviews with the real Carla at age 91, as well as NYC residents who lived through the Pandemic. Nonfiction and fiction converge as do history and the contemporary world. What can Kaitlyn and Frances learn from all of this? What can we all learn? This innovative play opens the door to further conversations with others and ourselves.

The talented writer and director of "Pretending to Fly" is Ashley Adelman. She is also the founder and artistic director of IVP, a non-profit, women-led theatre company that has been producing documentary theatre for over ten years, celebrating the underrepresented voices of women through a feminist, queer, and multicultural lens. Kate Szekely and Marie Donna Davis are both excellent in their roles, and their performances are funny, entertaining, and ultimately, touching. They are delightful to watch. You can catch the play at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place) at 4:00 this Saturday and Sunday, July 29th and 30th. Or grab your passport and fly with them to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, August 14-26, at the SpaceUK @ Symposium Hall, Venue 43.

PRETENDING TO FLY

Writer/Director: Ashley Adelman

Starring: Marie Donna Davis, Kate Szekely

Executive/Producers: Ida Casilli, Ashley Adelman, Kate Szekely

Script Consultant: Niki Hatzidis

Company Manager: Carina Don

Technical Director: Maléna Montaño

Under St. Marks ticketing link: https://ow.ly/OlcP50Plbnr

Edinburgh ticketing link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pretending-to-fly

Photo by Samantha Szekely

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