Review: Get Ready to Experience THE PANIC OF '29 at 59E59 Theaters

"Lying hasn't failed us yet," by Richard Whitney in The Panic of '29

The Panic of '29 is now being presented at 59E59 Theaters by Less Than Rent Theatre. Written by Graham Techler and directed by Max Friedman, it's a production that our readers will find very entertaining. The show will be on the Upper East Side stage through August 20, 2022.

In this dark comedy, the Roaring Twenties comes to a halt and futures are upended when the stock market crashes in October of 1929. Denial turns to despair when people who once ran businesses and had jobs find themselves living as hobos while being strong-armed by law enforcement. Desperate times cause acquaintances to relocate to the Niagara Falls area where events take on some unexpected turns. This madcap story is brimming with colorful characters that include the Vice President of the NYSE, Richard Whitney; Whitney's secretary, Dot; mystery writer, Jimmy Armstrong; nightclub owner, Eva; songstress, Lady Generosity; Police Officer Kent; three suspicious French siblings; and many more.

The ten-member cast masters the fast-paced dialogue and captures the humor and melodrama of the play. The talented and accomplished company includes Brian Morabito as Richard Whitney; Will Roland as Jimmy Armstrong; Olivia Puckett as Dot; Joyelle Nicole Johnson as Eva; Jaela Cheeks-Lomax as Ingrid and others; Rachel B. Joyce as Minnie and others; Julia Knitel as Lady Generosity; Jared Loftin as Groton and others; Will Turner as Officer Kent and others; and RJ Vaillancourt as Oswald and others. The members of the troupe that seamlessly adopt multiple roles round out the story and keep it lively. Understudies are Devin Kessler, Jacob Presson, and Rachel Ravel.

Memorable scenes abound in the show such as Dot tending to office tasks; Richard Whitney and his associates, Gronton and Oswald balking over the stock market crash; Jimmy Armstrong discussing the fictional characters in his stories; Lady Generosity singing at Eva's nightclub; Ingrid recounting plots of the movies she has seen; Officer Kent's pride in his law enforcement position; reporters questioning Richard Whitney about the financial crisis; Tommygun Tommy's crime spree; Dot and Jimmy getting lost in a snowstorm; Guitarist Floyd Yolk's impromptu songs; and the shenanigans by the French threesome.

The Creative and Production Teams have done a top job of bringing The Panic of '29 to the stage with scenic design by Max Friedman; costume design by Corina Chase; lighting design by Jamie Roderick; sound design by Margaret Montagna; props design by Brandy Hoang Collier; orchestrations & arrangements by Barrett Riggins; and fight & intimacy direction by Lexi Orphanos. Karen Schleifer serves as Production Stage Manager, with Kate Holland as Stage Manager. Nora Brigid Monahan is the Dramaturg and McKenna Quigley Harrington is the Associate Producer.

The Panic of '29 is a one-of-a-kind show. Make it a part of your summer entertainment schedule.

The Panic of '29 has a run time of 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermision. Tickets can be purchased by visiting https://www.59e59.org or by calling 212.753.5959. 59E59 Theaters is located at 59 East 59th Street between Park and Madison Avenues. Be sure to check their web site for current Covid-19 protocols.

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg

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