Review: THE VESSEL at 59E59-An Excellent Thought-Provoking Production  

“This is where, not why.”  by Missy in The Vessel

59E59 Theaters’ summer season is in full swing and audiences are enjoying the variety of shows that are available at the Upper East Side venue.  The Vessel, a thought- provoking play is now being performed in Theater C through August 23. It is A Through the Tollbooth Co. Production in association with Thrown Stone Theatre Company.  Smartly written by Brendan George, the production is adroitly directed by Peter Charney. We highly recommend this topical production to our readers.

Set at the iconic honeycomb like structure in Hudson Yards, The Vessel deals with the serious subjects of mental illness and suicide.  Drake, Missy and Viggo are “Park Ambassadors” who are tasked with identifying people who might be at risk of jumping from the 150-foot tourist attraction.  It’s a difficult, tense job that requires a thoughtful and diligent approach.  While the subject matter is serious, there are plenty of light moments in the narrative that add humor and heart to the story.

The three young actors are ideal to portray their characters.  Their performances are vibrant and real.  The troupe includes Will Ingram as Viggo, the newest teenage hire who recently moved from Utah; Anastasia Locke as Missy who appears to be optimistic and dedicated to her job; and Sofonyas as Drake who makes every effort to be considerate and is knowledgeable about a plethora of subjects. The play is well developed through the discourse that occurs between Viggo, Missy and Drake as they navigate their job and their own lives.

Our readers will want to know a little background that inspired the story.  Vessel at Hudson Yards was initially unveiled in March 2019 as a major tourist attraction. It has 8 levels, 80 landings and over 2,500 steps.  It closed on 1/11/2021, reopened on 5/28/2021, and closed once again on 7/29/2021 due to fatal accidents.  It reopened on 10/21/2024 with steel mesh encasing the structure for safety purposes and remains open to this day.

The platform in the center of Theater C represents the Vessel and the audience is seated all around it inviting an intimate theatrical experience.  The Creative Team has done a top job of creating the setting for the show.  The Team includes Assistant Director, Talya Braverman; scenic design by Tony DiBernardo, lighting design by Yiyuan Li; and sound design by Emma Hasselbach. The Stage Manager is R.S. Dennis and the Props Design/ Production Assistant is Nicole Yagar.

See The Vessel while you can.  It is a 90-minute play that will provoke interesting conversations. 59E59 Theaters is located at 59 East 59th Street (between Park and Madison Avenues) New York, NY  10022. Tickets are available by visiting Home | www.59e59.org.

Photo Credit: Jacob Ruth

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