ARTISTS TO WATCH
Confused about what to see? Here are a dozen artists worth checking out.
Jon Kaplan and Glenn Sumi
CATHERINE McNALLY
Who : Director of The Catalyst , a comedy about the changeable relationships between friends and felines.
Buzz : A strong performer (Jewel), McNally moves into the director's chair. But does a cat take direction?
STEWART MATTHEWS and JUSTIN SAGE-PASSANT
Who : Creator/performers of a modern, adult version of Pinocchio .
Buzz : Back for their fourth year, the U.K.-based Screwed and Clued duo bring caustic wit and physical verve to their work. But can they outdo the brilliance of last year's En-ger-land, which wowed even those who care nothing about soccer?
JANE MOFFAT and CHERYL McNAMARA
Who : Actors in McNamara's double bill The Dizzy And Dale Chronicles , about two gals who struggle first to make a film and then to get married.
Buzz : The two combined their talents in Fringe hit The Dick's A Dame, a dyke detective story. Will they push the lesbian content in this new pair of shows?
DINAH WATTS
Who : Actor in The American Dream , Edward Albee 's classic absurdist piece about modern values and family secrets.
Buzz : A skilled actor who's not seen onstage frequently enough, Watts has scored in Alumnae shows (The Real World?) with nuanced characterizations and an ability to give rich emotional truth to her creations.
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIS COMPANY
Who : Director Joel Greenberg and actors Mark McGrinder , Kimwun Perehinec and Dylan Roberts present short comedies by American playwright Christopher Durang .
Buzz : The same people who created a moving, taut version of The Laramie Project do a 180, offering satiric works by the screamingly funny – and gay – Durang.
ROSEMARY DUNSMORE
Who : Director of Virginia , Martha Cronyn 's solo show inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf.
Buzz : Dunsmore's better known as an actor (The Domino Heart), but she's directed strong productions (Fighting Words), and her delicacy should suit this work inspired by Woolf, who's hotter than ever after The Hours.
NICHOLAS CARELLA
Who : Actor in Nana , an adaptation of Emile Zola's gritty novel about a 19th-century Parisian courtesan.
Buzz : This ambitious production features a live band and a cast of 10 playing 40 characters. Look for fest vet Carella (Green, When Children Fall) to infuse his roles with passion and clarity
ADAM LAZARUS
Who : Writer/performer of Fable , a bouffon clown piece about an outcast in search of love and an audience.
Buzz : Lazarus, creator of the Schmigeggy performances, recently spent time in Paris studying with Philippe Gaulier, master of bouffon, a physical style that offers figures both engaging and off-putting. Let's see what Lazarus has learned.
