Tooth of Crime
By Sam Shepard
“Maybe you have never seen a play directed by Casey Ross. The Artistic Director for Catalyst Repertory has been producing well received plays for the last few years on small budgets and in locations other than the “usual theaters”….Complex. Demanding. These are the best words I can find to describe this production. The play itself demands a lot – from its two main actors, and also from its audience…Should you go? I will say this – if you want to be an audience member who sits and lets the play wash over you, this might not be the show for you. Complex and demanding, remember? Tooth of Crime requires full investment from its audience. If you are looking for a theatrical experience – something you will find nowhere else – This IS for you.”
-Adam Crowe, A Seat on the Aisle
“When you enter the Grove Haus theater to experience “Tooth of Crime,” presented by Catalyst Repertory, you enter another world…This show isn’t for everyone, but if you go with it, you can witness a stylish indictment of the corrosive nature of celebrity, and experience the passion that Pelsue and his castmates put into their performance. Hoss practically sweats every word and lyric he utters.”
-John Belden, Plays with John & Wendy
Slaying the Dragon
By Casey Ross
“I got so much more than I expected when I saw “Slaying the Dragon,” and I have high expectations from a play written by Casey Ross. Ross’ plays are character-driven with great dialogue, flavored with enough of the absurd to make them entertaining without stretching credulity. And with her latest comedy production – presented by her Catalyst Repertory at Theater at the Fort, directed by Carey Shea – Ross enters the realm of fairy tales and conjures a thought-provoking fable…This is definitely a new work that is worthy of seeking out…”
-John Belden, Plays with John & Wendy
Feral Boy
By Bennett Ayres
“Under the direction of Zach Stonerock, the players are all nimble, vocally rangy, and attuned to their fingertips to Ayres’ nerve-rattling story. The phantasmagoria that animates Corbett’s interaction with the cats and with the puzzled humans in his life is cast in powerful, haunting language, which puts forth menacing blooms in the director’s and puppet-maker’s sound and lighting design…Culturally speaking, cats will never be declawed. A catwalk on the wild side, “Feral Boy” provides a striking reminder of that fact. For the moment, it’s the cat’s whiskers.”
-Jay Harvey, Jay Harvey Upstage
“The play itself is an absorbing story, embracing its absurdity – reminiscent of Chuck Palahniuk (“Fight Club”) – without any tongue-in-cheek. Is Corbett delusional? (The cats never speak to anyone else or when he’s around others.) It hardly matters when considering the play’s allegory and questions raised about identity, expectations and how we decide a life’s path. Taken together, director Zach Stonerock and his cast and crew have woven a darkly beautiful drama.”
-John Belden, Plays with John & Wendy
The Seagull
By Anton Chekhov
“Hilarious and heart-wrenching. Casey Ross’ direction is responsive to the Chekhovian pace…Ross took chances with the play’s foundation in comedy, but they always worked…In this production, Treplev’s shooting down of the gull has the artlessness of cheap farce about it. The symbolism he attaches to his act is thus firmly undercut by the ridiculousness of his self-delusion as a world-changing artistic innovator.”
-Jay Harvey, Jay Harvey Upstage
“Anton Chekhov called his 1895 play, “The Seagull,” a “comedy in four acts” – which makes one wonder about Russians’ sense of humor. But the play, adapted and directed by Casey Ross and presented by her Catalyst Repertory company – shaved down to two acts (one-two / intermission / three-four) – does have some light moments…While good acting is essential to any play, the presentation of these characters is all Chekhov has given us – no wild action or deep mystery. Fortunately, Ross knows some very talented actors.”
-John Belden, Plays with John & Wendy
IndyFringe
Canvas
By Casey Ross
“★★★★” –Nuvo
“Casey Ross’ scarifying drama in the 2017 Fringe Festival rounds out a trilogy whose predecessors — “Gallery” and “Portraits”— premiered at the 2007 and 2014 festivals, respectively…Having not seen “Gallery” and “Portraits,” my discombobulation during the first few scenes of “Canvas” was only temporary…Every scene tells. There’s not a wasted word, it seems, despite the f-word carpet-bombing early on. The style, ramped up to the nth degree under the direction of Adam Tran, draws on the rapid-fire rancidness of Harold Pinter dialogue, but without the pauses. As Jackson, Davey Pelsue will have your palms sweating…The first and last words of “Canvas” are “Art.” That may be the ultimate spoiler. Let this also be my spoiler alert.”
-Jay Harvey, Jay Harvey Upstage
“Standard disclaimer: I’ve known Casey Ross for years and love everything she does. So I can’t help but recommend this show, with a small caveat…There is dark humor, raw emotion, and – my one caution – a frank examination of suicide. No easy answers are given, though this play does draw the trilogy to a conclusion. Between Ross’s knack for sharp dialogue and a solid job by the actors, this play has earned its place as one of the hottest tickets at the Fringe.”
-John Belden, Plays with John & Wendy
BardFest
Taming of the Shrew
By William Shakespeare
Adapted By Casey Ross
“The biggest complaint I have heard from people, regarding Shakespeare’s plays, is trouble following the plot due to the antiquated language. In her Bardfest production of “Taming of the Shrew,” Catalyst Repertory founder and play director/adapter Casey Ross has tackled this issue with the periodic inclusion of pop songs to assist the viewer in comprehending the message of the narrative. Being that the story is fairly well known, this style just makes a fun show even more enjoyable…Hannah Elizabeth Boswell as the fiery Katherine (or Kate) is a sassy bundle of empowerment, while Davey Pelsue’s Petruchio boldly becomes every bit the hilariously lusty womanizer that the character suggests…All in all, this is a rollickingly great production of a hilarious show. One note though, as we have mentioned previously, this show is not for all ages. Consider it PG-13 at least, though worldly kids might learn a new appreciation for Shakespeare if they see it. Also, bring a few dollars to tip your waitresses and maybe tuck into the clothes of some of the performers.”
-Wendy Carson, Plays with John & Wendy