“Comedy, Truth, And, Like, Real Shit” Derek Ahonen, the Amoralists, and the Well-Made Play T

“Comedy, Truth, and, like, Real Shit” Derek Ahonen, the Amoralists, and the Well-Made Play T. Nikki Cesare

Figure 1. The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side. Matthew Pilieci, James Kautz, Malcolm Madera, Sarah Lemp, Nick Lawson, Mandy Moore. P.S. 122, New York City, June 2009. (Photo by Larry Cobra)

The Amoralists’ Happy in the Poorhouse (2010) begins where The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side (2007) leaves off: James Kautz, sitting on a couch. In Pied Pipers, Kautz played Billy, a 29-year- old “intelligent and passionate anarchist with drug problems” (Ahonen 2009a:3) who, with his equally idealistic and self-destructive roommates Wyatt (Matthew Pilieci), Dawn (Mandy Nicole Moore), and Dear (Sarah Lemp), finds some sort of salvation amid the doomsday socioeconomic gentrification and hyperdevelopment on New York City’s Lower East Side. In Poorhouse, he is Paulie “the Pug,” a Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, fighter from old-school Italian Coney Island, defeated by his own flaccidity in the ring and the bedroom. Paulie’s failure to consummate his eight-month marriage to Mary (again played by Lemp) — ex-wife of Paulie’s best friend Petie “The Pit” (William Apps), who returns from a tour in Afghanistan to claim back Mary — might be emblematic of a culture rendered impotent by its own actions; it might be indicative of the young anarchist from Pied Pipers growing up to engage in an actual rather than conceptual fight; or, it might just be another portrait of a failure as a young man.

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176 T. Nikki Cesare published in published been has Program.Her work Drama UniversityCollege and Drama of Study Centrefor Graduate T.Nikki Cesare,of editor entitled US, post-9/11 in performance relationand betweenthe trauma about book a currentlyon workingis premiereDu composers of Yun Ueno’sKen and opera chamber Newmusic-theatrein productions YorkMorelia,City,2010and directed the Chicago, Mexico,and Amerissiah classics the deconstruct to or issues political interrogate to space a as theatre use don’t they him; to solely belongs role collaboratively three most recent productions,recent most three two.their or In text a LeCompte,deconstructed Liz have to known Bogart,others Anne and Schechner,Richard as suspects usual such than rather 2010a) (Ahonen Odets Clifford and of issue this in represented New in Yorktheatre avantgarde society.that within themselves discovering individuals society,few of a forefront of the possibility at distinct than the rather offer margins do they socioeconomic the on deliberately are characters revolt”their se,“individualist though per and two.the of progeny of sort clear,And,any be promoting to necessarily not are they though Jarry than Ibsen with common in more have near-hystericalthe comedic,of New dose the healthy York–based a with off may Amoralists topped and form) rotund Ubu’s than incarnation shapely more significantly a in (though garity vul- of sense own their Ubu,otherwise,extravagant,of Jarry’s and as full as phonetically While discoveries”valuable (105). and new make ever can society of forefront the at individuals few a is,only that that avantgarde: the of Dr.solitary heroically theory considers a Hyman “essentially what proposes Stockman Thomas Ibsen’s context; artistic play,and position.each political In both of burden the bears man one com- formal as juxtapositional upon dependent as is that avantgarde the of trajectory rospective ret- Paris,a in suggests uprising civil intense of period a during and stage same that on (1896) extravagant phonetically “Merdre! his bellowed first Roi Ubu before Jarry’s years Alfred three ‘dynamiter’ against the malignant social order” (104; citing Ibsen 1960:67).Ibsen order”citing social (104; malignant the against ‘dynamiter’ a character,like main freedom its his through asserts but who tems ideas of man avantgarde “an sys- theatrical conventional of deconstruction explosive the through not cred avantgarde its political,against authority.”economic,revolt moral individualist and article astute “Theatrical her in Terror:describes structure,in 1800s.narrative the Distinctly of those supply,to water as contaminated truths a inconvenient of contemporary to relative as is form its than rather content anarchist even and politicized highly its through evidenced sensibility avantgarde tion,an represented who,man unsuccessfully,one rejec- about town’s play entire a an against convictions his stakes Paris,failure.Ibsen’s late-19th-century Henrik In 1. What establishes the Amoralists as cohort to the other companies currently redefining currently companies other the to cohort the as establishes Amoralists What New early-21st-century YorkIn on.City,going terror theatrical of sort different a is there As Hyman points out, that the Théâtre de l’Œuvre produced out,l’Œuvre the points de that Hyman Théâtre As of viability productive the on predicated sense small no in is avantgarde the of notion The Theatre 80 from 10 September to 5 October 2009. October 5 to 10 September from 80 Theatre at run a by followed 2009, August P.S. 23 July at to showed30 It from then 2007. run extended an in 122 25 to 2 November from run a for Theater Gene the Frankel at appeared Lowerfirst the EastSideof PipersPied The Aestheticization of of Reality: The Aestheticization and Postmodern Art, Music, . Performance (2008), PerformanceResearch , — playwright and director Derek Ahonen claims the credit the Derek “writer”claims director the Ahonen and and playwright 1 the Amoralists instead offer lives lived within the enclaves of New of York,enclaves the within lived lives offer the instead Amoralists and — TDR Ahonen avows his adoration of Noel Coward,Noel of adoration his Tennesseeavows Ahonen Williams, TDR ’s Critical Acts section, is Assistant Professor at the UniversityProfessorthe Assistant at of Criticalis Acts’s section,Toronto’s The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, East Lower the of Pipers Pied The — — Theatre and Journal, Big Group,Art the TEAM, WitnessRelocation, and is also what differentiates them.differentiates scripts what devise also don’t is They — a content that, dealing with the environmental hazards environmental the that,with content dealing a Enemy of the Peoplethe Enemyof — HappyPoorhousethe in though they could be the unlikely great-grand- unlikely the be could they though and Symbolist Spectacle”Symbolist (2005),and Attentats “the An Enemy of the Peoplethe Enemyof An . She has dramaturged experimental experimental dramaturged Shehas TDR. at NYC’s The Flea. Cesare Flea. The NYC’s at OceanGold offers,Erin as Williams Hyman ran from 22 April to 26 April 2010 at April2010 26 Aprilto 22 from ran Enemy of the Peoplethe Enemyof Happy in the Poorhousethe in Happy ,and Enemy of the Peoplethe Enemyof En folkefiende(En ,1882), in 1893,in just others accrues ” Derek Ahonen and the Amoralists 177 New subsequently Derek Ahonen (2010a) Derek just faster and louder Pied Pied , Pipers and the 2010 runs —

— , “although the play Pied , Pipers Happy in the Poorhouse in the Happy Poorhouse and at P.S. 122 in 2009, Ahonen was 122 in 2009, at P.S. review of Pied Pied Pipers Pied Pipers takes place in hotspots Poorhouse of urban - devel and Time Out New York York Out Time New Pied Pipers , each Amerissiah at Theatre 80. All quotes from scripts are taken fromversions which may And be from the the most shocking thing (2009). about it” — , atAmerissiah Theatre 80 aswell, ran from 3 throughJune 28 2010, reprised from a run at theGene

, the Amoralists present the work that , is at of Enemy once the immediately People relevant We were concerned that when we did We [the show] again a year and a half later the : “What “What this : nearly three-hour dose of high-energy Steppenwolf-style realism is doing at and in the Happy Poorhouse The particulars I’m discussing throughout this article describe the 2009 run of

funnier. For instance, Amoralists when remounted For the instance, Theatre 80. Frankel Theater, from 13 November toNovember 7December from 13 2008. Theater, Frankel AHONEN: We thought we needed to update it for an “Obama World,” because the first thought we needed to World,” update it “Obama We for an AHONEN: time was the height of the George I Bush guess era. it wasn’t the height but...We of it, were still aware and of in it, November of ’07 it still didn’t seem like Obama would ever these characters and are it optimistic, felt like they were very aware Well, of be elected. Which is what I their thought uniqueness. made them hypocrites in a way and opened up the story a Made little them bit. more than just radical preachers. characters They wouldn’t would be be seen or seen as anything as hypocrites, special. the And people we who went got back Obama and elected. talked and about we it, discovered that these people are so far to the Left that they wouldn’t even have respect for Barack Obama Because or the for system’s any the kind problem, of government altogether. And once it’s we we just realized realized different that, we faces. didn’t need to change (2010a) anything. of ran final productions at P.S.July 122 to fromAugust 29 3 2010. ran final productions at Derek Ahonen Derek sent directly to me. opment and the ensuing displacement of ethnic communities in New York City (see opment Lydersen and the ensuing displacement of ethnic communities York in New 1999; Sternbergh 2009; and Zukin 2010) suggests the Ahonen possibility is that making a broader point about urban culture through the feisty personalities and personal lives of NYC Ahonen And is that one of the few locals. playwrights on the downtown scene writing quint- essentially well-made plays suggests a different sort of gentrification on the experimental the- are reflective more of critical positions than however, These readings, atre landscape as well. who Amoralists Ahonen’s intends to perspective, the be less about ideology or politics than the characters he writes. When somebody says “avantgarde,” I ask, what kind of avantgarde? When somebody says “avantgarde,” does contain a lot of and radical one talk, quite extravagant its nude dramaturgy scene, is boldly old-fashioned Yorker in not so different a manner from Yet, 122 is (2009). anyone’s guess” the avantgarde haven P.S. Ibsen in to and highly representative of this new rendition of the avantgarde and they present these lives within the enclaves of New York off-Broadway and experimental they the- present these lives within the enclaves York of New Adam Feldman As writes in his atre. That the mise-en-scène of both concerned that the infective exuberance following Barack Obama’s successful presidential run He worried would that change audiences audiences’ would understanding of Billy and company. read the characters’ idealism as concurrent with political developments rather than as still distinct from them: The contextualization Amoralists of as the avantgarde may be more of a critical position as well. Ahonen has as slippery a relationship to that artistic categorization as the Pied Pipers have to

178 T. Nikki Cesare 2008 2007 2007 premieres. of location and Date Ahonen. Derek by written plays All Amoralists The ment develop because develop ment in door; their outside world the with those other each with shenaniganing are characters love,the free all and rent free of spirit communal their taining it.at he’s while ring boxing humanity salvage may he that so die god,to is chosen he believes also cancer.of But,an show,being Amoralists’ twist hilarious cruelly inevitable the is there (Apps),dying Ricky is junkie recovered and (Lemp) Holly alcoholic semi-recovering to brother dying Bronx,a (Pilieci),the America.of Barry in metaphor Set different a creates Amerissiah New idiosyncratic Yorkersmore even and neighborhoods story: that illustrate to story,”interesting an in ideals political and emotion human ine NYC idiosyncratic uses Ahonen community. a within tensions specific the and oflife blending urban “genu- a toward Aspiring of reading plays,broad his a too,of individuals,both settings and represent the stereotypes ences audi- his to closer characters his bringing by ideas his to closer audiences brings Ahonen about.”care really artists the ideas continues: He intellectual across get to trying [...;] actors lights,and and characters stage blank a of boundaries than the limits “exploring audience’s the testing about less avantgarde,is contemporary it a is camp.political any To Ahonen,there if 1970s; the “avantgarde”from Laurie work is Anderson’s 2010 2008 grounds the overarching narrative.overarching the grounds characters individual between relations sexual all.than at rather Here,thing emotional the any- get to managing who’s to some getting who’s Amerissiah,from emphasis the shifts Ahonen women.much-too-much-younger much,In with too and shenaniganing keeps (Pilieci) Joey Despite the complex interpersonal dynamics of the of dynamics interpersonal complex the Despite for metaphor America.a of (2010a) more was it Side; East Lower the save dying to a mind.trying America.like wasn’t It’s I your of back the in thing romanticized another eclectic.it’s more So little a something possessions.same [...] the thing. wants homogenized WeEveryone this for wish just just cool.it’s it Now made classes cultures.different different Even the was cool Side about.talk [...] to used people Side East Lower the wasn’t then Side East Lower 2000,the in after.and Side romanticize East but Lower for the there to got I really never were we that film,much, theatre ’70s so ’60s the romanticize we culture This [for backdrop good AHONEN: a be Wewould Side East Lower the thought ideas.artist’s (2010a) an to closer me brings that work distance.like I its through something me teach to trying and welcoming,cold isn’t that’s that theatre is me not.for or off it turn liked biggest I The whether decide I before after weeks for see I work the consider do me.really than I better it’s thinks that stuff like don’t I AHONEN: — We have these diverse second and third generations, and what made the Lower East Lower the made generations,Wewhat third and and second diverse these have allowing access to their interior spaces. Just as Ahonen’s characters are at once both once at spaces.are as interior characters Just their Ahonen’s to access allowing . Directed by Derek Ahonen (Part 1) and David Levy Horton Levy David and You1) Hey (Part The Ahonen Derek by Directed Monster. Frankel Gene The Ahonen. Derek by Directed Side. East Lower the of Pipers Pied The New Theatre, Kraine The Horton. Levy David by Directed Fantastic. the Chasing While . Directed by Derek Ahonen. Theatre 80, New YorkNew 80, Theatre Ahonen. Derek by City.Directed Poorhouse. the in Happy YorkNew Theatre, Frankel Gene The Ahonen. City.Derek by Directed Amerissiah. (Part YorkNew Theatre, City. YorkCity. — 2). The Gene Frankel Theatre, New YorkNew Theatre, Frankel Gene The 2). City. the tensions within their family unit seem somewhat more resolvable than resolvable more somewhat seem unit family their within tensions the Paulie isn’t shenaniganing at all at shenaniganing isn’t Paulie Poorhouseapart- the outside and in- ,tensions the — foursome Piper’s Pied and because Mary’s little brother little Mary’s because and — and end cheating in the in cheating end and — in which,in main- ]. Pipers]. Pied — Barry Derek Ahonen and the Amoralists 179 at — which may read — enters the scene with — Amerissiah ultimately is less about myself, James Kautz, and James Matt Kautz, Pilieci. myself, , is simply , about the journey the Poorhouse — on that city and that idea altogether. on that city and that idea altogether. and — Amerissiah. The RicewaterSiblings (MatthewWilliam Pilieci, Apps, though belief and redemption are certainly main themes Pied Pipers Figure 2. Figure Sarah Lemp). Theatre 80, New York City, June 2010. (Photoby Larry Cobra) YorkCity, New Lemp). 80,Theatre Sarah — Pied , like Amerissiah, who is also the only person of color in the cast —

’s York Out Time New

a road Vegas Amoralists trip came to The together on their own journey, AHONEN: We started November in of ’06, ’06 We AHONEN: [...] They wanted [...] to go Angeles] [to to Los become actors because it had been five years York since we Academy Arts finished of in school American Dramatic New at the the turn of the century. You can say that now. Things hadn’t been going good for them can say that now. You the turn of the century. and all my plays kept getting sent back whenever I submitted them to any of the theatres so around they here, convinced me We to go out there to try to become a screenwriter. And on after that [having trip, spent] about rented a car in LA and took a Vegas. trip to five days we in just LA, kinda soured on it CESARE: In five days? Despite its overwrought plot, or, perhaps because of it, Despite its or, overwrought plot, Just in case that wasn’t enough dysfunction: Holly and her father Walsh) Johnny (George Barry is married to the sig- characters are willing to take on their way to nowhere. more like a less Apatow successful script Judd than the origins of an acclaimed experimental Ahonen recollects: As but theatre is troupe, true. her Eminem riff of a husband Terry (Nick Lawson), having (Nick embarked Lawson), on a pilgrimage from her Eminem riff of Terry a husband Missouri to the Bronx after hearing Barry’s voice in her head. are being indicted for embezzlement and fraud from their family’s used car dealership; Bernie is defending them pro bono for the sake of Holly’s and while his also child, negotiating Holly’s Carrie desperate (and not entirely unwelcome) midway advances; through and, the show, ( Jennifer Fouche) whether Holly and Johnny go or to whether jail, she gets back together or with whether Bernie, anyone ever believes Ricky is clean throughout the play. adept description [Feldman Bernie “adenoidal” 2010]) the Ricky, Attorney (Kautz). the whom no one believes is is dating clean, Loni also (Selene a Beretta), recovering in junkie who, between tugging at her painted-on dress and wailing about the proximity of drugs in the house, manages to get impressively high with Margi. nificantly olderMargi (Aysha and they Quinn), are in the - pro cess of moving back into the apartment where Barry grew up so that he can die wallow- ing surrounded in by nostalgia, his Margi, childhood memories. who doesn’t believe in Barry’s brings messianic with potential, her a geriatric version of ’ Pipers hippie aesthetic and regularly gets Barry high to ease the transition to the Holly, next life. state of “recovery” her who’s semi-recovery is somewhat in doubt when she takes a healthy swig from her flask in the first is unhappily scene, divorced from (in Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25September 2021

180 T. Nikki Cesare And the actors responded in kind: in responded actors the And Yorkscene: backstage earlier an describes Zinoman Jason Timescritic Niro De and charismatic, idiosyncratic and easy with the rough edges; a bit of a of bit a edges; rough the with easy charismatic,and and idiosyncratic 2010),Callahan 2008; ribald Denton is (see Ahonen Shepard Sam young a to reviews stream shows.his attend people many how by determined him.much very the are for Amoralists goals Ahonen’s to up decisions primary suggestion,the to process,leaves open rehearsal while their and same the essentially director,remains directors,and cast assistant his different hires he while and is,avantgarde paradoxically,as even or conventionality.structural their playwright is Ahonen occasions”2010b).numerous (Ahonen different, as as them Again,edge,” marks “cutting what fundraising grassroots and shows their to coming audiences on based is success their and characters their of hometown the New in Yorkstaged productions as schedules touring City, in based firmly the are Amoralists New in international Yorkbased their companies by much as determined is success fiscal whose our first show,first our produce basically,to months able five were next we the ’07 for of aside May week in and York]way.hard the it did and a bucks hundred a put us Weof each and here back got money. New gambling [to back went grand. we five So lost we out; work didn’t That grand,50 into turn, grand thought,to couple we enough cash,a had $50,000, we not but of bit little a had jobs,time,we day that and good at jobs good had we because company energy.our Las to Vegas,trip So,that on own our forming about thinking started we AHONEN: Yeah.that.than fewer even was Ah,it Maybe horrible.Jesus, not was Just it (Zinoman 2010) (Zinoman wall.the against him agreeing,shoved and Mr.neck the by playwright the grabbed Pilieci dis- politely critique.of this Instead appreciate didn’t [...] Kautz James and Pilieci Matt company.the (2010) at screamed and backstage worse.charged far he was curtain jokes the botching At but drunk,performing even or lines some forgetting cast the forgive laughing.could not He increasingly,playwright,becoming and was director angry.intensely was audience The of run early an of performance first the At “Amerissiah” 2008, in Derek Ahonen, the Ahonen himself could be a character in one of his plays. Compared repeatedly in main- in plays.repeatedly his Compared of one in character a be could himself Ahonen months.six (2010a) you gives months.two year...thatfor a months, it shows two off three And living a make can you We’reeverybody.of care take to trying Youus,just but off living a make necessarily can’t theatre.off-Broadway an Equity,at outside get they’d what actors our paying we’re but gross.the of gets, percentage off-Broadway the working We’re playwright working even.breaking just any were what shows getting Wethe I’m or that money so up it set happy.everyone keeps that system a making weren’t Wewe when problem this had never ugly,equals.gotten as It’s other each at out look worked all we’ve we but much...but this get to supposed is writer much,the this and get to supposed are with...well,actors the venues.larger at issue sales some ticket Frankel.There’s good Gene have we now And seater,small the in AHONEN: working were Wewe the when even break could never theatre emerging audiences.other their Unlike on predicated are The fortunes Amoralists’ direction.different (2010a) a in going fortunes our set and well really did show time.more wrote one I it when try That’s to fighting,started thinking,and work.”money to going isn’t shit, this “Oh well decided We It went well, but we knew nothing about self-promoting. [...] So we lost all of our of all lost we self-promoting.So about [...] nothing knew well,we went but It — the actor, not his character in the film. In a 2 June 2010 write-up of write-up 2010 actor, June the 2 film. a the In in character his not While Chasing the Fantasticthe Chasing While — and a benefactor who,benefactor in a words, and on Ahonen’s ass [their] saved “has over at the Kraine [NYC,the Theatre at 2007].over The Pied Pipers [ Pied The of the Lower East Side].East Lower the of That TaxiDriver– Amerissiah, era Robert era New Derek Ahonen and the Amoralists 181 2009a:22) performers performers mistaking volume for Africa! (Ahonen — 2008:57) Amerissiah is almost exactly the same: the liv- . Mary (Sarah Lemp) and Paulie (. MaryLemp) and Paulie Happy (Sarah In the Poorhouse James rails against the system... Figure 3. Figure April 2010. (Photoby Larry Cobra) YorkCity, New Kautz). 80,Theatre , and , Poorhouse Pied Pipers Pied , Pipers one who comes to know their work begins to appreciate the Amoralists’ way the

Amerissiah... — ’s Paulie... The Poorhouse

PAULIE: You think I wanna You PAULIE: bounce at the dive bars for chump change on weekends? Five times a night some drunken fratboy tries to boil my blood ’cause he thinks I’m too small to throw him I’m not out. thinking this is But Mary. my paradise either, I’m happy in the poorhouse ’cause the dream is worth the million little beatings I get for believing my life’s worth a (Ahonen 2009b:22) damn. Everyone is HOLLY: obsessed with superheroes these days...It makes me sick. movies...jumping off buildings and How All saving many that people... fantasy...superhero millions of dollars do the masses pump into fantasy worlds each year? It’s ridiculous... don’t escape your life’s misery by paying ten bucks You to retreat into a fake universe for escape your misery by doing whatever it takes to You rid yourself of the two things hours. There’s The no that such make thing it as miserable. superheroes Bernie. or Messiahs, world doesn’t need saving...it’s just...it’s just mainly an indifferent planet in an indifferent solar system and to survive you have to screw or I be don’t screwed. like it...I don’t hate it...I just accept that that’s how (Ahonen it is. This knowing derives not only from the familiarity one assumes with characters at the end BILLY: If more kids said fuck you to all their corruption parents, would Wash end in BILLY: Can you ington. imagine if politicians’ children “Daddy did is interviews where they said, a Oh that liar my who God, doesn’t care about America workers or Africa.” in genocide in dad. Fuck you, would mom. be Fuck so you, beautiful. Rather than reading their acting style as amateurish ing room of with an two apartment, doors to bedrooms set against a back wall and a third to a washroom; a slightly anachronistic kitchen either to stage right or left; a door at the back of As does as so does does And, Paulie, Holly in or the at few days the end that of each of the proverbial these day, plays takes to Yet unravel, even audiences who don’t know the Lower or or leave East Coney the the Side, Island, Bronx, theatre intimately knowing Billy and Paulie and Holly. but also from the sense of of each narrative and individual play, structural familiarity between the It plays isn’t themselves. just that each set is of a but living that room, the basic structure of the living rooms in As Zinoman aptly this points backstage out, altercation is reflected in andreflective of the Amoralists’ onstage work: fists emotion through giving walls, waylines to lost violence, in the high-end decibels of overenthusiastic presentation. brazen technique invigorates even as personalizing it the assaults, characters through their self- Billy aggrandizing of angst. sincerity Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25September 2021

182 T. Nikki Cesare of both of Lemp, Apps,Lawson,Beretta,instance Nick for and constant.remains feel overall the throughout characters male the plaster,of virility botched a suggesting ultimately both of the back wall,in back and the of slightly differ may tions lives. inhabitants’ the decora- of basic traits The character specific and affect general the both denote to set tchotchkes various and apartment; the set,outside right,the space stage indicating enacted in enacted 1992:356),modernism”narratives Johnston historicist the (see of form this of limitations and suggestion,Johnston’s as,achievements Ben dodecagon the in Ibsen’s both read “shar[ing] to connections.internal However,own their create possible plays be Ahonen’s may it whereas cycle,a creating as connections” plays each,“mutual his between of consideration Ibsen’s Like in Mary as family; urban the supports emotionally who group the of pragmatist the is Pipers Pied in Dear three.as all itself,Lemp through play but each within only not development character trajectory,persona,a of creating continuity Paulie,a to yields of Billy person from that like ideas until a larger picture emerges.”picture larger a until ideas Lemp.or Pilieci or Kautz know to getting or Billy Wyattknow versa,is to vice the Dear getting and know or Amoralists to getting is play bios,actor’s but,the characters their instead,of bios family,financially.time this actually though not are notes program accompanying in bios The in Holly as and Dear; (quite literal) demands on his actors his on demands literal) (quite New in Yorkfamily City. of forms many the of limitations and achievements the of constellations individual than genre Poorhouse,is she As do the actors. Cofounders Pilieci and Kautz appear in every play,every in appear Kautz and actors.Pilieci actors the Cofounders other do but As to understand our complicated real universe.real (2010b) complicated our understand to world.imaginary [...] his dreams. hates his He in him haunting keeps that past a from away named way man 2007],his Venusanother write has to can he all does who play,it.second of My proud and reality from set.detached television completely a is with man conversations The Texas,named man Venusyoung 2004],imaginary a having has apartment his in up locked Poorhouse. to play the Island,connects Coney which in happened thinks he things about hallucinations random the has of Amerissiah character Hill,the Marble but Bronx’s emotions.and In ideas and themes my moving fresh.feels [...] it and member,time audience any at in jump can you an own,as its so on stands play each that me to important extremely also emerge,it’s but to starts whole,pattern a a as them at look and back stand AHONEN: you When sense,”every in work a of plays revisits “body his and he considers “themes which Ahonen in • • The sense of understanding and investment Ahonen is asking of his audiences parallels his parallels audiences his of asking investment is and Ahonen understanding of sense The becomes a part of this company.this of part a becomes loyalty.The demand Amoralists family.Wea as production a into enter are you Who fit. see they as wield to own her or works.his artist is an process which artist’s An in method the dictate to try or that attack said never The be First,will it Amoralists let I’m trying to create this complicated fake universe to better help me and my audience my and me help better to universe fake complicated this create to trying I’m Although I’m not moving my characters from play to play or location to location,am to I location or play to play from characters my moving not I’m Although Poorhouseand Pied Pipers, Pied My first play,first My Venus,Sensation, and PopeThe the frustrated wife acting on emotional and sexual urges,of sexual reminiscent and emotional on acting wife frustrated the Amerissiah,saw I , she’s the frustrated sister and ex-wife who,ex-wife again,and her sister supports frustrated Amerissiah, the she’s Poorhouse,and , spackle dots the walls where Paulie has punched through the through punched Poorhousehas Paulie where walls the ,dots spackle — in , a massive taxidermied moose head hangs at the center the at hangs head moose taxidermied Amerissiah,massive a While Chasing While FantasticThe — Amerissiah listed,website: groups’ manifesto-style,the on ’ Dawn in the audience.) This continuity of audience.) continuity the This in Dawn Pipers’ Pied are less a reflection of one historical moment or moment historical one of reflection a less are , the action takes place in the in place takes Amerissiah,action the — — suggesting that, just as getting to know a know to getting that,as suggesting just reappear as well.as (And,reappear performances at [GAT5 Collective,Artists Austin, [The Kraine [The Theater,NYC, Happy In Happy The — — but

Derek Ahonen and the Amoralists 183 was the nudity in Pied Pipers all drop trou. all drop trou. — , in response Pied , to Pipers Billy’s visiting younger of nakedness these characters gratuitous but at that all, the the decided — sporting an enthusiastic erection — or, thinking about how Richard Schechner differentiates between or, nudity and —

. Meghan Ritchie, Matthew Pilieci, Nick Lawson, Patrick McDaniel, Poorhouse. Ritchie, Meghan Matthew Lawson, Pilieci, Nick Patrick Happy In The Ours is a process of constructive challenging: every facet Amoralists’ of production an will Players demand are input. not merely hired and then relieved of accountability to the Who experiment. Who demand ask artists questions. who dig in. We story’s inception. seek out artists when with confidenceswagger-(swagger: meets talentWe meets individu- [...] (Amoralists ality). 2009)

CESARE: One thing that came up in a lot of reviews of the Why it were gratuitous? the women so [coughs] Was well waxed? I didn’t find the show. the nudity nakedness [2009] a little well, more women naked were, when they were naked...that was something that this really in line with their Was struck characters’ me: identity politics? There’s lots of talked things about I that. can argue against that We came AHONEN: The women used their it was me, part of the story. up in To reviews of [...] the plays. who It they is Evan, overheard. weird nakedness to mess with Billy’s younger brother, that These about you characters the mentioned are [...] women that, isolated being waxed. anyway; they’re not They’ve out retreated in working the any streets, causes anymore. • • The manifesto goes on to list “virtues” required of the company, “willingness including to a be The manifesto required goes of on “virtues” the to company, list “to take and another step when they assume they’ve and cry,” sweat, “to bleed, uncomfortable,” as the demand script more demands, visceral vulnerability than Ahonen may, taken their last.” Midway and through tears. sweat, just blood, brother Evan’s fratboy commentary (“The only thing bigger than my And IQ is my flaccid hog. the hog is hungry He’s this looking week. to feed at Dawn, the [Ahonen sloth 2009a:29]), troth” Wyatt and Dear, Figure 4. Figure William Apps. Kautz, James Rochelle Lemp, Mikulich, Mark Riccadonna, Selene Beretta, Matt Fraley, Sarah April 2010. (Photoby Larry Cobra) YorkCity, New Theater 80, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25September 2021

184 T. Nikki Cesare it, period). From behind the closed door we hear Mary call out to Joey: to out call Mary hear we door it,closed the period).behind From (Ahonen says,cash,Billy of and envelope an you” Billy “Thank hands Donovan couch.the created,on have sits Pipers the everything losing and leaving of thought the at lyzed show,the of Billy,where apartment the enters Donovan para- metaphorically and literally Oaxaca,moment in last Mexico.uprising together,the new Iowa In a join to leaving Billy’s and As circumstances. one’s of acceptance personal through closure quiet of scene, sense final a each in plays,three antics,and,all is,exhaustive throughout there after theme major a is Redemption both.”do or cry or laugh to going either you’re when moment half-insane that at [...,] cliff a of edge play the to “at actors his hate.asks to He nor like to easy Dear.on make the put to foursome,trying the is to cash spending out doling still while condos into it turn to planning is and building Pipers’ Pied the (2009a:3),owns Donovan who relationship,the a sleazy”and begin “charmingly Dawn developer and Evan characters: ary second- show,and main the between relationships the complicated,do increasingly as growing (2009a:4–13).violent while physically all and Wyattconcern; audibly materialist evermore of becomes lack his prove to bill dollar one-hitter,a bourbon,a burns of on and pull coke,drags a of takes bump a does show, the of so or minutes five first the Billy,which,just during in exchange distracted, barely start.the plays,from three right which all establishes in Ahonen are well,they as as space. messy remaining are any lives occupy characters’ ashtrays nalia, The overflowing and 2009b:4); and 2009b:4); yelling crying,Mary “Stop with pussy!”Paulie at Buddha statues, and Billy’s LP collection LP statues,Billy’s Buddha and instruments,”Chinese fucking drums,weird and 2009a:4), and (Ahonen Jesus unplayed mostly floor and walls the cluttering objects other and instruments of variety a with littered is room ing is. liv- it set as difficult, one-room messy is standard as play The this in comfortable Being Pied Pipers Pied PAULIE:beautiful.(Offstageit’s sure ) make And MARY:loud. something (OffstagePlay ) JOEY:(Offstage ) What? MARY:(OffstageJoey? ) In him.about (2010a) redeeming something onstage,find comes is,I’ll he minute the off “Whoa.”you turns who guy the if Or response your where there in something throw to want I and much too little a somebody side.guy,their bad on a not or Youguy side good their on you’re whether like to start a they’re whether know to not audience the want we [that] with deal we who characters work.to like the we are.where where Amoralists That’s is opposites Wethese all have between sexual. lines blatantly thin being those and all unconfident At crying...being and love,funny expressing being and violent being between line thin a just It’s AHONEN: neither are who characters create complication,to of striving sort this for intends Ahonen the throughout endures values idealistic and behavior self-destructive of simultaneity The Amerissiah needed to do whatever made them comfortable.them (2010a) made whatever do to needed naked be to going out.were rug who men and women Wethe decided and it about talked the pulls landlord the before palace their as of think home,they their which to inwards — , Mary and Paulie finally make it to the bedroom (and, assumes, bedroom make one the finally Poorhouse to it make finally Paulie ,and Mary “banjos,sitars, guitars, symbols, flutes, piccolos, kazoos, xylophones, trumpets, makeshift 2009a:112). ends, Dear and Wyatt are packing a moving van, Dawn and Evan are moving to moving ends,are and Evan van,Dear and moving Wyatt Dawn a packing are begins with Holly screaming “Fuck you!” at Margi (Ahonen 2008:4); screaming (Ahonen you!”Holly Margi “Fuck with at begins Pied Pipers Pied with Wyattit?”hollering Billy is at “Where — as empty beer cans and wine bottles,parapher wine drug and cans beer empty as — who responds,who you!” love (Ahonen “I —

— yielding an explosive an yielding lights down lights Poorhouse — the end the - Derek Ahonen and the Amoralists 185 - Pied - Pied ’s Poorhouse Pied Pipers echoes Amerissiah while order Amerissiah isn’t quite profound, , Pilieci, wearing an Pilieci, over Amerissiah, , I received Amerissiah, an answer I was ) the story becomes much Poorhouse more personal. end of play. Billy’s “thank you” from “thank you” Billy’s end of play. — is part of that effort. At times, Ahonen offers up Amerissiah At is times, part of that effort. lights down — . Poorhouse seems focused more inwardly Poorhouse here. , and , Poorhouse and fulfills his promise to end cheating in It’s professional the sports. disbeliever, —

types of characters, types rendered of familiar characters, more by dated sitcoms and his own experience , which opens Amerissiah, with Margi listening to the classical station on an old-fashioned

Pied , Pipers In Pilieci is yet neither the any energy less that present pushed nor outward less loud as Barry, The idea AHONEN: of a God is important to me American as and an therefore finds its Whether God exists way or into American not my plays. is very in the back of my mind When I in bring everything the I bottle do. of whiskey to my lips I’m not quite sure whether I’m doing a dance with God’s patience or my Maybe body’s both. endurance. I was raised a Catholic and although I no longer the practice stories it, I was taught as one’s a own kid...the messianic stories zeal, of fathers the and struggle sons, of morality, and one’s righteousness, relationship to A money lot permeate of throughout my work. it A is lot consciously of written it in reveals there. itself to me as I Most write every it. American I know has some relationship whether to it’s God, a personal love for God or a personal disdain for the problems the belief in God God is creates. everywhere here so there’s no point for me American as playwright an to ignore how that conditions our (Ahonen everyday 2010b) life. and homophobic misogynist, comments The that racist, characters regularly spew through- As is the more overt religiosity in this play. The redemption found As at is the the end more here overt is religiosity of in a this dis- play. When Ahonen I about asked the role religion plays in ) Okay. ) Okay. (Offstage JOEY: (A moment) (Ahonen 2008:99) welcome. You’re Pied Pipers and could be a modern-day Wyatt Earp, forging out a new urban frontier, and, as and, forging out Earp, a new Pipers could urban be Wyatt frontier, a modern-day he’s forging different frontiers as a In randy postman. Joey, ing takeaway from the filledlocal for with Chinese instance, interjectionsrestaurant, like gets more of a cringe than more a tacky laugh, than ga,” offensive. ga, mi, ying, ying, “Ying, radio, Barry’s terminal radio, disease becomes metaphor for the terminal dis-ease within the family. After having seen (and having seen quite a bit of) the excessively vibrant Pilieci in the previous in Wyatt it Pilieci’s two is productions, a shock to see him now as body. a cancer-riddled and idealization of New York than any sort of ethnographic endeavor. But he than does any so sort to of com- ethnographic endeavor. and idealization York of New plicate how audiences respond to Johnny’s such rant stereotyping. in size Mickey Mouse T-shirt over a Depends diaper and is tube as size T-shirt socks, gray Mickey of Mouse skin tone as is larger fillingthan aWyatt life, room and seeming to reach to the ceiling; Barryof is hair. stooped and dwarfed by his circumstances. in the fact , that Pipers Petie is a war veteran in wholly unprepared for: convoluted Amoralists’ as narratives, they are The may indeed be, about the conditions of might stand “God” in less and for everyday a life, belief in a higher being than a belief simply in Ahonen’s plays the are possibilities not of about being. good but and about evil, how one establishes those distinctions. out stereo tinctly Catholic nature: it Barry turns really out, is He the miraculously Messiah. recovers from his cancer of a prophesized heart attack in the albeit quietly, dying, who is Margi, the only one to suffer, final red-lit moment of the play. but without the underlying political references in the previous plays (urban development in Joey turns up the music in Joey’s response in Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00031 by guest on 25September 2021

186 T. Nikki Cesare personal change he asks equally of his actors and his audience: his and actors his of equally asks he change personal political,the the but or social the not of indicative most closes,those play are a after weeks even change”2005:105).social (Hyman effect to majority,the language against of avantgarde rhetoric,inefficacy the of the of failure the also but family,his struggle on the and of only him allegorical “not on becomes turn play they the and information,his of ety. truth unbiased the of townspeople the convince to tries Stockman As toward attempt honest an as more reads identity religious about Bernie with exchange Holly’s But Ahonen,Derek. 2009a. Ahonen,Derek. 2008. References avantgarde boundaries these all explore to willing he’s ences,why and considering.audi- still his I’m from what comment wants is a it,Ahonen Which it’s seen but is”2008:63). shit (Ahonen racism that stupid how at laugh to got racist.you a ’Cause ain’t you laughed you If [...] funny! is shit from Evan character his of version older slightly a Lawson,be by could characters.damaged these to relation As in compasses Terrymoral proverbial their (who, played reset wrong,to is audiences who forcing and is right Ahonen is who about choices with forced play,the in earlier claims a Republican” 2008:21).“self-righteous way,(Ahonen Either when stereotypes Jewish to reference cheap a be may ground the on laying bill dollar a up pick to down leaning Bernie by followed is this That Either way Either play.a through back girlfriend his get to trying somebody’s when bullshit,smell they comedy,toward gravitate People AHONEN: truth, and, like,shit. real smell They unanswered, left questions those grace; its of part is For language of Ahonen,inefficacy the In Bernie: moment) (A names. those Holly nothing. mean name. names first First a It’s Bernie: Holly Bernie: Holly It’s not a comment I’m sure I agree with, either during the show or these weeks after I’ve after weeks these or show the with,during agree either I sure I’m comment a not It’s the characters or characters the emotionally.like they whether about thinking theatre,still the they’re leave they When journeys,their on them with go to characters Wethe about enough care people hope substance intellectual some has it hope pudding,we then that.doing are plays.We’reour [...] in truthful be to trying people of lot a because now right rap bad a plays linear gives that think that,I smell and Enemy of the Peoplesoci- the corrupt Enemyof a of ,damage collateral notes,truth,the Hyman suffers as We like to say our plays are comedies full of tears and ideas.and tears of full Wecomedies Weare plays instant our for say out to set like Comedy full of tears and ideas...2010a) and (Ahonen tears of full Comedy communication. — : Jewish? that Isn’t : Jewish? name Bernie...your : Isn’t What about a first name like Mohammed? There’s not too many Irishmen with Irishmen many too Mohammed? not like There’s name first a about What I’m not Jewish.2008:58) not (Ahonen I’m Bernie? to achieve it.achieve to — either get either Amerissiah.New York:Stages. United not. Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side.East Lower the of Pipers Pied her back, or get her back,get or for what she did.she [Laughs] what back for Audiences — or it could just mean that Bernie is,Holly Bernie as that mean just could it or New York:Stages.United — — personal,political, artistic, even without being pretentious.being without ) says,Pipers) Pied “[T]hat Derek Ahonen and the Amoralists 187

Ed. and Ed. New York York New , LiP Magazine , 29 June. 29 June. , Yorker New The Comparatist , 18 June. www 18 June. , The L Magazine 767 (10–16 June). York Out Time New www.nytimes 2 June. , Times York New and Symbolist Spectacle.” Attentats and Symbolist Spectacle.” Vol VI: An Enemy of the People, The Wild Duck, Rosmersholm. Rosmersholm. Duck, Wild The An of Enemy the People, VI: Vol www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/showpage 20 November. , nytheatre.com . www.theamoralists.com/about (1 July 2010). www.theamoralists.com/about . theamoralists.com 716 http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/ (18–24 June). York Out Time New . New York: United Stages. United Stages. York: New . Happy in the Poorhouse New York: Oxford The Authentic Urban York: Death Places. and New Life City: Naked of , Awaken Dead The Design of Ibsen the Cycle: We Plays from Pillars of When Society to The Oxford Ibsen, Press. 2010).

. www.youtube.com/watch?v=NghHToM1yr8 (1 July 2010). www.youtube.com/watch?v=NghHToM1yr8 . YouTube.com March. www.lipmagazine.org/articles/featlydersen_7.shtml (1 July 2010). www.lipmagazine.org/articles/featlydersen_7.shtml March. July 2010).

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