A Mugging Is Your Ticket To Loving New York

In New York, the only thing that can be expected is the unexpected; and that is what the relatively new musical, The Love Letter You’ve Been Meaning To Write New York, capitalizes on. Writer and director Jonathan Solari brings his heartfelt play to the streets of New York, using Greenwich Street as the stage of his show, to thrust his audience into a quirky and fast paced adventure.

The short, but sweet, 80-minute journey revolves around an anonymous New Yorker played by Arnaud J. Spanos. The man introduces himself through a video montage of his romantic endeavors with his lover, only to end with a fatal marriage rejection at Union Square. Devoid of all hope, he asks himself, “Why should I stay?” After 3 weeks of asking people why they love New York, he decides to leave, only to get mugged and lose his car on his departure night. From that point on he meets several New Yorkers on his way to get help, and learns why staying in New York is not so bad.

Unfortunately, the plot is not too impressive. Plays should have a powerful and interesting story. The story of a man learning about appreciating what he has is cliché and not too imaginative. However, if Solari’s intent is to create a show that reaches the hearts of New Yorkers, then plot is suitable for his production.

It is up to Spanos to improve on the lacking plot, and he succeeds in doing so. Dressed in plain casual clothes, Spanos convincingly plays the role of a confused and cynical person in New York. His voice is clear and steady and his acting evokes a small amount of pity throughout the show. Though, what makes his performance special is the way he improvises when someone or something unexpected happens on the street. When random people join him on the set, he takes control of the situation and generates laughter. When a random woman joins in on a dance sequence and playfully rubs Spanos’ bald head, he uses it to enhance his character’s confused state.

As Spanos continues to look for help, he only catches the attention of cliché characters, ranging from the artistic stoner to the confused tourist. These other actors seem awkward and strained in their performance. The way they present themselves is simply over exaggerated. However, the over-the-top actions from the cast members made me appreciate Spanos’ levelheadedness and reminded me that I was in the eccentric Downtown Manhattan.

Speaking of Downtown Manhattan, Solari’s choice of a small windowed room in the 3-Legged Dog Art & Technology Center left me slightly skeptical at first. But, the design direction of the play was the most enjoyable part of the show. As soon as I entered the room I was greeted with a rough indie soundtrack by the in-room band, lead by musical director Brian Cherchiglia, which set the whimsical and hip mood for the performance.

The musical uses an ingenious array of technology, techniques and styles to amplify Solari’s vision of New York. From rap battles to original punk songs like “I’m On The Lower East Side,” and Latin dance routines to showgirl dancing, the diverse art styles in the musical are truly fascinating. Solari evens uses puppets, similar to the Muppets, to lip sync the song “I’m On The Lower East Side,” which makes the whole experience hyperbolic and absurd. On the other hand, the costumes are not as interesting. They mostly consist of everyday outfits with the occasional drag costume. The only irregularity in the costumes is probably the rainbow leotard used in one of the dance sequences.

Aside from all of the set details, the event that set the tone for the show was a random man’s uncontrollable dog, slowly sitting down in front of the 40 person audience, evacuating it’s bowels as the show started. It was hilarious. The use of the unpredictable quality of New York made me anticipate what would happen next. I could not help but chuckle when a delivery man on his bike wanted to help when he saw Spanos get mugged, only to be shocked at the sight of 40 people staring at him through a glass panel. The design choice to use New York as the stage for this play was what made the performance watchable and alluring. If it were staged inside a theater, the play’s appeal would be non-existent.

I only wish that the play had a stronger cast and dialogue. Solari should have created a few powerful characters instead of people like two homeless hipsters living on the streets. I would have also preferred that Solari incorporate smoother transitions between scenes, rather than having a random group of dancers, reminiscent of the 1980s movie Flashdance, maul Spanos at the end of each scene. Nevertheless, Solari succeeds in entertaining and conveying his ideas of what New York is, and why it is so great.

Despite its glaring flaws, The Love Letter You’ve Been Meaning To Write New York, delivers a charming and enjoyable time for a mere fifteen dollars. While the plot and acting are not captivating, the show’s unpredictable and zany nature makes me wonder why I have not written my own love letter to New York.