Press Roundup: CASABLANCABOX

“…A brave, almost foolhardy endeavor...A noble effort...To its credit, the show acknowledges the presence of European refugees on the set:  Gabriel Diego Hernandez and Matt McGloin play actors who miss their Old World showbiz glories..." 
The New York Times

“…The craftsmanship that has gone into this multimedia production is pretty astounding all around...Zac Hoogendyk as the film actor, Claude Rains/Renault, Rob Hille as the complicated Peter Lorre/Ugarte, Matt McGloin as the arrogant actor whose contract stipulates he always gets the girl, Paul Henreid/Laszlo, and the two headliners, Roger Casey and Catherine Gowl...all do wonderful complicated work.  They flesh out the real insecure actors that are also movie stars, unsure about this project, their own casting, and their personal troubles that circulate around the edges of the filming.  The extras, the men and women who create the atmosphere by being those that swirl around Rick's bar, all have a place in the Farringtons' CasablancaBox.  They are not just 'the lamps' as they describe themselves in the film, but these 'Refugees' are given singular moments to shine in this theatrical production, namely Gabriel Diego Hernandez (the Austrian - Gregory Gaye), McGloin (the German - Lukas), Annemarie Hagenaars (the Polish - Adrianna) and Gabriella Rhodeen (the British - Carol)...The atmosphere never lets up, constantly giving us a multi-layered vantage point into the creation of art, and all the uncertainties that are interwoven within..."
Times Square Chronicles 

“…This talented cast impersonates the film's counterparts... and each of them serves the material extremely well.  They are truly an ensemble team, reliant on one another to make this strategic chess game work.  The 90-minute intermissionless show moves at a breakneck speed..."   
Broadway Blog

"...The movie's main players are all at crossroads in their lives and careers... Paul Henreid (Matthew McGloin) is still traumatized by his near escape from the Nazis..."   
OffOffOnline

"...As much a dance between the actors as between the stage performers and the precisely timed multimedia... CasablancaBox is no vanilla tribute to the safest member of the American movie canon.  Rather, it embodies its subject through design and theme, cramming together as much energy and detail as its running time permits..."
The Village Voice

Photo by Marina McClure