On the closing night of our critically acclaimed run, we were privileged to have our playwright, Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph, in the audience. Below is a picture with Rajiv (center), the cast, and our director Merri Milwe (left). Producing and acting in this beautiful play has been quite a journey, and it was an "honest to goodness blessing" (as my character Andy would say) to have received such high praise from the writer himself. Onward!
The reviews are in....and we have a hit! Only 7 more performances!
Below are some quotes from the reviews about my performance as Andy Froling, but the play as a whole has been highly praised thus far! Click on the full reviews to read more.
"Beck is charming as Andy, eliciting all of his naturally nervous qualities in actions as sweeping as confronting his idol or as tiny as donning or removing his jacket; he really seems to treat it as though he believes it doesn't want to touch him, which adds a sad pathos to a man you can't help but like."
-Matthew Murray, Talkin' Broadway Full Review
"...If all that spells "nerd", it's true, but Beck manages to combine bashful gaucherie and yearning and self-knowledge without ever seeming weak, effeminate, or just foolish. It's a beautifully modulated performance.
"Beck shows Andy's hurt and manfulness as he tries to recover from his disappointment, but the quiet tragedy of Animals Out of Paper is that , like the folds that cannot be erased in origami, the creases in one's past prove just as complicated and indelible on the human soul."
-Edward Karam, Offoffonline Full Review
"It is difficult to overpraise the cast...At the curtain call, just for a second, I looked at Beck and thought who is this guy? He'd created such a completely other physical persona for Andy that I almost didn't know him."
-Kathleen Campion, The Front Row Center Full Review
"One of the strongest elements of this production is its stellar cast...David Beck as Andy works for every ounce of sympathy and endearment. He is very grounding throughout the play....When you have a cast of talented actors and a smart script, all you really need is an audience. I recommend that you provide that element to this production. It’s well worth it."
-Richard Hinojosa, nytheaternow.com Full Review
"Joining the cast is the adorably nerdy and completely smitten calculus teacher-com-Origami enthusiast Andy (David Beck) who never fails to make you laugh as he barges into Ilana's life to collect membership dues for American Origami."
-Caleb Ryan, theatrescene.net Full Review
"As the optimistic math teacher Andy, David Beck brings a delightfully manic tone, sometime toeing the line of exceedingly eager...Andy is a literal open book - he keeps a book in which he counts his blessings and openly shares some of the secrets contained therein with Ilana and Suresh. Beck delivers the pronouncements from this book of blessings with ceaseless earnestness."
-Rachel Weinberg, Broadwayworld Full Review
"Beck is endearing as a man hypnotized with a woman just beyond his reach."
-Bianca Garcia, Stage Buddy Full Review