What the Critical People Have Said
--ACTING--
Nytheatre.com:
2011 People of the Year - "Nat Cassidy is an actor, director, and playwright of surprising range and depth."
I AM PROVIDENCE (Nat's one-man show)
Nytheatre:
"A deliciously creepy evening full of surprise and frisson ... Very learned and highly entertaining [with] exciting and daring risks ... Nat Cassidy and Greg Oliver Bodine have devised an evening that puts us smack in Lovecraft’s territory of the weird and wild ... Clever writing complemented by excellent sound and light make for a most entertaining evening ... A near-perfect horror fest... The audience, breath held, hang[s] on every sound and word. This is pure storytelling."
—Nita Congress
The Village Voice:
"Nat Cassidy is obviously a talented performer and writer!"
Tor.com:
"Truly amazing ... Things at the Doorstep [is] an unexpectedly brilliant mediation on the use and function of horror, on H.P. Lovecraft himself, on the supernatural, on storytelling, on death, on hope. ... A play creepy and magical enough to do old H.P. proud. ... I'm still thinking about it, days later."
Theatre Is Easy:
"Successful for so many reasons ... A true treat ... Entertaining, educational and strangely unsettling. Any fan of horror in general shouldn't miss this show ... Riveting."
—Weston Clay
The Rejectionist:
"It is the most delightful thing we have ever seen anyone pull off on a stage, anywhere, ever, and if you are in New York you must go see it. You must. You REALLY MUST. Go. GO."
—The Rejectionist
HENRY VI, III
A Year of Shakespeare in NYC (Daily Reviewer Top 100 Blog):
"[An] utterly new reinvention ... This Henry was terrific. ... Remarkable ... This production is propelled by some terrific acting. It was full of subtle, tiny gestures, like Henry's reluctant sigh when he once again must remove his crown, that stay safely away from over-doing it. .... It reminded me of an Ionesco play in a way. There are dozens, or seemingly hundreds of characters here, but it is basically the story of Henry ... The play stayed with me ... Terrific ... The play had me hooked from the moment the action began ... This was seriously excellent acting across the board. ... All the performers were outstanding.This was the best tragedy I've seen so far (a rich man's Titus Andronicus), and only partly thanks to the Bard."
AMNY/On Off Broadway:
"[An] accesible, entertaining and well-acted production. ... Nat Cassidy stands out as a contemplative King Henry."
—Matt Windman
The Unbearable Banishment:
"I struck gold the other night [with Henry VI, Part III]. This is why I persist in chasing these small productions. I wish I were a better writer so I could do justice to these guys ... Fucking brilliant. The entire production was one, long (3:15) holy shit. ... Props to Nat Cassidy as Henry, the King who never wanted to be King. Who is this guy? An unknown who doesn’t deserve to be."
A Year of Plays:
"Such admired actors, such mighty make believers, were among the huge cast of Henry VI Part 3. Rather than shy away from the dramatic tenor of the play, these actors immersed themselves in it. Rather than be embarrassed by the emotional hugeness of their characters, these actors embraced it. Rather than pull Shakespearean extremity down to a supposedly more modern size, these actors strove to fill it. And they did so by surrendering to the power of their imagination, with sincerity and seriousness. It was a welcome sight. Efficient and elegant. Balls to the wall. Wow. I mean, wow."
—Anna Moore
Shakespearean Monkey:
"One of the best performances I have seen."
Nytheatre.com:
"Wide Eyed Productions' mounting of an unadulterated Henry VI, Part 3 is something of an event for theatre history buffs and Bardophiles ... The play abounds with colorful characters ... Intriguing, engaging and ultimately tragic ... Many of the theatrical gambits and themes that Shakespeare developed later in his career are clearly visible in this early play ... Nat Cassidy gives us a pensive and surprisingly good-humored Henry that makes us interested in what he might do with Richard II."
—Martin Denton
THE UNDERPANTS
Nytheatre.com:
"Nat Cassidy is especially hilarious in his portrayal of Frank Versati, an enraptured poet whose excitement about words often manifests itself physically. . . . The Underpants is an intelligent comedy that poses questions of an intimate nature without causing discomfort. I laughed and left feeling like I had a lot to consider, which for me is the perfect combination of experiences."
—Mitchell Conway
New Theater Corps:
"[A] stellar cast . . . Directed on high spin by Seth Soloway, this production manages--with the help of manic comic actors like Nat Cassidy and the sublime subtlety of Catia Ojeda--to iron out the kinks of the Carl Sternheim's underlying characters and get back to the wild and crazy puns of Martin's adaptation. . . . [Steve Martin] wildly succeeds with [the character of] Versati, a wild and crazy guy who is closer to his own heart--and apparently Cassidy's, for he steals every single scene. . . . [This production] expos[es] the sheer side of Martin's Underpants in all their glory."
—Aaron Riccio
The Brooklyn Paper:
"Blooming Good! Underpants is a hit! Sometimes, all you’re really in the mood for is a good, hearty laugh . . . The Gallery Players’ new production of The Underpants is just that kind of fun. It’s a lighthearted, yet fiercely acted romp. The actors and actresses expertly take and deliver the script, adapted from Carl Sternheim’s German farce by Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin). . . . Nat Cassidy, whose bright aqua ascot matches his eyes and his socks and who speaks in hilarious, forced metaphor...expertly woos the naïve Louise. . . . The actors play out [their] characters with great skill, and facial expressions and body language are often more fun to watch than even the fast-paced, well-rehearsed dialogue — all of which makes “The Underpants” a delight, a great value, and, most of all, the perfect respite from the seriousness of real life."
—Sarah Portlock
Off-Off Online:
"[T]he play comes off as quite charming, but this has more to do with the delightful cast than the script. . . The ensemble has a knack for infusing both their archetypal characters and the jokes with great timing and facial expressions. . . Cassidy makes for a hilariously self-obsessed dreamer. His Versati is like the arrogant kid in your creative writing class that read all his work with a Shakespearean accent and flirted with whoever sat next to him. The pompous delivery never gets old (one favorite: when he doesn't have a pen to write down a good line, he shrugs it off as "society's loss")."
—Samantha O'Brien
JANE EYRE
Offoffonline.com:
"The performances are stellar . . . A valiant effort in transplanting the sprawling work to the confines of the stage."
—Amy Freeman
Nytheatre.com:
"[T]he performers are very competent and often sparkling, with most of them pulling double roles. . . . Nat Cassidy's St. John is nuanced and particularly affecting."
—Kat Chamberlain
Talkin' Broadway:
"The acting hits on all cylinders. The 23 characters from the novel are reduced to 16, with four actors taking on various, memorable roles. . . . Unlike the novel, the production spends a great deal of time on Jane's experience with St. John Rivers, her cousin and potential mate. As Rivers, Nat Cassidy is much harsher and religious law-abiding than his character is in the novel, but it also helps us to understand why Jane runs back to Rochester . She not only still loves Rochester , but committing to Rivers is clearly a fate that she doesn't want for herself. The audience doesn't want that for her either. . . . Jane Eyre is an ambitious effort. The fact that they were able to encapsulate the gist of the novel in a two-hour presentation is a feat unto itself. "
—Cindy Pierre
HAMLET (2007)
Backstage (starred review):
"For anyone who thinks of attending Shakespeare as a duty, along comes Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre, a company that has quietly been doing some of the most complete and original work in the city. . . . Five actors take all the roles, manipulating a host of puppets (faintly menacing creations by Jakub Krejýýí, with toy marionettes by Miloýý Kasal). Ophelia is both a sweet-voiced, long-haired actress (Deborah Beshaw) and a three-foot rod marionette in a lavender dress. The dolls kiss when she tangos with Hamlet (compellingly and convincingly played by Nat Cassidy), but the buoyant spin belongs to the actors. This shifting perspective is no mere gimmick. Looking from live human to puppet underscores Hamlet's theme of an ineluctable, manipulating destiny. Plus, it's fun . . . Claudius is seriously sinister. Cassidy's Hamlet has princely potential — if those horses would just stop turning . . . Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre's Hamlet lingers in the mind like song lyrics or Shakespeare's poetry."
—Gwen Orel
The New York Times:
"A performance you watch for the visual and aural moments when the various elements mesh. The carousel is revved up, the music grows more insistent . . . When, as happens several times, the carousel carries a character inexorably away from the unfolding tragedy, it's a perfect image. Think of any classic nightmare in which you can see something awful happening but are somehow unable to intervene."
--Neil Genzlinger
The New York Times:
"Shakespeare in the Round-and-Round," The New York Times, November 4, 2007
The L Magazine:
"One-of-a-kind . . . make[s] the drama big enough for the children in the to enjoy and understand, but intense and goose-flesh inducing enough for us big kids during the truly heartbreaking scenes . . . Particularly powerful. The songs illustrate the action nicely, and the musical genres cross over from gospel to Nordic war chant to Southern blues to Eastern European folk to cinematic soundtrack . . . The puppets do their thing, sometimes less interestingly than the performers, and sometimes as interesting. Hardly do the puppets outshine the hardworking actors . . . Wondrous."
—Matt Levy
The Prague Post:
"One of the show’s most poignant moments occurs not on the carousel, but when Hamlet, played by Nat Cassidy, who also manipulates the Hamlet puppet (all five actors are similarly 'double-cast'), sits on the floor, picks up a guitar and begins strumming. He breaks into a campfire song with a lovely melody — the 'To Be or Not to Be' soliloquy."
"Marionettes Over Manhattan,"
—Gwen Orel, November 21, 2007
The Brooklyn Paper:
"[D]irectors Vit Horejs and Pavel Dobrusky struck gold with their offbeat choices. The most impressive work here comes from the living, breathing cast. Each player took on a number of roles, and even occasionally switched characters, and worked wonders with his puppet. The wooden blocks came to life when they dragged their feet, danced or struggled to scale a wall; there is no doubt that their maneuvering was skillful. Indeed, when Nat Cassidy’s Hamlet pressed a flesh-colored recorder betwixt his thighs and his puppet suggested to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that they play it, I could almost see a grimace creep across the puppet’s immobile face . . . [Z]estful."
—Adam Rathe, "Prince's Puppets," November 24, 2007
The Slovak Spectator:
"One of a kind . . . . unforgettable."
—Amanda Rivkin, "Staging Hamlet the Czechoslovak Way," November 26, 2007
THE RISE AND FALL OF MILES & MILO
Time Out New York:
"****[Four Stars]. Ruthless . . . delivers big laughs."
—Clare Lambe
Martin Denton:
"Beautifully performed by Sara Jeanne Asselin and Nat Cassidy!"
http://www.indietheater.org/blog/?s=sacre
Nytheatre.com:
"[A] gem of a play. Nat Cassidy is fun as Milo . . . but don't mistake it for a lightweight comedy. There is a serious point at work here."
—Anthony C.E. Nelson, August 10, 2007
Offoffonline.com:
"Funny . . . well worth seeing . . . All of the performers were both engaging and entertaining."
—S.M. Dunlap, August 10, 2007
American Theater Web:
"[Z]inging satire-comedy. [Sara Jeanne] Asselin and Nat Cassidy play the pair of activist-artists with aplomb, imbuing the duo, lovingly, with the proper mixture of good-naturedness and over-emphasized self-importance."
—Andy Probst
The New York Times:
Featured photograph of Nat Cassidy and Sara Jeanne Asselin in "Lunacy and Chaos."
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2007)
Off-off-Broadway Review:
"Some enchanted evening. [I]t’s a pleasure to report that Theater Ten Ten’s production is delightful on all counts. Nat Cassidy and Lisa Riegel [perform] with a sexy fascination [that] gets the plot started . . . As Oberon, Cassidy is a terrific observer and listener, never upstaging the action in front of him, but not passive either."
—David Mackler
Nytheatre.com:
"Can't-miss tour-de-force . . . [I]n just about every department, this revival is a true success, and if by some chance you've never seen this tasty morsel on stage, then by all means seize this chance to sample it."
—Martin Denton
THE ANSWER IS HORSE
Nytheatre.com:
"The Answer is Horse has an ambitious reach . . . The presentations are earnest and heartfelt, with the competent ensemble cast of Elizabeth Days, Nat Cassidy, Russell Feder, Cody Lindquist, Katie Naka, and Albert Sanchez, Jr. working hard at every moment to underscore the seriousness of the task at hand . . . [T]he performance made me wonder about my own capacity to be one or the other of those torturers, or even both at the same time. And that was an ambiguity worth going to the theatre to get."
—Michael Bettencourt, July 19, 2006
MACBETH
The Arizona Republic:
"It would be tempting to cry 'All hail Arizona Theatre Company's Macbeth,' but that would be resorting to cliche to describe a production that avoids such things at every turn . . . Loney and Ciulla couldn't be better, nor could Michael Santo as the murdered king; Deborah Fialkow, Christen Simon and Maren Maclean as the witches; Richard Trujillo as Macduff; Harris Kendall as Macduff's wife; and Roberto Guajardo, Nat Cassidy and David Gehrman in a number of smaller roles . . . [T]his is an important production, the sort you'd expect to see on the stages at the National and Royal Shakespeare in London."
—Kyle Lawson, May 12, 2005
Tucson Weekly:
"Few of the men seem this at-home in their roles or in the language, except for some of the bit players, notably Roberto Guajardo and Nat Cassidy . . . This is certainly a production of Macbeth that's worth seeing and marveling at."
—James Reel, April 21, 2005
HAMLET (2004)
Tucson Weekly:
"College senior Nat Cassidy proves he's good enough for any stagewith his turn as Hamlet. . . . It shouldn't be a surprise that Cassidy comes through with such a wily, funny, angry Hamlet, but for the fact that he's doing it now, rather than 10 years from now. . . . This is not your father's Melancholy Dane, a man paralyzed by depression and indecision. Cassidy's Hamlet feeds off his own anger; he's a calculating, would-be angel of death, gathering evidence and biding his time. Cassidy's Hamlet is more a man of action than most versions of the Hamlet character. . . .Hamlet brings out the ham in actors, but Cassidy delivers a careful, naturally modulated performance. His "To be or not to be" soliloquy . . . flows with remarkable ease, neither portentous nor trivial. For this play, Cassidy seems to have subtly changed his vocal timbre; it's darker and a little deeper, with a touch of Richard Burton--a wonderful Shakespeare voice. The other players toil in Cassidy's shadow."--James Reel, March 11, 2004
Arizona Daily Star:
"The deliciously talented Nat Cassidy['s] . . . prince was alive with youthful passions. He played some things lighter than an older . . . actor might - his scene with the skull of Yorick, for instance, was more funny than it was melancholic, as it is often played. But the humor worked with this young Hamlet, and you never once doubted the character's conflicts, his loves, and his anguish over his reluctant duty to avenge his father's death. In Cassidy's hands, the Bard's rhythmic poetry, to quote the character, flowed "trippingly on the tongue." If no one else matched Cassidy's performance, the play would still be worth seeing."
--Kathleen Allen, March 4, 2004
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"The play itself is dominated by the absolutely stellar performanceof theatre production senior Nat Cassidy in the title role. Readers should stand up now and give Cassidy a “hurrah!” He nailed the performance."—Lindsey Muth, March 4, 2004
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"'Hamlet' actor read 'Macbeth' in first grade," Elizabeth Thompson, February 5, 2004
Arizona Daily Star:
"Get thee to 'Hamlet' for ghostly tragedy," Kathleen Allen, February 27, 2004
Tucson Weekly:
BEST OF 2004, Theatrical Production
Tie: Urinetown, UApresents; Hamlet, Arizona Repertory Theater
"High concept: Glamorous young hero struggles with a corrupt leader, but personal flaws result in his falling splat on the stage at play's end. That's the short version of our readers' two favorite theatrical productions this past season. Urinetown-the touring version of the recent, provocative Broadway musical-spilled black humor, an updated Brecht/Weill sensibility and the occasional potty joke across the Centennial Hall stage. Hamlet got an outstanding production out of the UA's Arizona Repertory Theater, and even if you didn't see Urinetown, Nat Cassidy as Shakespeare's melancholy Dane was enough to make you wet your pants."
METAMORPHOSES
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"Nat Cassidy is outstanding and often funny as King Midas."
--Lindsey Muth, October 23, 2003
Tucson Weekly:
"Wet n Wild," James Reel, October 16, 2003
Arizona Daily Star:
"Particularly strong [was] Nat Cassidy, who strutted out as Midas with a huge cigar and arrogant, richer-than-thou air."
—Kathleen Allen, October 24, 2003
RUMORS
Tucson Weekly:
"Nat Cassidy as Ken hits just the right notes of desperation without overplaying the part, and later, when his character is temporarily deafened, he moves smartly through a string of hoary routines in which he misunderstands everything people say, without becoming tiresome."
—James Reel, June 26, 2003
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"What's all this about Rumors?" Linday Muth, September 4, 2003
Arizona Daily Star:
"[Nominee for MAC Award for Best Actor, 2003] Nat Cassidy's totally neurotic and often befuddled lawyer in ART's production of Neil Simon's "Rumors" was priceless. . . . Understood the need for pristine timing and treating the perfectly silly situations with perfect seriousness." —Kathleen Allen, December 26, 2003
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2004)
Arizona Daily Star:
"Nat Cassidy played the dual role of Egeus, Hermia's father--a ridiculous old goat with an even more ridiculous wig--and the magical, impish, Pan-like Puck. Cassidy is wiry and flexible enough to tromp around gracefully in a pair of hooves as Puck, and he took genuine delight in wreaking havoc with the other characters. . . . Managed to wrest all that could possibly be funny out of his . . . character."
—Kathleen Allen, April 18, 2003
THE SPOILERS
The Gazette (Colorado Springs):
"First, the usual disclaimer about the melodrama offered in Cripple Creek: It's not the camp, mustache-twisting stuff you generally see. The production values are high (the company has strong ties to the University of Arizona's music theater program), with accomplished direction by Richard Hanson, evocative sets by Tom Benson and opulent costumes by Patricia Gawne and Renee Cloutier. The fight choreography is thrilling, and there are some marvelous low-tech special effects. As always, the Cripple Creek Players are well-prepared and well- matched. The stars of the 10-member cast are Nat Cassidy, who steals a couple of scenes as Flapjack Simms, and Emily Allen as local madam Pearl DeVere."
—Mark Arnest, June 21, 2002
2011 People of the Year - "Nat Cassidy is an actor, director, and playwright of surprising range and depth."
I AM PROVIDENCE (Nat's one-man show)
Nytheatre:
"A deliciously creepy evening full of surprise and frisson ... Very learned and highly entertaining [with] exciting and daring risks ... Nat Cassidy and Greg Oliver Bodine have devised an evening that puts us smack in Lovecraft’s territory of the weird and wild ... Clever writing complemented by excellent sound and light make for a most entertaining evening ... A near-perfect horror fest... The audience, breath held, hang[s] on every sound and word. This is pure storytelling."
—Nita Congress
The Village Voice:
"Nat Cassidy is obviously a talented performer and writer!"
Tor.com:
"Truly amazing ... Things at the Doorstep [is] an unexpectedly brilliant mediation on the use and function of horror, on H.P. Lovecraft himself, on the supernatural, on storytelling, on death, on hope. ... A play creepy and magical enough to do old H.P. proud. ... I'm still thinking about it, days later."
Theatre Is Easy:
"Successful for so many reasons ... A true treat ... Entertaining, educational and strangely unsettling. Any fan of horror in general shouldn't miss this show ... Riveting."
—Weston Clay
The Rejectionist:
"It is the most delightful thing we have ever seen anyone pull off on a stage, anywhere, ever, and if you are in New York you must go see it. You must. You REALLY MUST. Go. GO."
—The Rejectionist
HENRY VI, III
A Year of Shakespeare in NYC (Daily Reviewer Top 100 Blog):
"[An] utterly new reinvention ... This Henry was terrific. ... Remarkable ... This production is propelled by some terrific acting. It was full of subtle, tiny gestures, like Henry's reluctant sigh when he once again must remove his crown, that stay safely away from over-doing it. .... It reminded me of an Ionesco play in a way. There are dozens, or seemingly hundreds of characters here, but it is basically the story of Henry ... The play stayed with me ... Terrific ... The play had me hooked from the moment the action began ... This was seriously excellent acting across the board. ... All the performers were outstanding.This was the best tragedy I've seen so far (a rich man's Titus Andronicus), and only partly thanks to the Bard."
AMNY/On Off Broadway:
"[An] accesible, entertaining and well-acted production. ... Nat Cassidy stands out as a contemplative King Henry."
—Matt Windman
The Unbearable Banishment:
"I struck gold the other night [with Henry VI, Part III]. This is why I persist in chasing these small productions. I wish I were a better writer so I could do justice to these guys ... Fucking brilliant. The entire production was one, long (3:15) holy shit. ... Props to Nat Cassidy as Henry, the King who never wanted to be King. Who is this guy? An unknown who doesn’t deserve to be."
A Year of Plays:
"Such admired actors, such mighty make believers, were among the huge cast of Henry VI Part 3. Rather than shy away from the dramatic tenor of the play, these actors immersed themselves in it. Rather than be embarrassed by the emotional hugeness of their characters, these actors embraced it. Rather than pull Shakespearean extremity down to a supposedly more modern size, these actors strove to fill it. And they did so by surrendering to the power of their imagination, with sincerity and seriousness. It was a welcome sight. Efficient and elegant. Balls to the wall. Wow. I mean, wow."
—Anna Moore
Shakespearean Monkey:
"One of the best performances I have seen."
Nytheatre.com:
"Wide Eyed Productions' mounting of an unadulterated Henry VI, Part 3 is something of an event for theatre history buffs and Bardophiles ... The play abounds with colorful characters ... Intriguing, engaging and ultimately tragic ... Many of the theatrical gambits and themes that Shakespeare developed later in his career are clearly visible in this early play ... Nat Cassidy gives us a pensive and surprisingly good-humored Henry that makes us interested in what he might do with Richard II."
—Martin Denton
THE UNDERPANTS
Nytheatre.com:
"Nat Cassidy is especially hilarious in his portrayal of Frank Versati, an enraptured poet whose excitement about words often manifests itself physically. . . . The Underpants is an intelligent comedy that poses questions of an intimate nature without causing discomfort. I laughed and left feeling like I had a lot to consider, which for me is the perfect combination of experiences."
—Mitchell Conway
New Theater Corps:
"[A] stellar cast . . . Directed on high spin by Seth Soloway, this production manages--with the help of manic comic actors like Nat Cassidy and the sublime subtlety of Catia Ojeda--to iron out the kinks of the Carl Sternheim's underlying characters and get back to the wild and crazy puns of Martin's adaptation. . . . [Steve Martin] wildly succeeds with [the character of] Versati, a wild and crazy guy who is closer to his own heart--and apparently Cassidy's, for he steals every single scene. . . . [This production] expos[es] the sheer side of Martin's Underpants in all their glory."
—Aaron Riccio
The Brooklyn Paper:
"Blooming Good! Underpants is a hit! Sometimes, all you’re really in the mood for is a good, hearty laugh . . . The Gallery Players’ new production of The Underpants is just that kind of fun. It’s a lighthearted, yet fiercely acted romp. The actors and actresses expertly take and deliver the script, adapted from Carl Sternheim’s German farce by Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin). . . . Nat Cassidy, whose bright aqua ascot matches his eyes and his socks and who speaks in hilarious, forced metaphor...expertly woos the naïve Louise. . . . The actors play out [their] characters with great skill, and facial expressions and body language are often more fun to watch than even the fast-paced, well-rehearsed dialogue — all of which makes “The Underpants” a delight, a great value, and, most of all, the perfect respite from the seriousness of real life."
—Sarah Portlock
Off-Off Online:
"[T]he play comes off as quite charming, but this has more to do with the delightful cast than the script. . . The ensemble has a knack for infusing both their archetypal characters and the jokes with great timing and facial expressions. . . Cassidy makes for a hilariously self-obsessed dreamer. His Versati is like the arrogant kid in your creative writing class that read all his work with a Shakespearean accent and flirted with whoever sat next to him. The pompous delivery never gets old (one favorite: when he doesn't have a pen to write down a good line, he shrugs it off as "society's loss")."
—Samantha O'Brien
JANE EYRE
Offoffonline.com:
"The performances are stellar . . . A valiant effort in transplanting the sprawling work to the confines of the stage."
—Amy Freeman
Nytheatre.com:
"[T]he performers are very competent and often sparkling, with most of them pulling double roles. . . . Nat Cassidy's St. John is nuanced and particularly affecting."
—Kat Chamberlain
Talkin' Broadway:
"The acting hits on all cylinders. The 23 characters from the novel are reduced to 16, with four actors taking on various, memorable roles. . . . Unlike the novel, the production spends a great deal of time on Jane's experience with St. John Rivers, her cousin and potential mate. As Rivers, Nat Cassidy is much harsher and religious law-abiding than his character is in the novel, but it also helps us to understand why Jane runs back to Rochester . She not only still loves Rochester , but committing to Rivers is clearly a fate that she doesn't want for herself. The audience doesn't want that for her either. . . . Jane Eyre is an ambitious effort. The fact that they were able to encapsulate the gist of the novel in a two-hour presentation is a feat unto itself. "
—Cindy Pierre
HAMLET (2007)
Backstage (starred review):
"For anyone who thinks of attending Shakespeare as a duty, along comes Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre, a company that has quietly been doing some of the most complete and original work in the city. . . . Five actors take all the roles, manipulating a host of puppets (faintly menacing creations by Jakub Krejýýí, with toy marionettes by Miloýý Kasal). Ophelia is both a sweet-voiced, long-haired actress (Deborah Beshaw) and a three-foot rod marionette in a lavender dress. The dolls kiss when she tangos with Hamlet (compellingly and convincingly played by Nat Cassidy), but the buoyant spin belongs to the actors. This shifting perspective is no mere gimmick. Looking from live human to puppet underscores Hamlet's theme of an ineluctable, manipulating destiny. Plus, it's fun . . . Claudius is seriously sinister. Cassidy's Hamlet has princely potential — if those horses would just stop turning . . . Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre's Hamlet lingers in the mind like song lyrics or Shakespeare's poetry."
—Gwen Orel
The New York Times:
"A performance you watch for the visual and aural moments when the various elements mesh. The carousel is revved up, the music grows more insistent . . . When, as happens several times, the carousel carries a character inexorably away from the unfolding tragedy, it's a perfect image. Think of any classic nightmare in which you can see something awful happening but are somehow unable to intervene."
--Neil Genzlinger
The New York Times:
"Shakespeare in the Round-and-Round," The New York Times, November 4, 2007
The L Magazine:
"One-of-a-kind . . . make[s] the drama big enough for the children in the to enjoy and understand, but intense and goose-flesh inducing enough for us big kids during the truly heartbreaking scenes . . . Particularly powerful. The songs illustrate the action nicely, and the musical genres cross over from gospel to Nordic war chant to Southern blues to Eastern European folk to cinematic soundtrack . . . The puppets do their thing, sometimes less interestingly than the performers, and sometimes as interesting. Hardly do the puppets outshine the hardworking actors . . . Wondrous."
—Matt Levy
The Prague Post:
"One of the show’s most poignant moments occurs not on the carousel, but when Hamlet, played by Nat Cassidy, who also manipulates the Hamlet puppet (all five actors are similarly 'double-cast'), sits on the floor, picks up a guitar and begins strumming. He breaks into a campfire song with a lovely melody — the 'To Be or Not to Be' soliloquy."
"Marionettes Over Manhattan,"
—Gwen Orel, November 21, 2007
The Brooklyn Paper:
"[D]irectors Vit Horejs and Pavel Dobrusky struck gold with their offbeat choices. The most impressive work here comes from the living, breathing cast. Each player took on a number of roles, and even occasionally switched characters, and worked wonders with his puppet. The wooden blocks came to life when they dragged their feet, danced or struggled to scale a wall; there is no doubt that their maneuvering was skillful. Indeed, when Nat Cassidy’s Hamlet pressed a flesh-colored recorder betwixt his thighs and his puppet suggested to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that they play it, I could almost see a grimace creep across the puppet’s immobile face . . . [Z]estful."
—Adam Rathe, "Prince's Puppets," November 24, 2007
The Slovak Spectator:
"One of a kind . . . . unforgettable."
—Amanda Rivkin, "Staging Hamlet the Czechoslovak Way," November 26, 2007
THE RISE AND FALL OF MILES & MILO
Time Out New York:
"****[Four Stars]. Ruthless . . . delivers big laughs."
—Clare Lambe
Martin Denton:
"Beautifully performed by Sara Jeanne Asselin and Nat Cassidy!"
http://www.indietheater.org/blog/?s=sacre
Nytheatre.com:
"[A] gem of a play. Nat Cassidy is fun as Milo . . . but don't mistake it for a lightweight comedy. There is a serious point at work here."
—Anthony C.E. Nelson, August 10, 2007
Offoffonline.com:
"Funny . . . well worth seeing . . . All of the performers were both engaging and entertaining."
—S.M. Dunlap, August 10, 2007
American Theater Web:
"[Z]inging satire-comedy. [Sara Jeanne] Asselin and Nat Cassidy play the pair of activist-artists with aplomb, imbuing the duo, lovingly, with the proper mixture of good-naturedness and over-emphasized self-importance."
—Andy Probst
The New York Times:
Featured photograph of Nat Cassidy and Sara Jeanne Asselin in "Lunacy and Chaos."
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2007)
Off-off-Broadway Review:
"Some enchanted evening. [I]t’s a pleasure to report that Theater Ten Ten’s production is delightful on all counts. Nat Cassidy and Lisa Riegel [perform] with a sexy fascination [that] gets the plot started . . . As Oberon, Cassidy is a terrific observer and listener, never upstaging the action in front of him, but not passive either."
—David Mackler
Nytheatre.com:
"Can't-miss tour-de-force . . . [I]n just about every department, this revival is a true success, and if by some chance you've never seen this tasty morsel on stage, then by all means seize this chance to sample it."
—Martin Denton
THE ANSWER IS HORSE
Nytheatre.com:
"The Answer is Horse has an ambitious reach . . . The presentations are earnest and heartfelt, with the competent ensemble cast of Elizabeth Days, Nat Cassidy, Russell Feder, Cody Lindquist, Katie Naka, and Albert Sanchez, Jr. working hard at every moment to underscore the seriousness of the task at hand . . . [T]he performance made me wonder about my own capacity to be one or the other of those torturers, or even both at the same time. And that was an ambiguity worth going to the theatre to get."
—Michael Bettencourt, July 19, 2006
MACBETH
The Arizona Republic:
"It would be tempting to cry 'All hail Arizona Theatre Company's Macbeth,' but that would be resorting to cliche to describe a production that avoids such things at every turn . . . Loney and Ciulla couldn't be better, nor could Michael Santo as the murdered king; Deborah Fialkow, Christen Simon and Maren Maclean as the witches; Richard Trujillo as Macduff; Harris Kendall as Macduff's wife; and Roberto Guajardo, Nat Cassidy and David Gehrman in a number of smaller roles . . . [T]his is an important production, the sort you'd expect to see on the stages at the National and Royal Shakespeare in London."
—Kyle Lawson, May 12, 2005
Tucson Weekly:
"Few of the men seem this at-home in their roles or in the language, except for some of the bit players, notably Roberto Guajardo and Nat Cassidy . . . This is certainly a production of Macbeth that's worth seeing and marveling at."
—James Reel, April 21, 2005
HAMLET (2004)
Tucson Weekly:
"College senior Nat Cassidy proves he's good enough for any stagewith his turn as Hamlet. . . . It shouldn't be a surprise that Cassidy comes through with such a wily, funny, angry Hamlet, but for the fact that he's doing it now, rather than 10 years from now. . . . This is not your father's Melancholy Dane, a man paralyzed by depression and indecision. Cassidy's Hamlet feeds off his own anger; he's a calculating, would-be angel of death, gathering evidence and biding his time. Cassidy's Hamlet is more a man of action than most versions of the Hamlet character. . . .Hamlet brings out the ham in actors, but Cassidy delivers a careful, naturally modulated performance. His "To be or not to be" soliloquy . . . flows with remarkable ease, neither portentous nor trivial. For this play, Cassidy seems to have subtly changed his vocal timbre; it's darker and a little deeper, with a touch of Richard Burton--a wonderful Shakespeare voice. The other players toil in Cassidy's shadow."--James Reel, March 11, 2004
Arizona Daily Star:
"The deliciously talented Nat Cassidy['s] . . . prince was alive with youthful passions. He played some things lighter than an older . . . actor might - his scene with the skull of Yorick, for instance, was more funny than it was melancholic, as it is often played. But the humor worked with this young Hamlet, and you never once doubted the character's conflicts, his loves, and his anguish over his reluctant duty to avenge his father's death. In Cassidy's hands, the Bard's rhythmic poetry, to quote the character, flowed "trippingly on the tongue." If no one else matched Cassidy's performance, the play would still be worth seeing."
--Kathleen Allen, March 4, 2004
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"The play itself is dominated by the absolutely stellar performanceof theatre production senior Nat Cassidy in the title role. Readers should stand up now and give Cassidy a “hurrah!” He nailed the performance."—Lindsey Muth, March 4, 2004
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"'Hamlet' actor read 'Macbeth' in first grade," Elizabeth Thompson, February 5, 2004
Arizona Daily Star:
"Get thee to 'Hamlet' for ghostly tragedy," Kathleen Allen, February 27, 2004
Tucson Weekly:
BEST OF 2004, Theatrical Production
Tie: Urinetown, UApresents; Hamlet, Arizona Repertory Theater
"High concept: Glamorous young hero struggles with a corrupt leader, but personal flaws result in his falling splat on the stage at play's end. That's the short version of our readers' two favorite theatrical productions this past season. Urinetown-the touring version of the recent, provocative Broadway musical-spilled black humor, an updated Brecht/Weill sensibility and the occasional potty joke across the Centennial Hall stage. Hamlet got an outstanding production out of the UA's Arizona Repertory Theater, and even if you didn't see Urinetown, Nat Cassidy as Shakespeare's melancholy Dane was enough to make you wet your pants."
METAMORPHOSES
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"Nat Cassidy is outstanding and often funny as King Midas."
--Lindsey Muth, October 23, 2003
Tucson Weekly:
"Wet n Wild," James Reel, October 16, 2003
Arizona Daily Star:
"Particularly strong [was] Nat Cassidy, who strutted out as Midas with a huge cigar and arrogant, richer-than-thou air."
—Kathleen Allen, October 24, 2003
RUMORS
Tucson Weekly:
"Nat Cassidy as Ken hits just the right notes of desperation without overplaying the part, and later, when his character is temporarily deafened, he moves smartly through a string of hoary routines in which he misunderstands everything people say, without becoming tiresome."
—James Reel, June 26, 2003
Arizona Daily Wildcat:
"What's all this about Rumors?" Linday Muth, September 4, 2003
Arizona Daily Star:
"[Nominee for MAC Award for Best Actor, 2003] Nat Cassidy's totally neurotic and often befuddled lawyer in ART's production of Neil Simon's "Rumors" was priceless. . . . Understood the need for pristine timing and treating the perfectly silly situations with perfect seriousness." —Kathleen Allen, December 26, 2003
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2004)
Arizona Daily Star:
"Nat Cassidy played the dual role of Egeus, Hermia's father--a ridiculous old goat with an even more ridiculous wig--and the magical, impish, Pan-like Puck. Cassidy is wiry and flexible enough to tromp around gracefully in a pair of hooves as Puck, and he took genuine delight in wreaking havoc with the other characters. . . . Managed to wrest all that could possibly be funny out of his . . . character."
—Kathleen Allen, April 18, 2003
THE SPOILERS
The Gazette (Colorado Springs):
"First, the usual disclaimer about the melodrama offered in Cripple Creek: It's not the camp, mustache-twisting stuff you generally see. The production values are high (the company has strong ties to the University of Arizona's music theater program), with accomplished direction by Richard Hanson, evocative sets by Tom Benson and opulent costumes by Patricia Gawne and Renee Cloutier. The fight choreography is thrilling, and there are some marvelous low-tech special effects. As always, the Cripple Creek Players are well-prepared and well- matched. The stars of the 10-member cast are Nat Cassidy, who steals a couple of scenes as Flapjack Simms, and Emily Allen as local madam Pearl DeVere."
—Mark Arnest, June 21, 2002
