Enough's Enough! 2012 Production




The Trailer for Enough's Enough!



nytheatre.com review of Enough's Enough!



Enough's Enough!

nytheatre.com review
reviewed by Richard Hinojosa  ·  August 13, 2012

When I was a kid I remember hearing my parents grumble about “making ends meet” and I thought it was some kind of cheap meat that they could scarcely afford in order to feed our family.  As many families are now, we struggled to survive in those days and so do the characters in Enough’s Enough. However, in playwright Michael Thomas Cain’s dark comic world the characters may very well end up as cheap meat.

Meet Monica and Ted, two cogs in a corporate machine who have been working together in rather close quarters for at least ten years.  It’s Ted’s 30th anniversary with the company and he’s feeling numb.  So much so that he drives a staple into his hand just so he might feel something.  Monica is feeling something though - something a little deeper and more pressing than a staple in the hand.  Monica has that sacred itch and at this point only Ted can scratch it.  A bell is heard and a memo appears in a box.  “Get back to work”, it says, “or you’ll be subject to immediate termination”.  But termination at this company doesn’t mean what you may think. The company, after all, controls the oxygen flow to the office and Ted and Monica are theirs for the rest of their lives.

I really enjoyed this short dark comedy.  Cain’s script is sharp and subtle.  At the top of the show you may think that this play is just another story about nameless, nobodies working in the corporate underbelly but it is far from that.  The script unfolds gradually to reveal darker and darker revelations about the world of the play.  I found it to be an absolutely hilarious slow burner that trucks along at a good pace and leaves you wanting a little more.  Cain also does a fine job directing a talented cast of two.

Deacon Hoy plays Ted as an exasperated and defeated shell of a man who once had a family and creativity.  Hoy’s tension and fear dominate his every line with only a few moments of clarity shining through that seem to be remnants of the man he used to be. Margie Ferris plays Monica with a nice balance of charm, desperation and drive.  It seems that at any moment Ferris might burst open and reveal herself to be a vicious killer.  Together their onstage chemistry reeks of commitment to these odd characters.

Enough’s Enough is good fringe theater.  It is fresh, dark and out of the ordinary.  FringeNYC is good for finding bold new voices and performers.  This show delivers both.



Production Photos of Enough's Enough!



























Enough's Enough! and Tickets:
Tickets are on sale!

The 2012 New York International Fringe Festival
http://www.fringenyc.org/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/FringeNYC

and Westchester Collaborative Theater
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Westchester-Collaborative-Theater/117082648375708

presents:

Enough's Enough!



Written by: Michael Thomas Cain
Directed by: Michael Thomas Cain



Featuring:
Deacon Hoy as Man/Ted






Margie Ferris as Woman/Monica






A Man and Woman are sentenced to work in confinement...for years. A stylized, Brechtian exploration of corporate greed's exploitations. Grasping for human connection, will they make the ultimate choice?







Location:
La MaMa E.T.C.
The First Floor Theatre
Venue #8
74 A East 4th Street
(btw Bowery & 2nd Ave)
New York, New York 10003





Dates/Times:
Saturday, August 11, 9:45-10:45 PM
Monday, August 13, 2:00-3:00 PM
Sunday, August 19, 12:00-1:00 PM
Wednesday, August 22, 5:45-6:45 PM
Thursday, August 23, 7:00-8:00 PM

Contact:

Michael Thomas Cain
216-926-3463

or

Alan Lutwin
Executive Director of Westchester Collaborative Theater and Authorized Company Representative for Enough's Enough!
914-263-4953

Contact Alan Lutwin to arrange Industy/Press Comps.

Alan Lutwin and Michael Thomas Cain:




nytheatre.com Q&A with writer Michael Thomas Cain

Enough's Enough!:
Michael Thomas Cain

An nytheatre.com FringeNYC Q&A

Q: What is your job on this show?
A: Playwright

Q: When did you know you wanted to work in the theater, and why?
A: When I was in college. I was always a shy, misunderstood kid. Never really had many friends or was involved with very much. When I started college, I didn't know what my major should be or future would turn out to be. But I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to try theatre, so that's what I did. And I found a place where I made friends, belonged, and could truly express myself. I knew that I was home and that I never wanted to live without it. Through the years, I have had struggles and obstacles, but I've never been able to turn away or leave.

Q: Why did you want to be part of FringeNYC?
A: Enough's Enough! is a strange and absurd play that has very strong social and political themes, and I knew that the material needed a special home. Others have expressed an interest in the material, but I don't think that the play fit within their missions. I'm happy and proud that FringeNYC recognized the work and is allowing me to present this piece that is very dear to my heart. And I've always felt as if I'm on the fringe waiting to get in, but if this community has accepted my artistic value with open arms, maybe I'm right where I need to be.

Q: In your own words, what do you think this show is about? What will audiences take away with them after seeing it?
A: I hope that they take away awareness. I want them to leave wanting to quit their jobs the next day out of frustration. Ted and Monica, the characters in Enough's Enough!, are trapped in an office space 24/7 for years, and they are not allowed to do anything other than work. After thirty years of this, Ted has lost hope and wonders if he'll ever be allowed out. Monica has only been in the environment for ten years, and she clings to the hope that there's more to life than survival. The two try to find a human connection, but doing anything other than work has consequences. Enough's Enough! is a strange, grotesque, and absurd look at corporate greed's exploitations.

Q: Which famous New Jerseyite would like your show the best: Snooki, Bruce Springsteen, Thomas Edison?
A: Bruce. I hope because I've been a big fan of Bruce Springsteen for a very long time. But I usually attach a certain type of music to most projects that I'm working on. A style of music can become the mascot for a piece that I'm creating because it gives me the motivation and emotion that I need to continue on with the story. If you think of Springsteen's music in terms of themes, much of his music captures the loneliness, isolation, struggle, anger, and hope that is represented in Enough's Enough! Also, this play is about people who struggle to survive, are trying to get by, and are trying to find just a small amount of happiness in an unclear world. And I feel that those elements are found in Springsteen's music. Springsteen's music has always touched my soul, and I think the soul that he has given me or that I feel in his music is captured in this play.

Q: Can theatre bring about societal change? Why or why not?
A: I hope so. That's a major reason why I do it. I've been involved with theatre in some capacity for a very long time, but the older I get, the more I realize who I am and what it is that I'm trying to express. Over a period of time, I've grown to learn that writing is one of my strongest forms of expression. And as a result, I'm able to create plots, characters, and environments that speak to the human condition. For me, theatre is still a major form of expression and place for people to explore and grow. In my opinion, theatre should not just be entertainment. Theatre is a place to laugh, cry, feel a range of emotions, think, discover something new about yourself, or remember something that already lives inside of you. Many of my plays do have some form of a social, political, and economic message. I do not decide that. It happens because I have something important to say, and as a result, I hope that people will take the time to hear my voice and find a way to relate it to their own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Even if we disagree. I always hope that we're interacting in a way that's meaningful.


PRESS RELEASE:


For Immediate Release
Contact: Kristy DiPalma at 216-410-4806

Westchester Collaborative Theater Presents
ENOUGH’S ENOUGH!

The New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC
A production of The Present Company
August 10th - 26th
Tickets: $15-$18. For tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org No late seating.

Westchester Collaborative Theater is proud to present the world premiere of ENOUGH’S ENOUGH!, written and directed by Michael Thomas Cain and featuring Deacon Hoy and Margie Ferris, as part of the 16th annual New York International Fringe Festival – FringeNYC.

Location: La MaMa E.T.C./The First Floor Theatre/Venue #8
74 A East 4th Street (btw Bowery & 2nd Ave)
New York, New York 10003

Dates/Times: Saturday, August 11, 9:45-10:45 PM
Monday, August 13, 2:00-3:00 PM
Sunday, August 19, 12:00-1:00 PM
Wednesday, August 22, 5:45-6:45 PM
Thursday, August 23, 7:00-8:00 PM
           
ENOUGH’S ENOUGH! is a stylized, Brechtian exploration of corporate greed’s exploitations. In this emotionally stirring play, a man and woman are sentenced to work in confinement…for years. Grasping for human connection, will they make the ultimate choice?

Westchester Collaborative Theater (WCT) is one of the few culturally diverse companies in Westchester County, New York and the surrounding areas that is solely dedicated to new play development. WCT offers production events, multi-cultural outreach programs, and bi-monthly LABS (workshops for company members to hear and develop new plays) which incorporate a guest artist. Some past guest artists have been Mart Crowley (author of THE BOYS IN THE BAND), Buddy Crutchfield (director of FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY), Robert Klein (actor), John Pielmeier (author of AGNES OF GOD), and Mark St. Germain (author of FREUD’S LAST SESSION).

Mart Crowley of THE BOYS IN THE BAND said of his experience with Westchester Collaborative Theater, “It was so stimulating to meet a group of people so dedicated and so very creative. I was moved and touched and fascinated, and certainly had a good laugh or two…it was indeed remarkable to encounter some human beings who seem to be involved with things theatrical simply for the pleasure, the thrill, the stimulation of being creative and having an outlet for it.”

John Pielmeier of AGNES OF GOD said of his experience with Westchester Collaborative Theater, “A terrific group of supportive artists.”

Richard Hinojosa of nytheatre.com said of his experience with ENOUGH’S ENOUGH!, “I really enjoyed this short dark comedy. Cain’s script is sharp and subtle…Cain also does a fine job directing a talented cast of two…Together their onstage chemistry reeks of commitment to these odd characters…Enough’s Enough is good fringe theater. It is fresh, dark and out of the ordinary. FringeNYC is good for finding bold new voices and performers. This show delivers both.”

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Enough's Enough! got a mention on idie theater blog!





FringeNYC 2012: Playwrights Find New Plays For Us

August 17, 2012

A couple of weeks ago I asserted that the New York International Fringe Festival is an important source for rich, challenging, new American drama. And last week I told you about our team of reviewers who have set out to identify some of that for us in this year’s festival.

Well I am happy to report that they’ve been delivering, in spades! As expected, FringeNYC 2012 is offering dozens of interesting and surprising new plays to its audience. Many of nytheatre.com’s reviewers are playwrights, and most of them have been through the FringeNYC experience themselves, and so I thought I would begin my survey of this year’s festival with some of their recommendations.


Flipside

Julia Lee Barclay is excited about three shows:

BUMBERSHOOT: The blurb promises a play about “weary drag queens, corporate irresponsibility, tea-party paranoia.” Julia says: “The writing is strong, especially [playwright Derek] Davidson’s ear for the inarticulate in contemporary dialogue….There are very interesting questions of identity, class and politics that emerge in the play and some moments of pure theatrical grace…” Read the entire review here.

FLIPSIDE: Julia writes: “Flipside is one of those rare theatrical experiences that is equal parts intelligent, funny, moving, important and innovative. The extraordinary company HartBeat, an ensemble out of Hartford, CT, created this piece in workshops, devising it as a group, working with a drug dealer to get his story.  Equally compelling is the story the piece tells of the policeman who eventually arrests him.” Here’s the rest of her review.

WAKE UP: She’s even more enthusiastic, if possible, about this play about contemporary racial attitudes in America. “What a breath of fresh air is the must-see Wake Up!  This Redbone Theatrical production written by Kim Fischer, directed by Travis Baird with Trevor Salter, Glenn Quentin, Max Carpenter, Max Bisantz and Baird in the ensemble is as good as it gets at FringeNYC. Seeing this show reminded me of when I first saw Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, except with the more immediate and dangerous presence of live theater.” Read more…


Pink Milk

Lynn Berg recommends PINK MILK: This play is inspired by the life of gay British mathematician Alan Turing. Says Lynn, “Alex Paul Young has written a poetic, magical story loosely spun from Turing’s life full of fantastic devices like talking daisies and hypodermic needles, robot boys and poison apples. Brandon Powers’ direction helps spin Young’s script into a magic spell. He gracefully composes the performers to interweave the often poetic dialogue with dance and movement. It all feels like a choreographed dream or fairy tale.” Go here for the full review.

Theresa Buchheister really likes Jeff Seabaugh’s solo WE CRAZY, RIGHT?: “Seabaugh IS an artist… and approaches his story with diligent technique and craftsmanship. He has a great awareness of the slippery nature of individuality and universality. His is a distinctly personal story. It is his life and experience translated into a one man show. At the same time, it is a show about parenting, childhood, milestones, perspective, struggle…  Themes we all relate to (in varying ways) effortlessly.” Read the entire review.

Nat Cassidy (represented in FringeNYC ’12 with SONGS OF LOVE: A THEATRICAL MIXTAPE) finds lots to commend in CAUSE OF FAILURE: It’s the only show in FringeNYC with a human heart as one of its characters. Nat opines, “There are scenes here of, for want of a less on-the-nose descriptor, heartbreaking power, particularly for those who have had to deal with a loved one’s deteriorating condition.” See the complete review.


boxplay

Edward Elefterion is a fan of BOXPLAY: “It’s Kaspar Hauser meets sci-fi meets reality TV (theatre in this case, thankfully) meets absurdism 101 and it never ceased to surprise and delight me during its 75-minute run time,” Ed enthused about this new work by Seattle-based Steven Ackley. “boxplay was such a wonderful start to my 2012 FringeNYC experience, I’m afraid it may have spoiled me.” Find out more here.

Jason S. Grossman was impressed by ALIEE AND BETTINA’S (SORT OF) GROWNUP SLEEPOVER: “The show is enjoyable, because [Aliee] Chan and [Bettina] Warshaw have a lot to say. They bound about the stage (and into the audience) role-playing and playing dress up. There is rarely a dull moment. The creative team here has every intention of making you feel like you are on a (sort of) psychoanalytical adult play date, and they succeed.” See the rest of the review.

David Hilder really likes SALAMANDER STARTS OVER by Armando Merlo: “[T]he script he has written… is immaculately structured.  Tales of how friendships evolve and fade away intermix beautifully with very funny family conversations and wrestling matches (Merlo was a member of his high school’s NJ state championship wrestling squad for four years).” David’s entire review is here.

Richard Hinojosa enjoyed ENOUGH’S ENOUGH: Richard writes, “I really enjoyed this short dark comedy.  [Michael Thomas] Cain’s script is sharp and subtle.  At the top of the show you may think that this play is just another story about nameless, nobodies working in the corporate underbelly but it is far from that.  The script unfolds gradually to reveal darker and darker revelations about the world of the play.” Learn more here.


Independents

Claire Kiechel reviewed INDEPENDENTS: This musical about Revolutionary War re-enactors has a tragic history, which Claire talks about in her review: “These are deeper concerns and questions than ones often addressed in musicals, which is why it is so heartbreaking that Independents’ very promising book writer Marina Keegan was killed only five days after graduating from Yale. There are no words to express what a loss this is.”

Ed Malin is high on YBW – YELLOW BRICK WALL: This two-woman comedy, in which Siho Elsmore and Marisa Marquez explore and explode a variety of stereotypes, earned this comment from Ed: “There’s not a dull moment in this show, nor will there likely be an empty seat.” Read more.

Montserrat Mendez has two top picks:

FORTUNATE DAUGHTER: This is a one-woman play by Thao Nguyen. “What Thao’s one-person masterpiece has that most one-person shows don’t,” says Montserrat, “is a cast of characters fully realized, all of whom have their own intentions and desires; and then she goes on to play them out, imagining what their reactions will be and then playing out their actual reactions. Because we’re not told what the characters are thinking, she manages to surprise us.” Here’s the review.

LINDA MEANS TO WAIT: Montserrat says about Linda Kuriloff’s solo show, “There are great lessons to be found in the play; there are also simple moments of recognition that it is our cultural differences that make us all the same in one way, and yet, each of us are wonderfully unique.” Read more.

Kim Wadsworth recommends THE 27 CLUB: “High and low culture race to the grave in this tragicomic deconstruction of fame from NC’s Fly-By-Night Theatre,” goes the show’s blurb. Kim says, “…throughout I was struck by the inventiveness and poetry of much of what everyone was saying. Even when he’s trying to write ‘badly’—in character as the pompous, overly-dense Howard—[playwright Tommy] Trull still has a lot of poetry in this script…” Check out the full review.

Amy E. Witting (whose own play FALLING is in this year’s festival too!) chooses THE EGG PLAY: “A story of one event but told from the perspective of each individual unfolds in this seventy minute drama of love, loss, and heartbreak…. The Egg Play by San Francisco-based playwright Candice Benge draws the audience in from the intrigue and mystery of the events and left me wanting more.” The Egg Play also received the endorsement of FringeNYC co-founder John Clancy (all over Facebook, plus in a phone call to yours truly.) Here’s Amy’s full review.



Michael Thomas Cain in the LakewoodPatch!



Lakewood Native on the Big Stage for International Fringe Festival


Michael Cain presenting “Enough’s Enough!” at the 16th annual theater festival in New York City.
By Colin McEwen August 1, 2012


It’s been a few years of trying, but Lakewood native Michael Cain has finally caught his big break under the bright lights of New York City's theater scene.

The actor-turned-playwright is unveiling his production of “Enough’s Enough!” at the La MaMa Theatre in New York City on Aug. 11. 

The stage couldn’t be much bigger.

The show is being presented as part of the 16th annual New York International Fringe Festival.

Cain said that the play is done in the “absurdist style” of Samuel Beckett — one of his major theatrical influences.

“I wanted to create some sort of play that honors that,” Cain said. “It’s a strange, grotesque and absurd kind of play.” 

The story is set in an office, revolving around a man and woman trapped in the space and forced to live in confinement.

“It’s humorous, with some pretty heavy themes,” he said. “I am so excited to have the piece produced, to see it live and breathe.”

Making ends meet

Things haven’t always been easy for Cain.

To make ends meet, he’s worked in nearly all facets of the theater, including acting and technical work. 

“I felt like a floundered and struggled as an actor for a few years,” he said. “I waited a lot of tables. It’s been quite a journey filled with some obstacles."

“There was a moment where I thought maybe I should be doing this anymore. But this is a passion for me.”

To help him along, Cain earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Adelphi University.

In addition to writing "Enough's Enough!" he will also direct it when it opens Aug. 11, “because I knew exactly how I wanted it.”

“To be a part of the International Fringe festival, it’s a quite a accomplishment,” Cain said. “This is definitely one of the bigger steps in my career. It’s all kind of finally coming together into something workable. I guess you could say I am finally figuring it out." 

He said he’s been busy lately, “writing a lot of plays.”

Lakewood is still home

Although he moved to Georgia when he was young, Cain moved back to Lakewood where he lived until five years ago when he set off for the Big Apple. 

Cain said his roots in the theater are planted in Lakewood. 

His grandmother, Phyllis Cain, who lived above the Detroit Theatre for nearly four decades years before it was demolished in May, used to take him to see movies downstairs.

She worked as the manager, and young Michael work the candy counter. 

The first movie he remembers seeing there was “Star Wars.”

His father, Tom Cain, was the technical director of the Lakewood Little Theatre, which later became known as the Beck Center for the Arts

“Lakewood is very special to me,” Cain said. “Ultimately, it is my home. There are many days I wish I could be back there. It’s always with me.”

 


Michael Thomas Cain featured in the August 2012 ASU Alumni Columns!



Michael Cain was among the last graduating class of Augusta College in December 1995 before the school changed to Augusta State University.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications in the theatre track at Augusta College, and now is excited that the world premiere of a play he’s written kicks off this month!
Michael grew up in Augusta, moving to the area at age 2.  He is a 1989 graduate of Westside High School.  He now lives in Westchester County, New York, just north of New York City, with his wife Kristy and their feline friend Bailey.
After graduating from Augusta College, Michael moved around the country, trying to find a job in acting.  He’s lived in Atlanta, Cleveland, and of course, New York.  During these years, Michael worked in a variety of different environments, and even landed a small role on the soap opera “As the World Turns.” 
In May of 2009, Michael earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Adelphi University on Long Island. 
“[Adelphi] gave me a sense of professionalism to establish a career,” Michael said.
Earlier this year, Michael found out that a play he has written will be produced at the 16th annual New York International Fringe Festival.  He says it’s a very exciting opportunity for him, especially since new plays are not as frequently produced in the current economic climate.
The play is called “Enough’s Enough!”  The story line involves two people—a man and a woman—applying for a job and being hired to work in an office environment.  But there are a few problems—they don’t realize when they accept the job that they will be working 24/7 and will be highly discouraged from communicating with one another.  Since there are no other workers in the room, there is no one else to communicate with.  As the press release for the play states, “Grasping for human connection, will they make the ultimate choice?”
The play is a drama, Michael says, but offers some humor as well. 
Michael says his inspiration for the play comes from 20th century playwright Samuel Beckett. 
“I’m a huge fan of his work and his style,” Michael said.  “I wanted to honor his style by writing ‘Enough’s Enough’.”
Around 40,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s New York International Fringe Festival (www.fringenyc.org), which begins August 10, continuing through August 26.
“I do hope to gain the next step as a result of this,” Michael said, referring to the anticipated growth of the play and recognition that may follow.
Michael has fond memories of Augusta College, including playing cards in a corner of Reese Library. 
“We had a lot of fun back then,” he said. 
He remembers rehearsing in the Chateau and spending time with college friends at IHOP across from Augusta National Golf Club. 
Michael says the education he received at Augusta College introduced him to the world of theatre. 
“It was a huge education in terms of what theatre is,” he said.
He also cites the friendships and network of people as being a valuable part of his time at AC. 
In his spare time, Michael enjoys painting and says it’s “relaxing.”  He has painted human figures, but not paints more landscapes.  He’s not a big fan of television because of the rise of “reality” programming, but he does enjoy watching “30 Rock”, “American Chopper,” “My Big Redneck Vacation,” and most anything on Food Network.
Most of his favorite movies are older films, including “The Godfather”, “Donnie Brasco”, and “Streetcar Named Desire.”
Also, when time permits, he and his wife Kristy enjoy getaways on convenient Long Island.
If you plan to be in New York this month, “Enough’s Enough!” premiers on August 11 with four more performances through the 23rd. 

Taking a break at a rehearsal (Margie Ferris, Deacon Hoy, and Michael Thomas Cain):





A Picture Of The Perfect Combination!




Enough's Enough! The Postcard



Misc. Photos:

Deacon Hoy, Michael Thomas Cain, and Margie Ferris


Deacon Hoy and Margie Ferris


Kristy DiPalma and Michael Thomas Cain


Michael Thomas Cain and Christopher Hart


Margie Ferris


Deacon Hoy and Margie Ferris


Members of WCT on closing night


Members of WCT on closing night



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