Tag Archives: Brian Dykstra

Not Nobody

Comedy, Off-Broadway February 16, 2026 Leave a comment

Retired professor McAlester Daily does not want to be labeled.  Given the nature of a spectrum, he posits, aren’t we all on it?  True, he insists on clarity: of the questions being asked of him and of the lines he is to stay within.  He also emphatically requests sufficient time to formulate and fully explain his answers. His unusually deep self-knowledge and above all his informed understanding of “the system” make for worrisome challenges when he becomes caught up in the investigation of a policeman’s murder.  This is the provocative set-up of Not Nobody, a blisteringly funny play by Brian Dykstra.  

Also starring, Dykstra brings to his character a genuine respect for the individual and concerns about the state of law and ethics in America.  That sincerity of purpose informs a properly studied performance of a man bouncing between fluster, fear and fervor.  McAlester is all too aware of how he and his disarming honesty are being perceived and judged by those around him. Consequently, he comes across as heartwarming as he is frustrating.  The supporting parts ranging from detectives to broadcasters are flatter but given pep and shading by Sheffield Chastain, Kathiamarice Lopez, and Kate Siahaan-Rigg who each take on multiple roles.  There is red meat aplenty, but who doesn’t enjoy a good burger every once in a while?  

Sheffield Chastain, Brian Dykstra and Kate Saihaan-Rigg in Not Nobody; photo by Carol Rosegg


Director Margarett Perry has chosen to lean into the broader strokes of the script rather than refining them. This has the effect of further emphasizing McAlester’s exceptional world view and meticulous attention to detail.  While all of the actors skillfully handle the quick changes, there is an imprecision to the technical cues that would likely drive McAlester around the bend. Jen Leno lighting, which is designed to switch seamlessly between harshly lit offices and the more subtle glow of city streets, is diminished by off-target spots. Set designer Tyler M. Perry’s black and white cityscape with its swirl of letters and scribbles is distracting to anyone attempting to decipher it.  The askew poles and tumble of chairs — perhaps metaphors for seeing events from different angles — work better in support of the action.  Daniel Lawson’s costumes, primarily an array of “uniforms” of the trades, also help to move things along with identifiable shorthand.

As with Polishing Shakespeare — the best-selling show in the 21-year history of 59E59 Theater B — Dykstra’s Not Nobody finesses language and mines current events to create a work that holds laughter and pain comfortably side by side. It is a welcome addition to the winter season for those who like their comedies on the smartypants side.  Performances continue through March 1 in Theater B at 59E59 Theaters, 59 East 59th Street.  Running time is about an hour and a half without an intermission.  There is no late seating or re-entry.  Tickets are $44 for non members including all fees.  There are no bad seats in the house, just slightly treacherous steps up the middle aisle.  Visit https://www.59e59.org/shows/show-detail/not-nobody/ for tickets and further information.

Polishing Shakespeare

Off-Broadway, Play July 30, 2025 Leave a comment

When you hear the premise of Polishing Shakespeare — Dot-com billionaire, Grant, is bestowing generous grants to a team of eager writers prepared to translate the entire works of The Bard into *English*— it is easy to picture the original ten minute skit.   What is impressive is the full length skewering of the dangerous shifting landscape of the arts that the script has become.  Given the events of the last six month, it’s almost as if playwright Brian Dykstra is writing in real time.  And he’s doing so in iambic pentameter!  (In fact, the actors’ improv skills are all so sharp that actually did happen during the performance I attended.)

The clawing back of money for the arts from the current administration forms a solemn backdrop for this timely comedy.  Though it makes its point numerous times, the exaggerated set-up is moved forward by three characters, each with a strong motive.  Grant (silver-tongued playwright Dykstra) doesn’t want to have to think when he attends a live performance.  He sees his project as a way to make Shakespeare entertaining for the masses, ignoring, of course, that Shakespeare has been just that for hundreds of years.  Ms. Branch (a beautifully tightly wound Kate Levy), the company’s director is just trying to be financially responsible now that she is almost completely reliant on her board for funds.  And though she genuinely loves and appreciates the Folio, Jane (a brilliantly bold Kate Siahaan-Rigg) sees a way to use her acute observational skills and talent with a pen to get out of crushing debt.  Alliances shift as each seeks an opportunity to move closer to their goal with the help of one at the expense of the other. It becomes such a battle of wits, you can almost see the gleaming sabers.  

Brian Dykstra and Kate Siahaan-Rigg in Polishing Shakespeare; photo by Carol Rosegg

What makes the piece sparkle is the spirited speed with which the lines are delivered.  Only someone completely comfortable with Shakespeare could set the necessary tempo with wink-and-nod style.  There is an ease to Dykstra, who has not only performed roles in numerous productions of the real thing (King John, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, and MacBeth among others) but also participated in Season 6 of Mos Def’s well respected spoken word poetry program on HBO.  He plays with the audience like a cat with an amused mouse.  Siahaan-Rigg is a marvel, rattling off several sublime soliloquies that celebrate all those who have been exploited and marginalized by the mass market.  Levy navigates the intricate pathway between the stuffiness of her character and the humor in her lines.

Director Margarett Perry’ s assured hand highlights the flows of power.  Supporting the rapid fire exchanges is the strategic lighting by Tyler M. Perry who also designed the hilarious Shakespeare tchotchke-ladened set.  

Eliciting both belly laughs and tummy knots, Polishing Shakespeare has been extended through August 24.  Performances run approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.  The show is presented in Theater B at 59e59.  $44 full price tickets ($30 for Members) can be purchased at https://www.59e59.org/shows/show-detail/polishing-shakespeare/.