UNPLUGGED ELECTRIC GUITAR

Beautiful show!... full review

A reminder that size is not the same thing as power, Unplugged Electric Guitar is an incisive, witty, honest, expertly crafted and performed story whose underlying message of compassion and understanding will speak—in the most sensitive, humble way—to anyone who has felt adrift. To (probably pretentiously) quote Albee: “good writers define reality.” This reality is both beautifully defined by the writer and beautifully rendered by the production.... full review

When I first saw the title Unplugged Electric Guitar, I thought, Hmm... is this a story about a rock-and-roll guy deciding to go folk—a Bob Dylan in reverse? Or perhaps a drama about the time the power went out during a performance. I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that Unplugged Electric Guitar is something far more profound: a metaphor for a life un-lived. This play is exceptionally poignant and beautifully acted. Danny Rocco creates a world that the audience becomes fully absorbed in—a world where sadness and hope swirl together in equal measure. The character of Danny finds himself standing at a fork in the road: whether to become like the father he has only just begun to know, or to become the person he senses he can be de... full review

I cannot stop thinking about this show. The intimacy, the emotion, the memories of my own experience as both the creative young person with hopes and dreams and also as a parent of a young sensitive creative person wanting more for them but also not wanting to inhibit their dreams. It is a dichotomy of wanting to live in the world of creative pursuit surrounded by people telling you what is your back up plan, or you'll never make it, or it is too competitive...and education is so expensive and you need something to make sure you can take care of yourself and not depend on anyone. I was a therapist and had many clients who were depressed and sad because they lived their parents dream for them and not their own dreams, daunted by the fear... full review

And honest and poignant depiction of all the unspoken tension between parents, their children, and generational anxieties. This play speaks to the very universal human fear of pursuing your dreams and being let down.... full review

A tremendous piece of theater that uses space brilliantly. Intimate. Personal. Heartfelt and touching. Danny has written something deep, filled with subtext and sharp dialogue that says so much without saying it directly. He writes how people speak and how they express emotion - rarely directly, but with indirect cues and in subtle ways. The cast was sepctacular. All of them were fantastic, some of the best acting I saw at the Fringe, but a special mention of Jack Little is required who blew me away with both a youthful enthusiasm, but also a real vulnerability when he's confronted by the realities of life. This is/was a great show, in a unique setting, beautifully directed and perfectly executed by everyone. Incredible theater!... full review

I don’t know the last time I saw a show that had me so tightly in its grip. An incredibly effective and moving piece — a mirror especially for milennial gay artists who have wrestled with the importance of doing art and following passions while navigating a world where the “easiest thing to do” is to not do the thing you love. ... full review

A sweet, heartbreaking, incredibly moving exploration of the struggle to balance one’s art with the realities of surviving in a world that is not always kind to artists. ... full review

A beautiful piece about the struggle between pragmatism and following your dreams, and the challenge of not passing down our own mistakes.... full review

"Unplugged" is the kind of show that reminds me why I love theater, and also why festivals like Fringe matter. They allow artists to be daring, tell personal stories, and experiment with form. That latitude has given us the gift of this play: a beautiful portrait of family, told with humor, heart and unflinching honesty. It explores themes of artistic ambition and the tough choices we make as life marches on. It asks questions anyone pursuing a dream will relate to. Why do we create? What happens when life gets in the way? How do we hold onto the things that lit us up? The writing by Danny Rocco is incredibly detailed. Dialogue, breath, and sound work together in a way that feels remarkably lifelike. This creates an intimacy that draws... full review