THE CHAIRS

by Eugene Ionesco

Translated by Donald M. Allen

Directed by GEORGE GLASS

In The Chairs, an elderly couple prepares for a mysterious event, setting out chairs for guests who will soon arrive. As they engage in surreal conversations, the couple reveals deeply hidden truths, exposing the absurdity and fragility of human existence. Ionesco's striking blend of humor and pathos offers a powerful reflection on the quest for significance in an increasingly disconnected world.

CAST & CHARACTERS

OLD MAN - Nathaniel P. Claridad*

OLD WOMAN - Nairoby Otero*

THE ORATOR - Jack Utrata*

* These Actors are appearing courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association.” Publicity and programs must also include the phrase “Equity approved Showcase.”

Meet The Cast

Nathaniel P. Claridad*

OLD MAN

Nathaniel is an NYC-based actor and director. Recent directing credits: 2024/2025 Musical Theatre Directing Fellowship at City Center in association with The Drama League and Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood at Imagination Stage (8 Helen Hayes Award nominations, including Outstanding Musical Production and Outstanding Director). Acting credits include Here Lies Love (The Public Theater), Taylor Mac’s 24 Decade History... (St. Ann’s Warehouse), numerous regional and international credits from the Kennedy Center to the Sydney Opera House. Other directing credits include work at Weathervane Theatre, TheatreWorksUSA, Imagination Stage, Southern Rep., Two River Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Out of the Box Theatrics, the One Minute Play Festival, New York Shakespeare Exchange, Peculiar Works Project, a Drama League Resident in 2019 and 2016, as well as a guest director for New York University, Marymount Manhattan, and the University of Maryland, College Park. MFA: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Nairoby Otero*

OLD WOMAN

Nairoby is a Cuban-American actor, writer, and producer committed to bold storytelling that amplifies underrepresented voices. She is the founder of YOLO! Productions, a company celebrated for its innovative, site-specific, and immersive theatrical experiences. As an actor, she has delivered acclaimed performances Off-Broadway in Animals Out of Paper, A Kid Like Jake, and Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, as well as on screen in Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the independent film A Second Embrace. Her solo play, 'Til Sunday, has toured nationally to critical acclaim and will receive an Off-Broadway workshop this fall. Her work has been recognized with the Schubert Scholar Award and the TOW International Research Fellowship. MFA: Brooklyn College. www.nairobyotero.com

Jack Utrata*

THE ORATOR

Jack is a Manhattan-based actor, writer, and filmmaker. His work spans Off-Broadway, international tours, and film. He originated the role of Chase in Paw Patrol Live: Race to The Rescue and performed in Taylor Mac’s 24 Hour Decade History of Popular Music (Australia). Recent film and TV credits include Law of Attraction, The Self-Tape, and the award-winning short he co-wrote and produced, 11 Blocks To Go: The Bet. Jack was a recipient of the 2023 “Small Grant for Individual Artist” from The Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA). In May, Jack will reprise his role as “The Propagandist” in the new play Freedom’s Last Stand at the Target Margin Theatre in Brooklyn, and he is currently developing his new play "She Would Have Thrown You A Coming Out Party" for a debut later this fall. @jackutrata.

www.jackutrata.com

George Glass

DIRECTOR

A visionary of the stage, George Glass has been pushing the boundaries of theatrical storytelling since the early 1970s. Known for his innovative, avant-garde approach, George has directed countless productions that challenge convention and redefine the theatrical experience.

Happily married to Jan Brady since 1987, George has built a life filled with love, artistic collaboration, and the occasional need to prove he exists. Their enduring partnership has been the foundation of many legendary (if unverifiable) theatrical triumphs.

George’s directing style is described as “invisible yet impactful,” specializing in productions that may or may not have been staged at the most prestigious theaters in the world. Though his name rarely appears in programs or Playbills, those in the know whisper of his influence in hushed, reverent tones.

When not directing his latest tour de force, George enjoys quiet evenings with Jan, reminiscing about memories that may or may not have happened, and remaining a theatrical enigma.

Recent Productions:

The Emperor’s New Clothes (Sight Unseen Theatre)

Much Ado About Nothing (Literally)

Waiting for George (A Meta-Theatrical Experience)

Upcoming Projects: TBA (but trust us, they’re revolutionary).

About Ionesco

In his plays, Eugène Ionesco (1909-1994) makes caricatures of his characters, pushes dramatic action into ridiculousness, and dramatizes the absurdity of communication. His plays are not didactic, but are meant to present a vision of life that is both entertaining and enlightening. While Ionesco did enjoy acting in plays as a child and enjoyed Punch and Judy puppet shows (which would later influence his own plays), he did not enjoy the theater at first, feeling that the fictional world of the play clashed with the reality of the live performers. Instead, Ionesco established himself as a writer and wrote satirical essays including Hugoliade, or The Grotesque and Tragic Life of Victor Hugo, which ridicules the titular author in an 'antibiography.' Ionesco came to theatre later in life, 'accidently' as he would say, when learning English through a primer. While repeatedly copying down sentences, Ionesco discovered a 'tragedy of language' through the conversations of the fictional characters Mr. and Mrs. Smith who were featured in the primer. These conversations were so full of cliché that they were devoid of any meaning. This discovery lead to Ionesco's first full length play, originally titled English Made Easy, to reflect its educational origins, later changed to The Bald Soprano (1948). He then became one of the most productive absurdist playwrights, writing further plays such as The Lesson (1951), The Chairs (1952), and Rhinoceros (1959).

SPECIAL THANKS

Susannah Bohlke, Vincent Byrne, Tats Claridad, Maureen Corrigan, Crystal DeMey, Katherine A Early, Kenneth Finkle, Robert Fowler, Brenda Gelles, Nicole Gut, Natasha Ippolito, Deborah Lopez, Annabelle Smith, Richard Spitaletta, Antonio Suarez.

Jan Brady, Balance Arts Center, Material for the Arts, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, Friend.

"The Chairs" is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Fiscal Sponsor: New York Women in Film & Television, Inc.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to our production, you may do so here: https://nywift.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/nywift/donation.jsp