The Little One Now Available as E-Book

My play, The Little One, is available for sale for mere pennies over at indietheaternow.com.

Get your copy today!

The Little One: Over and Done

Well, The Little One has closed and has gone up to that Great Production in the Sky. [Insert single tear here.] It's hard to believe the month came and went: it seems as though this run simply flew by. We got a really nice response to this show, and we're all pretty damn happy with it and sorry to see it go.

I wanted to just once again thank everyone who worked on this, came out to see it, and donated to make this production possible. Thanks, guys. You're all awesome.

Now onto the next show...

Onwards and fartwards,

James "Mop Man" Comtois

Photos by Aaron Epstein

"The Little One has plenty of action, suspense, and more than a little stage blood. More profound and more philosophical than you ever expect 'genre theatre' to be. A compelling new work."
—Martin Denton, nytheatre.com

"There’s much to like in this offering from Nosedive Productions, directed by Pete Boisvert. Comtois enjoyably experiments with time throughout, skipping ahead 350 years after intermission. Byers likewise does well, ably showing Cynthia’s evolution from scared child to surly teenager before her final emergence as a strong, competent, if not vengeful, vampire."
—Amanda Mastrull, The Village Voice

"Comtois at his inventive best. Like a bloodier Tuck Everlasting. The Little One leaves audiences with more than enough to sink their teeth into."
—Aaron Riccio, That Sounds Cool

"The Little One has a lot to offer lovers of vampire stories and fans of fantasy and horror. Ms. Byers’ performance is one that shouldn’t be missed. Great Geek Theater."
—Teresa Jusino, Pink Raygun

"Years from now, people will be lining up to see ANY production of this piece just to say, 'Yes! I totally stood in line three hours to get tickets.'"
—Janelle Lannan, Theatre Is Easy

"The Little One is good antidote to the vampire-lite version that is currently gracing local movie theatres. Featuring blood, humor and plenty of death, The Little One is a nice addition to the vampire canon."
—Byrne Harrison, Stagebuzz

"An enjoyable show with a distinct point of view and some excellent scenes—an interesting addition to the vampire canon."
—John Sobel, Blogcritics

"A fresh and original take on the usual vampire story...a wholly convincing alternative to the usual vampire rules."
—Mark Peikert, Backstage

"This two-hour show ends too soon, like a good book that you wanted to keep reading. Beautifully incarnated by the entire bloodthirsty cast, The Little One is a play that kidnaps you from modern day East Village reality and drops you into the vampire’s den with total immersion."
—Lina Zeldovich, The Happiest Medium

The Village Voice on The Little One

Amanda Mastrull has posted her review for The Little One at The Village Voice.

"There’s much to like in this offering from Nosedive Productions, directed by Pete Boisvert. Comtois enjoyably experiments with time throughout, skipping ahead 350 years after intermission. Byers likewise does well, ably showing Cynthia’s evolution from scared child to surly teenager before her final emergence as a strong, competent, if not vengeful, vampire."

Read the whole thing here.

We've only got three shows left and tickets are selling fast. So buy yours now.

Having only three more days to vamp,

James "Fuck You, I Like Puns" Comtois

Photo by Aaron Epstein

Closing in on Closing Night

Well, folks. It's been a fun, blood-soaked run, but all good things must come to an end.

There are only three more performances of Nosedive's vampire play, The Little One, before it goes up into the Great Production in the Sky.

It's playing this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Kraine Theater on 85 East 4th Street (between Second and Bowery). You can buy your tickets (and it's a VERY good idea to buy them in advance) here.

Trust me, folks. You don't wanna miss out on this.

Cuddly and nocturnal,

James "Barn Owl" Comtois

"The Little One has plenty of action, suspense, and more than a little stage blood. More profound and more philosophical than you ever expect 'genre theatre' to be. A compelling new work."
—Martin Denton, nytheatre.com

"Comtois at his inventive best. Like a bloodier Tuck Everlasting. The Little One leaves audiences with more than enough to sink their teeth into."
—Aaron Riccio, That Sounds Cool

"The Little One has a lot to offer lovers of vampire stories and fans of fantasy and horror. Ms. Byers’ performance is one that shouldn’t be missed. Great Geek Theater."
—Teresa Jusino, Pink Raygun

"Years from now, people will be lining up to see ANY production of this piece just to say, 'Yes! I totally stood in line three hours to get tickets.'"
—Janelle Lannan, Theatre Is Easy

"A fresh and original take on the usual vampire story...a wholly convincing alternative to the usual vampire rules."
—Mark Peikert, Backstage

"This two-hour show ends too soon, like a good book that you wanted to keep reading. Beautifully incarnated by the entire bloodthirsty cast, The Little One is a play that kidnaps you from modern day East Village reality and drops you into the vampire’s den with total immersion."
—Lina Zeldovich, The Happiest Medium

Theatre Is Easy on The Little One

Yes, I realize the title of this post is a pun. A pun on what? No idea, actually.

Ahem.

Janelle Lannan has posted her review for The Little One on the site Theatre Is Easy.

"I love how serious they play this story. I liken it to that of a cult movie classic that becomes the standard that every other movie is compared to. Years from now, people will be lining up to see ANY production of this piece just to say, 'Yes! I totally stood in line three hours to get tickets.'"

Read the whole thing here.

The Little One is playing for two more weekends (this weekend and next) at the Kraine Theater. Click here for tickets.

Very serious,

James "Fartybutt" Comtois

Photos by Aaron Epstein

Six More Chances

Well, gang. We're halfway through the run of The Little One, which means that time is running out to see Nosedive's vampire epic.

We've been getting some very nice responses to this show, and it's something we here at Nosedive Central are particularly happy with/proud of, and something many folks are enjoying a great deal.

Photo by Daniel Winters

"Mr. Comtois concentrates on the themes of death and decay as well as the relationship challenges posed by immortality in his bloody story. He aims to scare by presenting his vampires with an unsentimental realism that makes them seem almost human, without soft-pedaling the brutality and violence."
—Jason Zinoman, "To Bleed or Not to Bleed? Plays Explore the Scary," The New York Times

Photo by Aaron Epstein

"The Little One has plenty of action, suspense, and more than a little stage blood. More profound and more philosophical than you ever expect 'genre theatre' to be. A compelling new work."
—Martin Denton, nytheatre.com's PICK OF THE WEEK

"Comtois at his inventive best. Like a bloodier Tuck Everlasting. The Little One leaves audiences with more than enough to sink their teeth into."
—Aaron Riccio, That Sounds Cool

Photo by Daniel Winters

"The Little One has a lot to offer lovers of vampire stories and fans of fantasy and horror. Ms. Byers’ performance is one that shouldn’t be missed. Great Geek Theater."
—Teresa Jusino, Pink Raygun

"This two-hour show ends too soon, like a good book that you wanted to keep reading. Beautifully incarnated by the entire bloodthirsty cast, The Little One is a play that kidnaps you from modern day East Village reality and drops you into the vampire’s den with total immersion."
—Lina Zeldovich, The Happiest Medium

Photo by Aaron Epstein

There are only six shows left, and space is starting to fill up quickly.

Don't miss out.

Just lookin out for ya,

James "Concerned Theatre Nanna" Comtois

Pete and I in Backstage

And while we're at it, here's another article/interview with me and Pete in Backstage about The Little One, Nosedive, and turning 10 (as a theatre company, I'm assuming; not in terms of emotional maturity).

Infesting the print and webwaves,

James "Ubiquitous" Comtois

The Happiest Medium on The Little One

Lina Zeldovich just posted this glowing review by on The Happiest Medium:

"With professionally staged fights by Qui Nguyen, beautifully implemented ominous lighting by Daniel Winters and portentous Goth-style costumes designed by Betsy Strong this two-hour show ends too soon, like a good book that you wanted to keep reading. Beautifully incarnated by the entire bloodthirsty cast, the alternate reality unwraps itself, pulling us into Cynthia’s journey, a mix of sweet innocence and vicious temper, acted so wickedly well that we root for her rather than our own kind. The Little One is a play that kidnaps you from modern day East Village reality and drops you into the vampire’s den with total immersion – similar to how J.K. Rowling throws her readers into her mysterious and magical universe, parallel to yet interconnected with our own."
-Lina Zeldovich, The Happiest Medium

We've just reached the halfway point with the show. So do yourself a favor and get your tickets.

Inundating you with coverage,

James "Pretty Media Whore" Comtois

The Little One and Yours Truly in the NY Times

Jason Zinoman has written an article in the New York Times about the emergence of horror-based theatre in all its varied forms, which features Yours Truly nattering about horror films and The Little One throughout. You can also read my homies Qui Nguyen and Clay McLeod Chapman talk about their different angles for showing—or not showing—violence and the macabre for the stage.

Putting the scawwy back in scary,

James "Stage Monster" Comtois

More Reviews For The Little One

Aaron Riccio at That Sounds Cool and Teresa Jusino at Pink Raygun have posted some very thoughtful write-ups of The Little One.

They both definitely have some (very fair and valid) critiques to make, but also write many positive things, such as:

"The Little One—a modern vampire story—most often finds Comtois at his inventive best. Rather than dwell on the soppy forbidden romances of Twilight, the campy politics of True Blood, the supernatural action of Underworld, or the classic Gothic horror of Dracula, Comtois has crafted a creative character piece that embraces the otherness of vampires and the sense of isolation that immortality can bring (like a bloodier Tuck Everlasting)."
-Aaron Riccio, That Sounds Cool

"The Little One has a lot to offer lovers of vampire stories and fans of fantasy and horror. It brings a lot to the table in terms of lore. Ms. Byers’ performance is also one that shouldn’t be missed. The Little One is great Geek Theater."
-Teresa Jusino, Pink Raygun

I hope to see you at the show, either this weekend or the remaining two in the run. In the meantime, keep your stick in your pants, and don't take any wooden boners.

Wondering if he got those sayings wrong,

James "Never One To Dwell" Comtois

One of Indie Theater's Most Reliable Storytellers? Damn!

Martin Denton just posted a very nice review of The Little One over at nytheatre.com:

"The Little One has plenty of action, suspense, and more than a little stage blood. But what's scariest about it is the way Comtois uses these soulless characters to plumb the flawed souls of his human audience. This is a play that is both more profound and more philosophical than you ever expect 'genre theatre' to be. It's a compelling new work by one of indie theater's most reliable storytellers."

Read the whole thing here.

Wow. Thanks, Martin!

Wanting you to rely on him,

James "Theatrical Enabler" Comtois

Week Dos Now Upon Us

Hey, gang. I know, I know, it's kind of odd that I'd engage in this particular brand of radio silence right after opening weekend. Hell, even after our legendarily disastrous Master of Horror opening back in 2008 I had something to say about it.

Well, the reason for me being MIA has nothing to do with having a disastrous opening. Quite the contrary, actually. I'm very happy with how week one turned out, and am very much looking forward to this weekend.

No. The reason for me being absent this week is simply because, although I was very happy with how opening weekend for The Little One turned out, this week has been a massive fuster-cluck on many fronts: some show-related, some tangentially show-related, some completely unrelated to the show, and all of which I'm not yet ready to get into.

Suffice it to say, things are fine, but I've had very little no time to write any kind of updates.

Fortunately, in a moment, I should be posting a nice new update on the show.

While you wait, why don't you buy your tickets?

Kinda busy,

James "Shaker & Quaker" Comtois

The Show is Up, More Interviews Are Here

Well, gang. Opening night has come and gone, and I'm quite pleased with the results. The run is underway, which means my blog posts will be even lighter than usual (and even more self-serving when they arrive).

Tickets are starting to sell at a pretty healthy clip, so you may do well by buying yours in advance.

And, just in case you haven't gotten sick of me nattering about this show, here are two, count 'em, TWO interviews with Yours Truly about The Little One:

With Tor.com.

With Paper Magazine.

Anyway, enjoy the online blatherings from Yours Truly, and I'll see you at the show (because, seriously, I don't think I'll be anywhere else for the next few weeks).

Off to run box office,

James "Writer/Producer/Usher" Comtois

Photos by Daniel Winters.

Game On/Getting To Know Your Boisvert

Well, gang. The Little One opens tonight. I'm pumped. I'm nervous. We're ready. Game on.

To give you another little teaser, Teresa Jusino interviews Pete Boisvert about the show, Nosedive's past, and a little taste of our future over at Pink Raygun.

Check it out. Then buy your tickets.

Ready to bring it,

James "The...Bringerer" Comtois

Counting Down...

Despite the odds and some odd difficulties with the board, we finished the cue-to-cue for The Little One last night. Thank dick.

We now have two more nights of tech week before we unveil this show to the general population, and despite having some anxieties about getting everything ready, I'm getting incredibly excited about showing this to folks.

For those who haven't yet bought their tickets, you can get them here.

Sinking his teeth in production week,

James "King of the Unclear Metaphors" Comtois

"This episode is about vampires."

Well, you've read my blatherings, now you get a chance to hear them. In the most recent nytheatrecast, the very charming Jesse Edward Rosbrow and I talk with Martin Denton about our upcoming vampire plays, St. Nicholas and The Little One, respectively.

You can download the podcast interview here.

Nervous around microphones,

James "Laliophobe" Comtois

Tim O'Shea Interviews Yours Truly

Well, I guess now's as good a time as any to resume showing you the way to corners of the Internet where I shamelessly talk about myself and plug what I'm working on.

For folks who aren't sick of me nattering on about myself or Nosedive, Tim O'Shea interviews Yours Truly on the upcoming play over on his site.

Thanks again to Crystal Skillman for brokering this interview!

Awright. That seems to just about do it for this week's input on Jamespeak. Have a good weekend, folks. Go get your tickets for The Little One, and I'll catch y'all later.

Finding time to blather to folks on the Internet
while gearing his show opens in six days,

James "Multi-Ditherer" Comtois

Nosedive's The Little One opens next week

Hey, gang. Your docent for the depraved, Little Jimmy Comtois here, reminding you that Nosedive's vampire show, The Little One, opens in one week.

I have to say, even though I'm biased and all, this show's pretty damn awesome. It is, after all, about fighting, biting vampires (not the brooding, sulking, abstaining-from-feeding-off-humans kind).

With that in mind, it may be a good idea to get your tickets, if you haven't already.

We're playing for four weekends (June 17-July 10, Thursdays through Saturdays) at the Kraine Theater on 85 East 4th Street in NYC at 7:30 each night. Tickets are $18.

See you there, cats and kittens.

Sharpening his fangs,

James "Bleeding Gums" Comtois

***

Nosedive Productions Presents

The Little One

A new play by James Comtois
Directed by Pete Boisvert

Featuring
Ryan Andes - Becky Byers - Rebecca Comtois
Stephanie Cox-Williams - Jeremy Goren - Stephen Heskett
Melissa Roth - Patrick Shearer - Christopher Yustin

The Kraine Theater
85 East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Ave.)

June 17 - July 10
(Thursdays through Saturdays)
All shows at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets $18

Publicity by Emily Owens PR

Nine Days and Counting...

With nine days before we open, rehearsinations for The Little One are trucking along quite nicely. Pete and the cast are bringing some awesome to the proceedings, and I think folks who come see this are going to enjoy themselves thoroughly.

Yes, I'm biased. But I also often get bored and fidgety when I sit in on rehearsals, even when they're going well. It's pretty much a given: it's just the way I am (and pretty much why I'll never direct anything with a run-time longer than 15 minutes).

I was neither bored nor fidgety last night.

We've still got a lot of work to do, obviously. Tonight, the righteous Qui Nguyen is coming in to choreograph the fights, and the following evening the gang will practice running the show with all the special effects that Stephanie built, designed and tested over the weekend. (I got to see a few of them in action and oh yeah, they're quite hot.)

And let's not forget tech and bringing in the work of the set, lighting and costume designers, which will be done over the weekend and the first half of next week.

So, yes. There's still a great deal of work to be done. But we're in good shape and things are coming together nicely. I'm looking forward to having people come and see this.

Nine days and counting...

Poopin' on hobos,

James "Ole-Timey Vagrant" Comtois

The Little One: The Governor

Patrick Shearer as Gogol in The Little One.

"Wot da fuck is you on about, love?"

Opening Thursday, June 17 at the Kraine Theater. Tickets on sale now.

Always on about something,

James "Suave Blatherer" Comtois