She Brings Some Of The Mightiest Talents To This Theater Company’s Stages

From Hamilton to Hadestown to Rent, many great productions began at small theater venues off and off off Broadway. A pre-pandemic study of small theaters from The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment found that these New York City venues have generated $584 million in economic output annually and created more than 8,400 full-time jobs resulting in $512 million in wages. And over 90% of those theaters are non-profits.

One of those non-profit theater standouts is the Chain Theatre. Since its founding in 2010, the theater and production company has supported thousands of emerging and established artists to showcase their work in a professional setting in midtown Manhattan. Over the years Chain Theatre has collaborated with David Rabe, Eric Bogosian and Dale Wasserman. Last year they presented the critically acclaimed play Macbitches. They also nurture new work by producing two one act festivals each year.

“We may not have the multi-million dollar operating budget of a Broadway show, but you would never know it,” says director of development Christina Perry who adds that great care goes into making the set, lights and costumes look truly authentic. “I am so amazed at the creativity we come up with here on what is basically a shoestring budget. I mean it’s always fun to have new fancy toys, but we use what we have in the moment. And that scrappiness forces us to think even further outside the box.”

Chain Theatre’s current production is this G*d Damn House by Matthew McLachlan. Making its world premiere, the play centers on a mother who is a hoarder as her family is trying to navigate it all. “Although the piece may be specific to this family, it holds a lot of universal threads and many can relate,” says Perry who also stars in the production that is directed by Ella Jane New and assistant directed by David Zayas, Jr. “The play deals with complicated nature of family dynamics, generational trauma and mental illness. Matt is great at balancing really heavy situations with comedic moments.”

Perry plays Ally, the daughter in law. “It’s 3am. I am 8 months pregnant and coming to assist my husband in moving out his hoarding mother,” says Perry. “Ally, is such a feast as an actor. A lot is packed in within a short amount of time.”

The Chain Theatre team, which includes artistic director Kirk Gostkwoski, who is also Perry’s creative partner/husband, take pride in having a space that allows others to bring creative visions to fruition. “We are two crazy dreamers and we go big,” she says of her and Gostkwoski. “As my mentor Steven Jason Cohen from the Public Theatre always says, ‘The worst thing someone can say is ‘No.’”

Having big dreams to work with their heroes and some of the world’s greatest writers inspired Perry and Gostkwoski to make the ask. “In a world where it’s all about who you know, it was Steven Jason Cohen who opened the door. He trusted our professionalism and believed in us and this is something I will always carry with me in my career,” says Perry.

While it took time, they stayed the course. They did revivals of David Rabe’s plays In the Boom Boom Room and Hurlyburly. They also produced a staged reading of one of Rabe’s Chekov adaptations, The Black Monk, starring Peter Sarsgaard and Austin Pendelton. “Working with David Rabe is an experience that an actor dreams to experience,” says Perry. “You study his plays in scene study class and in college. And then to work alongside him in the room is incredible. He loves actors and you can feel that.”

Another one of their dreams realized is working with Eric Bogosian, doing his plays Talk Radio and 1+1. Most recently he performed a night of exceptional monologues from Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘N’ Roll, Wake-Up and Smell the Coffee and other pieces at their benefit this past January. “I am grateful that Eric Bogosian has given us the opportunity to work together and get to know him and the deeper cuts of his career,” says Perry. “Through conversation he has given me so much perspective about this business and the twists and turns you’ll never see coming. How to never lose sight of the work.”

Perry’s dream for the Chain Theatre is to be the ultimate go-to place for great artists to incubate and produce their works. “I’m not just talking about those who have already made a name for themselves in the industry— although that certainly doesn’t hurt the algorithm—but those the world just hasn’t met yet,” she says. “My dream is that when our name is said you think about the last great show you saw. And it was here.”