Past Shows

UGLY LIES THE BONE

This award winning play chronicles the homecoming of a newly discharged female American soldier to Titusville, Florida. When she returns, Jess is still coming to terms with her own physical and emotional scars as she grapples with the question of ‘What now?’ As she undergoes a new innovative recovery process involving virtual reality, she builds a new world where she can begin to heal herself.

Winner! 2014 Woodward/Newman Drama Award
Winner! 2015 Laurents/Hatcher Special Citation of Excellence
Winner! 2016 Kesserling Prize for Playwriting

What the critics had to say…

“On Jeannine Borzello’s modern living room set — with carefully arranged furniture and a sign saying “Welcome Home” — Tremblay dominates this play and wins our profound concern.“

–Mark Leib, Creative Loafing. —

“Tremblay is splendid as Jess. What a challenge this role is: Half of Jess’s face is shredded; she needs a walker just to get from one side of the stage to another; she has little hope for the future, little sympathy for the unwounded, and she’s often in too much pain to even report how much pain she’s in. Tremblay nails it: She’s as real as is humanly possible, as full of yearning and determination and pessimism and fury as any pain-wracked ex-soldier might be under similar conditions.”

–Mark Leib, Creative Loafing. —

“Dawn Truax, so good in Innovocative’s Keely and Du earlier this year, once again shines. For much of the play, she is the “flat, not unkind” disembodied voice in Jess’ virtual reality therapy. And she nails the coldness of the part by adding a little bit of humanity to it, just a sliver. She sounds like a female HAL-9000, but with a tad more heart. Truax also gets to play the very small role as Jess’ mom, and she nails the older woman’s dive into dementia.”

—Peter Nason, Broadway World. —

“Tremblay gives Jess so much soul, so much fight, that we are on her side the whole time. She makes us understand the struggles of combat veterans suffering from PTSD and, alone, is worth seeing UGLY LIES THE BONE.”

— Peter Nason, Broadway World. —

“Erin Foster, as Jess’ sister, Kacie, whom we are told cries herself to sleep over her close sibling’s debilitation, brings it all back home. We see her balancing the try-to-make-things-appear-nice act with the other, more real world–a world of naked emotions. And the moment that she can’t mask it anymore becomes Foster’s finest moment in her performance.”

–Peter Nason, Broadway World —

“Jess is the heart and soul of UGLY LIES THE BONE, and a top flight actress must be cast in the role in order for the overall show to work. Never fear, Marie-Claude Tremblay as Jess is sensational, giving the performance of her life.”

–Peter Nason, Broadway World —

KEELY & DU

Check out these great reviews and articles!

This show was awarded 4 out of 5 stars by Creative Loafing

Creative Loafing Review

Broadway World Review

What the critics had to say…

“In an audacious promo ploy, Innovocative Theatre’s Staci Sabarsky wrote a post today on Theatre Tampa Bay’s Facebook page that began like this:

“Maybe you shouldn’t see Keely and Du.”

To which I can emphatically respond, YES YOU SHOULD. I saw it last Saturday afternoon, and it is, in short, a must. And you’ve only got this weekend to get over to Stageworks’ Channel District digs, where Innovocative is staging Jane Martin’s 1993 play, a Pulitzer finalist that is as relevant in today’s fraught climate as it ever was,”

— David Warner, Creative Loafing. —

“Innovocative Theatre’s co-production with Stageworks is blessed by two intensely realized performances: K.D. O’Hair as a kidnapping victim and Dawn Truax as a woman counseling her to keep her baby. Powerful stuff,”

— David Warner, Creative Loafing. —

“We reviewers throw the phrase “must-see” around way too frequently, but in this case, it’s appropriate. This is one must-see,”

— Peter Nason, Broadway World. —

What our audience members had to say…

“I saw the show tonight and it is still disturbing me, long after I left the theatre. Each character has such depth and is so nuanced that you are drawn into their lives, their passions, and their experiences which reveal their character and their complexity.

In a country that is so divided (our government is even shut down tonight!) accept this invitation to come and listen. Enter into the experience of the other and explore the intersection of good and bad, right and wrong, in all of us.

I can think of no better way to mark the one year anniversary of the Women’s March than to march into Stageworks Theatre this weekend and see Keely and Du,”

— Vicki Walker —

“You’ve all gained a new fan. Jarring and brought me to tears multiple times but I wouldn’t think it was good if it didn’t move me. More provocative than I’ve seen in a while.

I love the depth that the characters brought to the story. Helped to remind us that none of this is simple or black and white.

Congrats to Staci for bringing this all together. Really happy that we went. We want more,”

— Christina Liriano —

The production of Keely & Du was riveting! If you missed it…you missed an amazing performance well done by a great director, Staci Sabarsky, capturing the characters with intense interactions and great acting by all. We look forward to seeing more from Innovocative Theatre in the future,”

— Michelle de Lucca- Lowery —

PROOF

The reviews are in…

“About Dennis Dugan as Robert , “…when he’s onstage, you can’t help but watch him, and there is a scene in Act 2 of PROOF that may be the best thing Duggan has ever done. It’s heartbreaking and real, where the actor gets to run the gamut of emotions and showcase his immense abilities. It’s revelatory.”

— Broadway World —

“Like a cheerful song transposed to a minor, turbulent key, this portrayal has overtones that the other versions never suggested.”

— Broadway World —

“Sabarsky is a burst of energy, a pump of adrenaline, whenever she hits the stage.”

— Broadway World —

Referring to a pivotal scene in Act II of PROOF, “…it’s easily the finest scene in the show (and one of the strongest scenes I’ve seen all year in any Bay Area show).”

— Broadway World —

“Devin Devi’s acting as Hal is less complicated—and nearly impeccable.”

— Creative Loafing —

“…the show belongs to Marie-Claude Tremblay…as Catherine, sort of a volatile Geek Princess to her father’s mentally shaky Geek God, Tremblay is the real deal. It’s an actresses’ dream role, and Tremblay more than fills the bill. I love it when I see a performer new to the area that has me raving from the top of proverbial mountains—watch this performance!”

— Broadway World —

DARK VANILLA JUNGLE

Marie-Claude Tremblay’s mesmerizing solo performance as Andrea, a young woman grappling with what is left of her sanity received rave reviews at the First Annual Tampa International Fringe Festival! Philip Ridley’s harrowing script and Tremblay’s performance made audiences and critics alike laugh, cry, and squirm in their seat.

Check out these great reviews and articles!

“…a must see…”

— Creative Loafing —

“great and extraordinary writing…”

— Creative Loafing —

“…a stunning and powerful play.”

— Creative Loafing —