SAME TRAIN

“Same Train” is a splendid musical journey of the Black experience, romping rides of seven spirited vignettes filled with blues, gospel, jazz and spoken word, flowing from slavery to the 1960s and finally stopping in the present. Ron Scott – AMSTERDAM NEWS – March 12th2008

Same Train is a thought provoking play that fuses spoken word, gospel, R&B, jazz and blues. This revolutionary piece written by Levy Lee Simon and directed by Mary Beth Easley breaks the boundaries of traditional theatre. Roz Nixon – CARIBBEAN LIFE. February 20th2008

The music and lyrics by Mark Bruckner combine with the verse and lyrics written Levy Lee Simon weaves itself into the show with such mastery one initially thinks they are listening to straight dialogue before realizing the entire show is comprised of song and verse honed into a rhythmic refrain. ----- Same Train rips the emotions and challenges the imagination. Deardra Shuler – THE BEACON. March 6th2008

Simon has a distinctive voice and his poetry in particular is impressive –Martin Denton NYTheatre.com. Febuary 13th2008

…. the SAME TRAIN performers tell each story via verse and rhyme, music and song, with such mastery of rhythm it’s simply a tour de force of artistic genius. SAME TRAIN is simply the best play I have seen in some time. - powerful.     By Deardra Shuler -  Black World Today  – February 2008

The Guest at Central Park West

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS     June 7 – June 13TH- 2007

Different Stages By Charles Rogers

 “The Guest at Central Park West” is a fascinating, multi-leveled drama of profound vision and across the board social, racial, and political relevance. Indeed it is so good it deserves to be produced on Broadway. Special thanks to Levy Lee Simon and the excellent cast and crew for one of the best theatrical experiences I have ever had.

 BACK STAGE

Dramatically, however, Simon's play, directed by Thomas Coté, hits all the right notes. Full of surprises and with an ideal balance of provocation, comedy, and suspense, it tells a colorful story buttressed by themes of violence, prejudice, and loyalty. - February 25, 2008 Lisa Jo Sagolla

 SHOW BIZ

 With superb performances and strong direction, The Guest at Central Park West is a play that pushes all the right buttons with powerful political and social messages concerning the U.S. and its impact on the rest of the world. Review by Julie Colthorpe

Posted by uptownflavor under Editor's Notes, Theater, Events, Entertainment, Reviews

 This play is a sure fire hit with its abundance of intelligent dialogue that is full of social commentary and flecked with humor and suspense; with the added strong casting and great direction — how can it go wrong?

 OOBR Review

For all his high ideals, man is still a violent, primal animal, with a hidden rage, prejudice and anger lurking just below the surface. And no matter how one may try to wrap oneself in a cloak of civilization and respectability, these feelings are still within us, just waiting for the chance to emerge. These are lessons brought chillingly home in Levy Lee Simon's emotionally exhausting and absolutely riving tale The Guest at Central Park West. Review by Judd Hollander

 CASELOAD

Caseload 
by Levy Lee Simon - Directed by Mary Beth Easley - 2006 Main Stage – The Workshop Theatre

"[Playwright] Levy Lee Simon stays true to form with Caseload...Despite its heavy subject matter and very real emotions, Caseload carries a strong dose of

hope." - Nicole Haddad, Show Business Weekly, May, 2006

 "The show is long, but tightly written by Levy Lee Simon, with good direction by Mary Beth Easley, and with a very strong cast. -  CASELOAD is not always an easy play to watch, but it's definitely one that should be seen." -Judd Hollander, Hi! Drama, May 20, 2006

 THE STUTTERING PREACHER

New York Times - Published: April 17, 2006

The evening opens with Mr. Simon's brash and ribald romantic comedy "The Stuttering Preacher," though here Mr. Simon leaves the plum role to Joyce Sylvester as Efay, a single woman in the early summer of her life…….Ms. Sylvester's performance is so winning and charming that from the first few minutes she has the audience happy to be in the palm of her hand. Mr. Simon plays the preacher with considerable wit, style and physical presence, and when he stops stuttering as he is inspired by his love of Efay at the end of the play, it's a resolution well founded.

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER 

Mel Donaldson stars in actor/writer Levy Lee Simon's wickedly funnycomedy about a dashing African American preacher who stutters.

Posted on Fri, Sep. 11, 2009 – Philadelphia Inquirer -  A stuttering and womanizing preacher

 The Stuttering Preacher .Actor/writer Levy Lee Simon's wickedly funny

comedy about an African American preacher who stutters and interprets the Lord's word in his own womanizing way is raw and classy all at once. ….. Director Johnnie Hobbs Jr. directs The Stuttering Preacher like a fine piece

of jazz; it twists and turns but keeps recalling the theme that caught you in

the first place.

 The Bow Wow Club

 MIXED BREED 

The Bow-Wow Club's confusing intentions by Keith A. Joseph

 Karamu Theatre – Cleveland, Ohio

The company's production of this destined-to-be-some-kind-of-classic is an unforgettable theater experience. I wasn't able to fathom the intention of the playwright, determine whether I was watching the work of a mad prophet or a shlockmeister, or pinpoint the focus of director Hassan Rogers.

Playing theater detective, the evening is either a subversive satire, a heartfelt exploration of the troubled black soul or a profoundly philosophical performance-art piece functioning as a meditation on Genet's The Blacks. In any event, it's that rare phenomenon of a work so misguided that it becomes exquisite. …. For support of the satire theory, consider how the playwright shines a neon light on the paradoxes of black culture….. arts@clevescene.com

The Bow Wow Club - Los Angeles Times - CalendarLive.com The Bow Wow Club

Times rating: RECOMMENDED - Readers’ rating:RAVE

In his comedy-drama about the reunion of a Harlem men’s group after a 20 year separation, playwright Levy Lee Simon seems so intent in serving the cause of cultural diversity that he occasionally stumbles into political polemic. Despite that, Simon exploits his richly drawn characters’ deathless bond---connection formed in the war zone of the inner city--- to devastating emotional effect.

 F. KATHLEEN FOLEY September 29th, 2006

For the Love of Freedom

 “Opulence and squalor, Christianity and tribalism, grand ideals and endemic corruption. Playwright Levy Lee Simon captures the many dichotomies of Haiti in his epic trilogy “For the Love of Freedom.”

 “All three plays – have been eminently entertaining. ---Part III is far more dramatically taut, a gripping ending to what is, both singly and in the aggregate, a formidable theatrical achievement.” F. KATHLEEN FOLEY - LA Times

For the Love of Freedom – Part II

“Dessalines - the Heart - Blood and Liberation

Nominated for 2003 Ovation Award – Best New Play – Best Playwright

 “The power of this story is that it goes beyond the obvious and becomes a study in human frailty.” ---- “Besides giving a historical vignette, Dessalinesis a classic example of why theatre is called “art”.” Ticket Holders “Dessalines” reviewed by Jose Ruiz

“ The play is stunning - not only because of its content, but also because of the integrity of the work, its presentation, and the talent of the actors and musicians.”  --- “This play is an instant classic.” The Revolution is Alive and Well-  The Robey Theatre company performing “For the Love of Freedom.”  - Emmanuella Turenne,  Haitian Times Staff

“The power of this play goes beyond the obvious. It is s study in human frailty and ambition. It has been argued that we become that which we hate the most and this play is a classic portrayal of that axiom.”Review Plays.com

 For the Love of Freedom  - Part I

“Toussaint - the Soul - Rise and Revolution” 

Nominated for ten NAACP Awards

Best Playwright Nomination

Winner of three NAACP Awards 

Best Ensemble

Best Director

Best Costumes 

The production elements are superb, and the performers, -- a triumph of raw heroism over the colonial status quo. F. KATHLEEN FOLEY, LA Times

 “For the Love of Freedom”is also a startling ambitious work with many remarkable qualities.  ----- “For the Love of Freedom” represents the emergence of a distinctive playwright’s voice.”LEGIT REVIEW JOEL HIRSCHORN,  Variety