29X/Y or How a Play GETS ME

Millenials have gone through more technological and psychological changes than any other generation-at least I believe so being a Y, and consider my own evolution a case study. On Thursday, I was inundated with these changes during a production of 29X/Y, written AND directed by Marcus Yi, currently playing at the Paradise Factory on East 4th St (near East Village theater row, as I call it). The play starts off normally enough: projection on the wall, empty blackbox, and actors on the stage. However, once the action initiates, you realize this is performance art; an arrangement of vignettes and scenes (29 to be exact) aimed to move/strike/change the hearts of generations X and Y.

Since commentary and rhetoric are my favorite parts of artistic expression, Marcus Yi accomplished the move/strike/change in my heart. When one of the first references is how "our childhood went away" once Harry Potter was over-you've got my attention. A smattering of talented, diverse, and collaborative cast of 11 actors helped Yi portray the angst, confusion, spirit, betrayal, disillusion, need, evolution, desire, squalor, comedy, and reality of the X/Y generations. An entire scene of just 3 repeated words, ("Like, whatever, OMG") effectively explores ignorance in X/Y Americans and the loss of self.

From innovative uses of voice-overs, to audience participation-tackling themes such as race, sexual orientation, and big business-29X/Y captures the feeling of being "stuck" that so poisons our generations. Squished between the status quo and innovation, the X/Yers have a difficult task: how to incentivize real change (gay marriage, student loans, corporations) with a comfortable, apathetic mass (Americans) who are so used to their ways? A beautifully sung Ukele song explores how can they possibly satiate their(your) hunger when, "after you get what you want, you don't want it anymore"?

"Imaginary education" degrees aplenty, with a surmounting student and credit debt, X/Yers feel at a loss, and react accordingly. Marcus Yi and the character-ridden cast reacted through 29X/Y by yelling truths, pointing out obvious problems, and sharing the sense of confusion that plagues our generations, and now because of the Internet, the World. With music, extreme stereotypes, Craigslist ads, soliloquies, award shows, dance, mathematical parallels, and riots, you'll leave the theater thinking, "Need. Change. Now. Now. CHANGE. NOW. STRIKE."

29X/Y
Paradise Factory
64 East 4th Street New York, NY 10003

2 Performances left:
Saturday May 31, 11:00 am

Sunday June 1, 1:30 pm

http://planetconnections.org/29xy/