Ralph B. Peña

Was there ever any doubt it would lead to this? #bromance #divorce

Catching up on shows.

Sumo is now playing at The Public Theater only through March 30. #sumo #wrestling #offbroadway #theater #sports @mayitheater.bsky.social

Stopping stipend checks for Fulbright scholars is another proof of this administration’s determination to self-inflict wounds on longstanding cultural and academic institutions. Everyone must resist.

For the Actors of ‘Sumo,’ Learning Lines Was Just the Half of It The play’s cast members wrestle, slap and toss one another in ambitiously choreographed fight sequences that took months of training to learn.

Read about how the cast of SUMO prepared. #theater #sumo #wrestling #offbroadway @mayitheater.bsky.social

Glad I got to see these shows before tech starts for SUMO. Very proud of the work of friends in them. Bravi! #theater

Rehearsals for Lisa Sanaye Dring’s play SUMO enters its 4th week. Previews begin February 20. Got tix? #sumo #offbroadway @mayitheater.bsky.social #wrestling #theater

Rehearsals for Lisa Sanaye Dring’s play SUMO are in their third week. Previews start February 20 at The Public Theater. Have your tickets yet? #theater #sumo @mayitheater.bsky.social

As of January 1, 2025, nine of the top ten richest humans in the world are in the United States. Between them they are worth more than two trillion dollars. Yet so many Americans can’t afford basic needs. We need a reckoning.

Linda Lavin is a national treasure. She was brilliant in every play I saw her in.

Spent today above the clouds. Happy holidays to all!

If you choose to stage “classic” material that harms your community, it’s crucial to find ways to mitigate that harm. Racially biased classics are more damaging than they might appear. They seep into the subconscious, disguising racism with a veneer that makes these prejudices seem benign.

Spending Christmas in Zermatt. A much needed break before the next gig. Happy holidays, everyone!

Saw this last night but sat next to two drunk ladies who fidgeted, talked, and used their phones constantly — even after everyone around them asked them to stop. If you’re wasted, go home. Theater is not for you.

This week's harvest.

Mandatory viewing for RFK Jr.

We're either going to live under one constitution, or we're not. These crusaders are free to worship any god they want, but they have no right to impose it on anyone else, much less use government-funded institutions to teach their chosen beliefs.

Protect the rights of all peoples around the world.

Assad has fled Syria. There are multiple competing interests jockeying for power. Let's hope that whoever wields it prioritizes helping ALL Syrians recover from years of war.

We’ve been in workshop all week to get to the draft of SUMO we’ll use for rehearsals in January. Our angel Ponyo has been with us everyday, using her magical powers to get every SUMO wrestler to give her treats.

It's great to see nepotism alive and well in Trumpland.

Well, they raised the entire theater above street level, so you have to take escalators to get to the lobby. This is much better than the old entrance on 7th Avenue which was getting grimy and crowded. Now the lobby area is bigger.

Yes, it's a great restoration.

First time inside the new Palace Theater.

My Best Movies of 2024 -- so far (as of 11/30/2024). In no particular order:

Anora
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
His Three Daughters
I'm Still Here
A Real Pain
Blitz
Conclave
Dahomey
Soundtrack to a Coup D'Etat

Today was easy.

Will Moana 2 b****slap Wicked at the Box Office? Disney typically wins these fights, but maybe Wicked will get a big boost this holiday weekend.

Hey playwrights, this is a great opportunity to develop your work. Apply!