How could you not love a performer who, just when you least expect it, instructs the audience to whip out their phones and take pictures of him to post social media promos for his show in “real time”?  Now, THAT’S what I call “DIY PR”!  The moment was definitely a crowd-pleaser.  That said, there was much, much more to love about Carl Holder’s one-man show Out of Order— and we’re not talking about the free popcorn. The new production is now playing at Manhattan’s tiny performance space East Village Basement and is directed by Skylar Fox.  

Mr. Holder is a New York City-based, award-winning actor and playwright.  He does more than just write plays, however; Holder shared with the attendees that he also used to teach people how to write their own plays.  For the uninitiated, there’s the (1) exposition, (2) rising action, (3) climax, (4) falling action, and (5) resolution.  (Remember these terms, because there will be a test… they will come into play later.)  Holder’s resume and skills notwithstanding, Out of Order is NOT a play– at least not in the classic way we think of “plays”.  Officially described as “an interactive parlor game”, Out of Order is indeed an original theater experience– and a fine one at that. The originality comes largely from the piece’s idiosyncratic structure: Holder takes random index cards from a fishbowl in the middle of the stage, and the written instructions guide his actions; Therefore, every performance is almost guaranteed to be different.  The handwritten cards range from “Ask for help!” to “Be brave!”.  The experience is also intimate, and not just because of the small space of East Village Basement. Thanks to the stories Carl shares about his career trajectory throughout the show’s 90-minute running time, it’s a VERY personal show; At times, its achingly and nakedly candid.  At the same time, Holder’s story is also very relatable to any of his fellow artists trying to navigate their way through our beloved New York City.  In sympathy with the lives of so many other performers, his shared experiences feature both soaring highs and crippling lows.  The creative and emotional fluctuations are so wonderfully symbolized by the ebbs and flows of, let’s say, a bank account… and, by the way, Holder shares his own bank account with the audience in one segment as well.  (I warned you that the show was “intimate”!)  

In addition to its renegade structure, Out of Order is also bolstered by Holder’s quirky charisma, which is evident from the start.  Our main character may be bemoaning having just turned the big “Four-OH!” and suffering from writer’s block, but his energy level could still rival any neophyte in the business.  His style is perfectly suited for interactive theater.  As always with performance pieces involving audience participation, the attendees can often make or break a show.  Thankfully, this crowd was very receptive to Holder’s boyish, often hilarious charms.  

Now, about that aforementioned “structure” of a play which Holder taught us about earlier: Listening to Carl’s educational segment, it became painfully obvious just how many so called “traditional” theater pieces– as well as TV shows and movies– follow the same, “safe”, standard arc over and over again.  It seems almost achingly intentional that Carl Holder’s Out of Order, in contrast, is more than happy to break those rules in many ways; The title, in fact, couldn’t make it any more obvious.  And isn’t breaking the rules the true essence of being creative?  In this case, YES!

The New York premiere of Out of Order, an interactive parlor game written and performed by Carl Holder, developed with and directed by Skylar Fox and featuring Simon Henriques, is presented by Most Unwanted Productions.  The show continues at East Village Basement, 321 East 9th St between 1st and 2nd Aves, NYC., on Tuesday, July 8 at 7pm, Thursday, July 10 at 7pm, Friday, July 11 at 8pm, Saturday, July 12 at 5pm & 8pm, Sunday, July 13 at 5pm, Monday, July 14 at 7pm, Tuesday, July 15 at 7pm Thursday, July 17 at 7pm, Friday, July 18 at 8pm, Saturday, July 19 at 5pm & 8pmm Sunday, July 20 at 5pm, Monday, July 21 at 7pm, and Tuesday, July 22 at 7pm. For tickets and more information, visit HOME | OUT OF ORDER
(Photos by Rebecca J. Michelson.)