ACTOR REVIEWS
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DARK PLAY OR STORIES FOR BOYS
"Hazen Cuyler was Outstanding!" -Michigan Entertainment Radio, Jim Fordyce "Directed by Lela Ivey, was a 90-minute free-fall through a very dark, sick, funny and sad world, perfectly performed by Hazen Cuyler... Internet chat rooms are clearly not the place to find love but they do make for dangerous theater, and this was edgy theater at its finest. At times hard to swallow, Stories was nevertheless a tantalizing thriller that leaves permanent memories." -City Pulse, Paul Wozniak "Peppermint Creek Theatre's outstanding production of Dark Play, or Stories for Boys was one of the highlights of last weekends Renegade Theatre Festival. If you missed it, dont make the same mistake twice" -City Pulse, James Sanford "Dark Play or Stories For Boys... Was Absolutely Stunning!" - Greater Lansing Ubiquitous Theatre, Jane Zussman Pulsar Award: Special Award for Extraordinary Performances; Thespie Award: Outstanding Limited Run of a Production |
HOME: VOICES FROM FAMILIES OF THE MIDWEST
"Regan directs a cast of four powerhouse actors... and Home introduces them to actor Hazen Cuyler... [He] slips seamlessly between characters while portraying real connection in their relationships." - Encore Michigan, Bridgette M. Redman "[Hazen] changes tone in a flash, consistently tapping into wells of ebullience and gravity. [He] shows range by playing a variety of ages and relationships" - The Rogue Critic, Carolyn Hayes "a versatile performer" - Lansing State Journal, Kate O'Neil "I lost count of the total of stories after the 10th one, not because they were decreasingly interesting, but rather because they became more compelling, more expansive in characterizing the breadth and depth of families... Perhaps the most poignant story of the night is “I’m Staying,” in which Cuyler portrays a young gay adult confronted by his partner’s mother. She is in denial, mourning the realization her only son will never give her a biological grandchild; this is one of the heart-wrenching ones." - City Pulse, Tom Helma "Cuyler and Meyer, the younger of the ensemble, are not simply relegated to Son and Daughter status, bringing happy uncertainty to a couple deciding to start a family and surprising depth to a babysitter whose charge talks of his dying father without comprehension." - The Rogue Critic, Carolyn Hayes Wilde Award Nomination; Best Ensemble Thespie Award Nomination; Best Ensemble |
MOSES, THE AUTHOR
"Moses, The Author is the best, most evolved and funniest production I've seen in 18 summers of the Fringe Festival.” - WBAI Radio (Janet Coleman, Cat Radio Cafe) "A better cast couldn't have been assembled and directed by Amy Wright" - Hi! Drama "Hazen Cuyler is a brooding yet brash Gershy who challenges his father to examine his body of work from a new perspective"- Theatre Reviews Limited, David Roberts NY Fringe Encore Series |
IN THE NEXT ROOM... OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY
"Casting is pitch perfect...As the artist pining for an Italian lover, Cuyler is fiendishly morose and then impassioned" -Encore Michigan, Michael H. Margolin "Generously creates three dimensional characters who tend to fall in love with the wrong people." -The Examiner, Sean Carter |
CITY PULSE ARTICLE
"Several Local Actors Are Worth Spotlighting" by Tom Helma "...these actors provided some of the finest examples of what good community and professional performances should be like... Hazen Cuyler has come a long way ... acting alongside the likes of John Lepard in “Home: Voices From Families of the Midwest” at Williamston Theatre and starring in “Dark Play, or Stories for Boys,” the shocking Peppermint Creek show presented during the Renegade Theatre Festival. Cuyler delivered compelling performances in both productions, proving that he has more dramatic potential yet to be tapped and seen." |
DIRECTOR REVIEWS
MUSE
“I was completely absorbed in seeing what was going to happen next. Directed in a solid, well-acted production by Hazen Cuyler for The Greenhouse Ensemble … the issues it brings up regarding artistic collaboration and the separation of art from the artist are well presented.” – On Stage Blog, Michael Dale |
TWELFTH NIGHT
"BEST COMEDY" NOMINATION, NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE AWARDS “Theater veteran and artist, Hazen Cuyler put up a fun outdoor summer Shakespeare production of Twelfth Night on the West Side, which was so well received, that it was turning heads and drawing attention all the way to the East Side.”- Rodney Hakim, New York Shakespeare |
DADS, DATES AND OTHER DISTURBANCES
"Director Hazen Cuyler directs all the pieces with heart and care... Tangredi’s work is extremely original and not at all familiar... One of the most compelling pieces in the line-up is The Unspeakable Passion of Mitch Devoe, in which Mitch (Conor Andrew Hall) returns home to confess to his gay brother Scott (Joey Rotter) that he plans on marrying a staunch Republican. Hall and Rotter spar, struggle, and scuffle with great passion, which makes the scene irresistible and demands the audience’s empathy." - Theatre Is Easy, Ken Kaissar |
THE HOUSE OF YES
"Every character in the play seems to present one face while struggling to suppress their true inner maladjusted selves, which makes for a riveting story superbly directed by Hazen Cuyler. Cuyler has sensitively manipulated his actors to create just the right balance, and his clever utilization of two stage levels, often showing us two scenes simultaneously, is thoroughly engaging, providing a satisfying fly-on-the-wall experience. If it’s an entertaining story with polished performances you’re after, you have only to say “yes” to The House of Yes." - Tania Fisher, Stagebuddy.com To say that the material is a bit unusual is an understatement, and in the hands of a weak cast or poor direction, it could easily go wrong. But Cuyler is a clever and resourceful director. He takes the material, his limited space and quickly creates a moment and story that seems surprisingly real and believable. I don’t mean to be vague, but you have to see it yourself to understand my references. Cuyler uses everything at his disposal, knows the material well enough to make the right choices and has a cast that is strong, confident and committed to their characters in a manner that beautifully brings this story to life.... A Big Yes, to Greenhouse Ensemble's The House of Yes."- Roger Gonzales, Local Theatre NY |
INTERVIEWS
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CANDID PANEL DISCUSSION
This was the third year in a row that I was asked to speak at CANDID during their Arts Month programming. "What does the future of theatre and the live performing arts look like as we move forward? Join us for a conversation with leaders in the field who will share their ideas and optimism as we revive our performing arts institutions and bring growth and new concepts into the sector. Our panelists will share first-hand experiences about how they have adapted their shows and programming. They will also speak to challenges and new opportunities ahead of them." |
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NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE INTERVIEW
This was an interview on the creation and process of The Greenhouse Ensemble's production of Twelfth Night, which I directed and acted in. |
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BAR CRAWL RADIO INTERVIEW
Discussing The Greenhouse Ensemble's production of Romeo and Juliet, which I directed. |
THEATER PIZZAZZ INTERVIEW, 07/11/19
"The most important thing is for an individual actor to take responsibility for his/her instrument and process. It’s important they know what they need to do before a show begins in order to create the best work. It’s very easy to fall into casual conversation with fellow actors, distracting themselves and avoiding responsibility. This can actually be a part of some people’s process, but often times it proves detrimental when you compare results from an actor who prepares methodically before a show and someone who jokes with fellow actors. The work requires an incredible amount of presence and concentration and these skills require practice and dedication." CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW |
THEATER PIZZAZZ INTERVIEW, 09/18/20
"The process of creating art is an act of healing the individual and the community at large. By becoming more sensitive to your own suffering and sharing what you’ve understood, you transmit that knowledge to audiences and relieve their suffering... I think this is an amazing time in the history of all art. I believe, for the arts at least, this Zoom theatre/live film is the new medium which theatre has been driving toward for many years (most recently in West Side Story directed by Ivo Van Hove and Medea directed by Simon Stone). It is a separate medium which needn’t be competitive with theatre or film. When we find a way to iron out the obvious technical kinks, the potential reach for theatre arts (in American audiences anyway) could be revolutionary." CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW |