What happens when unfinished characters crash a rehearsal and demand to be seen? Last night, I had the chance to see a local production of Six Characters in Search of an Author, adapted and directed by Nick Gabriel. It was the kind of performance that makes you feel lucky to be in the room. It was human. It was honest. And it wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions about who gets to tell a story and why it matters.

Originally written by Luigi Pirandello, this version was born at the height of the pandemic and shaped further by the cultural waves of the #MeToo movement. Gabriel’s adaptation honors the original’s core while revising it for today’s conversations. In short, it felt timely without feeling forced.

The premise alone is intriguing. A group of actors are rehearsing a play called The Rules of the Game, when six unknown characters show up—characters from another, unfinished narrative. These six insist their story must be told. What follows is a layered, emotional, often disorienting exploration of truth, authorship, and the raw need to be understood.

Let’s talk about the cast, because this show’s strength came from their commitment to being present and real on stage.

Sophia Chacon was the heart of the night. She carried so much emotional weight and made it feel deeply personal. There was a real generosity in her performance—like she was offering her character’s pain and confusion straight to the audience. She didn’t just act; she invited us in.

Isabella Kaplan played the widowed mother, and her portrayal stayed with me long after the final scene. Her grief wasn’t just implied—it was embodied. She held sorrow in every breath, and when she let it out, the audience felt it like a wave. I’ll speak for the crowd here: we were moved.

Meridian Anastasia and Sam Trott brought much-needed levity as a duo. They had great chemistry and gave the show those moments where you could breathe, laugh, and remember that even in the heaviest stories, there’s room for light.

Feras Halabi, as the father, brought a strong stage presence. While his character’s actions were not ones to cheer for, there was a conviction in his fight to be heard that made his performance compelling. You didn’t have to agree with him to appreciate how committed he was to being seen.

Finn Mackimmie played the brother, and while he had fewer lines in the beginning, his presence took center stage in the second half. Most of his performance unfolded during one of the heaviest scenes in the play, and he undoubtedly leaned in. You could feel the weight his character carried, and Finn made sure it landed.

Michael Reese Shald played the director. You could tell he was a theater kid in the best way; fully committed, comfortable commanding the space, and clearly having a lot of fun with the meta layers of the show.

And then there was Kevin Wang, who wore several hats, literally and figuratively; as both the stage manager character and Madame Pace, an eccentric Italian hat shop owner. At first, you might think his role is small, but then Madame Pace steps in and Kevin flips the entire tone of the scene. He fully leaned into the drama, and at one point I genuinely forgot he was playing more than one part. It was great.

The show plays with boundaries—between actor and character, between stage and audience, between fiction and the real lives we all carry. There were moments when the audience laughed, and others when we sat completely still, taking in the quiet grief or sudden bursts of intensity. It asked us to consider the value of every story. Even the messy ones. Especially the messy ones.

If you’ve never heard of Six Characters in Search of an Author, don’t worry. The title might sound intimidating, but the show invites you in. It’s strange in all the right ways, surprising and intimate and deeply emotional. You’re not always sure where it’s going, but somehow, it always gets where it needs to be.

There’s still one more performance left in Brooklyn. If you can catch it, you should. It’s the kind of show that reminds you why local theater matters. These are performers with something to say, and you’ll walk away thinking a little deeper about whose stories get told and who’s still waiting to be heard.

Get your tickets here.

Performers from left to right, Kevin Wang, Meridian Anastasia, Sam Trott, Michael Reese Shald, Sophia Chacon, Feras Halabi,  Isabella Kaplan, Finn Mackimmie

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