ALIZA SHANE
Director * Playwright * Producer
PRESS QUOTES
Are You There Zeus? It’s Me, Electra
“Writer-director Aliza Shane’s self-proclaimed tragicomic version of the classic tale of matricide gets to the root of the question that’s plagued feminists for centuries: why couldn’t Electra just get it together and kill her mother herself? According to Shane, maybe she just needed to pop a Midol.….great fun, thanks to Shane’s sharp writing, her capable cast, and the fantastic bits of iconic 90s grunge tunes sprinkled throughout.”
Caitlin Graham, Stage & Cinema
“Making a comedy out of the teen angst that invariably lurks within the myth of Electra is brilliant…This production is filled with great music like old MTV series from back in the day. And within those recognizable, fun chords the director found opportunities for the Greek Chorus and other characters to move…a fun, zany spoof of the ancient Greek story and of Greek drama in general. The characters and situations play like a teen movie from 1994, with just a touch of camp and a dash of drag. It's all in good fun and between the music, the laughs, and the matricide, that's what an audience can expect from this production.”
Joseph Samuel Wright, Theatre is Easy
“This Electra’s a tiny bit Nietzsche, a little bit Judy Blume. It’s a little bit Greek, and a lot rock & roll. In the end, Are You There, Zeus? It’s Me, Electra smells like teen spirit in the best way-delightfully overboard and self-assured. ”
Sarah V. Schweig, The Happiest Medium
The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only
“The play’s use of music and movement is especially noteworthy…Set design [by Aliza Shane] is minimal but innovative… Overall, Shane has presented a cohesive and thoroughly entertaining production”
Mara Lee Kornberg, Show Business Weekly
“Aliza Shane's version is not like any other you will have seen…Shane's vision of a country that turns to pills at the slightest misfortune seems eerily on target….Shane has a good eye for stage pictures, and her production always features something interesting to watch…Clever and timely, Aliza Shane's The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only is a worthy adaptation of the original.”
Byrne Harrison, Stage Buzz
The Three Sillies
Her [Ms. Shane’s] contemporary version has sharp-tongued Valley girls and a seemingly unattainable boy. Those elements and a wry soundtrack… will endear the show to pre-teenagers, while Sammy and Teddy's odyssey in an alternative universe will appeal more to their younger siblings. But when was the last time you found a show that could entertain a 4-year-old and a 12-year-old?”
Laurel Graber, The New York Times