“The writing and direction is brilliant and the production is flawlessly executed.” ~ NYTHEATER.COM

PST’s dreams are coming true! The March production of rogerandtom received such rave reviews that HERE has invited us to move the show onto its MAIN STAGE for an extended summer run! Previews will begin July 6th. PST will also keep a log of the entire production process on tumblr—subscribe now to watch behind-the-scenes magic unfold with updates, photos, and video! And, as always, be sure to follow the PST facebook page for additional information

“rogerandtom is a smart, provocative production that effortlessly communicates innumerable themes all with a good-hearted laugh.” ~ Show Business Weekly

“If we have to cheat a little to get what we want, what we need, then so be it: rogerandtom has earned the right to break as many rules as it needs.” ~ That Sounds Cool

About Us

Personal Space Theatrics presents shows in our own particular style: the full space is used for the play. There is no one place where the audience sits, nor is there one place where the action of the play occurs. The story unfolds in front of, behind, above and below the audience areas, which are spread throughout the room. For many of our patrons, this is the first time they have experienced a play in this style. Once introduced, our growing audience base has become hooked. Our work is not limited to any genre or writer. It is our belief that the space can be used and the audience worked into the fabric of any play.

Mission Statement

Personal Space Theatrics, Inc., founded in 2001, is a non-profit theater company dedicated to serve a curious and passionate audience by fundamentally changing the way they experience theatre. The Company promotes the appreciation of storytelling through live performance. Personal Space Theatrics, Inc. produces innovative theatre that returns to the root of storytelling by removing the barrier between stage and audience to create a community within a shared space.

A Message from Artistic Director, Nicholas Cotz

There is a trend developing in theatre, a trend that in years past was only seen in avant-garde productions.  It has become increasingly common for actors to break the fourth wall and interact, or at least recognize, their audiences.

It is my belief that this trend is a direct response to the public’s disillusionment with conventional theater. The audience is a vital part of a live performance – their very presence makes them part of the show. This is what makes theatre different from film and television.  And audience participation doesn’t have to mean pulling audience members up on stage; PST has been breaking down the boundaries between audiences and actors for years without ever requiring patrons to leave their seats.

In the past, plays often asked us to suspend all disbelief and enter a world of implausible plot points, or else they attempted to hide the fact that they were a play by mimicking films with quick scenes cuts and snappy dialogue. Both of these methods cause the audience to lose their emotional investment and disconnect with the characters. We forget that the theater allows for a much deeper and more personal experience, an actual forged relationship between performer and spectator. This relationship makes each performance unique, and makes multiple viewings fun (and sometimes even essential) to understanding the play.

Personal Space Theatrics is recapturing the magic of the genre itself: a magic that only exists when audience and actors exist in the same literal space. Stage actors are storytellers, and unlike film, their stories go unheard without a live audience. These shows are re-exploring that relationship and are attempting to define (and in some cases challenge) the boundaries of the traditional audience.

Theater will not survive on revivals, stage adaptations of film scripts, and juke box musicals alone. Audiences need to be reminded that the plays they love are a two-way street, a relationship between viewer and performer.  By breaking down the fourth wall and asking that the audience engage with the humanity in front of them, theater returns to its roots: a place for examining the human condition.

Board of Directors

Nicholas Cotz – Chair (email)

Joseph Guidetti – Treasurer (email)

Rich Hlinko – Board Member (email)

Sam Asoli – Board Member

Advisory Board

Jo Ann Levine

Micki LeVine

Emily Sproch

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We had a great 2012!! Here’s to you, for all your support. Have a fantastic 2013. We’ll see you at rogerandtom in March.

To view our full photo archives, click here.

Dear PST Supporter,

Thank you.

As you may know from our online newsletter, PST has been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. HERE Arts Center in New York City has chosen rogerandtom to be part of their 2013 Curated Rental Program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical support.  This is perhaps the greatest honor that has ever been bestowed on our company.  HERE is a major player in the world of new and experimental theatre; it has developed such acclaimed works as Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues and Basil Twist’s Symphonie Fantastique, both of which went on to become international sensations.

Here’s the thing:  We’ve been working on rogerandtom for a long time.  We’ve produced many versions of it, and chances are you’ve donated to this particular show before.  We’re proud of everything we’ve done with rogerandtom through the years, but we’ve always had a little case of the “if onlys.”  If only we could find the perfect space…If only we could get the right investor…If only we could afford a dynamite publicist…THIS SHOW COULD BE SUCCESSFUL ON A MUCH GRANDER SCALE.

Well HERE Arts Center is answering our “if only” prayers.

Many of you donated to our 2011 campaign to bring rogerandtom to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  IT WAS LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE REVIEWS WE RECEIVED IN SCOTLAND THAT WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED THIS ASTOUNDING OPPORTUNITY.  Each and every one of your past donations has been an integral part of getting rogerandtom to this point.

HERE is subsidizing this production, but it will still cost Personal Space Theatrics $22,000.  We implore you, our closest, most dedicated friends, to see this show through to the end.   The show begins on March 1st, so the time to act is NOW.

We wish you all the best in the coming year, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Critic reviews:

“rogerandtom is profoundly intelligent, hilarious, tragic, captivating from start to finish, and performed superbly throughout.” -Kathryn Moore, ThreeWeeks

“Julien Schwab may well be the next Luigi Pirandello.” -Tanjil Rashid, EdFringe Review

“I love theatre and I loved this.” -Ellen Marsh, EDFringe

Contact Us

Play development – playdev@personalspacetheatrics.org

Script submission – scripts@personalspacetheatrics.org
Resume submission – resume@personalspacetheatrics.org

Business matters - business@personalspacetheatrics.org

Website questions – webmaster@personalspacetheatrics.org

General information – info@personalspacetheatrics.org

If you prefer to contact us by US Mail, you can reach us at:
Personal Space Theatrics
PO Box 25916
Brooklyn, NY 11202-5916

And you can always leave us a voicemail at: (212) 802-4537