The Baby Monitor

Holiday gifts came early to the East Village this year: on Friday we caught a perfect performance of 36 Juniper at Teatro Circulo on East 4th Street, and tonight we were treated to a 5-star performance of Different Translation’s The Baby Monitor at The Theater at The 14th Street Y.

The story pits gay parents Damon (playwright David Stallings) and Philip (Héctor Matías) against their well-meaning but ill-informed caregiver Soledad (Greta Quispe) and cousin Claire (Amanda Jones), when Claire provokes Soledad to report the couple to child welfare services over what they consider to be too-open displays of sexuality.

“It’s about sexuality, not homosexuality,” Claire explains. “Damon parades his sexuality around like a medal. He always has.”

With Leo Goodman as Claire’s “in love with liberalism” husband, Josh, and Mel House as lesbian activist Shelly, director Antonio Miniño extracts perfect emotion from the cast for a show full of witty dialogue that has the audience laughing (“I love you. Leave.”), moaning (“Hard Bound’s some gay shit”) and cringing (“You don’t want to raise him bilingual”) at all the right moments.

Although billed as a “workshop” of the play, the production is over-qualified to be called such. So check it out now, while it’s still priced accordingly… then come back here and let us know whether you give it five stars, too—and why.

Your review can help others decide whether The Baby Monitor is worth listening in on, and your ratings help us help you find future performances you’re sure to love!