Review Fix Exclusive: Monica Bauer Talks ‘Made for Each Other’

Review Fix chats with playwright and performer Monica Bauer, who discusses “Made for Each Other,” one of her two upcoming productions at Stage Left Studios in Manhattan, set for an eight-week engagement beginning February 7. Breaking down her creative process behind the production as well as experience with the cast and director, Bauer shares the moments that led to the birth of the piece and why she believes it’s a must-see.

Review Fix: How would you describe this production to someone who walked by the theatre and was interested?

Monica Bauer: “Made for Each Other” is on the surface, a play about gay marriage. But it’s really a play about love and the power of memory, and what family can do for you, and do to you. Vincent’s in his 50’s, and still hasn’t found “the one to keep.” Jerry proposes to him, after the third date, on the phone. It’s funny and sad and romantic, on the way to whether or not they’ll say “I do.”

Review Fix: What is this production’s most endearing quality? Why?

Bauer: Both Jerry and Vincent are guided by voices from their past, in their subconscious, and these voices come from two people the audience gets to meet: Jerry’s long-dead Italian immigrant Grandpa Damiano, and Vincent’s mother, slowly dying of Alzheimer’s, but in her son’s brain, still full of vigor and advice. Jerry’s relationship with his Grandpa D is unexpected and touching. Vincent’s relationship with his mother is complicated, and filled with mixed emotions. Seeing all four of them brought to life by one actor is a theatrical treat, and the way the stories intertwine makes for high comedy and tragedy in the same evening. Everybody cries, and everybody laughs, before it’s all over.

Review Fix: Who’s the target audience for this production? Why?

Bauer: It’s a play with gay men getting married, so everywhere we go the LGBT community has been supportive. We have a special relationship with the gay community, and also a special relationship with folks with Alzheimer’s in the family. Without giving too much away, Alzheimer’s is an important part of this story. I wrote it when my mother in law was suffering from Alzheimer’s, and we have fans in the community of care givers and family members touched by this. That said, anybody who’s ever been in love can find something to love in Made for Each Other.

Review Fix: What makes John Fico special as a performer?

Bauer: John Fico is, in my opinion, the best character actor in New York. But the minute I saw him perform with the Bats at the Flea Theater in 2008, I knew he could carry a play all on his own. He has a light inside him that makes audiences fall in love with him! So after making sure he was cast in several of my plays, I decided I’d write a solo show for him. John was willing to share some of his family stories with me, and although everything has been fictionalized, I used bits and pieces from his own life to make the play, particularly Grandpa Damiano. Because I knew what he could do, I was inspired to take these characters as far as they could go, which is pretty far, including a song and tap dance routine for Mother about Alzheimer’s that routinely stops the show!

Review Fix: What was your relationship like with the production’s director, John FitzGibbon?

Bauer: I was introduced to Fitz by a playwright pal of mine, who recommended him highly. I first asked him to direct a staged reading of one of my big full length plays, in 2008. When I got the opportunity to put Made for Each Other on its feet for the first time, in the 2009 One Man Talking Festival at EAT, I needed a director, and Fitz was my first choice. John FitzGibbon’s an actor’s actor, and one of the most intelligent and well-read people I know. As a director of new work, he respects the text. He’s been with the show every step of the way; he even came to the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe with us and ran our tech! He and John Fico have developed a special bond, and the three of us do feel as if we were all made for each other.

Review Fix: Why should someone check out this production?

Bauer: If you want to laugh and cry and learn something about love, whether that is love between two men or love between mothers and sons, or grandparents and grandchildren, you’ll want to see this. One great actor on a bare stage in the intimate Stage Left Studio, a theatrical magic act you can see, up close and personal.

Review Fix: How do you want this play to be remembered in terms of your legacy as a playwright?

Bauer: It’s a pretty tall order to write a solo show for one actor playing four parts on a bare stage, and make it work. But it only works insofar as people are moved emotionally by the journey. If anybody remembers this play, it will be because it made them feel something big and deep and wide about love.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 14262 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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