Review Fix Exclusive: Leah Bonvissuto Talks ‘Butcher Holler Here We Come’

Review Fix chats with director Leah Bonvissuto, who discusses her new production, “Butcher Holler Here We Come.”

Trapped in a 1973 Virginia coal mine, the show is lit only by the actor’s headlamps and they set the action around the audience. The show has been said to fuse the horror of The Shining with the tension of Mamet’s American Buffalo.

Butcher Holler plays July 24 through August 2nd at The Tank. For more information on the production. click here.

Review Fix: What makes this production special?

Leah Bonvissuto: Lit only by headlamp, the audience follows five miners as they traverse frightening depths and slowly lose their minds. If you’ve never seen an Aztec Economy production before, you’re in for a treat. Fierce acting and writing that is both rooted and poetic. But this production is particularly special because of how close the audience is to the action.

Review Fix: What was the casting process like?

Bonvissuto: Aztec Economy has worked real closely together for years and Casey Wimpee wrote the parts for each of the actors you see. The exception is one role which we’ve been lucky to have had multiple insanely talented actors take a stab at, each with their own unique take on the part and that role we’re running in rep. You do not want to miss any of the actors in that role, so definitely come multiple times. Working with the entire Butcher cast was like watching someone nestle into their own skin. Casey is so good at writing for a particular voice and energy and each actor rose to that and made it his own.

Review Fix: How is your cast unique?

Bonvissuto: Sheer fearlessness. The commitment that these actors make is incredibly powerful and continually blows my mind. Having traveled with the show for years, it’s in their bones, and they give it generously and openly to the crowd at each performance.

Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself through this process?

Bonvissuto: I would not like to be trapped in a mine. Really. Thought I’d be able to handle it but after directing this show, I’m firmly anti-mine.

Review Fix: What are your goals for the production?

Bonvissuto: We performed for miners in Cincinnati and made a girl faint in New Orleans. The guys have been to Maryland, Florida, Dallas and Beaumont Texas. Yeah, I think it’s time Butcher Holler comes to New York.

Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy it the most?

Bonvissuto: It’s not for the weak of heart, that’s for sure. It’s immersive. It’s dark. It’s a tad too close for comfort. It’s a visceral experience that you will never forget.

Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?

Bonvissuto: As that night we got stuck in a mine with five of the most fierce performers you will ever be that close to.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Bonvissuto: Arizona. West Virginia. This show just keeps going and going.