Aliens with Extraordinary Skills »

Dramatic Comedy / 2m, 2f, 2 either m or f

A dark comedy about a clown from the "unhappiest country in the world", Moldova, who pins her hopes on a US work visa. Chased by Homeland Security, a deportation letter deflates Nadia's enthusiasm and a pair of spike heels might be all it takes to burst her American Dream (or turn it into a nightmare...). New York City, with its special energy, seems like the perfect solution for her problems, but is it really? Luckily, Nadia is not alone in her journey: A Russian illegal immigrant, Borat, her fellow clown, tries to find his own path in the Big Apple, by working as a cab driver. Lupita, her Latina roommate, an exotic dancer and wanna-be actress, shows Nadia the tough side of the city. Meanwhile, Bob, an American washed-up musician finds himself in the relationship with the Moldovan girl. Aliens with Extraordinary Skills is based on true stories of immigration explored and fictionalized by a playwright who tries to understand her own story. The moral of the "fable" might be that - regardless our passport and native language - we are all "aliens" in search for love, understanding and a place to call "home".

"Saviana Stanescu's Aliens With Extraordinary Skills is an enchanting piece of theater...Ms. Stanescu's dialogue is flawlessly observant...the energy people talk about as New York's essence comes from all those newcomers' hopes and dreams in the air. Aliens pays tribute to that energy and at the same time radiates tons of its own." -The New York Times

"Saviana Stanescu introduces us to two remarkable, resilient young women; it's gratifying to find a smart and intriguing play like this one, not only created by females but also focused on a pair of memorable heroines...Stanescu takes the audience into territory that will be uncharted for most of them: the immigrant experience is presented here with candor and without a shred of romanticism." - Martin Denton, www.nytheatre.com

"A native Romanian, [Stanescu's] writing in English has more scrupulous care, more pure attention than someone to the grammar born. Aliens with Extraordinary Skills may feel just like a lark-there's understated silliness, a set of adorable strugglers and just the right thread of romance. But it's also a triumph of listening." -Time Out

"Whatever your stance on immigration, Stanescu's upbeat mood overwrites it...In a craigslist conversation, spoken smiley faces and all, we are all equal, and dressed up like a hamburger or soda, we are meant to be together, for we are all--especially this play--extraordinary." - Kül - That Sounds Cool