A: Is for The Amoralists

What does one do if you live an unconformable lifestyle and suddenly everything is put into turmoil? That is the subject matter of Derek Ahonen's The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, at PS 122. Set in present-day, Billy (James Kautz) is a journalist fighting for the rights of the oppressed. He is also a drug addict, and an alcoholic. Billy has 3 lovers: Wyatt (Matthew Pilieci) a manic depressive with anger issues, who is plagued with thoughts of death. He runs a Vegan café with Dear (Sarah Lemp), a former lawyer. Last but not least is Dawn (Mandy Nicole Moore) a teenage runaway who ran away from an abusive home life. Sex, free love, unconditional freedoms and substances are what make up this den of likable humans. Yes, they are flawed, but we care for them because they are honest about who they are. Enter Billy's brother Evan (Nick Lawson), a child of the establishment and just as hung up on their rules. In order to make him wake up Dawn gives herself to him and the dynamics are suddenly changed. Like the musical Rent, Donovan (Malcolm Madera)enters. He owns the building and has sold it for the big bucks leaving the entire group homeless, jobless and soon to be scattered. In a sense this story is the cliche of what happened and is still happening to the East Side and in a less dramatic way to New York. The play is funny at times if not a little long. The actors are full of energy and flesh out the characters so we know exactly who these people are. You see , we know them. They are our friends, the people we pass on the streets, the characters that at one time gave New York its depth and challenge the status quo. Presented by The Amoralists, it is fearlessness, intelligent, outrageous and real. Playing until June 28th this inventive show is a must see. Word of warning for those who are embarrassed by the naked form, three of them bare all for at least 10 minutes and that is a F.A.C.T.