Press
The Ask:
“Aidem and Litchfield play off each other like expert musicians… [Tanner] seems vulnerable — more put-upon, more careful and equivocal (a moment in which they break down in tears when they think no one is watching is all too real). But their genuinely kind heart and deep integrity become a buoy when the waves get roughest.” — Sara Holdren, Vulture (Recommended Pick of the Week)
“Aidem and Litchfield make two absorbing combatants.” — Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times
"I don’t often talk about the actors first. Let me just start off by saying that both actors are divine. [The play] gives them both a plethora of opportunities to express the depth of their characters and transcend a presentation and become real people, locked in real human conflict, and involved in a beautiful dance of finding common ground and understanding… The acting is phenomenal. Colleen Litchfield (as Tanner, a young neophyte at fund raising) presented a striving vulnerability that kept the continuous feeling of on-shaky-ground and out-of-their-depth ever present. So much so that I’m sure I’m not the only audience member that wanted to give reassurance when they became overwhelmed and broke down. "
— David Walters, The Front Row Center (****1/2)
“Litchfield's smart but circumspect Tanner is the one who pierces your heart as they calmly try to navigate an impossible conversation that echoes debates on social media and at dinner tables across the country.” — Raven Snook, TimeOut New York (****)
"Litchfield matches [Aidem] with a performance that is just as sympathetic. A humble foot soldier, Tanner has no say in the strategy but still must march into the line of fire every day. A brief moment when Greta leaves the stage and Tanner melts into silent tears will certainly feel familiar to anyone who has worked a crappy public-facing job — or has felt restrained from speaking their mind… A surprise nail-biter. Excellent performances... Nothing distracts from the words in Freeman’s script, which are given the very best hearing in this production." — Zachary Stewart, Theatermania
Leopoldstadt:
Blackbird:
“Beautifully written, produced, and acted… a hard-hitting two-hander… the tension is unrelenting… grabs the audience by its collective throat and does not let go… Although not easy to take, it is theater at its best.” — Alec Clayton, Weekly Volcano
Colleen performing "When You're a Soldier in the Middle Age" in The Heart of Robin Hood.
The Heart of Robin Hood:
"The comedic highlight of the show, however, is a song-and-dance number at the beginning of the second act, "When You're a Soldier in the Middle Age," written specifically for this production by house composer Andrew Butler and choreographed by Tracy Bersley... It's a downright magical atmosphere, and the cast of "Robin Hood" use it to their advantage in this fresh and spirited take on the well-worn legend." -- Brian K. Mahoney, Chronogram
"David Farr’s 2011 play, directed by Suzanne Agins, turns the familiar legend on its feather-hatted head, and is all the more interesting for it... Drawing amusingly from influences as diverse as Shakespeare and the Little Rascals, the play contains a number of elements that this summer company is primed to knock out of the park." -- Ken Marks, The New Yorker
Colleen gave The Highlands Current a behind-the-scenes look at her transformation into The Green Man, an 11-foot puppet featured in The Heart of Robin Hood. Watch the interview here.
Awards:
Colleen won the 2017 SheNYC Festival Award for Best Leading Actor for her work in Charlotte Ahlin’s The Summoning. The production also took home Best Director for Emily Lyon and Best Production.
Promotional material for The Summoning.