Fireside Mystery Theatre: NYT Feature
Fireside Mystery Theatre was featured in an August 22, 2020, New York Times article entitled, 5 Podcasts to Bring Theater Into Your Home.
“In “Fireside Mystery Theater,” a troupe of actors and the host Ali Silva have come together once a month for nearly a decade to put on a delightfully stylized variation of the classic “old timey radio” tradition. The episodes feature sound effects, musical acts and a fully improvised score to bring the nostalgia to its fullest. Each play also brings a laugh and a chill as the group’s specialty is the eerie and macabre. Though the group has canceled live performances in the pandemic, delve into a rich catalog of serialized radio plays and loosely connected series, like the four-part journey of “Anita the Fortune Teller” or their current “All Aboard!” series (set on cross-country trains) are easy to binge.” —Phoebe Lett
Awards
Podcast: The Carrier
2023 Atlanta Fringe Festival: Best Sound and Musical Effects
Podcast: The Archives of H.A.N.D.
2022 Atlanta Fringe Festival: Most Creative
Podcast: The Divination of the Three
2022 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival: Fan Favorite
Podcast: All Aboard! The Smoking Car
2021 Hear Now Festival: Gold Laurel
Short Film: Meet Cute
2019 Austin Film Festival: Second Round (top 15%)
Short Film: Let Boys Be Boys
2018 Austin Film Festival: Second Round (top 15%)
Feature Film: Capacity
2017 Academy Nicholl Fellowships: Quarterfinalist (top 5%)
Theater: The Apocalypse of John
New York International Fringe Festival: Overall Excellence Award: Best Ensemble
Reviews
Feature Film: Capacity
"There are strong prospects for this script. It is a mind-bending psychological drama, with realistic characters that feel very human. The premise is captivating, and the plot is constructed to weave the subplots in and out, and together well."—The Blacklist
TV Pilot: Dead Calling
"With its spell books, order of mystics, bridges, vessels and binding rituals, the story world introduced in this pilot has an original, carefully wrought mythology that is suitable for the long-form narrative of television. This mythology is both intricate and vast and succeeds in sucking the audience in and laying the tracks for the rest of the season. The tone of the show is nuanced and varied. The narrative does not take itself too seriously and allows for some refreshing moments of humor."—The Blacklist
Theater: The Magic Jukebox: New York City World Tour
“Serious Theatre Collective’s comedy style perfectly matches the eclectic tone of the Fringe...the troupe provides a guaranteed good time."—Backstaged
"...if I could sing this review to you I would. That’s how passionately I loved this hilarious musical sketch comedy show from The Serious Theatre Collective. It is a tight, polished show with an outstanding ensemble...Magic Jukebox is loaded with unadulterated entertainment. The writing is spot-on, the music is snappy and the cast is absolutely fearless."—nytheater now
"BOTTOM LINE: This evening of musical sketch comedy is ready for primetime....these are the kind of ingenious, well-rehearsed and hilarious sketches that you wish you saw more of on Saturday Night Live...." —Theatre is Easy
Theater: Professor von Awesome's Ghost Hunting Safari
"....it's pure entertainment" —nytheater now
Theater: The Apocalypse of John
"a damned fun party." —TimeOut NY (critic's pick: 4 out of 5 stars)
Sketch Comedy: Superego
"While Superego belongs to the tradition of Monty Python, SCTV, and SNL, it never seems like a mere imitation of any of these seminal groups. Part of the show's freshness comes from the obvious theatrical background of the performers and writers. The writing smacks as much of latter-day absurdists like Christopher Durang or Tom Stoppard as of TV comedy..." —The Portland Mercury
"...Superego touches sketch-comedy greatness" —The Willamette Weekly