Posted September 2, 2025
by John Soltes
GARRISON, N.Y. — Big plans are afoot for Hudson Valley Shakespeare. As one heads to the company’s property near the banks of the Hudson River, there are glimpses of a permanent structure being constructed on the premises. That should be opening up soon. As everyone waits in anticipation, a temporary, but no less effective, structure sits nearby. It’s here, beneath the magic of the tent, that HVS is currently presenting Octet, the most unusual and most wonderful musical by Dave Malloy.
Theatergoers from New York City probably know Malloy’s eccentric and off-beat work. He has been represented on Broadway with Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, and Octet premiered off-Broadway, earning rave reviews from critics.
Well, this chamber piece, which runs an intermissionless 100 minutes, has set up shop beneath HVS’s tent, and it’s every bit as marvelous as one would hope.
The show features eight characters who have assembled in a circle for a group therapy session about their addictions. They are painfully connected to their phones, and they have sought treatment to break from the destructive behavior. One person is obsessed with the refreshing of social media, while another person can’t get enough of “candy” games. Sure there are mentions of the naughty aspects of internet life, but this is not a treatise on the ethics of pornography. Instead, it’s an examination of how so many people feel alone while searching through the glowed text and images of internet searches. Perhaps all they need is a sense of community.
The songs in Octet are presented a cappella style, and they are glorious to behold. There are solo numbers where each cast member has a chance to share their character’s deepest, darkest secrets, but there are also group songs that allow for wondrous harmonizing and cascading recitations.
There’s an intimacy to Octet that is heightened in HVS’s unique surroundings. Having the action play out beneath the tent and atop a stage of sand seems appropriate. Visitors are never too far away from the “octet” and feel almost like a ninth member. It doesn’t hurt that the musical begins in the waning light of a Hudson Valley sunset and ends in near-darkness, with the nearby woods serving as a fitting backdrop.
The cast is uniformly excellent, with each member receiving a chance to show off some excellent singing and acting skills. Luis Quintero, a mainstay at HVS and subject of a Hollywood Soapbox profile last year, is particularly powerful in the show. Ditto for Anand Nagraj and Alexis Tidwell, who are both standouts. It’s also a pleasure to have Jill Paice, a Broadway alum, appearing beneath the tent this year.
Octet is a strong finish to an expansive calendar of summer programming for HVS. The musical is one of the strongest original pieces in recent memory, and this new production, directed by Amanda Dehnert, knows how to leverage the strengths of the piece for a somber and effective retelling — all beneath the tent on a cool summer’s evening.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Octet, directed by Amanda Dehnert, features music, lyrics, book and vocal arrangements by Dave Malloy. Starring Adam Bashian, Melissa Mahoney, Gunnar Manchester, Anand Nagraj, Jill Paice, Mia Pak, Luis Quintero and Alexis Tidwell. Running time: 100 minutes with no intermission. Performances continue through Sunday, Sept. 7, at Hudson Valley Shakespeare in Garrison, New York. Click here for more information and tickets.