A SURREAL, SKATER-RAP FEVER DREAM
I’m not going to lie—I am not the intended audience for Bowl EP. But make no mistake: this is a well-mounted, undeniably audacious performance that resonated strongly with the younger, hipper crowd around me on opening night.
Here’s what I know—and here’s what I saw.
Oghenero Gbaje and Essence Lotus
From a playwriting standpoint, Bowl EP isn’t so much a traditional play as it is an event, an experience—some might call it a living work of poetry. Written and directed by Nazareth Hassan, it defies genre in favor of sensation and style. It’s a co-production between three major Off-Broadway players: Vineyard Theatre and National Black Theatre in association with The New Group, currently running at the Vineyard’s space just east of Union Square Park.
Essence Lotus and Oghenero Gbaje
“Bowl” refers to a drained swimming pool, famously used by skaters in drought-stricken 1970s Los Angeles. “EP,” or extended play, is a music industry term—longer than a single, shorter than a full album. Together, Bowl EP presents skate culture that meets rap experimentation in an 80-minute, intermission-free performance—a kinetic zone of movement, rhythm, and chaos.
The set by Adam Rigg & Anton Volovsek transforms the usual proscenium Vineyard space into theater-in-the-round, with a fenced-in empty pool in the middle, surrounded by a plywood deck. It’s a physical environment that’s awesome to witness and confrontational in its intimacy.
Essence Lotus and Oghenero Gbaje
The performance unfolds in four parts:
Part One features 17 short scenes—or “tracks”—each with projected titles by Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor. The scenes center on two skaters, Kelly K. Klarkson (Essence Lotus) and Quentavius da Quitter (Oghenero Gbaje), whose friendship morphs into something intense, flirtatious, and jarring. The action is a hybrid of skating, banter, and physical intimacy—thumbs in mouths, kisses, slaps, choking, and the simple act of eating a banana, apple, and sandwich. Together, the tracks are visceral, episodic, and deliberately meandering.
Part Two begins with the duo dropping acid and encountering a life-sized Hello Kitty doll (yes, really), who goads them into a striking rap performance, expertly crafted by musician Judah “Free Fool” Girvan.
Essence Lotus and Oghenero Gbaje
Part Three introduces Lemon Pepper Wings, a demonic evolution of Hello Kitty (played with jaw-dropping commitment by Felicia Curry), who disembowels the two skaters and delivers a monologue so intense, it’s almost impenetrable, and ending with a poetic narration of the skaters’ future lives and success.
Part Four is a reset. After a lengthy clean-up of blood, guts, ping pong balls, and props by a three-member stage crew, we return to lighter moments—skating, riffing, and searching for a name for the duo’s rap group.
Oghenero Gbaje and Essence Lotus
Felicia Curry’s performance as Lemon Pepper Wings is a shocking revelation—feral, focused, and full-throttle. I’m still unsure of the meaning of what she was saying, but I couldn’t look away. Gbaje and Lotus bring nuance, sensitivity, and likeability to their roles as the skaters; their physical grace and chemistry together are undeniable.
The design work across the board is impressive. Costume designer DeShon Elem plays fluidly with gender expression and kitsch. Lighting designer Kate McGee employs an expansive vocabulary—rock concert movement, fluorescent tubes bumping on and off—propelling the energy forward. Sound designer Ryan Gamblin weaves in a textured landscape of abstract sounds, many echoing the scraping and rhythm of skating.
Oghenero Gbaje
Nazareth Hassan is a strikingly original artist with a unique, unfiltered vision. That said, I couldn’t help but wonder whether the piece might have benefitted from a co-writer or director/collaborator—someone to sharpen the ideas and question the more indulgent or esoteric impulses.
Still, whether you “get it” or not, Bowl EP commands attention. It may not always cohere, but it never bores. It’s unexpected and utterly its own—a bold experiment that, for many, will leave a mark.
Essence Lotus
photos by Carol Rosegg
Bowl EP
Vineyard Theatre, 108 East 15th St
co-production with National Black Theatre
in association with The New Group
ends on June 8, 2025 EXTENDED to June 22
for tickets, call 212.353.0303 or visit Vineyard Theatre
Vineyard Theatre on instagram, facebook, X, youtube
Gregory Fletcher is an author, a theater professor, a playwright, director, and stage manager. His craft book on playwriting is entitled Shorts and Briefs, and publishing credits include two YA novels (Other People’s Crazy, and Other People’s Drama), 2 novellas in the series Inclusive Bedtime Stories, 2 short stories in The Night Bazaar series, and several essays. Website, Facebook, Instagram.
