Emma Sheanshang’s Characters Fumble Toward Spiritual Enlightenment in ‘The Fears’

Each has endured a particular traumatic episode, or series of episodes, though rules at the New York City Buddhist center where they gather dictate these should not be addressed specifically.

Daniel Rader
Robyn Peterson, Kerry Bishe, Maddie Corman, Jess Gabor, Natalie Woolams-Torres, and Carl Hendrick Louis in 'The Fears.' Daniel Rader

It’s not easy to adopt a Zen approach to life in New York City. The handful of locals who gather regularly at a Buddhist center in Emma Sheanshang’s new play, “The Fears,” don’t have to tell you this; in the world premiere production, the first thing we hear is the roar of traffic. Moments later, the drilling starts, and during the 90-minute play we also hear sirens wailing, to say nothing of the profanity-pocked exchanges that unfold on the street.

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