More Theatre Monday - Predictor

We received complimentary tickets to Predictor for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Predictor

Where: AMT Theater 

             354 W. 45th St.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 14 and Up Due to Subject Matter

When: Through December 28, 2025

Predictor is the story of Meg Crane, the inventor of the home pregnancy test. It not only details the battle she fought to bring her idea to fruition and get it to the marketplace, but also the appalling treatment of woman at the time who were not even supposed to have their own autonomy, let alone take the lead on a major scientific advancement. Thus, as was usually the case in those days, men ultimately managed to wrest control of and steal all the credit for the idea until now.  This show successfully restores credit where credit is due.

The show is savvily written by playwright Jennifer Blackmer and cleverly staged by director  Alex Keegan. Instead of following a linear timeline, the show frequently breaks out into amusing asides and fun tangents. It even slips into a game show format several times. Thus, it manages to hold the audience's attention and interest despite the majority of the male characters' infuriatingly chauvinistic attitudes and behavior towards Meg, which, unfortunately, is an accurate depiction of attitudes and behavior towards women at the time. 

The character of Jack Mullins, the man chosen to head up the project instead of Meg, is particularly chauvinsitic and thus, rage-inducing. He is brilliantly depicted by Eric Tabach, who really does a terrific job of raising the hackles of at least all the female members in the audience. Tabach also skillfully takes on several other roles. The rest of the ensemble also deftly takes on a variety of roles with ease and skill. 

The cast is led by Caitlin Kinnuen in the role of Meg Crane. Unfortunately, due to illness, she had to miss the performance that we attended. Instead, Lauren Molina stepped into the role with script in hand and only an afternoon's worth of rehearsal. Despite the short notice, her performance was heartfelt and inspiring. 

The show is surprisingly relevant to the present day,  a time when many people's attitudes and behavior are sliding back towards those of the archaic past rather than moving forward towards a better future. It reminds us to be vigilant in retaining the ground we have gained and to strive to keep moving forward regarding the rights and autonomy of all people rather than slipping backwards and allowing some people to be treated as less than others. 

And that's our view. For more about Predictor or to purchase tickets, visit www.predictorplay.com.

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Photo credits:

All Predictor original cast production photos by Valerie Terranova

Images used in this post were sent by publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission.  Address any concerns regarding image usage here.