Helpful Links (in relation to Mac Wellman and avant garde theatre)

September 27, 2011 at 12:33 am

After our conversation on Mac Wellman, I would love to share information and links to some avant garde theatre artists (especially in dance theatre) who have immensely inspired me.  Here’s a list:

1. Pina Bausch, who created the Tanztheater Wuppertal in Germany, is famous for having created a beautiful relationship between dance and theatre.  Here is a link to her website: Pina Bausch.  If you’ve ever seen Pedro Almodovar’s “Talk to Her,” two of her famous dances appear at the beginning and end of the film (it’s a great film if you haven’t seen it!).  She also has a film that was just released in Europe called “Pina,” (excellent overview of her life’s work).  Her work is easily searchable on youtube.

2. Robert Wilson is another avant garde gold mine.  “Einstein on the Beach,” one of his more famous pieces we studied in drama lit, is only one of his many amazing achievements.  Here is a youtube link to his piece called, “Shakespeare’s Sonnets”: Robert Wilson.  There are many more videos online.  I watched a new documentary about him ad his life’s work (which started in the Judson Church Postmodern Dance scene) called “Absolute Wilson.”  It can be found on Netflix.

3. Marie Chinourd is a choreographer from Montreal who I love!  Her work is hypersexual and provocative.  I’m providing two links: The first is “Body Remix,” a piece which is a few years old, and the second is “Le Trous du ciel,” a newer piece I actually just stumbled upon researching her for this post!

4. Philippe Genty is a dance theatre puppet artist whose work I saw in Paris.  UNBELIEVABLE.  Here is the link to his work I saw in France: Philippe Genty.  He also has a website.

5. Lastly, I want to bring up Martha Clarke an artist who I recently stumbled upon.  Her work is brilliant and multi faceted, pulling from several different genres and forms.  I bring her up is because she has a new piece coming to Arts Emerson in November called “Angel Reapers.”  I’ve attached the link to the show information, so get tickets!!!  It’s a collaboration with playwright Alfred Uhry about the American Shaker movement.  It looks fascinating and I will be getting tickets (anyone want to join?).

I should also note that Laurie Anderson, who many of you know as the creator of “Free Fall,” from Freshmen 1st Semester Movement, is performing some of her theatre work at Arts Emerson this weekend.  I’m going Sunday, so definitely let me know if you’re interested in joining.  Here’s the link: Laurie Anderson

Most of this information I acquired from word of mouth and an insatiable curiosity.  Youtube has been my best friend in exploring the work of these artists, so consider sitting down for an hour once a week and just letting keywords move you through your online search of these artists, the folks who have inspired them and the artists who are emerging as their successors.  Bonne chance!

By sbmeyers | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Beauty in the Silence

September 26, 2011 at 11:29 pm

sweetandsad11newsLast week when I read Mac Wellman's Antigone, I had a hard time deciphering why I couldn't connect with the piece. Following our discussion in class, I realized how much I must relish each part of the play's puzzle, as everything is integral. Even just hearing the words aloud helped to better bring the story to my mind's eye. But one of the things in our discussion that intrigued me most was the reference to the play's silences. We live in a culture where silences are seldom savored, so to allow myself to accept and enjoy the silences of the play opened up a whole new way of reading.

This weekend I saw a fantastic film called Drive directed by Nicholas Winding Refn. There are maybe 25 lines of dialogue, at most, in the entire film and the rest is made up of visuals and sound.  I found such a deep appreciation for the silences in the movie after our discussion. Unlike Malick's The Tree of Life, which is also comprised of little dialogue, Refn's film is a MUST SEE!

Now that I've plugged my latest cinematic love, I will bring the subject of silence to more theatrical relevance. As the entire world is well aware, earlier this month we commemorated the 10th anniversary of September 11th. Over the last 10 years, playwrights have struggled to deal with the turmoil of the events of September 11th, and many have not been able to find the words. However, this month two plays are premiering (for very short runs) that attempt to expose the beauty of "not knowing what to say when the impulse is still to keep talking". Richard Nelson's Sweet and Sad and Jonas Hassen Khemiri's Invasion! have been long in the process of coming to fruition, but both playwrights needed the silence to better understand the beauty of not knowing what comes next. We live in a culture where silences are deafened by cell phones, televisions, cars, radios, ipods, trains, planes, etc. And when we're not being effected by outside sounds and noises, we're creating the lack of silence ourselves. There's a great fear in the silence, but also an excitement. Though I haven't seen either of these productions, I wish I could because the whole concept of trying to fill the void is enticing me these days. What if we just stopped. For a minute or two.

Anyway, check out the NYTimes Arts Beat blog above, and if you get a chance to make it to the movies this weekend, go see Drive!

By mcherzog | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

1 Festival, 1 Playwright, 37 Plays, 37 Languages…

September 26, 2011 at 11:21 pm

Ever wake in the middle of the night wondering what Shakespeare's "Cymbeline" would sound like in Juba Arabic or pondering the effect of the Polish language on a production of Macbeth? Well, find yourself a plane ticket to London NOW (some of you might already be there)! Starting April 23 (Shakespeare's birthday), at The Globe Theatre in London and lasting for six weeks the "Globe to Globe" festival consists of 37 different versions of Shakespeare's plays performed in 37 different languages. Representing the United States in this festival is the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre who will be performing a hip-hop version of "Othello". Along with Chicago's Othello there will be, among others, "the Merry Wives of Windsor" performed in Swahili, all three parts of "Henry VI" performed collectively by the national theaters of Serbia, Albania and Macedonia and "Love's Labor's Lost" performed in British Sign Language. In preparation for the 2012 olympic games London seems to have already outdone itself in international spectacle as people from around the globe gather to admire the work of one of the world's most influential playwrights and celebrate the human experience.

By lumiere1 | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids

September 26, 2011 at 10:25 pm

Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids Flea Market

Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids Flea Market

Growing up, I was always an activist for Broadway Cares: Equity Fights Aids. In high school, it seemed as if every thespian event or conference I attended was raising money to support BCEFA. I use to organize fundraisers and events by the dozen...But as we grow up and our lives get busier, we sometimes forget about the bigger picture.

Every fall, Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids sponsors the annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction to raise money for this unbelievable cause. The first street fair took place in 1987, and raised a total of $12,000. Some twenty years later, this event is back and bigger than ever, raising a grand total of $547,658. This festival, which took place on Sunday, September 25th, played host to both live and silent auctions, street vendors, raffles, autographs/ signings, and live performances...All of this to serve a single purpose: To bring theatre lovers together for a wonderful cause and for the greater good. In the past two decades (and still going strong), Broadway Cares has successfully managed to raise roughly $9,185,327. That is simply unbelievable...It really shows what a group of artists can accomplish together. It makes me feel like I’m a part of something that has taken on a life of it’s own (even if I wasn’t there this past Sunday to put in my two cents...

Tim Viola, who currently serves as the executive director of the Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids program said, “It's wonderful to see so many Broadway Cares supporters and theatre fans from all over the country, and exhilarating to witness such extraordinary efforts by New York's theatre community — from Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, unions, guilds, theatre offices and other theatre-related businesses — who work so hard in the weeks leading up to this event...”

Aside from your average posters, buttons, and show memorabilia, the program organizes numerous opportunities for bidders and theatre lovers alike. Walk on roles for Broadway Shows (including full hair and make up), front row tickets to upcoming opening night productions, and visits to the sets of the hottest shows on television (Modern Family and SNL to be more specific!) were all up for auction.

Reading about the festival was just such a lovely reminder of how much we can accomplish when we set our mind to it. Many moons ago, this was just a little fundraiser, perhaps a car wash or a bake sale. It is our passion as artists and our love for the theatre that has made this possible. And will continue to do so for years to come...

By laynek | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Past Crossword Puzzles for Future Theatre Artists

September 26, 2011 at 9:56 pm

After I began doing research for our Modern Adaptations of Antigone project, I found myself hooked on the Arts Beat Blog. As an INCREDIBLY devout fan of Sondheim and ALL of his works, I found myself drawn to this article. On the surface, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the world of Theatre. The only thing that even bares a resemblance is Sondheim's name. However, the article was incredibly intriguing. In this day and age, Theatre is so commercial. It just wants to make money. Very rarely do I see theatre in New York or at a major venue when I think, "Wow...that's why I'm an artist..." To me, it always seems to be lack that brilliant, smart air about it. This article reminded me of a time when words were spun like gold. Sondheim truly has a knack for devising his very own worlds. His words breathe life into people and places that have changed the face of theatre. It was unbelievable to read an article that was simple Sodheim and his words. He found a way to manipulate his words into complicated mind games and puzzles that really challenged its readers and viewers. I will forever seek out theatre that establishes that sense of play while still presenting challenges and obstacles...

By laynek | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Realism vs. Whatever the fuck this contemporary stuff is

September 26, 2011 at 9:39 pm

ATM Article!

at_sept11_williams_contempo_opener_web

I found this article on the tcg website reviewing a recent production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire at the Comedie-Francaise in Paris. This production was directed by Lee Breuer, a fellow art provocateur during the 1970's with Philip Glass, and involved Japanese silk screens, american biker motifs, Stanislavski and Meyerhold acting styles, as well as the company's first female artisitc director in its over 300 years of existence, WOW! So, how does this all relate to New Orleans in the 1940s? I'm getting to that. Apparently, Muriel Mayette, now artistic director at the Comdedie-Francaise, thought Breuer the perfect director to debut their first american play ever performed in their main house. Ms. Mayette said she had chosen Breuer because "he is a truly great dramaturg," a master at reinterpreting classics through a contemporary lense, and the perfect challenge for her acting troupe.

My first reaction to seeing production photos was "WTF?!" At first glance it looked like way too many cooks in one kitchen. Yes, Tennessee Williams' work is FULL of images, metaphors, motifs and symbols that could place any director in a "candy shop" atmosphere. However, there is a limit that I have as an audience member for how many images I can take before the story loses it's heart, and I start focusing on the pretty stage pictures. I saw Streetcar when it was produced at Intiman Theatre in Seattle a couple years ago, and I was blown away. It was true to the time, the set and music and costumes screamed french quarter to me, I ate it all up. So I guess my perception of this particular work is clouded by my perception of my first experience with it. Ever since I started taking an interest in acting, the majority of director's that I've worked with have been all about telling the story through the lens of the actors and the work, not the set or the costumes, or the design elements. I firmly believe that some of the best theatre I have ever seen has been with my best friends in a rehearsal space on a late weeknight before auditions. On the other hand, I am one to be dazzled by broadway sparkle and grandeur, but only if it serves the storytelling. Seeing this radical re-imagining of my beloved classic, I was somewhat offended. Why isn't the original story good enough, I wonder. Why do you have to add Japan and motorcycles and gorillas and silk screens to make the story accessible to a contemporary audience? The thing I love about Steetcar is how raw it is in it's illustration of how people are able to destroy each other. The human flaws of each of these characters made me fall in love with them, not the design.

The thing that puzzled me most about this article was the fact that the author thought these design elements actually made the characters and storytelling the centerpiece of the production, rather than an add on. So, here we go, how do I unpack this? The article mentioned that Breuer, and his co-creator Basil Twist, are both Japan fanatics and well educated in Japanese puppet art and silk screen storytelling. Breuer was well aware in his execution that the Comedie-Francaise is a very heightened and formalistic space and that the French apparently have a Japanese/Ornate traditional/formalistic fascination. I found the more I read the more intrigued I was as to what his reasons were for each artistic choice. It wasn't that the article completely won me over to Breuer's artistic vision, it more opened my eyes to the possibility  that each of his choices were made for the benefit of the audience he was directing for. In order for Streetcar to be received by the audience of the Comedie-Francaise, Breuer and his design team had to make stylistic as well as artistic choices in order to make connections between the french quarter or New Orleans in the 1940s, and one of the most prestigious, traditional french playhouses in Paris. Of course there must be some changes made to bridge the gap between the well known film version of american stereotypes to a modern, heightened, european sensibility. I understand the idea of Breuer being a great dramaturg, because he always keeps his audience in mind. His goal as a director is to assist the playwright by playing to the audience that will be receiving his work. I'm not saying I would be able to see Breuer's production and understand every artistic choice he was making and why, or that I would prefer his production to the Intiman production. I'm coming away from this article more able to sit through said production with an open mind. I'm willing to consider that there is a legitimate and fabulous reason for any artistic choices as long as they are in the interests of making the play accesible to the audience.

By lehuggin | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Revitalizing Theatre through new forms

September 26, 2011 at 9:38 pm

Lately I have been thinking a lot about form. How can the form of a play help to tell its story? How is changing form vital to keeping theatre relevant? This is something that I’ve been contemplating recently as a playwright and something that I think is also relevant to dramaturgy, as the dramaturge must fully understand the world of the play and the reasons for the choices that the playwright has made in order to be an advocate for the Piece. Also, the dramaturge must push for theatre to affect its audience as much as possible.
For our last class we read Mac Wellman’s adaptation of Antigone. He uses unconventional, poetic text layered with movement to tell his story. He encourages collaboration from everyone involved. He gives suggestions for dances but leaves it to the company to choreograph them, he provides imagistic stage directions rather than literal ones that can be read aloud or not as the director/ other collaborators see fit. He provides a tapestry of wonderfully specific images for those creating the piece to work with. He engineers that the text is but a layer in the performance. Interestingly the word text, which we now think of as only words, comes from the same root as textile, or a weaving together. Mac Wellman owns this concept in his work. His embracing of this concept involves everyone fully in the creation process in an engaging way. He ends his play by declaring that it is the end, but acknowledging that “Some may not think so.” Thereby inviting the audience to be collaborators in their own experience. In fact he demands this of them throughout by providing specific, visceral images, but requires that the audience create a way to string them together, they must play close attention to connect them all. In his interview with Carrie Hughes, Wellman discusses how the gods are not an actual concept for us the way that they were for the ancient Greeks. He declares that now we believe in logic as the given, so he uses the play’s form to upend our logic, thereby providing a potentially similar experience to the Greeks having their notions of god upended and examined. So although Wellman’s form is radically different from Sophocles’, perhaps he reaches modern audiences in a way that is very faithful to the original.
Mac Wellmans’ Antigone is a very important play to me because of its engagement with the audience. I feel like in today’s world theatre makers/ artists need to be very specific about the things that are vital about theatre that film and TV cannot capture. What is unique and necessary about live performance? To me, a large part of the answer is direct and active engagement with the audience: The shared experience of engaging, analyzing, being emotionally or mentally effected, and creating community through and because of these things.

By sdecker | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Theatre Outside Verbal Description?

September 26, 2011 at 9:20 pm

Humpback Whale Calf

Humpback Whale Calf. Photographed by Bryant Austin.

You knew it wouldn't be long before I did a blog post about whales, but before you discount this as the ravings of a marine lunatic, please, good friends, read on. To me the things that pull at my heart and conscience (such as life in the ocean) are inextricably linked to what I must do as a theatre artist. Thus, in my research of the link between marine life and the arts, one particular organization has caught my eye:

The Marine Mammal Conservation Through the Arts (MMCTA) works to photographically "document and communicate whales on their scale, sharing our results with children, adults, and policy makers who have had no reason to be moved by whales or their plight." In this way MMCTA hopes to induce empathy and awe for a creature that for the bulk of the population is only represented by "words, numbers and statistics." The photographs, taken by Bryant Austin, are indeed displayed in full "whale-scale."

In class we have talked about opening plays to other realms, most specifically the realm of images and sound. Here I present a potential spring-board for delving into a realm of theatre that deals in experience and emotion beyond our current grasp as human beings.

Austin seeks to "exhibit a reality that defies verbal description and remains outside our awareness." To me, this seems a theatrical rallying cry. When I think of educational theatre, I get a bad taste in my mouth, but here is the potential for a theatrical medium which would stomp on the preconceived notions of "educational theatre." I asked myself immediately, "Why isn't theatre doing this? Why just photography?" This seems to me a jewel out of which can be born a kind of educational, biological theatre that is not corny or boring or stifled or overt. I think about expanding our exploration beyond the human condition-- what are the effects of the human condition? In this case the effect of the human condition is the pain and suffering of a creature far beyond our grasp intellectually and emotionally. We have exploited these beings negatively, how can we seek forgiveness? Sometimes theatre is exploitation. How can we put that exploitation of pain and suffering (in this particular case of whales) to positive use?  Perhaps in this way we will discover experience that is universal in a very broad sense of the definition.

Please check out these links for further information and context!

Marine Mammal Conservation Through the Arts

Austin Bryant: Short film + Interview

We Are Listening

By geawill | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Women in Comedy: Separation, or Special Treatment?

September 26, 2011 at 8:34 pm

British newspaper the Guardian’s online “Culture” page is on my daily blog roundup (for lack of a better name for my news-mongering internet habit) as the stop I make to get a more global view of the arts. If I feel something’s been a cultural trend in the U.S. for several days, weeks or months, I can check the Guardian for a broader and decidedly more British perspective on the topic. I clicked ahead to the “Stage” section of the “Culture” page today, looking for a theatre-specific bit of news that piqued my interest to respond to on this DramaLit blog. I scrolled down the page, noting pieces about a dearth of soccer-centric plays and a new London production called One Man, Two Guvnors – all awfully, unapologetically British. Not bad or uninteresting by any means, but difficult to draw parallels to as a student of the American theatre and arts. Then I came across a seemingly author-less piece jammed into the middle of the web page, titled “The lack of female comics is no joke” – I vociferously seconded that and clicked on the linked title to read the article. You can get to it by clicking here.

I arrived at a short article by one Jane Martinson, but not on the Guardian’s “Culture” page or “Stage” blog: the article is apparently part of the Guardian’s “Life & Style” section, and is posted in “The Women’s Blog.” Yes, this article about female comedians and actresses is actually separated from all other pieces of the Guardian’s reporting on culture, and is actually posted on a separate hidden-away blog that is actually called “The Women’s Blog.” Well jeez, forget whatever else the article was about! How are any of us supposed to have a meaningful discussion about the separation of women from men in comedy if the topics of debate are hidden away in places that only women are “meant” to look? Why can’t this blog posting be in the Guardian’s “Culture” section, with all the other articles about theatre, acting, and every other art in between? All the other recent articles/blog postings about comedy that I could find link directly to their own pages which are still listed as being a part of the “Culture” and “Stage” sections of the Guardian. Apparently, the lack of female comics is some sort of joke – or, at the very least, one the Guardian feels only women will knowingly understand.

Jane Martinson’s brief article goes on to discuss the apparent recent upswing of funny women on stage and screen, while highlighting the fact that these women seem to be taking more hits than ever. An all-female stand-up comedy competition named Funny Women is also mentioned; the competition is in its eighth year, but has lost much of its monetary sponsorship and is floundering. Martinson asked questions that matter, but that seemingly have no definite and concrete answers. But, here’s one idea that the articles complete separation from the rest of the Guardian’s arts news brings to my mind - perhaps the issues facing female comedians today come from the fact that they are seen as female first: before anything else, they are women, and must be separated and given different attention than everyone else. Is this special treatment getting us women on stage and screen anywhere? Or is it just widening the gap between us and the male-centered comedy world?

By obarresi | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Someone Else’s View

September 26, 2011 at 8:07 pm

Over the summer, my sister and I spent a week at the Prague Quadrennial in the Czech Republic.  Each country had an exhibit and then the students of each country had an exhibit as well.  They were all so interesting, but one of my favorites was Romania.  Their exhibit was entirely devoted to the idea of “art as sacrifice”. Dumitru Staniloaie, a Romanian Eastern Orthodox priest once stated that, “For the Romanian people, the one who sacrifices himself becomes a fountain that quenches their thirst or renews their power of life. So, in the Romanian culture, building a church (or, more precisely, a monastery) and digging a fountain are the most noble and generous deeds, and through that they are tied to the idea of sacrifice or a total overcoming of the self from the one who performs them.”

Along with this statement from the now deceased theologian, Romania’s exhibit further explained their use of “art as sacrifice” in the following passage. “We propose a transformation of the idea of sacrifice understood as an instrument of creation. Any authentic relationship involves renewal through sacrifice, and this sacrifice provides a spiritual life. It is life, not death. Sacrifice takes us into the mystery of creation through the permanent fountain that comes from love and giving. The idea of giving is based on almighty love, giving love, a love that is beyond the artist, beyond the creator. It is the state of being of an artist who, by building and sacrificing, fulfils himself fully through his creation and becomes one with eternity.”

I remember reading this passage standing in front of their exhibit.  It caught my breath.  I remember reading it over multiple times, just trying to grasp everything it was saying.  I thought it was so unabashedly beautiful, that they viewed art as a gateway to immortality.  This idea of sacrifice and of a love that is beyond the artist and the creator, that it is really about giving something, about giving love.  That we have to sacrifice in order to create something bigger than ourselves, and not just sacrifice time and space, but parts of our soul, body and mind.  I never even viewed my art through this lense, and I know I need to reexamine it.  And in reexamining my experience at the Prague Quadrennial, realizing how many gifts I was given and which ones I took to heart and which ones I set aside.  I know I have let myself get in the way of my own work, whether it was vanity, self-consciousness or just ignorance, but I know I can try to take a step towards sacrifice, to “a total overcoming of the self”.   It will be an interesting journey.

Looking back on my notes from the festival, I remembered how often I forget that there is so much art outside of America that I really never think about.  There is so much going on right now all over the world in regards to art that it is overwhelming!!!  So I leave you with just a few other rubies I found at the festival that I really enjoyed.

Here is the entire description of the Romania exhibit.

Here is possibly one of the COOLEST OPERAS EVER!!!!  They did Andre Chenier this past summer and the design was amazing!!!  Its the Bregenzer festival and almost everything on the set moved.  The Andre Chenier has a huge Marat head which detaches from the neck to reveal a stack of books that the actors play on.  The eyes open and close, a knife comes in and out of the water to stab him, spikes come out of his face, and the book he holds moves across the water while the performers sing!  It is amazing.

Here is a link to the Ruhrtiennale which is a festival that creates new art in old and abandoned spaces such as former coal mines and steel works.

EXPLORE THE WORLD.

By ofine | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Around ‘The Clock’

September 26, 2011 at 7:07 pm

Hey everyone,

So I was telling my mom about our dramaturgy class last week and was explaining the vastness of the position. She, like many of us at the beginning of the course, thought that dramaturgy was solely about researching the time period surrounding the piece. I attempted to explain the many facets and limitless duties of a dramaturg and she was very surprised. She then asked me if I had heard of the new exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts called "The Clock". She thought the art work directly related to the work of a dramaturg, in a sense. She briefly explained "The Clock" to me and after doing some of my own research, this new installation sounds really cool.

"The Clock" was created by artist Christain Marclay who has been exploring the overlap of fine arts and media for 30 years. The piece of art took two years to complete with the help of several research assistants. His goal was to find movie clips that featured any type of clock, countdown, wrist watch etc. He compiled these thousands of clips and strung them together in motion with an actual clock. The video then becomes a 24 hour, all day, all night, loop of various movie clips expressing the present time in which you are watching the art work. Every minute of the day is accounted for through these media clips. It is a cinematic speed through of varying characters, settings, plots, moods, styles, genres, legendary actors...

Now, I haven't seen this exhibit yet (which by the way cost the MFA about $250,000 to install) but I feel like getting over there as soon as I can to see what clip he found for 7:46 pm or 8:35 pm or even 5:24 am! I can't imagine how tedious this process was to create. Critics say there is a perfect synchronization between clips and the video as a whole is an amazing cinematic survey. In a way my mom was correct, this piece of art contains a wealth of dramaturgical meat to grill through each hour for 24 hours. I can't stop thinking about how innovative this project is and how it is a highly creative look at the art of time. Audience members will no longer just look at a clock to receive the given time and process how long they have until their next task is but rather they are experiencing a clock in the most profound way. They are forced to spend endless amounts of TIME  in order to value  TIME all while being reminded what TIME it is in the world. I think it's such an awesome way to push the boundaries of what art really is. In a way this exhibit has opened my mind up to the possibilies of the fine arts just as my idea of the dramaturg was carved out a bit more in the last three weeks.

I think we all need to go see this exhibit as soon as we have the TIME. Which, as we all know far too well, can be hard to come by these days...

"The Clock," which was first seen in New York and London, is here at the MFA for a limited amount of TIME - until Oct. 10th. There is a 24 hour open screening on Sunday Oct. 9th starting at 4pm and ending on Oct 10th at 4pm.

If you want more information this video is a great BBC cover story of "The Clock" when it was in London, Nov 2010.

By dkeohane | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Attempting to Change the Way I Read Things, View People, etc. etc.

September 26, 2011 at 3:02 pm

So I read this interview/article in ArtsBeat with John Lithgow. He’s one of my favorite actors and he has a new book coming out called, “Drama: An Actor’s Education,” so I thought I’d definitely find something interesting/inspiring/something to really just comfort me. Instead, I found that his life and approach to acting are so different from mine, and I became disturbed…at first. So the article starts out praising Lithgow not only for his career but for his amiability, his intelligence, etc. not to mention a new Broadway show (in which he’ll play famed journalist Joseph Alsop) and upcoming book. Okay, he’s in his ‘60’s, the man’s allowed to be impressive. Then came his early life biography which included an actor-manager father (Arthur) who was the artistic director for the McCarter Theatre (no big deal…) where Lithgow began performing at age 2. Okay… now I feel old and behind at age 21. Like, really behind. So, Lithgow goes to Harvard (again, no big deal…) and pals around with Tommy Lee Jones, Al Gore, Stockard Channing, Terrence Malick, etc. and switches his focus from painting to acting when he receives a standing ovation for a performance in a student production. Wow, am I far behind in my career already or what?

The article then talks about the role of “deception” in Lithgow’s life and career—how he pretended to be crazy to draft-dodge in the late-‘60’s, his numerous affairs with co-stars during his first marriage, and his belief that, “Acting at its best is all about deceiving people, and this makes it all the more interesting to us.” Okay, so he sort of lost me there. Affairs, draft-dodging, I can forgive/understand/accept. But deception? Is that all we’re doing? I’m doing? Lithgow says he learned to deceive-act by moving around a lot as a kid: “There’s no way you can’t learn to be an actor if you’re going to move that many times. You’re always playing to an audience, trying out a new role and winning them over just to save yourself — to save your sanity.” My experience has been so different—does that make it less valid? Just because he’s a 2-time Tony winner, 2-time Academy Award-nominee who graduated Harvard and whose theatre and film resume kind of make Robert DiNiro look like a punk?

I have a tendency to think that everyone else is doing things right and I’m behind the curve somehow. I’m trying to break myself of this habit. So, instead, I’m taking this article/interview as something interesting to consider—a fun addition to the world of strange knowledge swimming in my head that might one day become useful to me somehow—rather than the word of God. In the end, I did find something we share in common; the notion that, as he puts it, “One of the things you learn as an actor is that human beings are capable of almost anything. I’m sort of in the business of illustrating that fact.” Human beings are capable of anything—great or terrible—and it doesn’t matter how they get there and how it differs from the next guy, just that they get there uniquely, boldly, and with joy.

By ccleary7 | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (2)

Ahh Yes. Another National Issue.

September 25, 2011 at 9:33 pm

Nicholas Hytner has led the National Theatre to a success that is the envy of American theatres. Photograph: Linda Nylind

Nicholas Hytner has led the National Theatre to a success that is the envy of American theatres. Photograph: Linda Nylind

So I saw a post on the Guardian's website that reminded me greatly of one of our initial "what is dramaturgy" talks. Having worked for a small theatre back home, I am extremely interested in what makes audiences want to support a theatre? And how in the hell do we get people out seeing shows without patronizing them? So in class we were talking about a national theatre, or a lack of one in the United States rather. This article, which addresses why a national theatre works so well in Britain yet has failed to do any sort of ANYTHING in the U.S. got me both angered and quite frankly, ready to start my career in the UK. The article talks a lot about how the National Theatre doesn't try so damn hard to appeal to the common marketplace, and in doing so, original, bold works like "War Horse" have been created. Every time I think about a U.S. show like Shrek the Musical or Billy Elliot, all I can think is that they're probably turning a lot of the public AWAY from theatre because these shows end up being so ridiculously pointless. Thus, a cycle is created... the more commercial we get, the more the public hates it, so we go even more commercial. But here, blogger David Cote talks about how the National Theatre's success stems not from trying to appeal to the public, but from taking genuine artistic leaps.

I've always wondered why it seems like the British are so much more invested in their theatre than Americans are. I really do believe we produce some comparable stuff, but it's just so inaccessible. It seems as if their culture continues to accept theatre because it is so rooted in the tradition, where in America it feels like every artistic form is just so fleeting. But all I can do is keep grappling with the question -- WHAT can I do to make theatre more of a lasting tradition in America's roots? How in the hell can I get my country to care about it the way Britain does??!?! I feel very committed to this cause, and dying to offer myself to any leadership position that may initiate change.

And my last thought is that I wonder if it all goes back to government. It reminds me of our whole non-profit discussion, and the difference in funding between British and American theatre. I think it's a big big BIIIGGG issue in the progress of theatre, how our country goes about supporting things and spending it's money. Ugh. Almost as if whatever the government decides to spend it's money on is the only thing that matters at all anymore.

By bsands91 | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

How Much Are You Worth?

September 25, 2011 at 7:35 pm

Tickets for Les Misrables at the Kennedy Center:$39.00 to $139.00.

Tickets for Book of Mormon on Broadway: $69.00 to $477.00.

Tickets for A Bright New Boise at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: $55.00 to $67.50.

Tickets for Porgy and Bess at American Repertory Theatre: $25.00 to $120.00.

Tickets to In The Red Brown Water at Company One: $15.00 to $38.00.

Wow, what?

Listed above are the Saturday night ticket prices to a few select shows at varying "levels" of theatre. I tried to get a good combination of commercial theatres, big name theatres, regional theatres and smaller regional theatres to see the differing options.

Now if I'm being completely honest here, the only ticket prices I'd pay for these shows would be $25 for Porgy and Bess and up to that much for In The Red Brown Water. Now you might tell me, "But wait, Danny, all of these theatres have options that allow for at least the possibility of a lowered price, and some even make it very easy to get that lower price, especially for students and young-people." "Yes," I would agree, "but if they make it easy, why charge so much in the first place?"

Of course I take advantage of these discounted prices. Woolly Mammoth offers $15 tickets to all of its performances, plus two Pay-What-You-Can performances for every show that are always PACKED. Company One has what I think is an epic student subscription package that's only $50, though I've never taken advantage of that because dropping more than $20 at a time is a hard choice for me. Broadway of course has lotteries and TKTS and almost every regional theatre has some sort of discount. However if these theatres are so ready, willing and able to offer discounts, why not just have lower ticket prices?

I believe theatre is for everyone, not just those who can afford it. I also believe that what we do is something with a value of some sort and that it's generally not cheap/free to produce theatre as well. So how do we put a value on our work? What's a reasonable price? For a while I had the thought that no one should have to pay more than what they make in an hour, per-hour of the show they'll be seeing. I've fallen out of love with that idea. In an interesting meeting with a few of the companies that are in residence at the H-Street Playhouse in DC while I was doing my internship with No Rules Theatre Company and there was the discussion of a discount, or free tickets, or something of that sort for people who lived within a certain radius of the theatre. One person though had an objection to the idea of free tickets because he believed that it would devalue the work we were doing in the public eye. At first I was a bit enraged by this idea...but I understand where he's coming from. It's sort of an odd argument. We are, in fact, providing a product, and generally we're asking to be paid for said product. So how do we come up with the price? How do I say to you, "Well my show is worth $25 plus the two hours of your time you'll spend receiving it." It's sort of an odd conundrum. Of course I want others to find value in my work and want to support it (and its unavoidable that money is sort of the end-all be-all for support), but at the same time I would rather just let everyone come in, see it, and hopefully take away something in their life that was worth more than money.

I think a lot of the business models we use for Theatre Companies are outdated. A lot of people say that. I agree. I also don't have a solution...yet. To be perfectly honest I just don't know enough now. But there are definitely some companies that are slowly but surely going in the right direction. I don't know which company, but I've heard of one that was completely PWYC for every performance of a show in their season and their revenue from tickets actually went up. That's taking a huge risk though. I almost like the idea of doing PWYC for every performance and collecting after the show, so the audience can judge after they've received their product how much it was worth, not a crap shoot before they've gotten it.

This post feels a little silly to me. I haven't said anything astoundingly new. I haven't solved the problem of ticket prices and business models. I think I just want to say...I know it's a problem, and I want to help fix it. I hope you do to. While I know you need the money to keep producing your work, I need the money to survive, and free tickets are tempting. I hope one day we can work together to find our happy medium.

~Danny Park

By Danny Park | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

The Questions: Kara Walker

September 25, 2011 at 11:44 am

Testimony: Narrative of a Negress Burdened by Good Intentions 2004

Testimony: Narrative of a Negress Burdened by Good Intentions 2004

This week I've really been digging on the work of Kara Walker. Here's an overview from New York Times about Kara Walker's work.

Kara Walker speaks my artistic language. Her work is controversial and raw, and like all good art she drudges up  images from the past that exploit racial history, and generates a dialogue that is relevant to our day and time. In her current  art exhibition at the Whitney Museum, Kara challenges the notion that racism is dead.

I admire the boldness of Kara Walker's work. For I can attest that it can be a struggle to be a black-female artist interested in dissecting and understanding race in a seemingly "post-racial" society (which in actuality does not exist). I don't want to be seen as an angry, bitter, black woman who conjures up scarring images from the past just  for the sake of complaining. The fact of the matter is that I am legitimately (and rightfully so) angry about my station in society, and the position of that station is rooted in a long history of racial tension that must be examined.

The reason controversial works like  Kara Walker's tend to be overlooked and categorized as "bitter black women" raging about racial issues, is because deeper questions are not being asked. When engaging in work that we don't understand or that confuses us there's a tendency to disregard it. We often make judgements about the work, rather than going through the process of asking more questions. Unfortunately not everyone who encounters a controversial work is open to asking questions, so as the dramaturg it falls upon us to create openings that help audiences engage with the work.

While pursuing Kara Walker's website I came across a paragraph that addresses how  audiences should approach her work, and questions that guide how her art should be critically analyzed.

It states....

"Controversial or difficult works of art are often criticized without accurate           description. The act of describing slows the rush to judgment, deepens the engagement with the artwork, and gives space for emotions and questions to arise. A full description addresses the people, places, and events in the work; the material from which it is made; and how the artist addresses the subject matter through the medium. Description helps us form interpretations and judgments that are accurate and coherent."

And leaves these questions for consideration, which are helpful to examining all works...

Questions for consideration:

When you look at this artwork, what do you notice?

Take about 5-10 minutes to name things seen in the artwork, without making judgments or expressing emotional reactions.

What do you notice about the artist’s use of color? Shapes and forms? Overall arrangements or installation?

Click Here to learn more about Kara Walker's art.

Cloteal Horne

By Cloteal | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Candide!

September 24, 2011 at 3:21 pm

So, I haven't seen Candide (at the Hunt) yet, but a friend of mine, non-BU, saw it last night! Coincidence. I asked her to let me know what she thought afterward, because she's had some really interesting insights on the Hunt in the past. I also asked if she was a subscriber, for the same reason. (Unrelated fact: Stick Fly is one of her favorite plays! <3) I thought her response might amuse some of you:

"Yes, my parents and I are subscribers. We've had the same seats in the mezzanine for a decade? And my parents have been going way longer than that. They were complaining that the Huntington already did Candide, several years ago, but I couldn't remember a recent production of Candide. It turns out the Huntington did Candide when I was 3, OVER TWO DECADES AGO. I was like, that is MORE THAN SEVERAL YEARS, PARENTS. YOU ARE JUST OLD.

The show was phenomenal, BTW. The actress playing Cunegonde was spectacular, and I wish I could watch her solo from Act 1 a couple dozen more times. Amazing costuming, set and prop design, choreography, and direction. It's definitely setting a high bar for the rest of the season."

So now I'm quite excited to go! I'm also...not sure if this post counts as news. So I may have to make another one. Good thing our Mac Wellman conversation gave me LOTS of ideas... (some of which I'm also not sure count as news) (but they count as thoughts, right?) (right?) (I'm going with right)

P.S. Did anyone else think Candide was an opera? I don't know why, but for the longest time, I swear. Is there an opera Candide or like Candide or does it sound like it should an opera or am I just crazy.

By kmjiang | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Collective Consciousness

September 20, 2011 at 7:49 am

While browsing the web scouting for something that I wanted to share with all of you I went to see what a theatre artist I love, Aaron Jafferis, was up to. I had not seen what he was up to in a couple years and I was delighted to see that his piece Stuck Elevator was just asked to go to the Sundance Theatre Lab for work shopping! He is an amazing artist who works with hip-hop theatre he says that he writes to link his personal experience with what’s happening in the world. When looking at some of his other work a theatre company that he has deep roots in, Collective Consciousness Theatre, excited me.

I owe the passion I have for social change theatre to Aaron Jafferis. In high school I was lucky enough to work with him and learn about the concept of theatre for social change. Ever since then I have been very excited by the idea of bringing theatre to people who don’t have theatre or who are less likely to go see it, by creating new work pieces that really bring to life the issues they are struggling with as a community.

When reading about Collective Consciousness Theatre I got so exhilarated by the work that they are doing. Their slogan is to inspire, imagine, and ignite social change. They are all about creating new works and the collaborative process. They connect to the community by having members of that community help create their theatre with them. I was so excited by, “Sticks and Stones” and “Stories of A New America”, because these pieces are so extremely different in the ways they were created but are still so about the collaborative process. Its theatre companies like this one that make me want to stay in theatre! I recommend looking more into both Aaron and his company.

UPCOMING NEW HAVEN RESIDENCY:

"Sticks and Stones" is a new program that will work with 10-15 New Haven Area girls that range in age, race, religion, and socioeconomic status. They will explore the aspects of society that inform self esteem and decision making, and re-evaluate how language can simultaneously oppress and empower them. Over the course of 8 weeks Collective Consciousness artists will work with the participants to teach them how the media and society determine what they buy, how they look, how they speak to each other, and the decisions they make. They will apply this knowledge to their own personal experiences, good or bad, and use it as inspiration for a performance piece about their experience as young women in the United States. This performance will connect them as females and give the audience a window into the anxieties, frustrations, hopes, and dreams of young women today.

Stories of A New America

This project, a collaboration with IRIS (Immigrant Refugee and Integrated Services), has been ongoing for more than a year and a half. We interviewed more than 80 refugees and compiled over 100 hours of recorded materials in several different languages, including French, Spanish, Arabic and others. We have also hosted community meetings with families from Iraq, Afghanistan, the Congo and Cuba, in which we have done writing and acting exercises encompassing their cultures as well as our own. With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the New Alliance Foundation, we have created a collection of these experiences in our newest work written by CCT, “Stories of a New America”, a production highlighting the spirit and energy of the refugee experience in our country.

By nmednick | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Cinespia – Let’s Bring it to Boston!

September 20, 2011 at 12:33 am

Hollywood ForeverMy second love, or rather, my equivalent love to theatre will always be film. I am as avid a theatre-goer as I am a cinephile. We live in an age where film technology and it's relevance to our culture is advancing at rapid rates, influencing people artistically and emotionally. For some reason, the theatre world and the film world are constantly at an existential divide. Yes, both are different mediums and different artistic beasts; but if they collaborate and aid one another creatively, beautiful things can happen. Roundabout's 2010 production of Brief Encounter and their presentation of the Menier Chocolate Factory's 2008 production of Sunday in the Park with George are two great examples of how film technology can enter into the world of the theatre and enhance the experience. Both used film and/or digital technology to bring their stories to life, not to demean or dilute them.

I've become more interested in the film/theatre collaboration because of an experience I had this summer. While I was in Los Angeles, a friend invited me to see a movie with her at Hollywood Forever. I thought this was a cool old cinema of some kind, until she further explained to me that what we were actually doing was going to see a movie at a cemetery. "Wow wow wow, cool cool cool" were my first thoughts. Buried in the cemetery are Douglas Fairbanks Jr (and senior!), Celcil B. DeMille, Janet Gaynor, Jayne Mansfield, Hattie McDaniel, Johnny Ramone, and President Harry Truman among countless others. I had no idea the effect this locale would have on my movie going experience until I arrived. Blankets in hand, friends in tow, and of course a bottle of red wine, we plopped ourselves 15 feet from Douglas Fairbanks Jr.'s grave and prepared to watch the classic Hal Ashby film, Harold and Maude. Hollywood Forever Cemetery has been hosting these movie screening events all summer for the last ten years through a program called Cinespia. Harold and Maude was a movie I had seen before and liked. But I wasn't a deep lover of the film until I was surrounded by the old Paramount Studios behind the cemetery, the clear night sky, and legend all around me. Maude says "A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they are not dead, really. They're just backing away from life." and I was forced to take that in with my whole self. It was a sensory overload. But one of which I was glad I had no escape.

There are outdoor movie screenings all over the country, but I can't imagine that the number of them with specific relevance to place, time, and audience is high. My experience at Hollywood Forever made me think about all the times I've seen outdoor theatre a la Shakespeare in the park or by the sea. Few are chosen for the relevance of time and place, and more for the simple experience of viewing theatre outdoors. Anyone can put on a play outside. Anyone can show a movie on the side of a building. But it is the people who choose to do these things with thought and accountability of their audiences that actual move people to knew ways of thinking and understanding.

I can't help but believe that my night at Hollywood Forever was not just a cinematic experience, but a theatrical one as well. This is only a granule of the kind of collaboration that I think can happen between theatre and film. When I sat on the grass that evening, it wasn't just about the film I was watching. It was about the all around sensory experience. Death, life, food, drink, friends, lovers, and the moonlight to see it all by. It was as much a people watching experience as it was a film experience. There was no dark theatre to hide your reactions. Just strangers and friends being asked to share in this once in a lifetime experience together. It was theatrical.

Though Boston has some summer outdoor movie screenings like the Boston Harbor Hotel puts on every summer, there are few of significant merit. I hope that one day we do get a film company or better yet, a theatre/film company to come and change the way we view outdoor theatre experiences. Boston's rich history and cultural significance offer a variety of site specific venues for the perfect theatre or film going experience.

By mcherzog | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

When Pigs Fly

September 20, 2011 at 12:24 am

There are lots of staunch old regional theatres spinning their wheels in the mud -- this much is true.  When I find myself contemplating that fact for too long, I start to get really upset about the plight of theatre in America.  Where are the young companies, the bright vibrant ideas?

Are they nowhere to be found?

Not so!

As much as the corporate structure and dependency on subscriber bases may have strangled the creativity of some larger theatres, America is still a vibran place for young companies. The Pig Iron Theatre Company is one of these.  Located in Philadelphia, Pig Iron formed in 1995 and describes itself as "an interdisciplinary ensemble...dedicated to the creation of new and exuberant performance works that defy easy categorization."  Woof, I'll hop on that bandwagon.  Over the past years the company has been fulfilling this mission with impressive gusto.  They primarily devise pieces, though recently they opened a production of Twelfth Night in Philadelphia, their first foray into working from an established text.  I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing any of their pieces, but based on my online research I have learned several things: every show sounds bizarre (example titles: Chekhov Lizardbrain, Cankerblossom, and Come to My Awesome Fiesta, it's Going to be Awesome, Okay?)  and every show is roundly praised by critics and audience members alike.

The company is primarily made up of three artistic directors and four company members, who create work themselves as well as bringing in guest artists and establishing connections with other collaborators.  They create work primarily through improvisation, and company discussion.  Their schedules for creating shows are notoriously long - often up to a year.  The production of Twelfth Night, which just closed, began work just before the beginning of the summer.  The three artistic directors are all graduates of Swarthmore, and created Pig Iron initially as just a summer gig.  Eventually it became their primary project and has brought them all sorts of acclaim.

I find the story of Pig Iron incredibly inspiring.  A group of young artists, friends, who banded together to create unique theatre.  And they have done it well enough that they have audience, money, and a voice that is being heard.  It's possible!  The regional theatre monoliths don't have a stranglehold on all creativity.  Pig Iron proves to me that there is an audience out there that is LOOKING for that next thing, that theatre company unafraid to push the boundary courageously and skillfully.

On top of it all, Pig Iron recently received a $150,000 grant which they have put into use developing a two-year Advanced Performance Training program, which substitutes for a traditional MFA.  Opening this year, the new program is a testament to the fact that not only can young artists create great work - it is just a few steps from there to becoming the next generation of mentors.

And finally, this is from Pig Iron's introduction to its new school in the student handbook: "The Pig Iron School for Advanced Performance Training will re-draw the lines of artistic ownership in theatre and overturn the traditional norms and power structures embodied by the current regional theatre model."

Like softest music to attending ears.

By Joseph | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Opening Up Our World

September 19, 2011 at 10:29 pm

I don’t remember where I first read about the idea of a completely open rehearsal room, but I do remember falling in love with it. It was this magical idea that I could be your everyday guy on the street, walk up to a theatre, and say, “Hey, I’d like to sit in on your rehearsal process,” and that this would be encouraged. It made me think that some theatres’ wanted the community to engage with their work, find the process just as interesting as the product and maybe even become as invested in it as the actual theatre itself (and by that I mean the institution and the individuals composing the room).

I also never heard about this idea again after. If memory serves (and it mostly doesn’t in this case) this idea found me around the end of my senior year of high school, maybe even in that summer, and I’ve yet to actually witness a theatre have this policy. Until now. Well sort of.

#2amt recently revealed to me that Arena Stage has developed a new community outreach program called Theatre 101. Harkening back to my memories of Drama Lit freshman year, I was intrigued.

The program, open to anyone who can pay ($50 for anyone 30 and under, $75 for others, which includes a ticket to the show) is described by Arena as:

Theater 101 is an extended seminar for audiences interested in deepening their understanding of the process of new play development. Theater 101 participants will have unprecedented access to observe and learn about the new play development process. Join us this this season as we follow the creation of two distinct shows and their unique processes. Build community and understand more deeply what goes into making the magic you see on stage.

Participants are invited to attend first rehearsal, rehearsal, technical rehearsals, invited dress rehearsal, and the show itself. Each event will be followed by a discussion moderated by Arena artistic staff.

Well that sounds good to me! Upon further investigation and thought though, I’m left with a few questions.

The first in my mind is what if someone can’t pay? I get that most tickets to the show alone will cost that much (though Arena does have a pay your age ticket for those 35 and under), but it still sets a limit on who can and can not participate in this program. Could someone participate and simply wave the ticket to decrease or even eliminate the price? Do they have some sort of scholarship or extra funding to help those who can’t afford the program?

The next question in my mind is that the two “new plays” being developed are The Book Club Play, which will be going into its third production but the playwright is doing a residency so ok, great I’ll give them that… and then Music Man? Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a little shipoopi as much as the next guy, but let’s get real here, Music Man is not a new play in development.

Regardless of that fact though, I have to applaud Arena in their efforts to open up their process more. It’s a generous thing to do. Of course they run some risks by doing this, but the program also has specific dates in which people can attend rehearsals, meaning everyone involved will know when this is happening and anything that Arena wants hidden from public view probably can be.

Now I’ve got some mixed feelings about that fact. It’s not total transparency in the process for one. The community can come on very specific days, and that’s for a reason, but I think to really and truly show a generosity of spirit, I’d want a community member to be allowed in any day they so choose to show up, from first read to final dress. Let the risk of a messy rehearsal be there unconcealed, so that the community begins to really understand the value, hard work and emotional life that a rehearsal truly contains. We complain so often that theatre is undervalued or underappreciated by the larger community, so why not do something about it, take a risk, and really open it up.

It also creates a performance like atmosphere for the actors when the community turned audience is around on very specific dates. In my ideal world, if this “risk” of a community-audience is present everyday, it becomes commonplace and invited, not a terrifying mysticism. Gaining that knowledge of how the community takes in a production as its in process is like having the worlds best dramaturg around. A really and truly innocent point of view available for every moment of rehearsal.

I believe that theatre should be available to everyone and that a theatre should serve its community fully and openly. Do I think I'm saying anything new here? Not really no. But it is my commitment to have a completely open rehearsal room whenever possible. I think this is a great step. I think Arena Stage is a marble figure head. I think bigger risks could be taken with little for Arena to worry about. I think this is a great step.

~Danny Park

By Danny Park | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments (0)