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March 17, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Check out THIS interview with Sheila Callaghan. She gives some insight into her experience writing her plays, and then revising all the way through production.
Also, THIS interview with Paul Willis, about an early (2000) 13p production, Crawl, Fade To White. Again, some interesting tidbits involving the development of this play, the art influences, and the way that it developed because they involved their production team early in the process.
March 17, 2011 at 8:21 am
This looks like an interesting new play that speaks to additional element in the discussion of race consciousness: Yellowman, at Trinity Rep in Providence. It explores the issues of skin tone within the African American community.
From the review: "...the pernicious reality of prejudice is felt not just from the white community, but from within the black community as well. They face a constant, double-edged battle for acceptance amid hostility from their families and friends."
The review is very complimentary to the young actors, Rachel Christopher and Joe Wilson, Jr.
March 17, 2011 at 12:35 am
So it seems that talk of the Spider-Man musical has been dominating conversations of musical theater goers. Having been in New York this past weekend, I think I heard the name "Spider-Man" more often than the name "Steve." What does it take to gain that sort of infamy though? Certainly it would be the most technically elaborate show to join this list of flops. How long do we have to wait until we can officially say it failed?
Personally, I have a great deal of respect for a couple of the shows usually considered flops-- Merrily We Roll Along and Carrie have some amazing songs; also Chess, my favorite musical is generally considered a flop because of its American version.
Oh well...it may be failing, but at least people are talking about it. Right?
March 13, 2011 at 11:02 am
In our Contemporary Drama course, we recently dove into the worlds of playwrights John Belluso (Pyretown) and Aditi Kapil (Love Person). The concept of "ableism" came up, and we stumbled around in the definition of the term for some time. I offer now an informative article from Bitch Media titled "Transcontinental Disability Choir: What is Ableist Language and Why Should You Care?"
Excerpt:
Ableism is a central concept in disability rights. The term was originally popularized by Thomas Hehir, a special education scholar who defined it as “'the devaluation of disability' that 'results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with nondisabled kids as opposed to other disabled kids.'" There are many varied manifestations of ingrained ableism in contemporary society and pop culture, but I see it most often in uncritical use of language based on ableist assumptions - even by speakers or authors who are progressive and who are against ableism as a concept.
March 12, 2011 at 2:57 pm
There's an interesting movement afoot that taps the power of grassroots fundraising. The Chicago Tribune is calling it crowd funding, and I think I'm going to borrow their terminology (if with my own spelling tweak). First, check out the article here:
I've been interested in the development of websites like Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, and others, that ask for pledges to individual projects. I like the format, and the spirit of it, which for me ties into the best intentions of the non-profit tax code.
In the non-profit world, the idea is that a wide field of smaller donations from your community is favored by the tax code over big one-time donations from single supporters or foundations. The reason is that non-profits are given tax breaks because, in essence, they are owned by the community instead of by a board of investors (as in the commercial world). It's a public service. There are many ways in which non-profits can get around these stipulations, and many ways in which the non-profit tax code fails to work in the best interest of organizations, but in its most idealistic iteration, the community wins. I feel like the new trend of crowdfunding operates on similar principles, but without the bureaucracy of the 501c3 non-profit rules.
At Caridad Svich's No Passport conference last year, I was struck by the tremendous number of participants from the Off Off Bway community who actively sought to reject the corporate structure of non-profits. Caridad herself now manages a theatre publishing house called No Passport Press that is not incorporated as a non-profit, despite the fact that it may at first seem like the most logical step. By making this choice, she is free to raise funds in whatever way No Passport chooses, without the structure of a board of trustees, officers, etc. It was refreshing for me to remember that we don't always need or want corporate-derived structures to do our best creative work. Even so, the idealistic purpose of the non-profit tax code -- a wide but shallow pool of funding -- remains integral to this grassroots model.
In addition to Kickstarter and the like, there's also been an interesting groundswell among local crowdfunding collectives that solicit and vet applications for funding from individual artists of all kinds. I am a particular fan of Sunday Soup, "an international network of meal-based micro-granting initiatives" (in Boston, Feast Mass); InCUBATE Chicago, whose members "act as curators, researchers and co-producers of artists projects"; SLOUP, "a monthly soup dinner in St. Louis that supports projects, primarily artistic or communicative, that need a little funding and belief"; and the Awesome Foundation, where trustees are each required to donate $100 a month towards the funding of monthly $1000 grants. (Boston has our own chapter, called Awesome Boston. You should apply for funding!)
March 12, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Happy spring break!
I wanted to alert you to two very interesting articles.
The first is a review from the NYT about a happening-now production of Aphra Behn's THE ROVER, done as site-specific/environmental theatre at the World Financial Center (yes, you read that right). The company calls their particular style "panorama theatre." The review notes, "The actors move from spot to spot, and the audience trails along behind them, led by guides. As directed by the resourceful Karin Coonrod, “The Rover” seems a good fit for this format."
Second, a recent op-ed in the NYT addresses some pertinent issues around celebrity, gender, etc. These issues came up recently with the freshmen in Intro to Drama Lit II, during our unit on the Restoration comedies of Susanna Centlivre and Aphra Behn... and on the rise of women on stage in what is often called the golden age of actresses. It ties what we were talking about in class to recent events. I highly recommend this short piece called "The Disposable Woman."
I also wanted to give you a link to a book I've mentioned in various classes over the years: "It" by Joseph Roach:
A review of "It" from Booklist:
Some have "it"--that indescribable something that sets a person apart--and some don't. In their era, Roach says, Charles II and Nell Gwyn had "it," as did Princess Diana in hers. This definition of the word is fairly recent. Roach claims "it" dates from 1927, when English romance novelist Elinor Glyn dubbed silent film star Bow "The 'It' Girl." Characteristics associated with "it" include a sense of mystery, a bit of intrigue, and a certain element of danger, and "it" exudes contradictions--strength and vulnerability, innocence and experience. In an erudite yet very readable volume, Roach traces "it" as concept from Restoration England and the historical figure of the rake or libertine (e.g., John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester). Roach finds the "it-effect" not only in the theater but also in art, opera, and cinema. Examples he cites span the years from Gay's The Beggar's Opera and Hogarth's etching series The Rake's Progress to Pirates of the Caribbean, in which Johnny Depp conflates such "it" icons as rake, fop, and pirate in one persona.
March 11, 2011 at 2:10 am
Here is the interview of Itamar Moses with Salt Magazine, truely hilarious. The link will take you to the full interview, below are few excerpts I picked.
http://www.saltmag.net/display.php?article_id=249&author_id=57
"Catherine and Gene said —
“Catherine and Gene said blah blah blah, touch me, love me —”
That is not what I sound like.
And, I mean, even this, even this, even what you’re doing right now, this stupid fucking device of attacking yourself, even this is a way of demonstrating how incredibly insightful you are, it’s just another laughable attempt to win adoration and approval, it’s transparent, you just want people to acknowledge how clever you are, which undercuts everything you just said, because really all you’re saying, always, ever, is oh, love me, everybody, love me love me love me love me —
Jesus Christ. Shut the fuck up.
Make me."
"The Portland Mercury called your play OUTRAGE, “the theatrical equivalent of someone jerking off on stage for three hours.”
Right. I never understood that one. I don’t understand what he means by “equivalent.” Isn’t someone jerking off on stage for three hours, itself, theatrical? Anyway, that guy needs to google himself more often. Obviously.
OnMilwaukee.Com said that your play BACH AT LEIPZIG has, “a dreadful script,” and went on to assert that, “Moses could hardly have done a worse job.”
Yeah, I wasn’t aware that Moses wrote plays. But maybe he did, and they were bad. I’m not sure.
No, by “Moses” he means you."
March 10, 2011 at 11:12 pm
So, my roommate was telling about this festival that she heard of. They accept international writing submissions, so for any of you writers, this may be something to look into! I might be submitting something for funsies
March 10, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Theater in the Open, a troupe in Newburyport Mass, has dispensed with charging any entrance fee for their summer shows in the hopes that audiences will grow and so will their base of donors. This is, of course, nothing new (*cough*commshakes*cough*) but I really liked what the artistic director had to say at the end of the article about free art being a very democratic and community-supported endeavor. Hopefully their plan will work!
March 10, 2011 at 8:07 pm
As a person who has been enchanted by the story of Peter Pan for pretty much my entire life, I am always excited by new interpretations of the story. Peter and the Starcatcher, originally a book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson that creates a "retrospective riff" on the story of the boy who will never grow up has been adapted for the stage by Rick Elice and is playing to rave reviews at the New York Theater Workshop. Check out the New York Times article here: http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/theater/reviews/peter-and-the-starcatcher-at-theater-workshop-review.html?ref=theater&pagewanted=1
March 10, 2011 at 9:45 am
I would love to know if anyone has watched Another You from OTB.tv. Thoughts, comments? I want to give this show a qualified recommendation, and in particular, I'd like to suggest that all the men in the class watch it. It'll make you squirm, it'll make you zip your pants a little tighter. But it dares to ask some very deep and insightful questions. I am reviewing it for class. Maybe if any of you are choosing this one, we can post the criticisms later in the term.
March 10, 2011 at 9:40 am
My folks live in Sacramento, and the B Street theater there is a pretty fun little joint. Of course, if my parents like to attend, we should take that into consideration. My step-mother was writing to tell me that they'd just seen Circle Mirror Transformation, and she loved it, which is cool. The B St. is one of the few good theater games in town, and they have an image to uphold, you see, catering to the likes of my parents. Their Mainstage shows are going to appeal to the somewhat conservative Central California mentality that is not the Bay Area, Boston or Seattle.
So I was perusing the B St. Theater site, and happened upon the web page for its "B3 series," a thinly veiled and probably quietly-marketed New Theater effort, for when people like my parents aren't paying attention, or maybe have gone to bed. Read this carefully crafted copy from the page:
"For adult audiences desiring fresh, intimate theatre—the B3 Series offers complex characters and intellectually moving plotlines. Here, audiences are led to travel deep into their own life experiences through engaging stories that don’t shy from the unexpected."
Wow. That could be so many things... The shows include works by Charlayne Woodard, Lisa Kron and Conor McPherson. You gotta hand it to them...at least they are doing this stuff.
Circle Mirror: By the way, for a really poorly written review in the Sacramento Bee, check this out. They love the show, but I can't figure out why, exactly. It seems to be a chance to fawn their local talent as much as anything. And they give so much away about the show, even the surprise ending. Sheesh. Aren't you glad we're in Boston!?!
March 9, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Oh man. Talk about an ongoing disaster. So, we all know (I think) that "Spider-Man: The Musical" has been running into issues left and right as the production gets closer to its opening. Now it looks like Julie Taymor, the creator, director, writer, and mask designer of the show, has been asked to "step aside" by the producers. Both parties are trying to keep everything hush-hush, due to Taymor's long-standing relationship with the show (9 years) and her cult-following. Taymor has directed several Broadway shows, including "The Lion King", for which she received two Tony awards, and the Opera "Grendel". She has also directed films, including "Frida" and "Titus". Looks like any hope of adding another Tony to her collection for "Spider-Man: The Musical" has just gone out the window.
March 9, 2011 at 2:23 pm
This article really jumped out at me because I recently went to see the play Terminus which is writen in verse with a LOT of lovely rhyming.
It's interesting that the author writes about how terrifying this concept sounds - theatre, with connotations of being unlifelike, and poetry, which evokes painful memories of 10th grade english class. I'll admit, when I was skipping through the playbill for Terminus and it mentioned that the play was in verse, I immediately groaned and prepared for something dull and unreachable. But the exact opposite happened! The play was truly marvoulus and I think a lot of it had to do with the very melodic and unique way in which the characters were talking. As the author from this article puts it, "After all, poetry can do precisely what even the best naturalistic reproduction of everyday speech can't – it can show us our language again."
March 9, 2011 at 12:02 pm
This is a great article all around, check it out. In particular, there is good discussion about Arcadia from his playwright's perspective.
March 7, 2011 at 11:49 pm
A conversation with Tracy Letts and director Pam Mackinnon on the current production at the Arena Stage of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? which I'm hoping to see over the break. Just a couple of stalwarts in the theater talking about something they know and love.
March 7, 2011 at 1:12 pm
If you think you're weird, if your friends or family or roommates can't figure you out or get mad at you a lot, this may be the reason. I didn't post this, though, to give approval to weird or bizarre behavior for the sake of weirdness or bizarreness. I think the underlying message is that we all learn to do whatever we have to do for our art.
As artists, we do perceive the world--our world--differently. Perception is just the first step. Then we have to transform, build, create, use our tools--our bodies, our voices, our imagination--to do our art.
March 3, 2011 at 10:45 pm
I thought it would insetting to give an insite into some of the things that I am involved in on a daily baises as a Lighting Designer.
http://www.rosco.com/spectrum/?p=1090
Having the lighting indicate a mood or a time of day is almost easy, where it becomes difficult is when there there needs to be a shift over time and having that shift feel natural.
March 3, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Okay so this isn't about contemporary writers or anything but since I'm doing Homebody/Kabul as my final project this article in BU Today (of all things) caught my eye.
http://www.bu.edu/today/node/12412
aaannnddd another Shakespeare note. Actually... multiple Shakespeare notes...because even though it is classical work, I think it's a testament of the contemporary theatre world and it's ability to continue to rework classics.
This link is for an article about the 2012 Olympics in London. For those of you who haven't heard, the Globe is producing all 38 of Shakespeare's plays in 38 different languages. I'd kill to see this.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/01/21/idINIndia-54312320110121
And something we can all see if we're in New York this summer. The RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) from Stratford is bringing their season to New York. I can't recommend enough to go see their production of Romeo and Juliet. I barely have words for it but it was one of the most breathtaking and moving pieces of theatre I have ever seen. My heart is fluttering just thinking about it. However, I don't recommend seeing their production of King Lear which will also be playing in New York...again, I barely have words because it was so f-ing terrible.
http://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/new-york/
