THALATTA! Theatre International

Doug Howe Production Photos IV

2009-01-13T22:57:00.002-05:00

Jean & Joe

Doug Howe Production Photos III

2009-01-13T22:45:00.002-05:00

The Seven Deadly Sins: Lust

Tejas Verdes

Doug Howe Production Photos II

2009-01-13T22:40:00.003-05:00

Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You

norway.today

Doug Howe Production Photos I

2009-01-13T22:34:00.002-05:00

Trojan Women

Trojan Women

Trojan Women

The Aenied

Jean & Joe

2008-01-14T18:35:00.000-05:00

Stein's Electra

2007-10-11T09:53:00.000-04:00

I saw The National Theatre of Greece's production of Electra last night at City Center. I've always felt there was something missing when I'd see an American production of one of the ancient classics and now I know what it is: Greek. The language matches the style so incredibly well. There were surtitles provided, but I only glanced at them three times during the entire two hours. The stage images the actors and director, Peter Stein, created were so visceral and mesmerizing that there was no need to follow 'the words'. In addition to the named characters, Stein had a fifteen member, all female chorus dressed in white. Their work was the best of all. They were so connected to each other that it was like watching a school of fish or a flock of birds. This was all enhanced by a single musician. The actress who played Electra, Stefania Goulioti, did a fantastic job crafting a complex hysterical woman who was feeling all the extremes of emotion. It wasn't a one note screaming-fest. She truly took us on a ride of anguish. Notable standouts were Yannis Fertis who played The Tutor, giving a wonderful rendition of the chariot story, and Kora Karvouni, who plays Chrysothemis, Electra's compromising sister. The actors playing Orestes and Aegisthus are the weakest of the bunch, and makes the ending a bit drawn out (the play essentially ends when they kill Clytemnestra). Overall though, I was thrilled to have the chance to see Peter Stein's American debut. I know in Germany he is considered part of the old school guard (we won't get into the whole 'Regietheater' thing right now), but I'm impressed with anyone who can take a classic like Sophocles and make it relevant, accessible and, most of all, vibrant, is alright by me. It's only in New York until Sunday, October 14th, so be sure to check it out.

Follow the Breadcrumbs to...

2007-09-21T12:09:00.000-04:00

TEJAS VERDES
by Fermín Cabal
Translated by Rick Hite

Directed by Doug Howe
Produced by Cathy Bencivenga

Featuring Anita Anthonj, Christina Ghubril, Maria McConville,
Marlies Magdalena, Sheila Shaigany & Carolyn Smith

Saturday, Sept. 29th @ 3pm
Sunday, Sept. 30th @ 8pm
Monday, Oct. 1st @ 8pm
Tuesday, Oct. 2nd @ 8pm

Hudson Guild Theater
441 West 26th Street
(between 9th and 10th Aves.)

All seats $10

For tickets call 212.352.3101
or visit www.ProspectTheater.org

Presented by The Prospect Theater Company's
2007-2008 Dark Night Series - produced by Dev Bondarin

Isola

2007-09-13T18:00:00.000-04:00

Anyone up for a Pirandello workshop here?

When in Rome...

2007-08-31T06:53:00.000-04:00

Not much time to write at the moment, but just a quick post to let the few and faithful know that I've arrived safely in Roma. It's truly 'fantastico'. I'm just about adjusted to the time difference (and it doesn't hurt that we stay up until 4 am). Rehearsals for 'The Aeneid' are going incredibly well and the actors are really committed to the project in a way no American actor I know would be. We're rehearsing/performing in an pre-Roman burial site and what most would consider a drawback, we have turned into the most remarkable perofrmance space imaginable (and we having even added the fire pits in yet). In only a mater of a few days, I've learned and experienced more as a director than I have in the past year. I may never come home (though I promised to come back for rehearsals for 'Tejas Verdes 2 - Revenge of the American Translation'. Ciao.

Workshop Photos

2007-08-26T12:41:00.001-04:00

Ana - Romania

Matteo - Italy

Indy - Hong Kong

A (sort of) Review by the Times

2007-08-18T09:21:00.000-04:00

'Theater's Alternative Universe'
By Ginia Bellafante
The New York Times
18 August 2007

"...making the production among the festival’s most winning history lessons.

Bucharest Calling, a drama about young people confronting limited opportunity in the post-Communist world, easily qualifies as another. Written by Peca Stefan and directed by Ana Margineanu (Romanians who are also behind a second offering at the festival, The Sunshine Play), the production makes excellent use of its spare surroundings.

...the bleak theater in which Bucharest is set serves it well, supplementing the play’s mood of despondence and emotional claustrophobia. The actors work simply, with a few chairs and grim images of Bucharest streets projected on a screen behind them.

Bucharest Calling reminds us that the Fringe is international in its scope."

The Reviews Are In

2007-08-17T18:16:00.000-04:00

The US Premiere of Bucharest Calling by Peca Stefan, being presented in association with THALATTA! this summer at Fringe NYC, is getting fantastic reviews. Be sure to check out our last two performances at 45 Bleecker on Saturday, August 18th @ 10pm and Sunday, August 19th @ Noon. Also, come out and see our other production by Peca Stefan called The Sunshine Play, winner of Best Play (Relationship Drama) at the London Fringe last year, on Tuesday, August 21st @ 3:30pm, Thursday, August 23rd @ 7pm and Saturday, August 25th @ Noon.

"A fully realized staging of an innovative play, Bucharest Calling is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys quality Off-Off-Broadway theater."
-Valerie Work
OffOffOnline

"Bucharest Calling brings a fresh, welcome voice to the festival."
-Irene Backalenick
Backstage 'Pick'

"With coincidences worthy of Dickens and irony that brings to mind O. Henry."
-Andy Propst
American Theater Web

"A welcome import from Romania, The Sunshine Play takes place on a Bucharest rooftop as three people almost get involved in a love triangle. It's a slight but smart piece, sparked by an appealing cast and well-honed direction by Ana Margineanu. Playwright Peca Stefan...shows a masterful command of American idiom plus an effortless way with what might be called Romanian rooftop romantic comedy."

-Ron Cohen
Backstage 'Pick'

Back on Attack

2007-08-16T10:04:00.000-04:00

Sorry to have been away so long. For some reason, 'Blogger' tagged us as a Spam Blog and froze the account. I've been trying for close to a month to get them to restore it, and after a number of emails, they finally have. So much to catch y'all up on. Certainly more to come.

International Theatre Intensives

2007-07-16T12:08:00.000-04:00

Training You Won’t Get Anywhere Else

THALATTA! Theatre International is proud to host a series of unique workshops led by four of the most accomplished theatre makers on the planet. From Hong Kong, Rome and Bucharest, these acclaimed artists will share their techniques and perspectives for the first time in America. This is a singular opportunity for New York based theatre artists to gain a global advantage without having to spend the money on a plane ticket!

Indy Lee (Hong Kong) - Pleasure in Play
Chun Leung (Indy) Lee is an actor, teaching artist, producer and director in Hong Kong. He trained as a stage director in the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). He received his Masters degree in Applied Theatre at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. In the past, he worked as an independent actor and director in over 60 productions for different professional companies such as Springtime Production, Prospect Theatre, No Man’s Land, Chung Ying Theatre Company, Sammy and Kitty Drama/Opera and Shunning Presentation Unit. In 2005, Indy joined Theatre Ensemble (Hong Kong). As a director and arts project officer, he established a young theatre program – PIPPOP and directed U & I. PIPPOP combines the aesthetic direction of the company and elements from popular culture in order to bring the creative and theatrical experience to the participants. He is currently in New York as a recipient of a grant from the Asian Cultural Council.

Indy Lee does not think the purpose of training is to destroy the old self in order to build a new one. He believes it is his job to help the actor rediscover his instincts by way of joy and freedom. In this workshop, Indy will explore the relationship between pleasure and performance. Freedom, improvisation and creativity are essential to an actor on the stage, and the state of actor’s body and ability to communicate with an ensemble is critical. Indy will conduct exercises exploring the physicality of actor, the relationship between text and body, and the spatial usages between actors and their performance space. Humor is one of the important elements in Indy’s work and he believe that without actors, there is no theatre.

Mon. July 30th & Tues. July 31st - 6:30pm-10:00pm
Limit: 16 participants
$75

Matteo Tarasco (Italy) - A Dream (But Perhaps Not)
Matteo Tarasco is one of Italy’s most successful and influential young directors. He received his Master’s Degree from Bologna University. For the stage, he has worked as director and adaptor on such productions as Cleopatraccia, Goethe’s Affinita Elettive, Homer’s Odissea, The Song of Songs, The Taming of the Shrew, Virgil’s Eneide, The Opportunity of the Night, The Marriage of Figaro, Questo Spettacolo Non Ha Titolo and Captive of Myself. His television productions with Raisatshow include Hamlet, Die Danton Tod, A Woman from the Sea, Oedipus the King and Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Matteo is an associate professor of Modern and Contemporary Theater at Bologna University and is also the author of 'Una Speciale Provvidenza', an essay about the theatre of Anton Chekov He was the winner of the European prize for best young director in 2005 (Personalita Europa 2005 Per Il Teatro).

This international workshop is a cross-cultural exchange for American actors that want to know more about the Italian theatre and how the contemporary Italian Theatre works. Matteo believes the contemporary theater speaks only one language: the language of the heart. The tongue is only the instrument we use to speak. And so if you are dumb in your heart, how can you speak? We will try to find the way to be not dumb in the heart. Using Pirandello’s one act play A dream (but perhaps not) as a basis, we will investigate the relation between dream and reality, reality and truth, stage and life. We will use some psychophysical exercises and training to locate and express the emotions on the stage. We will focus on the actor’s relationship to the play, their body and the stage.

Sat. and Sun., August 18 & 19 - 1:00 – 5:00pm &
Mon. and Tues., August 20 & 21 - 7:00-10:00pm
Limit: 20 participants
$150

Ana Mărgineanu & Peca Stefan (Romania) - Very True Lies
Ana Mărgineanu is one of the most acclaimed Romanian new directors, having to her credit numerous awards. She staged the critically acclaimed and box office Bucharest hit, 89, 89… hot after ’89, which won seven awards in 2005, including Best Show, Best Actor, Best Actress (Romanian Drama Festival Timisoara) and The Jury Award for Innovation (Contemporary Drama Festival Brasov). She is also the director of The Dead and The Living, and Garbage. Ana is one of the directors of the biggest MEDIA Pro TV productions – the one hour drama, Cu un pas înainte (One step ahead).

Peca Stefan is considered to be one of the most innovative and powerful playwrights in new Romanian drama. He won the dramAcum prize (the Romanian award for best new playwright) in 2002. His education includes New York University and he was one of the Royal Court International Playwriting Residents in 2005. He has productions of seven of his plays in Bucharest, Romania. His plays have been presented in the US, the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Russia and many national festivals in Romania. In the fall, he will be a resident at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven.

If during communism, Romanian theatre artists used fiction and metaphor to speak about true life, nowadays the same process is inversed in creating very true lies that speak about contemporary issues. Ana and Peca will use their experiences working on The Sunshine Play and Bucharest Calling, two plays being presented in the FringeNYC this summer, to demonstrate what it is like creating contemporary theatre in Romania today. Their constant work with actors in creating performance is at the basis of the two plays. As a director, Ana has worked numerous times with actors and their biographies, but she uses their real lives in a very special way – it’s about creating "emotional cues" for the actors that help them in any performance. The workshop is not about basing a story on the real actors’ lives, but taking relevant and insightful details from their experience and character in order to construct a completely fictional story.

Thurs., August 23 - 1:00 – 5:00pm
Followed by The Sunshine Play at 7:00pm
Limit: 25 participants
$75 (ticket to performance included)

SPECIAL OFFER: Attend all three workshops for just $250!

Visit http://www.thalattatheatre.blogspot.com/ or www.myspace.com/thalattatheatre for more detailed info about the artists and their workshops.

To register, email theatre.international@gmail.com with your name, phone number and which workshop(s) you would like to attend. Once we receive your request, we will send you a confirmation including information about workshop specifics and payment details. All sessions will be held at TACT Studio, 900 Broadway at 20th.

A Little Sunshine from Bucharest

2007-07-10T17:39:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendars for the FringeNYC event of the year. THALATTA! is proud to be a part of getting these fantastic plays written by Peca Stefan and directed by Ana Margineanu seen in the United States. Be sure to come at least one, if not both, of these remarkable pieces. Check out http://www.thesunshineplay.ro/ or http://www.bucharestcalling.ro/ for more information, and be sure to stay tuned for more details about a special workshop on August 23 with Peca and Ana, followed by a performance.

better LATE than never

2007-07-01T00:09:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm done the Lab, I can get back to actually seeing theatre and not just talking about. And not a moment too soon. I got a chance to see Passing Strange at the Public last night at 11pm. Got in on a $20 rush ticket. The house was packed and the band was pumping. From the second Stew stepped on the stage, the whole audience knew it was going to be different event. The crowd was younger and more diverse than I'm guessing the typical subscription audience, and it was noticed. The performers (De'Adre Aziza, Daniel Breaker, Eisa Davis, Colman Domingo, Chad Goodridge, Rebecca Naomi Jones and Stew) were, from what I could gather, in rare form and gave us the performance of a lifetime. I haven't had such unadulterated fun in the theatre in quite some time. I am not one who normally enjoys musical theatre but this was in a class of its own. It's a shame such an amazing production wasn't more affordable to the generations it was intended for. Old, rich, suburban white people just aren't gonna get it. Time to pull out another tired Shakespeare with Liev Schreiber (who was also in the audience) to appease the blue hairs. (My bet is on Richard III.) I don't know if they're going to have a cast album, but I sure feel luck to have seen it in person. As much as I would go out and buy the CD, nothing will compare to being there live.

Lab - Week 3 Recap

2007-06-24T12:10:00.000-04:00

And so it ends. I'm glad I took notes and pictures throughout, because right now it's a blur. Another reason could be that the large majority of us were out until 4am partying. Either way, it was a whirlwind and I certainly took the chance to get swept up in it.

Week Three began with a presentation and/or discussion from our playwriting groups. It was great to see and hear about so many different styles and techniques. Kudos to Jason Grote for organizing such a diverse group of New Dramatists playwrights. In the afternoon on Tuesday, Andre Bishop, the Artistic Director of Lincoln Center, talked to us about himself. Later, Ben Cameron, the former Executive Director of TCG, talked with us about ourselves. That night, we had a 'Directors Clambake' which was basically speed dating. We each had two minutes with each director to sell yourself. Luckily I felt that I knew most of the directors by then, and it wasn't impersonal or false. It was good practice to promote the company and it never felt like a sales pitch. It was just shooting the shit about what we do.

On Wednesday, Anne Cattaneo and Anita Ross talked about The Basics of How American Theater Works. This was primarily for the international directors who were still struggling to understand why the hell we do it this way (Ultimately, it was decided that we all need to move to the Netherlands.) And then Ira Weitzman, Associate Producer of Musical Theater, talk about himself without ever really telling us what he really thought. Then came our tour of the theatres. After lunch, Carolyn Cantor, director of Essential Self-Defense and The Thugs, came to talk to us about working on a piece that only a handful had seen with a character who talks in monotone. Carolyn was super cool, but I wish we all had a chance to see the play or had talked about something else with her. Then began our 'Day of Emotion' (though really it was two evenings and an afternoon). Divided into group based on where we placed ourselves on a line of emotion, we worked again on the John Guare play, Woman at the Threshold, Beckoning, and were to present our emotional interpretation. (Our group was the Moderate Emotion group, for whatever that explains). We rehearsed, which was mostly talking, again the next afternoon and presented our piece Thursday evening. No group did a straight on literal interpretation of the play, and frankly, I think made the play better.

Thursday morning was a discussion amongst us about director training and opportunities. Friday morning was a talked with Daniel Swee, the Casting Director for Lincoln Center, followed by another discussion amongst us about finding funding. Friday afternoon was a Viewpoints workshop (both Overlie and Bogart) led by Suzana Berger and Gwen Reitz. Saturday morning was another discussion about creating a theatre company. Then at 2pm, we had a final round room discussion about the future of the Directors Lab with Anne. At 4pm, the pizzas arrived (as well as the wine and beer) and the celebrating continued for another twelve hours.

Lab - Week 2 Recap

2007-06-18T12:04:00.000-04:00

The body is weak, but the spirit is strong. I may have only gotten, on average, four and half hours of sleep a night this week, but I’m tapping into some energy that enables me to keep going somehow. I’ve got the day off today, so I’m hoping I can use it to recharge my battery. If nothing else, I look forward to taking a nap or two.

The second week at the Lab began with a discussion with Bernie Gersten, the Executive Producer of Lincoln Center. Later that afternoon, we had a discussion with Richard Eyre, the former Artistic Director of the Royal National Theatre in London, and most recently, of Mary Poppins fame. In the evening we had (a rather heated) discussion with Michael Miller, Director of the Actors Center, and Daniel Swee, Casting Director at Lincoln Center.

Wednesday began our two day ‘acting training’. The morning session covered Approaches to Acting with Ron Van Lieu, the afternoon was doing Clown Work with Chris Beyes and the evening was dedicated to The Actor’s Voice with Grace Zandarski. On Friday, we had a discussion with Anne Cattaneo, the Director of the Lab, on Dramaturgy, and after lunch, we had a discussion with the participating international directors: Chari Arespacochaga, Saroj Aryal, Karina Bes, Pia Furtado, Tess Jamias, Athina Kasiou, Dina Keller, Helene Kvale, Indy Lee, Ana Margineanu, Michel Melamed, Matteo Tarasco, Michel Van der Aa, and Andy Vitolo.

The weekend was spent in workshops with a variety of New Dramatist playwrights. I worked with Zakiyyah Alexander on Found Text and Images. I don’t want to describe it in detail because it was something better experienced than explained, and I know she teaches and don’t want to give away any of her gems. Needless to say, I had a great time. This city will never sound the same.

Lab - Week 1 Recap

2007-06-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

I'm exhausted and I'm lovin' it. The Lab is an all consuming event. I eat, sleep and, as of this evening, literally breathe it. The best I can do at the moment is go far, schedule-wise, what we've done thus far. I don't think I'll be able to actually talk about my experience until after it's over. I won't have the time to process any of it until then.

After our orientation on June 4, we had a panel discussion with Blair Brown, Michael Krass, Seret Scott, Alex Timbers, Lois Smith, Bruce Norris, Colman Domingo and Pam MacKinnon with the title, Playwrights and Actors: What is their relationship today and where do directors fit in? The next morning, we began our three day Collaboration Principles workshop with Ben Krywosz. Ben is the Artistic Director of Nautilus Music-Theater in St. Paul. He looks like Santa Claus and made me believe in the Spirit of Christmas again.

In the afternoons last week, we attended 'presentations' of four new plays and one new musical. In order of performance: Maestro's Garden by Bathsheba Doran, Only Children by Rachel Peters and Michael R. Jackson, This Bloody Mess by Zohar Tirosh, The Green Zone by Rob Handel, and (Friday morning) Minor Gods by Charles Forbes. The experiment of the 'presentations' was a three week pre-lab rehearsal period in which the playwright was put in charge of the room. (I'll talk more later about why, though the shows were great, the stated mission wasn't even given a chance to fail.)

In the evenings, we broke up into groups of eight (one designer, one playwright, two actors and four directors). The first night, we discussed 1. What happens in your head when you read a play? 2. Please tell us about the best rehearsal collaboration experience you ever had. Why specifically was it good? What techniques made it that way? Who was it with? 3. Please tell us about the worst rehearsal collaboration experience you ever had. What specifically made it bad? The following two nights were spent working on John Guare's Woman at a Threshold, Beckoning. The experiment was to swish up our roles in the lab (i.e. the directors and designer became actors, the playwright became the designer, one actress was the director and one actress was the playwright.) Our assignment was to answer these two questions: 1. What is the action of the play? 2. What is the play about? (We answered: 1. To spin 2. In searching for the answer, the answer is the searching.) Of all the amazing things we've done this week, this has been my favorite. If the adage is true, that it's all about relationships and how you get on with people, then I count myself lucky to have been paired with my group. It's the most fun I've had in a rehearsal room in quite a while.

Saturday afternoon was spent with all the directors, actors, playwrights, designers and stage managers sharing Reflections On What We've Learned So Far. As we bid farewell to our collaborators, the directors gather that evening to say Who We Are. Luckily it was just a one minute biography circle. (I was having a serious existential crisis at dinner thinking about it. The best I could up with the either a. just stand there or b. sing the chorus from Steve Miller's The Joker.)

Sunday was the 'Clambake' (no actual clams), where we got to see portfolios from all the designers we'd worked with. In between talking with them and admiring their work, we had a discussion with Michael Krass and Bob Crowley (who was celebrating his birthday and went on to win two Tonys that evening).

We had Monday off & I tried to catch up on sleep. Not much luck.

Lab

2007-06-06T00:22:00.000-04:00

So the postings this month are going to be pretty light, as I will be taking part in the Lincoln Center Directors Lab for the next three weeks. I wish I were as on top of things as Issac Butler over at Parabasis, but I've got no one to guest blog for me. At least we got to meet in person today. We're only two days in and already things are super intense. Having the opportunity to spend all day working and talking and COlLABORating with other theatre artists is a rare and unique gift. If it were over today, I'd still be able to take away a shitload. No doubt by the end of the month I will be a whole new director. I'll do my best to keep you up to date, but when you're lucky enough to be 'in the moment', you don't waste time reflecting on it.

Tejas Verdes - This Friday, June 1st

2007-05-30T00:30:00.000-04:00

THALATTA! Theatre International

presents a workshop of

TEJAS VERDES

Fermin Cabal

Friday, June 1st, 2007 at 7:30pm

TACT Studio

900 Broadway at 20th St

Suite 905

Reservations Required

theatre.international@gmail.com

Theatre Returns to Iraq

2007-05-25T17:05:00.000-04:00

With all the hub-bub and self-congratulations surrounding the awards season, I'd like to shift focus to one play in particular that is doing something no one in New York (or the U.S. for that matter) would dare to do. The play is called The Intensive Care Unit and it is the first production to be staged at Baghdad's National Theater since the war began.

"The cast includes Sunnis, Shiites and a Christian. The actors are unpaid and most are unemployed. Performances are held only during the day, because the city turns into a ghost town after dark. There is no entrance fee. Audience members, most of whom are fellow actors or friends of cast members, are frisked for weapons and explosives as they enter."

Visit the link to the full article, 'Baghdad's Theater of War' by Washington Post columnist, Ernesto Londono.

Ode to Michael Emerson

2007-05-24T13:39:00.000-04:00

I'm already experiencing withdrawal. I don't know if I can wait until February of 2008 until my next fix, but there is little I can do. I just have to accept the fact that last night was the season finale of Lost and I'll have to find something else to do on Wednesday nights for the summer... and fall... and holiday season. (When do 'Celebrate Brooklyn' bandshell shows start?)

Of the many aspects of Lost that I'm addicted to, one performance stood out this season. For any drama to succeed, it needs a good villain, and thanks to brilliant writing, Michael Emerson outshines them all. Emerson's portrayal of Benjamin Linus is pitch perfect, which I think is a credit to his theatre background and training. Even though he was born in Cedar Rapids, his traits match all of the classic British villain qualities (because we all know no one plays a villain like a Brit.).

Most New York theatre goers first saw him as Oscar Wilde in Moises Kaufman's production of Gross Indecency, and later as George Tesman, opposite Kate Burton's Hedda Gabler. Others may remember him from a production of The Misanthrope* opposite Uma Thurman or as Willy Oban in The Iceman Cometh with Kevin Spacey. To horror movie fans, he's best known for playing Zep Hindle in Saw. In 2001, he won an Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series", playing the confessed serial killer William Hinks on The Practice.

Who better to play the main baddie on the most creative program since Twin Peaks? If there is any justice in television, he'll get nominated for best supporting actor. Since I don't watch much else on television (I'm currently a Netflix junkie), I can't say what his competition would be, but he's certainly worthy of the recognition. And if none of this means anything to you, then you've got eight months to catch up on the first three seasons.

*Is Elizabeth Marvel confirmed for Ivo van Hove's production of The Misanthrope at NYTW next season? Either way, I'm psyched.

The Past is a Fiction

2007-05-23T18:03:00.000-04:00

Since we've been rehearsing Tejas Verdes mostly in Brooklyn, I missed out on my daily ritual of reading The New Yorker on my jaunts into Manhattan. And even though the actresses in the show grumble about coming out to Park Slope, I consider myself lucky when I have my subway reading time.

Before rehearsal today, I read a piece about Gordon Bell, the Microsoft engineer who has been described as "the Frank Lloyd Wright of computers". A certain section struck me as having to do a lot with theatre in general and the production I'm working on now in particular.

Memory revises itself endlessly. We remember a vivid person, a remark, a sight that was unexpected, an occasion on which we felt something profoundly. The rest falls away. We become more exalted in our memories than we actually were, or less so. The interior stories we tell about ourselves rarely agree with the truth...In the novel So Long, See You Tomorrow, William Maxwell writes, 'Too many conflicting emotional interests are involved for life ever to be wholly acceptable, and possibly it is the work of the storyteller to rearrange things so that they conform to this end. In any case, in talking about the past we lie with every breath we draw.'

European Stategy for Culture

2007-05-21T23:27:00.000-04:00

"On May 10th, the European Commission adopted a policy statement on the role of culture in a globalizing world. It proposes the first ever European strategy for culture."

"The three major objectives are:
1. the promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.
2. the promotion of culture as a catalyst for creativity.
3. the promotion of culture as a vital element in the EU's international relations."

Well, at least the Europeans have a plan.

See the full article here.

Molding Sculptures

2007-05-17T15:00:00.000-04:00

Deluded

2007-05-16T11:59:00.000-04:00

There's been a lot of chatter, raised by the controversy surrounding the Mike Daisey fiasco and, to a lesser extent, Young Jean Lee's Church, regarding Christianity and fundamentalist beliefs. A lot has been made of David Cote's post that has garnered thoughtful responses by Joshua James and Mark Armstrong.

The point I want to pick up on to further clarify is that of 'delusion'. I think it's an important aspect of the debate, because it brings us back to the purpose of theatre, since its origins are so closely linked to pseudo-religious ritualistic storytelling. Where I think David is taking a stab at crazy right-wing Christians, Joshua argues, in the philosophical sense, that we are all deluded. In the Buddhist sense, I totally agree, but in its literal definition, I think a new word needs to be chosen. This is from the American Heritage Dictionary.

Delude(d) – to deceive the mind or judgment of; mislead (from the Latin dēlūdere, to play false, deceive)

Delusion – the act or process of deluding; deception

Usage: Illusion and Delusion are seldom interchangeable, though closely related. Delusion refers to a false belief held without reservation as a result of self-deception, the imposition of another or mental disorder. Illusion is applicable to a false impression, frequently based on fancy or on wishful thinking, or to a false perception (such as an optical illusion) that one eventually recognizes as false.

I like the distinction made between illusion and delusion, which brings me back to ponder, what exactly are we, as theatre artists, trafficking in? Isn't a church service just another piece of theatre? I grew up in a congregation that was conservative, stuffy and boring, but from the mega-churches I see on TV, there are a number of outfits putting on a rockin' good show.

Besides the obvious reasons of obligation and guilt, people go to church to raise their spirits and commune with like-minded individuals. All of Judeo-Christian belief is based on the group. "If you believe what we believe, then you're set. Just follow the rules in this book and you'll be saved from eternal damnation." Basically, it's a non-profit social network with mandatory donations (tithing). Is there anything we can learned about audience cultivation from these folks? If only us heathen artists could figure out their secret.

Color Blind Casting

2007-05-14T18:32:00.000-04:00

Question: Say you’re casting a national tour of the famous Lerner and Loewe musical, Camelot. You need someone to play the role of King Arthur who can compare wiith the likes of Richard Burton, Richard Harris and Robert Goulet. Who is your first choice?

Answer: Lou Diamond Phillips, of course. I’m glad color blind casting has gotten to the point where you can cast a guy who is of Filipino, Hawaiian, Chinese, Spanish, Scottish Irish and Cherokee Indian decent to play the King of England. It’s the same with the Debbie Allen revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Just as long as they don’t cast LL Cool J as Brick, I think it has a chance.

The Profitable Off-Broadway

2007-05-12T12:05:00.000-04:00

What is currently the longest running Off-Broadway production? (No, The Fantasticks doesn't count. That's in a league of its own.)

Here are a couple hints. It's had 8168 performances. It's not a musical or 'gimmick' show. It's starred the same actress, Catherine Russell, for its entire twenty year run. Tickets are between $41-$51. The New York Times called it "Wonderfully puzzling! A crackling thriller! Sends electric thrills up the spine!". And it's so popular, not only does it not advertise in Time Out, it's not even in the listings. (to be fair, only one of the top five advertise and are listed)

Guessed yet? It's everyone's favorite show: Perfect Crime.

Coming in close second is Blue Man Group: Tubes, costing between $69-79 (and is listed in 'Burlesque & Variety' in TONY). Third is Stomp costing $37 or $65 . Fourth is Tony & Tina's Wedding, costing $87 or $125 (and it comes with dinner). Fifth is I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change costing $75 (and until June 3, in Mandarin). And let's not forget Nunsense and De La Guarda.

Has anyone seen any of these? I've seen Blue Man Group twice in New York and once in Chicago, but that's because my best friend's wife works for them. My inner theatre snob wants to make fun of the shows above, but, since I haven't seen them, I can't be too quick to judge. They must be doing something right. The producers clearly have found a brilliant way to keep packing them in. I guess the biggest thing of all is that none of them are non-profit. Will all of Off-Broadway soon be as commercial as the Great White Way? We can be certain Altar Boyz isn’t going away anytime soon.

The Future of Private Sector Giving

2007-05-10T11:37:00.000-04:00

So we're in the midst of a fundraising push, and I came across the final report on the proceedings of Americans for the Arts' 2006 National Arts Policy Roundtable. Here are a few choice 'findings' that may dampen your mood.

"Nonprofit arts organizations derive 43% of their revenue from private contributions (individuals, foundations and corporations)… Research suggests that we are in the midst of a major shift in how these organizations are supported—one that if not addressed will radically alter America’s cultural landscape."

"Since 1992, the arts portion of philanthropic giving has dropped from 8.4% to 5.2%—a value of $8 billion annually."

"Corporations are more strategic in their grantmaking and seek measurable results. Many are reducing their focus to a single funding category, such as health or education—rarely the arts."

"In 2005, private sector giving to the nonprofit arts was $13.51 billion—a 3.4% decrease from 2004. Private contributions to all charities in 2005 was $260.28 billion—a 6.1% increase from 2004."

"While 67% of the nation’s households make charitable contributions—just 8% contribute to the arts. The average gift is $215."

"Arts donor households are older, have higher incomes, completed college, no children living at home, are likely to donate to other charities and volunteer."

Check out http://www.artsusa.org for more info.

One (might even be) Too Many

2007-05-09T11:40:00.000-04:00

In the NY Times article of May 3 entitled ‘Theater Companies Learn the Value of Flying Solo’, its author, Cara Joy David quotes Roundabout Artistic Director, Todd Haimes, as saying, “A new playwright now, no matter how talented, would never write a play for 15 people because it wouldn’t get produced. By virtue of the constrained budgets theaters have we’ve changed the style of playwriting. Arthur Miller wouldn’t write The Crucible today.”

How sad is that? I know this comes as no surprise to anyone, but to have it said so straight-forwardly makes it even sadder. We’re all well aware that money is constantly the monkey on our backs, but to assert that one of the greatest plays of the 20th century wouldn’t be written today (or certainly never produced) due exclusively to finances is depressing. I honestly believe if an adventurous playwright needed 25 people to tell the story, he’d use them. Guess we just live in a world now where all those characters would have to be double or triple cast.

Is it true? Are there no good contemporary American plays with more than 10 people in the cast?

Broadway Babble

2007-05-07T22:31:00.000-04:00

SHAKE YO MONEY MAKER
Top Five Shows on Broadway (in order): Wicked, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, Mary Poppins and Mamma Mia. Two Disney movies, Two Greatest Hits albums and the freakin’ Wizard of Oz. And somehow Jersey Boys had 100.6% attendance, which doesn’t make sense to me (and they were down from last week at 100.7%).

DIGGING INTO THE TRENCHES
Next Good Show to Close: Journey’s End (probably holding out till the Tony nominations are announced)

WHERE’D THE AUDIENCE GO?
Les Miz lost 14% of their audience this week compared to last. It’s still up at 86% which is on par with Spamalot and The Color Purple, but that $100K they lost sure stings.

Playwrights Horizons Gets Saved

2007-05-05T12:05:00.000-04:00

Yet another cult-classic gets a movie-musical-makeover. PH will give the 2004 teen satire the song-and-dance routine. Too be honest, the team they have assembled to do it is pretty impressive (Gary Griffin, Michael Friedman, John Dempsey and Rinne Groff). This might actually be worth seeing. I really enjoyed the movie, but that's usually the problem. You go wanting the movie. That's how I felt after Spamalot.

Thinking about this, I decided to grab my latest Time Out and do some counting. There are 35 shows currently on Broadway. 26 of those are musicals. 10 0f those are based on movies (I give Chicago and Rent both half points because the people who are coming to see them now have been influenced by the film.) 3 of those are based on Disney cartoons.

So, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I've got a particular movie in mind that I think would be the best musical ever. All I need is a playwright and a composer/lyricist. Any takers?

Ghost in the Rehearsal

2007-05-03T11:27:00.000-04:00

I've recently become avid photographer. I enjoy taking pictures and always considered it my hobby. It's important for artists to have hobbies, since most of the population considers what we do as a profession a hobby. As a New Year's resolution, I decided to 'kick it up a notch' and take more pictures; at least one a day. Subsequent to that, I've been taking my camera with me everywhere, including rehearsals. Since I tend to focus on the directing, I don't usually have much time to take snapshots. Last night was a rare occasion.

The ensemble and I have been working on this new Spanish play for a couple of months now. The script is divided into seven monologues, so I have been mostly meeting one-on-one with the actresses. As we head towards our first workshop performance on June 1st, we're starting to get together as a group again and really explore the physical world of the characters. Monodramas (or as we Americans call them 'one-person shows') are incredibly challenging, because if the audience doesn't find the character or the actor engaging, you're screwed. It's hard to keep people's attention for any length of time these days, but to keep them focused on one person is next to impossible. Eventually, they are going to get bored. In essence, the play we are working on now has similar traps. Even though the script is telling one larger story and there is a loose through-line, I’m basically directing seven separate monodramas, each between 5 and 15 minutes. If nothing else, I can hope that if the audience doesn't like one, at least they can take comfort in the fact that there will be another one in a few minutes.

Never-the-less, I had the chance to take pictures. The exercise I was leading, based on The Seven Deadly Sins, took over an hour, which allowed me a great deal of ‘down-time’ while the actors explored. As not to distract anyone, I didn't use a flash, which in the end, created some very cool effects. Since the point of the exercise was to truly physicalize vice and virtue, it was nice to see movement in the images. Some even have a ghost-like effect that, eerily enough, fits perfectly within the framework of the play. Many of my non-theatre friends ask me what rehearsals are like. Hopefully a picture speaks a thousand words.

7 Deadly Sins

2007-05-03T10:41:00.000-04:00

Old Vic / New Voices

2007-05-01T11:05:00.000-04:00

Being the Anglophile that I am, I went to the US/UK Exchange yesterday presented by the Old Vic New Voices program that 'supports young and emerging talent'. My good buddy, Ari Edelson, has been running it for four years now, and of the ones I've seen, I think this was the best. In the past, they flew over only playwrights from London. This year, they decided to bring one individual from the four disciplines of the New Voices Club. This included an actor (Michael Cox), a writer (Joel Horwood), a director (Lucy Kerbel) and a producer (David Luff). When I attended The Exchange's Jump last week, I had the chance to hang out with all of them at the post-show booze-a-thon.

The two readings they presented were fantastic. The first was Megan Mostyn-Brown's Going After Alice. I had the chance to work with Megan last summer and I also saw a reading of hers at the Public that Meredith McDonough directed. FYI - This girl can write and she's hilarious. The second piece was Joel Horwood's Stoopid F*cken Animals. It's 'the first Western to be set in rural Suffolk'. It was that perfect British blend of darkness and humor. Very fun characters in a very f*cked situation.

As is no surprise, I'm all in favor of international exchanges, especially of young talent. I just hope we can broaden the playing field even more to include countries that don't speak English. It's not a shocker that the Yanks love the Brits. Time Out even declared that 'the Brits really are better'. If that's the case, there's an obvious reason why, which is tied into the culture, the government, the education and the tradition. It’s the kind of system that enables a theatre company like the Old Vic to sponsor this type of event. Can anyone name me an American company that flies four twenty-somethings over to London for a week just for the hell of it? I'm certainly glad someone is doing it, and it was a blast to be there.

Amen

2007-04-29T14:16:00.000-04:00

Saw Young Jean Lee's Church last night at PS 122 and I highly recommend going to see it. As an agnostic artist who was baptized Episcopalian and confirmed Presbyterian, this play cut right to the bone. It's as uplifting as it is underhanded. It challenged both sides of my history. The trick with theatre is to make the audience believe the actors are speaking directly to them. Well, from the first line of the play, I knew this was a story for me. The design and direction were perfectly simple, and yet it was more 'theatrical' than many of the things I've seen lately. Nothing about it was artificial, even when they broke into song or dance. The brilliant testimonials, performed by Greg Hildreth, Karinne Keithley, Weena Pauly and Katie Workum, were fantastic. And without ruining the end, it's better than any Broadway finale you'll see this season. The show runs until May 13. Be sure to catch a service.

"If We Only Had One More Week"

2007-04-28T11:07:00.000-04:00

Get it up, get it in and get it out. No I'm not talking about my last girlfriend; I'm referring to the contemporary state of rehearsal and production. Controlled mostly by available funding and resources, the majority of companies rehearse for three/four weeks and run for two/three weeks. In this condensed timeframe, a tremendous amount of work has to be accomplished, and there is little room for error. You make quick choices and hope they work. The pressure to create a product overtakes the need to explore the process.

I saw two shows this week (one preview and one opening) that had the right ingredients but needed more time to marinate. From my own recent experience back on stage, I knew that we needed more time to fit all the puzzle pieces together. Even though we weren't entirely ready, we had to open. The joke amidst the cast was, "We'll be fantastic by closing."

The insane part of all of this is that, if you're lucky enough to get them to attend in the first place, critics predominantly come during previews. Understandably, companies want press out about their production as soon as possible, and just pray to the theatre gods that the reviews are positive. Of course, the show that the critics are seeing is often not the show the majority of the audience will see once it opens, since that's when the real momentum kicks in. Broadway can afford to do this because they usually have at least two or three weeks of previews, opposed to two or three days.

I know everyone wants an extra week. No matter what place a show is at when performances begin, you always want more time to explore. This is both logical and natural. So here's what I propose. Schedule in an extra week. Hell, schedule in an extra month. Follow the Russian example: take a year to do a play. That would certainly cut down on all the 'Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am' productions out there. People would spend more time thinking about what work they really wanted/needed to do. Like paintings in a museum, there are some you brush by and there are others you want to spend the whole day with. Some plays can be mounted in a heart beat. Those are usually the bad ones. The good ones take time and attention.

Random Musings

2007-04-26T11:59:00.000-04:00

1. With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility. I think Julie Taymor is great. I think Bono and the Edge are great. I think Spiderman is great. So why am I skeptical of the superhero musical? I guess I should just be thankful that Tim Burton didn't develop the Batman one.

2. The Post-Imus Era. This whole Mike Daisey 'Walk Out/Water Damage' incident has gotten way out of hand. In addition to the online chatter, at least six people have sent me an email linking to the YouTube video. All this makes me think is, 'what a clever marketing strategy'. Mike acted the role of free speech defender and labeled the 'flock of birds' as a crazy Christian group. In the end, it turns out to be a bunch of high school kids whose chaperones were offended by his vulgarity. To be honest, I'd love to be in a theatre when a massive group stands up and walks out. There are certainly a number of Broadway musicals I wish I could have led the rebellion on. There are things much more vulgar than words. I mean, has anyone seen The Pirate Queen?

3. The Slash. I was at a post-show reception last night and the inevitable question arose: "So what do you do?" The friend I was with easily said, "I'm a director." My stock answer to this question is, "Whatever pays the bills." I guess it's because I don't know how to appropriately label myself without slashes. I'm a director/actor/writer/producer. Later on, I was chatting it up with a Brit and he asked, "So are you a theatre practitioner?" I was proudly and boldly able to answer, "Yes!". I wonder if it's easier just being one thing or if wearing multiple hats helps in this ever evolving business we call 'entertainment'?

Cutting it on the Cutting Edge

2007-04-22T14:42:00.000-04:00

I know this may shock some, but there is an interesting piece in the Los Angeles Times about theatre. This may surprise those who thought LA didn't have theatre. Not to fear though, it's just another 'critic's notebook' regarding the Pulitzer selection.

Here's just a snippet by Charles McNulty.

"...the award is yet another sign that this isn't the most welcoming of times for envelope-pushing drama. Broadway is rife with revivals and British imports. And the big regional theaters, established as an alternative to the commercial system, have had a tough time staying true to their mandate. Risk-averse programming that favors the familiar, preferably with a star lead, slick showmanship and a clobbering marketing campaign, isn't limited to the Great White Way.

To be an up-and-coming playwright today is to be unavoidably part of a grass-roots effort. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. Though in a decadently corporate era — when "branding" is the highest creed not just for soda and cereal manufacturers but for the behind-the-scenes movers and shakers in politics, the arts and even foreign policy — it's hard for the not-yet-famous to stay on the radar, let alone pay the rent, secure health insurance and scrounge a few hours a week for creative fulfillment.

It has never been easy, but the current generation of writers finds itself in a double bind. Broadway hasn't been in its sights for ages. But the larger nonprofits, which should be a reasonable goal, haven't been too keen to gamble subscribers' goodwill on a bunch of unknowns who still need a few more years to bake. Trouble is, these artists are having the darnedest time finding a well-stocked kitchen. Without institutional support — and without a robust alternative that can draw crowds and critics and, yes, possibly even Pulitzers — it's no wonder TV and movies have been siphoning so much talent from the stage."

Thanks to Jason Grote for the link: http://www.calendarlive.com/stage/cl-ca-playwrights22apr22,0,7755147.story

[By the by, does anyone know about the companies he mentions: Circle X Theatre, the Furious Theatre Company, the Echo Theater Company and the Blank Theatre Company?]

How to Become a Successful Producer

2007-04-21T11:10:00.000-04:00

Step 1: Attend an Ivy League school
Step 2: Win National Player of the Year
Step 3: Be awarded a Rhodes scholarship
Step 4: Join the NY Knicks
Step 5: Help them win their first championship
Step 6: Be voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
Step 7: Become a 3-term US Senator from NJ
Step 8: Publicly declare American politics "broken"
Step 9: Run for the highest office in the land
Step 10: Lose nomination to the sitting vice-president
Step 11: Become a corporate consultant and investment banker
Step 12: Attend a board meeting in Austin, TX
Step 13: Go see a one-man show
Step 14: Call an old friend who is a Broadway producer
Step 15: Set up backer's audition for your other rich friends
Step 16: Mount show at an Off-Broadway theatre in New York
Step 17: Have NY Times write an article about it

Tejas Verdes Preview- June 1st

2007-04-19T17:44:00.000-04:00

Miscast of the Week

2007-04-13T19:33:00.000-04:00

You're producing a show. It's called Stories Left To Tell. It was written by your late husband who committed suicide by jumping off the Staten Island Ferry. You are given the choice of who to cast in this touching memorial. You are presented with two actors. The first is Bruce Vilanch, former Hairspray actor and celebrated 'Hollywood Square'. The second is Kathleen Chalfant, renowned stage and screen actress. Who do you pick? Answer: Both of them, of course.

It was just announced that Mr. Vilanch will take over the 'guest star' role in the Spalding Gray piece. He replaces former SNL cast member, Rachel Dratch. Previous guests have included Josh Lucas, Richard Kind, Fisher Stevens and Estelle Parsons. Now it could just be me, but isn't this a bit like the song "One of these things is not like the other one, one of these things does not belong." I certainly won't presume to know what Mr. Gray would think about this, but my guess is Bruce Vilanch would not have been at the top of Spalding's list of potential re-presenters of his work. Who is next: Dom DeLuise?

So It Goes

2007-04-12T11:56:00.000-04:00

Since we now live in a world where our media’s attention is exclusively focused on Anna Nicole Smith’s baby or Don Imus’ ‘nappy-headed’ comments, I wanted to take a brief moment to remember one of America’s greatest and funniest writers. I was introduced to Kurt Vonnegut’s writing my senior year of college. I was taking a contemporary literature class and the professor assigned us Cat’s Cradle to read. At the same time, I was performing as Malvolio in a production of Twelfth Night. As amazing as the experience was to play that fantastic Shakespearian character, what I remember most distinctly was exiting the stage after a scene, going to my dressing room and reading three or four chapters before my next entrance (Luckily each chapter was only a page or two long). Though entirely unrelated, I don’t think I will ever be able to separate the Box-Tree scene from Bokonon.

A few years later I had the chance to hear Kurt speak at Theatre for the New City. Though I don’t think the quote originated with Vonnegut, I’ll always remember him saying, “Live in New York when you’re young and get out before it makes you hard. And live in Northern California once in your life and get out before it makes you soft.” During his 'last speech for money' at Ohio State in 2006, he gave this bit of advice to the students. "If you really want to disappoint your parents, and don't have the nerve to be gay, go into the arts.”

Though Vonnegut was a religious skeptic, he wrote in his final essay collection, “If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: ‘The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music.’” I’ll certainly be singing his praises for years to come. So in memory of such a prolific and radical writer, I include the ‘Caylpsos’ from the 58th chapter of Cat’s Cradle.

I wanted all things
To seem to make some sense,
So we all could be happy, yes,
Instead of tense.
And I made up lies
So that they all fit nice,
And I made this sad world,
A par-a-dise.

'Dirty Secrets'

2007-04-05T22:25:00.000-04:00

So Time Out has decided to do a cover story this week on Secrets about the NY theater. Part of the byline says "What we found will shock you". I don't know about you, but nothing on the list was a surprise, or really even close to a secret. It's like that Alanis Morrisette song, "Ironic". Nothing in the song is actually ironic, but it's catchy none the less.

1. Actors are obsessed with gossip. That's as obvious as saying actors are obsessed with themselves.
2. Star vehicles crash. Duh!
3. Beware the blogotainmercial. Sounds like the professional critics are getting a bit nervous. God forbid someone have an opinion other than their own.
4. They (don't) write the songs alone. This is news? Maybe my grandmother doesn't know that, but I think most people are aware.
5. Commercial Off Broadway is dead. Was it ever alive?
6. Off-Off Broadway is also dead (Geographically speaking). Essentially, if we are to believe the title, the reason it is dead is because it's moved to Brooklyn. I happen to be a resident of Brooklyn and proud to be. It may even shock some to believe I actually prefer living here to Manhattan. Be that as it may, I think it displays a certain bias.
7. Broadway is - surprise - not dead. Surprise - critics suck up to the man. Broadway may not be dead, but it's sure been a zombie for awhile.
8. Troupes are happily homeless. OK, I'll give them this one. This was a bit of good news.
9. Orchestras sometimes fake it. Wasn't this a big to-do back in 2003?
10. Chorus girls are gorgeous - from afar. I'd just like to point out that this list was 'reported' by four men. Sounds like some home-boys got shot down.
11. It takes a village (to produce). No, it's takes old, rich, white people (or Oprah).
12. See the stars before reviews. But then how will people know it's any good if you don't tell them?
13. Premium seats are for suckers. No, like I said, they're for old, rich, white people (Oprah gets in for free).
14. Subscribers monopolize seats. What? Now we're bashing subscribers? This coming from a group of guys who get in for free.
15. The Brits are really better. There's nothing critics do better than sucking up to the British. "Can we all have a circle jerk after our all day marathon of The Coasts of Utopia?"
16. Tony means nothing. Says the people who will never win one. I consider both Boyd Gaines and Hinton Battles accomplished, hard-working craftsmen. They have been fortunate enough to have consistent work. That's all any actor ever dreams of.
17. Actors can't make a living wage Off Broadway. No shit, Sherlock. This is just dawning on you?
18. Playbill restaurant recs are fixed. Stop the press!!! How could this be true? And what's that you say about Santa and the Easter Bunny?
19. The Shuberts nickel-and-dime you. Enter The Villain. Everyone needs a good one and the Shuberts do a pretty good job. But anyone who has ever used Ticketmaster knows they get screwed.
20. Never see a show after its first year. If only... This is sound advice, but again, a secret?

Comings and Goings

2007-04-03T22:33:00.000-04:00

Saw the New York premiere of Athol Fugard's Exits and Entrances. Other than reading "Master Harold"...and the boys in college, I only knew him as the white South African playwright. This is the first production I've ever seen of any of his plays. It had its world premiere at The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, and it retains the original director and two actors. It has also toured to Santa Barbara, Florida and New Jersey. From the information I gathered from the program, it has only been played in the United States, which I find ironic since it’s an autobiographical play about a very specific time in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. I can't count on one hand how many foreign playwrights have their work premiered in America. The larger question is: Can anyone name me another African playwright? I can only think of Wole Soyinka.

Basically, this was the replacement show that got plugged in after Primary Stages got screwed over the Deuce deal. I give Andrew Leynse a lot of credit for withstanding the fallout from that. I certainly hope they don't lose any subscribers over it. Though tonight, one woman exclaimed behind me, after waiting for fifteen minutes to get her ticket, "Well, if you think I'm going to subscribe again after having wasted my precious time in line, you’ve got another thing coming." What are ya gonna do? That's what you have to deal with when the majority of your audience catches the early bird special and collects Social Security.

I don't normally read the program before a show for two reasons. First, if I need to read an insert or a long director's note explaining to me what the play is about, then they haven't done their job. When I'm abroad and see theatre in other languages, I never purchase the accompanying text or read the synopsis. What's interesting to me is what's on the stage. If the actors can't convey to an audience without words what the story is about, then they aren't doing their job either. And if I have the good luck of understanding what they're saying, I damn well better know what the play is about. The second reason is that I need something to read on the subway ride home.

That said, Fugard had a playwright's note that says his purpose in writing the play 'was the say "Thank You".' If that was his aim, I think he achieved it. Granted, that doesn't leave much room for dramatic tension, but if you're in for a delightful, little memory play about Fugard as a young playwright and his mentor, Andre Huguenet, then by all mean go. As a theatre artist, I think it has more resonance for me than for the average audience member, but it's definitely the kind of thing old folks like. It's not challenging, vulgar or hard to follow. It's like Matlock with funny dialects. Just hope no one is too pissed it ain't Murder She Wrote.

Lincoln Center Director's Lab

2007-03-24T14:00:00.000-04:00

Well, A-freaking-men. After what seems like a year in which I have been applying for various grants to no avail, I'm happy to report that something has finally come through. I found out late yesterday that I was accepted into the Lincoln Center Director's Lab this summer. The program this year will focus on 'New Play Development: Where are we and why?' The topic changes every summer and I'm extra excited to be taking part in this particular one. This is certainly the best early-birthday present I could receive.

YouTube vs. Viacom

2007-03-18T22:03:00.000-04:00

Curious who will win? Check out the latest from Sliced Bread.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XBHi-lScSuc

Talkie Talkie

2007-03-18T21:36:00.000-04:00

Saw 'Talk Rad!o' the other night and it was, um, well it was, uh, good, I guess. Liev Schreiber does a really bang-up job, though I don't know if I'd go as far as to say (as Ben Brantley did) that he's the 'greatest actor of [my] generation.' He's certainly been given the opportunity (thanks to the Public) to be have been graced with prime roles, but I don't know if I'd go as far as to say he's the best of the best. No doubt, he's the most engaging actor on the stage, but that's not saying much. As attractive as Bobby Flay's wife is, she certainly doesn't command that much attention beyond eye-candy. The play was initially a vehicle for Eric Bogosian to flaunt his macho-ravings, and I can't say it's stood the test of time, especially with the likes of Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh in the contemporary mix, but overall it was an fun 100 minutes of entertainment. I imagine the 17 producers will make their money back, though one of them, who shall remain nameless, had a bio that made me understand how money plays an enormous role in bringing average, uncontroversial theatre to the Boradway. She happily makes memories with her children and grandchildren in Long Beach, Aspen and Dallas. She would like to send a heartfelt thanks to her family and friends for their love and support in 'making all memories'. It is a pleasure to help bring this exciting play to Broadway. I love NYC." I guess 'Talk Rad!o' is as controversial and edgy as a den mother from the suburbs.

Escape into 'The Attic'

2007-03-14T14:21:00.000-04:00

Went to see The Play Co.'s production of Yoji Sakate's 'The Attic' last night at 59E59. It was really amazing. I preface this by saying that the director, Ari Edelson, is one of my best buddies, but that just means I would be more honestly critical if I didn't like it. In fact, it was some of the most fun I've had in the theatre in a while. Not surprising, I'm a sucker for new international work, and The Play Co. is certainly the one organization in New York I know I can always depend on to present original and challenging material from abroad. This play really takes the cake though in regards to creative and inventive ways of constructing a story. The central character is none other than the set itself and how dozens of individuals struggle and cope within it. I attended the show with my good friend and set designer extraordinaire, Martin Andrew, who always has something negative to say about scenic elements, and, to my amazement, all he had were compliments for the design. The play glides between styles and genres seamlessly, and the eight actors do a bang-up job at juggling over thirty different characters. Normally I find it difficult to focus for 110 minutes without an intermission, but the time really flew by, and more often than not, I was leaning forward in my seat. The show closes on March 25, so you've got another two weeks to check out this incredibly humorous, moving and unique new play.

Another Reason to Hate the French?

2007-02-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

So once again the critics are proving that I have absolutely no taste. I've read the reviews and the one thing they all agree on is that I'm wrong. Across the boards, everyone hated 'A Spanish Play' by French playwright, Yasmina Reza at CSC. Well, everybody except me. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. I'm not saying it was a transcendental evening of theatre, but contrary to what most felt, I wasn't bored. Frankly, if so many people are so off-put and incensed by a play, there must be something to it.

Maybe it's because I work in the theatre and understand more personally what was being presented, but according to the critics, I'm a total idiot for being able to sit through such a piece of crap. Forgive me for wanting to see Zoe Caldwell on stage for the first in over a decade or watch Larry Pine, who, in my opinion, is one of the greatest stage actors alive (he certainly saved that hodge-podge of a production of 'The Seagull' in Central Park a few years ago). Not to mention the tremendous force of Linda Emond or the comic powerhouse of Denis O'Hare. I even thought Katherine Borowitz held her own again those stage geniuses.

I'll concede that the play had its problems and was not conventionally 'entertaining', but I also don't think it was meant to be. Sure, there isn't much plot to speak of and I can understand how a play within a play within a play can confuse an average theatergoers (Lord knows it ain't no 'Beauty and the Beast'), but for Pirandello's sake, cut John Turturro some slack. Every critic mentioned that 'A Spanish Play' is a rehearsal, which means what's being presented is not supposed to be a performance (even though it is). Anyone who has even been involved in any production knows that actors, even at the final dress, don't give it their all until there is an audience. At least from my perspective, this was very clear. When the actors would stumble over a line or look up at the director or 'shake it out', it was meant to indicate that this wasn't the final product.

We were being given a glimpse into the process of creating a play, which clearly is something critics aren't interested in see. Their job is to sit in judgment over a finished mass-consumable product, once again showing their blatant disregard for the work that actually goes into making a piece of art. Yes, I know it's their job, but it's a shame we live in a society where these people get paid and most artists don't. To be honest, critic is just another word for censor. If people buy into what they say, whether they love it or hate it, just goes to show that Americans want to be told what to think. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but valuing or believing another person's over your own is exactly what Orwell or Huxley warned us against.

P.S.- The only thing that struck me as contrary and out of place was why this ‘contemporary’ play was being produced by the ‘Classic’ Stage Company. I suppose, once again, the ‘vehicle’ overtakes the ‘mission’. Turturro and Caldwell say, ‘Jump’, Kulick and the board say, ‘How high?’.

Une Pretentious du Filme

2007-02-06T00:22:00.000-05:00

More hilarity ensues with the latest from Sliced Bread. If you see one incomprehensible art house film this year, (and have already seen David Lynch's Inland Empire) check out this short (and sweet) from Rob and Doug.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=tQAHyQXEzfE

More to come in March......

The Male Order Bride

2007-02-04T16:00:00.000-05:00

Check out the latest short from Sliced Bread.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yNDAaj2_Crs

We appreciate all ratings and comments.

Wake Up Mr. Foreman! Your Theatre is Boring!

2007-02-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry if this offends those who think Richard Foreman is the king of avant-garde theatre, but frankly, I think his plays are pointless. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe the point is to be pointless, and in that case, goal achieved. Apparently, I'm supposed to feel disarmed or disillusioned by his work, but all I feel is distracted and disinterested. You could easily say I'm just not smart enough or deep enough to understand, and I ain't arguing that. I may not be, but I always thought theater was supposed to be somewhat engaging and entertaining. I've now seen three of his productions and found all of them so dull and monotonous that the only thing I'm left bewildered by is why so many people profess him to be some sort of theatrical genius.

Don't misunderstand, I respect the guy. Anyone who can produce fifty shows in nearly forty years should be commended, and if there are people who get something out of them, than far be it for me to criticize, but to be completely honest, I just don't get it. And I don't think most of the critics do either. The only reason he gets such glowing reviews is that the critics are too chicken-shit to say they don't get it either. Since most of the material is so out there, all that is left for them to do is sound elitist and proclaim their reverence and awe. Again, maybe we aren't supposed to get it. In his latest program notes he says, "Relax, don't work overly hard to understand...Just stay alert and notice everything that arise and asks to be 'noticed'." That's all fair and good, if only I could stay awake, let alone alert. I'm all for probing my unconscious mind, but if I want to spend my time in an acid trip stuck somewhere in 1972, I’ll buy the drugs myself. It would certainly be a better use of my money. Or better yet, just call me Mr. Sleepy and I'll take a nap.

Catch Them While You Can

2007-01-26T11:58:00.000-05:00

Two shows that I had the opportunity to see this week that you should check out before they close are Get Your War On by Austin's Rude Mechs at 59E59 http://www.rudemechs.com/ and Fluke by Brooklyn's Radiohole at Collapsable Hole http://www.radiohole.com/. I had the chance to work/hang out with members of both companies this past summer at The Orchard Project and in addition to them being great actors, they are super cool people.

To Catch a Pedophile

2007-01-16T22:02:00.000-05:00

Yet another short. Be forewarned, this one is rated R.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWM7ohq9POw

Picking Doug's Brain

2007-01-10T12:03:00.000-05:00

Check out the latest video from Rob Jenkinson and me on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6CHMfAQ5ycQ

Saddam Sacrifice

2006-12-30T14:52:00.000-05:00

I’m no conspiracy theorist, but it’s also not a coincidence that Saddam Hussein was executed on Id Al-Adha, one of the holiest days in the Muslim calendar. Id Al-Adha (or Eid-e Qurban) is known as the ‘Feast of the Sacrifice’. The Festival commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for God (In Judaism and Christianity, the child in the story is Abraham’s son, Issac). Ibrahim secures his son’s ransom by killing a ram. The holiday lasts for four days and marks the end of the hajj (pilgrimage). For those who did not take part in the hajj, families that can afford to do so sacrifice an animal such as a sheep, goat, camel or cow, and then divide the meat among themselves, neighbors, friends and the poor. It is distinguished by the performance of a communal prayer (salat) at daybreak on its first day. Saddam was hanged just before dawn during the call to morning prayers. We Americans will certainly miss the significance, but I can guarantee it’ll be the subject of conversation across Middle Eastern dinner tables tonight.

Top 15 Albums of 2006

2006-12-29T10:50:00.000-05:00

1. The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls of America
2. Tom Waits – Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
3. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife
4. Snow Patrol – Eyes Open
5. Lily Allen – Alright Still
6. Grizzly Bear – Yellow House
7. Ali Farke Toure - Savane
8. Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
9. Lupe Fiasco – Food and Liquor
10. TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain
11. Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere
12. Joanne Newsom - Ys
13. Herbert - Scale
14. Cat Power – The Greatest
15. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Bored in Ronkonkoma - the film

2006-12-15T10:46:00.000-05:00

Check out the latest short created by Rob Jenkinson (UK) and Doug Howe (US). It is the second, and final, film in the Ronkonkoma series. Or do I hear the word - Trilogy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqGuWE8UK0I

H.E. '06

2006-12-14T20:34:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who attended the 4th Holiday Extravaganza.

Holiday Extravaganza 2006

2006-12-01T15:12:00.001-05:00

THALATTA! Theatre International presents
The Fourth Annual Holiday Extravaganza!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 8:00pm

The Triad Theatre, 158 W. 72 St.
between Columbus and Amsterdam

$12 with a two drink minimum

Sirqus Alfon

2006-11-28T00:12:00.000-05:00

I totally ripped this off of their myspace page, but it's so true, that I couldn't have written it better. To see the guy in the photo play the Mario Bros. theme song on his melodica, it made my month. You can catch them 1 more time in NYC at the Slipper Room on November 29th.

Sirqus Alfon is one of the strangest on-stage experiences you'll witness. Four geniuses mix crazy acrobatics and dance-numbers with kick-ass world hits in megaphone-style. This is electric boogie and clown-rap accompanied by a leder-hosen trio which makes an old double-bass, melodica, and a small toy drumkit sound like arena-rock. With razor sharp timing they succeed in making a brilliant parody of subculture and popstars. Sirqus Alfon's explosive stage presence delivers unavoidable humour and explodes your conception of the music you thought you hated or loved. You don't really get what you've seen but the only thing you know is that you can absolutely not stand still and a smile is stapled to your face for a long, long time. Sirqus Alfon is one of best street-theatre groups in the world. And now they are moving fast on to stages in Europe. They won the audience prize at Berlin Lacht international street festival 2004 and are touring frequently in Europe. After four successful tours in 2005 Sirqus Alfon are on their way up and off to meet new audiences with an energy that completely bursts out of their ears.

International Ensemble (1 of 2)

2006-11-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

Sheila (Iran -1st Gen.)

Marlies (Austria)
Tina (Lebanon - 1st Gen.)
Anita (Germany)

International Ensemble (2 of 2)

2006-11-18T12:10:00.000-05:00

Theodora (Greece)
Margarita (Puerto Rico)
Carolyn (Trinidad - 1st Gen.)

Romania. Kiss Me!

2006-11-17T11:26:00.000-05:00

Our friends at The Play Company are opening a series of six short plays tonight from Romania's New Wave. Tickets are incredibly affordable and it's a great opportunity to see some exciting new work by writers such as Nicoleta Esinencu, Bogdan Georgescu, Vera Ion, Iona Moldovan and Cristian Panaite. Haven't heard of any of them? Well, that's why you need to go and check them out.

November 17-December 3 at 59E59 Theater
Tickets at http://www.ticketcentral.com/ and 212.249.4200
Performances: Tues – Sat at 7:30pm, Sat & Sun at 2:30pm
Tickets $20; Student Rush $15 at box office with valid ID

The Secret to Great Acting

2006-10-29T10:41:00.000-05:00

For anyone who wants to learn how to be an amazing performer, just let Ian McKellen explain for you. It doesn't get much funnier than this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qKDbu3grA0Q

me tube

2006-10-24T01:46:00.000-04:00

i may not be an official cameraman yet, but i have managed to produce a six second piece of footage that sums up my experience thus far. the 'actor' is rob. he's british and he's freakin' hilarious. the bearded man in the background is the dad on the reality show i'm working on. he provided us with the gaseous 'prop' that gave us such amusement. please note that since this is my virgin submission to youtube, it's considerably juvenile.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_xaMWKdOLV0

Ronkonkoma

2006-10-20T00:06:00.000-04:00

I think the most fascinating aspect of my experience in the 'world of reality' is that we are stepping into a normal American family's life and sculpting it to fit a 44 minute television show. On the one hand, the drama this family is going through is rich programming, but on the other, we are manipulating them to fit our perceived 'choice moments' for the episode. We are writing their reality. They are not actors, but we are truly creating characters.

Granted, they signed up for the ride, but I have no doubt they didn't have any concept how this was really going to go down. We are setting up camp in their home and making them do retakes of their life. We have clear goals as to what they have to accomplish in three weeks and need them to achieve their objectives. Otherwise, thanks to state of the art computer technology, we will morph a nine year old boy and a six year old girl into future gluttonous sloths.

Whether the family succeeds or fails is up to them. Our only responsibility is to produce an engaging hour of TV. As employees, we must remain detached and fulfill our assignment, but as human beings, we sympathize with these individuals and want to help them. I get to come back to Brooklyn in November with closure. This family will only begin coping with what's happened to them. And I'm not even talking about when their lives are put on display in January for the greater American cable audience to watch.

Reality It Ain't

2006-10-17T13:27:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to pay next month's rent, I've taken a job as a PA on a reality TV series produced by the BBC, airing on the Learning Channel, called 'Honey, We're Killing the Kids'. I've only had a limited amount of experience on a 'film shoot' and it's always been in front of the camera. Being behind the scenes is quite a different experience. You might wonder how the hell I ended up with this gig, and the short answer is: my cousin is the producer/director. Well, she's not really my cousin; she's my mother's best friend's daughter. Since neither of my parents have siblings, Laura is as close as it gets to extended family. We were chatting on the phone last week and I told her I needed a job. A few days later, she hired me as her PA out on Long Island, and now here I am in my Marriot hotel room, in the same parking lot as Charlie Brown's, Chile's, Wendy's and the Island 16 'Cinema de Lux'. Ain't the suburbs grand?

Support Theatre in Belarus

2006-10-11T15:26:00.000-04:00

New York - Belarus: A Night of the Free Theatre
Presented by Culture Project/IMPACT; Co-Produced by Aaron Landsman

Monday October 16, at 7:00 PM

Baruch Performing Arts Center’s Nagelberg Theater
55 Lexington Avenue @ at 25th Street

FREE (tax-deductible donations are accepted)

Please come see the first-ever English reading of work by the Free Theatre, a collective of playwrights, actors and directors in Belarus, read by LAByrinth Theater Company, Naked Angels, Paul Willis and Tinderbox Theater. The work is adventurous, funny and passionate, and the artists onstage are great.

Each New York ensemble will present excerpts of one of Free Theatre's plays. Ranging from stories of blackmarket denim to unofficial disappearances, from overheard conversations to surreal dreamscapes, Free Theatre's work is truly transformative. The night will run about 90 minutes. Speechifying will be kept minimal. This is a chance to see what our colleagues are making in a country where creating theater can get you blackmailed, blacklisted and imprisoned.

The plays you'll see include:
We.Belliwood by Pavel Priazhko, Konstantin Steshik and Pavel Rassolko, presented by members of LAByrinth, directed by Michele Chivu
Generation Jeans by Nikolai Khalezin, presented by members of Naked Angels, directed by Johanna Mckeon
They Saw Dream by Natalia Kolada, directed by Paul Willis
Sky/Nikita Mitskevich by Andrei Kurei, presented by Tinderbox Theater, directed by Cynthia Croot

“I would like my plays to be staged in a theatre like the one I saw in Minsk. What I saw in Minsk is much closer to a true theatre, to its sources, to its true objective.”
--Tom Stoppard in an interview to Russian daily, 'Izvestia'.

Why Do You Go (if you go at all)?

2006-10-09T21:24:00.000-04:00

Someone recently remarked that people go to the theatre to forget themselves. Though there is some truth in it, I think it's mistranslated. I think people go to the theatre to be in the moment. If 'forgetting' means not thinking or analyzing or filtering, then Yes.

That's certainly my goal when I'm acting: to be present. Character-schmeracter, just let me experience the lines as they come out of my mouth. Other than the exercises and blocking and the memorization and the design and the endless repetition, in the end, all I want is to act and react to what is going on in front of me. The only way an audience can 'be with you' is if you're 'in it' to begin with.

Theatres To Offer Terror Insurance

2006-10-07T11:17:00.000-04:00

This is an article by Tom Parfitt for the Guardian - 10/6/06.

Theatre audiences in Russia will soon be able to buy insurance against a terrorist attack or some other catastrophe befalling them during the performance.

'One-off' policies against "unfortunate occurrences" will be available for between 5 and 200 roubles (£1-£4) when booking seats. It is a delayed response to the Moscow hostage crisis in 2002, when 129 audience members were killed after Chechen militants seized a theatre.

The policies were devised by the ministry of culture and Konda, an insurance company in St Petersburg, and pay out a maximum of £1,000 in case of death, disabling injury or medical treatment lasting longer than four months.

Andrey Moskovich, an insurance specialist, said Russians were wary of long-term policies. "People just don't understand life insurance," he said. "They prefer short coverage for concrete events."

About a third of visitors to theatres in St Petersburg are said to have bought the policies in a pilot project. However, a local newspaper found the most common anticipated "unfortunate occurrence" was being stood up by a partner - something not covered by the policies.

And we Americans worry about someone's cell phone going off.

The Pick Three

2006-10-04T10:22:00.000-04:00

So for a random glance into my personal taste, here's a list of my current favorites.

1. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - For anyone who misses Friends or The West Wing, you're in luck. This new Aaron Sorkin show is fantastic. Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford are a match made in TV heaven. And who knew Amanda Peet could be so alluring? I've only caught two of the three episodes so far, but it is by far my favorite new show of the season. If any theatre folks saw Monday's show, you would have thoroughly enjoyed the inside joke about 'commedia del arte'. Check it out on Monday nights at 10pm on NBS (I mean NBC).

2. The Decemberists' The Crane Wife - I had a chance to see Colin Meloy at Town Hall back in January where he previewed some of the songs that are on this album. I was impressed then, and am flabbergasted now. The instrumental additions of the rest of the band are great. It's hard to pick out one favorite track, but I have to say the duet with Laura Veirs (who opened for Colin at TH) called 'Yankee Bayonet' is beautiful. If you don't know Laura Veirs, you definitely need to buy 'Year of Meteors'. She rocks.

3. Alan Alda's Never Have Your Dog Stuffed - One of the most memorable TV moments I have as a child is sitting in my mom's bedroom (up way past my bedtime) watching the last episode of M*A*S*H. It was the first program I watched pretty much every episode of in reruns. I wanted to be Hawkeye Pierce when I grew up. I saw Alda interviewed by Tim Russert a few months back about his memoirs and was really intrigued. A few weeks ago, I was in 7th Ave. Books and saw that his book was in the bargain bin for $2 (and Lord knows what a sucker I am for a good deal). I just finished reading and it was really good. I thought it was going to be just another auto-bio covering all the funny stories from M*A*S*H, but I was way wrong. He barely even talks about the show. It's more about his growing up in burlesque houses with his actor father and schizophrenic mother. Really thoughtful and moving. It's not just a book for actors, though there are some gems that really made me think.

El Conquistador!

2006-09-30T23:15:00.000-04:00

Just saw El Conquistador! at New York Theatre Workshop and had a great time. My friend Ari called me with a comp and I went in knowing absolutely nothing, which in my opinion is the best way. In contrast, I'm really excited to see Hell House, but it's only because I loved the documentary so much.

Since moving to New York, NYTW has been a place where I've seen some of my favorite pieces. And without them, I never would have discovered Ivo von Hove, or for that matter, Elizabeth Marvel, who is probably the best stage actress working. That production of Streetcar blew my mind. I'm still thinking about it. That bathtub scene will be etched in my subconscious until I die.

So lately NYTW has gotten a shit storm of bad press, but I don't honestly don't care about the whole Rachel Corrie incident (what remains to be seen is if the play is any good or not). So NYTW made a cowardly move and bowed to the pressure of their audience. I only wish I had a subscription audience to pander to.

That said, they have once again mounted an amazing show. The best use of video I've seen in a long time, and that's saying a lot for an Off Broadway house under a not for profit budget. I don't want to give anything away, but it's well worth paying for. Let's just say I'm as white as they come and know next to nada about telanovelas, but I had so much fun, I think I might start watching them. This won't be difficult, since I don't have cable and the Spanish channels are the only ones I get.

The 6 Pack

2006-09-20T17:03:00.000-04:00

So I'm directing a ten minute play called 'School for Psychics' by Lucas Hnath as part of the Six Pack Fesitval produced by the NY Neo-Futurists and 24Seven Lab. The plays stars Clay Adams and Tara Perry. It goes up at the Kraine Theater at 85 E 4th St bet. 2nd and 3rd Ave on Sept 24 @ 3pm and Sept 25 @ 8pm. Tickets are only $10.

Durang Doublebill

2006-09-07T11:10:00.000-04:00

The Actor's Nightmare &

Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You

by Christopher Durang

September 9-24, 2006

Thurs, Fri & Sat @ 8pm, Sun @ 3pm

The Gallery Players

199 14th Street (bet. 4 & 5th Ave)

Park Slope, Brooklyn

F train to 4th Ave, R train to 9th St.

Cathy Bencivenga, Producer

Doug Howe*, Director

Erika Omundson*, Stage Manager

Featuring: B. Brian Argotsinger*, Nat Cassidy*, Laura Heidinger,

Gael Schaefer*, Sarah Beth-Lee Williams* & Austin Zambito-Valente

Tickets at galleryplayer.com or 212-352-3101

*denotes member of Actors Equity Association

Tragedy is Easy - Comedy is Difficult

2006-09-03T00:13:00.000-04:00

So it's past the midnight hour and I'm coming out of a nine hour rehearsal. I have an eight hour one tomorrow. We open in a week. The trouble with comedy is, after awhile, you don't know if it's funny any more or not. There was a time where it was funny. That's why I told the actors to keep 'the bits'. But now I don't know if it's too much or not enough or just plain trying too hard. I don't know if it's that I can't communicate what I need to without just doing it myself or if the actors are only capable of certain feats or if the plays are outdated and aren't effective social commentaries anymore. I think back on today and wonder if we got alot done or very little at all. The only thing I am confident of is that I'm over tired.

You Down with The OP - Yeah You Know Me!

2006-08-24T14:54:00.000-04:00

The only traffic light in town.

Poor Pluto

2006-08-24T14:07:00.000-04:00

Things have been so crazy busy these last couple of weeks that I've not been getting my required 10 hour of sleep. (Siesta counts, right?) A week ago I was up at The Orchard Project www.orchardproject.com participating in a theatre retreat. The OP is unique in that it is committed to entire theatre companies, instead of individual artists. They provide housing, food, rehearsal/performance space and a local Catskills audience. The wine sponsorship didn't hurt either.

Assembled were 24 people representing 24 companies from the City, Upstate, Chicago, Austin and London. The four days ended with the performance of four new 24 Hour plays written by Emily DeVoti, Jason Grote, Megan Mostlyn Brown and Lucy Thurber. I had the chance to be in Megan's play called Second Time Around, directed by Alyse Rothman . Me and Rob Neill from Neo-Futurists www.nyneofuturists.org played college kids pretending to be investment bankers who hook up with two middle aged, coke snorting divorcees through the internet. The two actresses were Sarah Richardson from Rude Mechanicals www.rudemechs.com and Nicole Quinn from Actors & Writers http://www.ninashengold.com/actorswriters.htm. I spent the entire day laughing. My trouble during the performance that evening was not remembering my lines, but keeping a straight face. We had so much fun. I'd do it all again.

And I did. When I got back to NYC, I got a call from Tina Fallon from the 24 Hour Play Company www.24hourplays.com to take part in their fringe show, 24 is 10: The Best of the 24 Hour Plays at the Lucille Lortel on Tuesday night. I hopped into the role of The Ordinary Man in Conner Ratliff's Tobias, Angel of Heaven directed by Daisy Walker. If it weren't for my furry pioneer vest, Abe Lincoln hat and stuffed animal rabbits, I would've bombed.

In between all this, I'm running back and forth to the Gallery Players to direct this Durang doublebill that opens on Sept 9th. Things have been going really well except for the fact that one of the supporting actresses dropped out on Monday night. We've been in a frantic search to replace her. We've still got two weeks, but no doubt there will be more speed bumps ahead. Having the actors is obviously number one though. Luckily, we recast it about an hour ago. She'll be at rehearsal tonight, and I hope I can get things to merge back on the highway after our short detour.

The Kiddies

2006-07-30T14:22:00.000-04:00

We saw three kids yesterday and I learned enough to be adequately prepared for the three auditions we have on Wednesday. I've directed a play with/for children before, but never hired a child to be in an adult production. The first thing I needed to make clear to the mothers (and they were all mothers - assuming that all father's disapprove of their young boys being actors) was that the theme of the play could be offensive or inflammatory to certain (Catholic) individuals. Funny enough, that was explicitly why one mother responded. She thought it was hilarious. Go figure.

We organized auditions as follows. We set up 15 minute appointments and emailed sides. We first talked with the mother and son about the play and his experience and activities. We also asked what his favorite cookie was because the character gobbles down about a dozen during the show. I'm guessing whoever we cast will be ten pound heavier at the end. We then asked the mothers to wait in the hall, so we could see the kid alone (and believe me, each boy acted totally different when mom was away). We had an actress come in to read Sister Mary, and surprisingly, each kid went over and sat on her lap when she told them to. And when we asked each one of them to memorize a line on the spot, they all nailed it. Seven year olds are amazing.

The only bit of advice I'd give to the mothers is to let their child speak for himself. This was also the biggest lesson for us. As much as we need to cast the child, we also need to cast the mother. The kids were fine; it was the moms who needed to be put in check. One of them kept interrupting her son and telling him to be quiet so she could talk. Sounds like someone isn't getting enough attention at home from her hubby.

There was one kid who stood out from all the rest. He was incredibly adorable and had the exact balance of intelligence and innocence that we were looking for. Plus I don't think his lesbian moms were too offended by the subject matter. Unless Webster or the 'I see dead people' kid show up on Wednesday, I think we're gonna go with him.

Further Dispatches from the Audition Front

2006-07-27T00:03:00.000-04:00

So 68 more people tonight and lots more Durang monologues. Here are some more observations and hints for future auditioners.

1. When you're asked for 90 seconds, make it 78, not 178. Nothing kills a good audition more than overstaying your welcome. Get in, get out and leave them wanting more.

2. And if you're asked for a comedic monologue (or classical or two contrasting contemporary) than give the casting directors what they want. 'Electra' and 'A Doll's House' are great plays, but they aren't funny.

3. Teenager Pose. Many girls in their twenties stand with all their weight on one leg while the other leg juts out at 90 degree angle. Makes them look like bored'n'bitchy 13 year olds. Someone needs to really teach grounding.

4. Speaking of teaching: What the hell is up with HB Studios? They churn them out like butter and very few have much to show for it. What kind of racket are they running over there?

5. Can you even do the show? The dates for production are usually clearly listed in the ad. Don't come to the audition if you can't do the dates. One girl came in and kicked some ass and then said she'd be gone for two of our four weeks of rehearsal. Please, don't tease me like that. Bad enough I have to sit through bad monologues for people who can't do the dates, but for someone great to come in is just plain mean.

6. Ladies (or gentlemen), if you have long hair, decide beforehand what you're going to do with it. Watching someone get hair out of their face for a minute and a half is amusing, but won't get you the part.

7. Don't think I forgot about the flip flops. Out of 68 people, I counted 24 pairs of them. And I'm not even including the funky sandals some people wore.

8. If you're going to do a dialect or accent: a) know what the hell you're doing (otherwise you sound like a fool) and b) use it to enhance your chances of getting cast. Doing a Texas dialect for a play set in New Jersey doesn't help you. At that point, it just seems like a funny character voice.

9. Any monologue from Neil LaBute's 'Autobahn' is now officially overdone.

10. Resumes. First, spell check them. You can't believe how many simple mistakes are made. Second, don't lie. Trying to make something sound more impressive than it actually was only gets you screwed in the end. If you did scene work, don't list it as a production. And if you did shows in college, just say so. Naming the theatre at school doesn't count as professional work. Just call it like it is.

Audition Tips

2006-07-26T10:38:00.000-04:00

So I had my first night of auditions for the Durang doublebill I'm directing, and I thought I'd share some (hopefully) helpful tips for actors when trying to make a good impression. I'm no seasoned casting director, and Lord knows, I've had my bad experiences on the other side of that table, but here are some suggestions for what they are worth.

1. Don't wear flip flops. You aren't at the beach; you're trying to get a job. I know it's summer and it's hot, but I don't want to look at your feet. And please, oh please, if you're going to wear them, don't take them off. Unless you're doing a Caliban monologue, bare feet should be discouraged.

2. When you walk in and are asked, 'So what will you be doing for us tonight?' Please don't respond, 'What? You don't want to talk first or something?' If someone wants to talk to you, they will. Otherwise, launch right in.

3. The Handshake. Honestly, I think it's fine. Nice way to say, 'Hi, my name is...' Just as long as I don't have to stand up, I'm cool with it. Our table was on the way to the stage, so actors walked right by us. I can imagine if the casting people are all the way across the room, you might want to just wave. But definitely say 'Hello' and who you are.

4. Stand still. If you've blocked your monologue and go from point A to point B to point C - great. If you shuffle around in some kind of awkward dance - not so great. Grounding is very important. Feet firmly on the ground, knees slightly bent, hands and arms at your sides, deep breath and go.

5. Know who you are talking to. If you are doing the piece to another character in the play (on stage or the back of the house), pick a spot and lock it in. If your focus is all over the place, your monologue is less effective. And if you're going to look at the casting directors (which I think is fine), be consistent. Don't pick us and then switch to an imaginary person.

6. Doing the Playwright. If you are going to audition with a monologue from the writer being produced (especially if it's from the play itself), you'd better nail it. I think it's a ballsy move, but if you can pull it off, I think it's worth it.

7. Paul Rudnick bores me. Believe me, it's not the most fabulous story ever told. And his 'Shouts & Murmurs' in The New Yorker aren't funny.

8. My God! What is with all these flip flops? To be flip or not to be flop. That is flip the question flop.

9. Dressing up is never a bad thing, but be careful that your outfit doesn't upstage you. If all we can remember about you is that you had 'a pretty blue skirt' (actual quote from the producer), it doesn’t bode well for getting called back.

10. And finally, when you're finished with your monologue, don't say 'Scene'. First of all, it's not a scene, and secondly of all, if we don't know it's the end, you're probably not doing that good of a job in the first place.

Heat Wave

2006-07-18T22:06:00.000-04:00

So I've sequestered myself in my air conditioned bedroom to work on a grant that would help support our latest venue - an international ensemble. We've been so focused on producing international plays that we neglected the many international actors based in NYC. Who better to represent these new scripts? We put out an ad on playbill.com and have begun holding interviews with potential candidates. Thus far, an Italian, a Jamaican, a Dane, an Australian and a Korean/Lebanese. Sorry, no punchline.

Take that and Rewind it Back

2006-07-15T11:31:00.000-04:00

Just when I was losing faith, it was announced that Usher will be coming to Broadway. As Billy Flynn in Chicago, no less. He joins the ranks of some great muscial theatre performers such as Melanie Griffith, Brooke Shields, Sandy Duncan, Marilu Henner, George Hamilton, Billy Zane, Alan Thicke, Wayne Brady, Huey Lewis (though I do admit to loving the Back to the Future theme and the album, Sports) and currently, Mrs. Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson. Then again, Usher was discovered on the original 'American Idol' - Star Search. That Ryan Seacrest guy has got nothing on Ed 'You may have won 10 million dollars' McMahon.

Prendre cela, vous l'Italien stupide.

2006-07-10T11:56:00.000-04:00

Nice way to end a career.

Seeking International Artists

2006-06-27T17:26:00.000-04:00

THALATTA! is seeking submissions for 10 actors of various nationalities (first generationer OK) to fill positions in a growing ensemble. We are looking for international individuals living in NYC, with a basic command of English, who are willing to make a six month commitment. There is a small stipend and the work with result in a yet-to-be-determined performance. We will start in October with a series of workshops led by the artistic director designed to incorporate the various techniques held by the actors.

Please send H/R to theatre.international@gmail.com or mail us at: THALATTA!, 723 Eighth Ave Suite 4H, Brooklyn, NY 11215. We will contact you to schedule an audition during the summer.

Why Americans Can't Win in Soccer or Iraq

2006-06-24T10:19:00.000-04:00

Not surprisingly, the US Team blew it at the World Cup and I find it not dissimilar to the War on Iraq. Both tell me that Americans don't know how to work as a team. Everything in the States is about individual achievement. (In contrast, the reason former Communist countries don't play well is because they lack creativity.) We rack up stats for every baseball, basketball and football star, but it's nearly impossible to do the same for soccer. One person may score the goal, but it's the teamwork that sets up the shots. The fact that we still call it soccer, while the rest of the world rightly calls it football, is idiotic. Just like the metric system.

If you watched any of the matches, it was clear that none of the American players were working together, and that indicates a lack of effective coaching/leadership. (See where this is going?) Without a strategic plan, our men are left out there running around the (battle) field without a specific aim or purpose. We may come out forceful, but that adreneline quickly turns to apathy. We're either aggressive pricks or lazy bastards. We have little to no middle ground. American are good at sprints, but not marathons. We don't have it in us to stick it out for the long haul. Only major difference now is that the soccer matches last only 90 minutes. In Iraq, there apparently is not timetable. Someone really needs to give us a red card on this one.

Time to bring our boys home, both soldiers and soccer stars alike.
Time to learn the lesson of losing gracefully.

Spam-a-not

2006-06-23T10:45:00.000-04:00

So last night my best friend since childhood, Chris Martin, took me to see Spamalot for my 30th birthday. I turned thirty fifteen months ago, but it was the first tickets we could get. Now, I preface all this by saying that I am (or was) a huge Monty Python fan. For those of you who remember, they used to air Flying Circus on MTV. (Can I get a Young Ones shout out anyone?) My brother and I would do sketches of them during the summertime talent shows when we were in our teens. I even started the Monty Python Club in high school. The guidance counselor kept telling me to add extra-curricular activities to my transcripts. Needless to say, I have seen The Holy Grail many many times.

It was clear the moment we entered the theatre that everyone else there was a MP fan too. They started cheering even before the orchestra started the overture. The woman sitting next to us did not stop bobbing for two hours (and this was even when there wasn't any music). The rest of the audience was filled with the kids of the giddy parents. There was a group behind us who repeatedly said 'Nee'. The show wasn't much of a 'show'. It was more of a revue - songs and sketches that didn't add up to anything. (Not that it should. I am talking about Broadway here.) The crowd's response was what annoyed me. It was a mix between a rock concert and a Star Trek convention. I like when people are excited about going to the theatre, but not because they are having a flashback to when they were younger and cooler. That's the problem with Broadway today. They go for the cheapest thrill possible. And people are gullible enough to pay for something they've already seen.

It's often said that 'The book was better than the movie." That should now be updated to "The movie was better than the musical."

The Only Thing We Can Count On Is Change

2006-06-21T17:27:00.000-04:00

Hello summer. Time to go out and throw the frisbee around. Beats sitting around a air-condition-less apartment reading nonprofit/501c3 books. Then again, if I don't read them, I'll end up like the crazy guy throwing his frisbee at people on the subway. Should do my best to keep my insanity focused.

How the World Cup Helped my Spanish

2006-06-18T16:23:00.000-04:00

Fo whatever reason, I've been really into watching the World Cup, but I can only get it on Univision on my TV. So not only am I enjoying the most popular sport in the world, but I'm boning up on the language I didn't quite learn in high school. Sounds like a win/win to me. Plus the fact that the announcers are so much more into it than the Americans. When they yell 'Gooooooooooooooaaaalllllll', it really gets you excited. Looks like Team USA has one last hope on Thursday, but that Ghana team looked amazing yesterday. If the Italians can beat Ghana, and Ghana can beat the Czech, and the Czech can beat us, I don't think there's much hope, but the U.S. always seems to rally as the underdog. We like the comeback.

Back East

2006-06-11T14:35:00.000-04:00

So our Chitown adventure is over and after the fourteen hour car ride, I'm back in Jersey. Had a wonderful stop over in Pittsburgh where I got to have drinks with an ol' friend from college, Tami Dixon. She's about to direct a reading of 'Chicks with Dicks' which I had the chance to see her in a few years ago at the Kraine on West 4th. She's truly one of the best actresses I know. She was in the staged reading THALATTA! did in '03 of Roland Schimmelpfennig's 'Arabian Night' (which is about to open in NY on Monday produced by The Play Co. - too bad I'm not directing it).

As for my Tony predictions tonight. The main winner will be whatever rerun of 'Desperate Housewives' is on. Lord knows no one will be watching the CBS telecast.

norway.yesterday

2006-06-04T11:23:00.000-04:00

That's all she wrote (or sung, if she's fat).

this is it, This Is It, THIS IS IT!

2006-06-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe that twelve hours from now it'll all be over (aside from striking Martin's monster set). And like the tide, the show comes in and the show goes out. Too be honest, I'm a bit relieved. I loved this process and worked my ass off to get it up, and now I'm ready for some perspective and a break. Strange to imagine being back on the east coast next week. I've really grown attached to Chicago. In a way, it reminds me of Brooklyn without a Manhattan to look down on it. The inevitable question-"What's next?" continues to arise and I haven't a clue. There are a few options, two plays from Spain in particular, but I think it's best to regroup and really assess our capabilities. I probably bit off more than I could chew, but how otherwise can one be capable of knowing how much they can stomach?

uno dos

2006-06-02T11:07:00.000-04:00

Well, we're coming up towards the end. Only two performances left. Thankfully our turn out has been much better than last week. I've come up with an unofficial theatre rule: Never do a show Memorial Day weekend. This is the second time I've done it and it's a sure loser. Chicago was like a ghost town, and it didn't help that the weather was close to 90 degrees. Who goes to the theatre on the first long weekend of summer? Fortunately, the trend hasn't stuck. Apparently, people are fine going to see shows in June. Though I imagine that Fourth of July would be just the same. Who wants to compete with fireworks?

Wet

2006-05-30T22:52:00.000-04:00

I've been here nearly two months and have yet to go to the lake. Having spent seven summer right on it, I forgot how much it was attached to my meaning of Chicago. I spent the majority of the afternoon canvasing Lincoln Park and rewarded myself by sinking my feet in the water. Best to take as much advantage of this city before leaving.

The State of Contemporary International Theatre in America

2006-05-28T11:15:00.000-04:00

It is my great regret to inform the general public that the most successful New York run of an international production in recent memory is taking a summer hiatus. But not to fear, the Moscow Cats Theater will be back in the fall for a return engagement and then mount a national tour. Finally, the entire country will have the opportunity to bask in the glory of the best Russian work since Chekhov. In an age where all of the plays on Broadway are closing, leaving us with only cotton candy musicals, we can at least take solace in the fact that world drama is alive and well. Meow!

Memorial Day Slump

2006-05-27T12:55:00.000-04:00

Well, the weather is beautiful and the bars/restaurants are cleared out. Wherever Midwesterns go to 'get away', they went there. I remember doing Pains of Youth back in '02 during Memorial Day weekend, and that was in a four floor walk up in lower Manhattan with air conditioning we couldn't run during the show because it was so loud. Oh the good ol' days.

It's hard on the actors when they're performing for only a dozen people. They still give it their all, but it's exhausting. We've done what we can do get people in the seats. We went on a bar crawl the other night with postcards. We've offered discounted performances and even gave them away last weekend for the movie shoot. What more can you offer than a free show and then to be in a feature film? The answer is clearly Dancing Girls.

digiddy

DuhVinci Code

2006-05-23T18:43:00.000-04:00

OK, so I didn't read the book (I figured anything so popular couldn't be well written), but on my 'night off' I went to see the movie of the DVC. I like Tom Hanks and Amile and Gandolf and Dr. Octopus and the dude married to the Labyrinth chick. So little Richie Opie Ronnie Howard hasn't made a good movie since Splash, but we still love'em. All I gotta ask is: What the hell is all the hubbub about? People are protesting this? Of all the screwed up things the Catholic church has done over the ages, this is what gets joe blow off the couch? For Pete's sake, I'm doing a play about two kids who want to commit suicide. How about spreading some of that controversy my way? No press is bad press.

digiddy

Camera Rolling

2006-05-19T11:04:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhhh!

The sense of relief felt after a successful opening. I have been waiting for this feeling for nearly three years. That's how long I've waited to direct this darn play. It's almost not real. Is real even real? We had a wonderful reception afterwards and got to talk with a number of people from all over the world. And the wine the Swiss Consulate donated didn't hurt either.

The actors are really beginning to hit their stride. This play is a 2 person, 90 minute marathon. It's imperitive that they take off like a bullet and set a strong pace. Drama is easy, Comedy is hard.

digiddy