BETWEEN THE SEAS - 2012

 

BETWEEN THE SEAS FESTIVAL 

OF MEDITERRANEAN

PERFORMING ARTS

Aug 20-26, 2012 

 

Aktina Stathaki, creator and artistic director of the BETWEEN THE SEAS FESTIVAL of Mediterranean performing arts has put together a terrific program for 2012, the second year of this new, annual project.

For a view of Aktina in 3D (or 2D) talking about putting the festival together, see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inD2bcusJ3c&feature=plcp

 

For complete information, see: 

http://betweentheseas.org/home/

 

Here is this year's program:

PROGRAM

Dance

Rachel Erdos / Ido Tadmor: And Mr (the choreographer's cut) (Israel)

The international premiere of the work And Mr (the choreographer's cut) is an extended version of the solo 'and Mr' commissioned and performed by Israeli dancer and choreographer Ido Tadmor which was originally premiered in August 2011. Since then the piece has been performed in New York, Israel, Korea and Cyprus with upcoming performances in Brazil, Budapest and Hong Kong. This extended version had its Israeli premiere as part of Intima Dance Festival and Summer Dance Festival, Tel Aviv. www.rachelerdos.com.
Presented with the generous support of the Office of Cultural Affairs, Consulate of Israel in NYC. Additional support by Between the Seas Festival
(Monday August 20th at 7pm ; Tuesday August 21st at 6.30pm - USA premiere)

Vanessa Tamburi / Flusso Dance: Lost Rights (Italy/USA)

Lost Rights was created by FLUSSO dance project in collaboration with Visa2dance Festival and premiered at the Visa2dance Festival, Dar es Salaam in October 2010. The piece is specifically designed for four young dancers as a combination of movements taking roots in different cultures. The choreography articulates nine vignettes of the life of children in Africa: stories of lost rights and dignity. The piece is inspired by The sky of the last ones, a book that collects articles written by Maria G. Cutuli, an Italian reporter killed in Afghanistan in 2001. Her reporting brought her to Africa, the continent that she loved the most, then to Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East. Her articles cover stories of life, and interviews with witnesses. Tales of women, children and war: "those that we forget because we do not belong to it. www.flussodanceproject.com
(Monday August 20th at 7pm ; Tuesday August 21st at 6.30pm - USA premiere)

Celli Contemporary Ballet: Irritante (Vexatious) (Italy)

What is vexatious? Sometimes the ignorance is vexatious, the stupidity is vexatious, the arrogance is vexatious. The soul is vexed when is tied to routine. The soul is vexed when is destroyed, when it is abandoned. The man is vexed when he doesn’t know how to express himself, when he’s repressed. Vexatious is the repressed necessity to make art, the only way for hope in a better society. Vexatious deals with the story of an Italian artist who crossed the ocean in search of fame and fortune. The new world gave him a warm welcome and everything he wanted. But soon the success he gained became greed and he forgot what counts most in a man’s life: the capacity to love. After losing everything he had, even his talent, he learned that only love can make you build a bridge across the ocean. www.cellicontemporaryballet.com
(Thursday August 23rd at 7pm ; Friday August 24th at 7pm )

Noa Dar: Arnica (Israel)

Arnica is an observation of the fluctuating connection between the world of the mind and the reality outside of it in what becomes an intensely personal and intimate work. In its original form Arnica is a collage of 17 solos, each between one and five minutes long performed by three women. For its international premiere at Between the Seas Noa Dar will perform 4 solos set to music by Tom Waits. “In Arnica Dar turns inwards to create a retrospective of ten years worth of choreography, in which she is the centerpiece...The physicality of her movement vocabulary, combined with an incredible sense of composition and balance, marked her as an important force in the dance community.” (Ori J. Lenkinski , The Jerusalem Post). www.noadar.com
Presented with the generous support of the Office of Cultural Affairs, Consulate of Israel in NYC.
(Thursday August 23rd at 7pm ; Friday August 24th at 7pm - USA premiere)

Sublime Dance Company: [+=1] (Albania/USA)

A new dance work that revolves around a broad investigation of Life's richness and abundance with respect to Relationships. Relationships here understood and investigated within an abstract level of consciousness. The work tries to explore its multifaceted realm and possibilities of consciousness by multiplication of perspectives.Finding 'Life' in the beginnings of relationships by exploring our drives, needs and capacities to maintain ourselves and survive within the constant fight for establishing a connection with the 'Other'. Finding 'Life' in the endless transitional moments wherein two persons start to recognize each other and decide to share grounds. Finding 'Life' at the end of a relationship's journey where emotions, passions, drives, and thoughts manifest themselves differently , and the need for a higher, richer, and more a meaningful experience is at the heart of Life. www.sublimedancecompany.com
(Thursday August 23rd at 9pm ; Friday August 24th at 9pm -  USA premiere)

Mancopy Dance Company: EVERY last BREATH (Denmark/Egypt/Lebanon/Palestine)

Four dancers from the Arab world seek out freedom and identity whenever possible. Through their stirred up history, constantly shaken by social and political instabilities, each one of them reveals a personal physical and artistic reality. EVERY last BREATH is a reflection on living in a place where every breath risks to be the last. “The piece [...] combines contemporary European choreography with the aspirations of those emerging from unending revolutions, wars and crises” (Sawsan Al Abtah - The Middle East Newspaper). Created in 2005 by Danish choreographer Jens Bjerregaard and open to cross-cultural research and collaboration, Mancopy's repertoire is built on Bjerregaard's choreography as well as that of acclaimed choreographers from around the world, including choreographers from Singapore, France, Hungary, and Italy and presenting both stage and site-specific productions. www.mancopy.dk
(Thursday August 23rd at 9pm ; Friday August 24th at 9pm - USA premiere)

Korhan Basaran and Artists: RAu (Turkey/USA)

RAu: a work created to open a new door to the unknown and undefined. In this experimental work, acclaimed Turkish choreographer and dancer Korhan Basaran focuses on challenging and questioning the aesthetic idea of the day and uses revision to explore and invent a new vocabulary in a new language which is aimed to be accessible to all.
(Sunday August 26th at 8.30pm )

Rebeca Tomás / A Palo Seco: Tradiciones Nuevas (USA/Spain)

The phrase a palo seco refers to the "a cappella" style of flamenco music, typically consisting of singing or percussion alone. That stripped-down aesthetic characterizes some of the company's biggest departures from tradition, featured in this production of Tradiciones Nuevas. While implementing typical Flamenco props, such as the bata de cola (long-train dress) and abanico (Spanish fan), the repertoire in this production will feature the company’s penchant for unconventional fare with an innovative and edgy New York feel. www.rebecaflamenca.com
(Saturday August 25th at 7pm )

Theater

Olga Pozeli / Noiti Grammi: When the red Toyota went off the road and sank in black water (Greece)

A prominent politician meets, at a party, a young woman who works for his party’s campaign. After several drinks and a solitary walk on the beach, the politician expresses his interest in the woman. Towards the end of the evening they leave the party together. While driving his car, the politician loses control and the car falls into a dark swamp and immediately sinks into black water. He manages to escape the sinking vehicle, leaving the woman to drown. We follow the story through her eyes -an impressionistic jumble of memories and voices from the past intersected by images from the day of her death. These images, stretched in time and constantly repeated, try to give an explanation for the tragic accident that leads to her slow and agonizing death. A performance on the corruption of power, as well as on our attitude towards the absurdity of a violent and unjust death. Olga Pozeli is the founder of critically acclaimed Noiti Grammi theater company in Athens, Greece, and has directed original devised works as well as plays by Berkoff, Bennett, Mamet, Ives and more. This show is supported by the Greek Ministry of Culture. www.noitigrammi.gr
(Tuesday August 21st at 9pm , and Wednesday August 22nd at 9pm - USA premiere)

Lina Abiad / Amahl Kouri: I.D. (Lebanon)

4 transgender people from around the Mediterranean set sail and dock in their own new bodies. I.D. is their voyage. With this new work that is having its USA premiere at Between the Seas Festival, director Lina Abiad and performer Amahl Kouri continue their mission of expanding the boundaries of Lebanese theater, bringing new works to communities outside of the mainstream. Presented with the generous support of the Lebanese American University.
(Saturday August 25th at 9pm ; Sunday August 26th at 2pm - USA premiere)

Sabine Choucair / Chantal Mailhac: Whispered Tales, from door to door (Lebanon)

A road trip from village to village, looking for Lebanese tales, ordinary people's extraordinary stories. Stories of love, hatred, neighborhood, life and death. Although they capture details of people's survival during tough times of the wars in Lebanon, the stories also reflect on the humane and humorous aspects of life. Whispered Tales is a 40min performance, with traditional music and songs, some thyme and oil and Lebanese coffee...
(Saturday August 25th at 9pm ; Sunday August 26th at 2pm -  USA premiere)

Special Events

Screening: The Glass Wall

Between the Seas will host a free screening of The Glass Wall, a documentary by Iranian-American filmmaker, theatre artist, educator, and scholar, Mahmood Karimi-Hakak. In 2009 Mr. Hakak spent a year in Israel and Palestine, on a mission to create a theatrical collaboration with participants on both sides of the decades-old conflict in that region. What he discovered was a 760 km (472 mi) concrete Wall that currently makes any such artistic collaboration meaningless, if not impossible. Karimi-Hakak had theatre artists from each side, Palestine and Israel, express their thoughts and feelings towards The Wall, its effect on their creative work and their day-to-day life. They are also asked to imagine The Wall as transparent, hence The Glass Wall, and comment on what they see on the other side. With candid interviews of theatre artists,enhanced by footage of their theatre productions, this film takes us to the heart of one of the most impassioned cultural divides in our time. theglasswallfilm.weebly.com
(Wednesday August 22nd at 6.30pm )

Family: A Visit from Victoria

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum presents: A Visit from Victoria Based on the Life of Victoria (Confino) Cohen who grew up at 97 Orchard Street, currently home to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Meet Victoria Confino, a 14 year old Greek Sephardic immigrant who will take you through her immigration story and life on the Lower East Side in 1916. Written by Elly Berke.
(Saturday August 25th at 11)

Staged readings

Benedictus

An ambitious international collaboration, Benedictus, brings together acclaimed artists from Iran, Israel and the United States: Motti Lerner, one of Israel's most provocative contemporary playwrights, Torange Yeghiazarian, Artistic Director of Golden Thread, Iranian-American director Mahmood Karimi-Hakak of Siena College and American designer Daniel Michaelson of Bennington College, and dramaturg Roberta Levitow, founder of Theatre Without Borders.
(Sunday August 26th at 12 pm)

This Time

This Time is a new play written by Sevan Kaloustian Greene and directed by Kareem Fahmy. It was developed through a series of exploratory workshops beginning in the fall of 2011 as part of director Kareem Fahmy’s “Emerging Artist of Color Fellowship” at New York Theatre Workshop. The key source material was the memoir Not So Long Ago, by Zeinab Allam which tells the story of Zeinab’s departure from Egypt in the 1960s because of an affair she was having with an American professor.
(Sunday August 26th at 4pm)

PULP SHAKESPEARE

If you like Quentin Tarantino's films... And, perhaps, memorized Pulp Fiction... And

Like hearing iambic pentameter
Elizabethan, or just written now

Then you should enjoy Pulp Shakespeare, currently at FringeNYC, after a successful run last year at the Hollywood Fringe Fest.

Remaining performances: Sun., Aug. 19, 5:30 p.m.; Thu., Aug. 23, 9:15 p.m.; Fri., Aug. 24, 2 p.m. (866) 468-7619 or www.fringenyc.org.


Directed by Jordan Monsell, founder and Artistic Director of Her Majesty's Secret Players. The play is based on an adaptation by Ben Tallen, Aaron Greer, Brian Watson-Jones, and Jordan Monsell.

Cast:  Cast: Hannah Beck, Curtis D. Davis, Liza de Weerd, Nathaniel Freeman, John Klopping, David Lautman, Christian Levatino, Aaron Lyons, Juan Perez, BrIan Weiss, Dan White, Justine Woodford and Jordan Monsell.



LINKS

Official Site:
www.pulpshakespeare.com

FringeNYC :
 www.fringenyc.org


Review:
http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-ny-theatre-off-off-broadway/ny-review-pulp-shakespeare-1007825752.story

BETWEEN THE SEAS FESTIVAL - SEEKING PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBER

BETWEEN THE SEAS

THEATER FESTIVAL

August 20-26th 2012

At the Wild Project

New York City

Between the Seas is a unique cultural initiative in the city, being the very first and only festival promoting contemporary culture from the Mediterranean. This year's program includes artists from NYC, Greece, Israel, Denmark, Lebanon, Italy and more.

"Between the Seas Festival of Mediterranean Performing Arts is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated student or young professional specializing in technical theater, to join our team. The intern will have the opportunity to assist with the organization of the festival and get a hands on experience in providing production support in a festival setting.

Responsibilities include: overseeing the smooth and timely run of rehearsals for the participating artists; assist with artists' technical needs as they may arise; communicate effectively with the Technical Director, Production Director and theater manager to ensure that the everything is in order for the smooth running of performances. The incumbent will work with an enthusiastic and experienced team of organizers, will have the opportunity to meet and work with artists from NYC and abroad, get free access to all of the festival's shows and receive a small stipend.

This is a one-week commitment (August 20th to the 26th) and most of the work will be during daytime (9-5pm) although some evening work may be required.

"It is a fast growing organization and we like to meet students and young professionals with whom we can establish long standing collaborations."

For more information visit

http://www.betweentheseas.org/

COWBOY MOUTH

ONE OLD CROW PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS 

COWBOY MOUTH 

BY SAM SHEPARD & PATTI SMITH 

A SITE SPECIFIC PLAY WITH MUSIC

JUNE 7-22 

THE SALON APARTMENT ABOVE LUCKY CHENG’S 

IN THE HEART OF THE LOWER EAST SIDE

COWBOY MOUTH
Diana Beshara As Cavale... With her pet dead-crow
Photo by Leah Benavides  COWBOY MOUTH is an early play by Sam Shepard and Patti Smith, that developed from the real life affair of Shepard -- who had recently left his wife and child -- and Smith.

The structure of the play seems to be a series of small mini set pieces of passionate love/anger with overtones of absurdity and suicidal despair between Slim and Cavale, which escalate rather abruptly into powerful monologues with metaphorical overtones based on the need to be free.

The play is presented in a grungy apartment in a grungy neighborhood. The audience sits on chairs in the apartment, which gives the play something of the flavor of immersive, site-specific theater. However, the audience does not participate in the play (except for unscripted interruptions by errant theater-goers). This setting has been compared to Sleep No More, but an apt comparison between the two is:  Watching a stick-ball game in the street compared to attending the first game of the World Series and possibly catching a home-run ball: Watching stick-ball can be fun, but the nature of the audience participation is really part of the game at the World Series -- and the scale of the event and the skill level of the participants are vastly (almost incomparably) different. (Note: In Sleep No More, the audience participation is an integral part of the experience, and the expertise and skill level of every aspect of the show is breathtaking.)

One important facet of a director's job is to make every moment of a play clear in its context. I had trouble with that at this production: The characters did not seem to me to be clear about what they were really fighting about, or how much they really cared about -- or hated -- each other. In a play with more subtext than text, clarity of intention is essential.

I also found myself distracted in many other ways -- the accents were inconsistent: sometimes the actors seemed to be trying to talk like cowboys, but mostly not; the characters kept changing clothes for no explicable reason; the bizarre costuming of the Lobster Man did not seem to fit with what was suggested about him; and the dead-crow pet never gained a life of its own. I also had a bit of a problem with watching lovers on a bed who are over-dressed for making love on a bed.

The drums were the best, but overall the music was not impressive.

Aside from the set, the strongest aspect of the production was the final set-pieces by each of the characters. Had they been well set up by a strong lead-in they would have rounded out a powerful play.

All in all, while this is not a definitive production of Cowboy Mouth, it had no major faults, just possibilities not fully realized. The production is still a revealing and interesting presentation of an early Sam Shepard play that is not too frequently performed. Plus... there is free cheap wine, and a chance to hang out in Cavale's grungy apartment and watch her and Slim love, fight, and deal with Lobster Man.

(Note: The play takes place in an apartment above Lucky Cheng's, (LC), but the entrance is separate, around the corner from the entrance to LC. The night I was there, the Lobster Man was on the corner with fortune cookies with directions to the apartment. -- LC, that night, by the way, was hosting an LGBT/Drag  Karaoke.)

(Note: Come early to find a good comfortable seat with clear sight-lines. But a Cautionary Note: Front row seats might get splashed!)

Below is some information about the production from the producers and some links to more information:

"One Old Crow Productions presents a site-specific production of COWBOY MOUTH, the play born out of the actual relationship between America’s most celebrated dramatist, Sam Shepard and the godmother of Punk, Patti Smith. 

This play with original music composed in collaboration with the cast and director takes place in a grungy space above the bar, Lucky Cheng's, in the Lower East Side and will incorporate elements from the streets of New York.

One Old Crow invites the audience into Cavale's apt, where she has been holed up with Slim. 

The production is directed by Leah Benavides (The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love-Suicide at The Tank; Member of the 2011 Lincoln Center Director Lab) and will feature Diana Beshara (The Love Letter You’ve Been Meaning to Write New York at 3LD) as Cavale, Geoffrey Pomeroy (Two Days ‘til Dawn at the 2011 Planet Connections Festivity) as Slim,and Matthew Mark Stannah (2011 AADM graduate) as Lobster Man. 

The cast, in collaboration with the director, created the set, artwork, and original music. Slim, a musician, is in the apartment of the young Cavale, who dreams of making him the next rock n’ roll savior. What follows is a hypnotic meditation on art, desire, music, the state of the world, the place of dreams, and “two big dreamers who came together but were destined to come to a sad end.” (Patti Smith, 1974). 

The production, presented by One Old Crow Productions plays a three-week engagement in an apartment above Lucky Cheng’s (24 1st Avenue at 2nd Street) June 7-22; 

June 7 & 8, 11-14, & 20 & 21 at 8pm, 

Friday, June 15 & 22 at 8pm and 10pm, and 

Sunday, June 10 & 17 at 5pm. 

TICKETS($15) may be purchased 

online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/246617 

or by calling 1-800-838-3006. 

ONE OLD CROW PRODUCTIONS is a new company dedicated to producing works across multiple mediums that highlight and celebrate an experimental nature and an explorative use of space and place. We are not interested so much in Naturalism as REALISM; in exploring the reality and truth in situations that exist outside of daily life yet illuminate our existence. "

LINKS: 

Note: There is a band called COWBOY MOUTH which is not related to this production or this play. 

ONE OLD CROW PRODUCTIONS -- THE OFFICIAL SITE FOR THIS PLAY www.oneoldcrowproductions.com
http://www.oneoldcrowproductions.com/up-next.html

COWBOY MOUTH - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_Mouth_(play)

SAM SHEPARD - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Shepard

PATTI SMITH - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patti_Smith

SLEEP NO MORE - QPORIT
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/05/sleep-no-more-review-guide.html

LUCKY CHENG's
http://luckychengsnyc.com/

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Theatre for a New Audience Presents...

Andy Grotelueschen and Maggie Siff 

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Photo by Henry Grossman

The Taming of the Shrew

By William Shakespeare

The Duke on 42nd Street

Maggie Siff is a shrew! In all too many productions of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, the "shrew" is not a shrew, but just a bit cross with her language, and the play makes no sense: there is no shrew to tame. In this production, Maggie bursts onto the stage in an obnoxious roar. Katharina is a shrew. It justifies, explains, and humanizes the whole play.

Andy Grotelueschen appears on stage announcing he's there to find a woman. When he hears that Katharina is available, has a rich dad and a fine dowry, he's pleased; and when he hears she's feisty and more, and worse, (and more worser! still), he's delighted. It's a challenge, a game he's happy to play. And he spells out his method, so there's no question he's about to play a game he's going to enjoy... and is playing to win.

This production of Shakespeare's The Taming of The Shrew, with Maggie Siff as Katharina and Andy Grotelueschen as Petruchio, directed by Arin Arbus at Theater For A New Audience (TFANA) is enjoyable, understandable, entertaining and generally excellent.

Andy Grotelueschen and Maggie Siff THE TAMING OF THE SHREWPhoto by Gerry Goodstein

The Taming of The Shrew (TTOTS) is one of Shakespeare's early plays, based on several sources from which different plot elements of the play are taken (including a whole tradition of plays about "taming" women). It was published long after it was written, and there is only one version of the play. (This, of course, leaves open the possibility that the play we have is not exactly what Shakespeare wrote -- that it might contain parts he did not write, and that parts he did write might be missing.)

Another play, published anonymously (close to the time when TTOTS was first written), called THE TAMING OF A SHREW (TTOAS), contains both similarities and differences to Shakespeare's play.

Structurally, both plays begin with a section, called the "Induction," in which a passed-out drunk is discovered by a rich man, who decides to play a prank: he dresses the drunk, Sly, as a rich man and instructs his attendants to convince Sly when he awakes that Sly has just awoken from a years-long drunken madness, and that he is really a rich man. Then the rich man arranges to have a play, namely "The Taming of The Shrew" performed for Sly. So TTOTS is actually the play within the play, introduced by the "Induction".

The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, and Othello, are all politically incorrect plays. Shrew is about misogyny, Merchant is about a merciless money-lending Jew, and Othello is about a black man drawn to jealous murder of his innocent white wife.

Modern stage directors typically deal with these unPC themes in some combination of three ways:

-- most often, they emphasize the humanity that Shakespeare gives his character ("Hath not a Jew eyes?");

-- least often, they embrace the slur ("And if you wrong us, do we not revenge?" ... "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe.");

-- and sometimes, they deny the obvious political incorrectness and try to create an interpretation of the play that enables a politically correct production.

-- less typically, they find a way to finesse the incorrectness of the story.

Arin Arbus uses a combination of all these techniques.

Most obvious, in this production, is denial: the play in this production is not misogynist: Petruchio does not "tame" Kate, but rather allows her to find herself. Petruchio is playing a game; Katharina is an obnoxious shrew only out of frustration with her inability to communicate with her family and her dislike for any apparently available suitors; and when she warms up to his game and realizes she is in tune with Petruchio (impressed, though skeptical, that he says everything he is doing is for her benefit), Katharina and Petruchio truly fall in love and Katharina can dispense with the bad behavior and become herself. She is not changed, not tamed, but allowed to self-realize her true nature.

As for the other techniques, the production embraces Katharina's early shrewishness, and the production gives all the characters their full measure of humanity and realistic behavior.

Moreover, this production includes the "Induction," the first scene of the play (often omitted from a staging) which establishes "The Taming of the Shrew" as a play with a play, finessing its unPC theme by giving it an extra measure of distancing, or plausible deniability as to its intrinsic misogyny.

The production does have some problems: while the lead characters are terrific, and speak clearly and understandably; and most all the acting is excellent, some of the speeches of some of the characters are at times completely incomprehensible.

Also, Bianca, (played nicely by the pretty -- tho' improbably tall for her character -- Kathryn Saffell, in her OB debut), and the Widow (Owen Fouere) rather suddenly and without dramatic justification turn from ostensible models of "good" behavior at the beginning, to models of truculence against whom Katharina can then rail at the end.

As mentioned before, in the script of The Taming of The Shrew that has come down to us from some years after Shakespeare's time, there is an "Induction," an opening scene which sets up the play, "The Taming of The Shrew" as a play within a play, performed to a drunk who has been dressed up by a rich prankster.

The "Induction" is the only scene in which the framing characters appear. In this production, the characters from the framing -- which is placed inexplicably in the Wild West -- sit in the audience throughout the evening to watch the performance of TTOTS , and even have a few words borrowed from the other play ("The Taming of A Shrew"), in which there is also a framing device.

But then there is nothing more. It would have been more satisfying at the end of the play, even if the framing characters had no more words, to -- at least -- give them a bit of business (perhaps a spotlight on the character, Sly, at the end as he applauds the play he's seen, or show him walking away from the scene thoroughly confused, or still drunk and fast asleep), to complete the framing.

A talk-back after the show (there's another after the Saturday April 14 matinee) made some interesting points. Julie Crawford, from Columbia University stressed the idea that the play as written by Shakespeare embraces simultaneous and conflicting interpretations, while Robert Michels, a Professor of Psychiatry at Cornell was interested in the interpretation of this production which centered -- as described above -- on the way that Katharina and Petruchio find love with each other.

The prominence of discussions of the terms of marriage contracts between men and women in this play was also emphasized.

There was also considerable discussion at the talk-back of the framing device of the Induction which, in addition to serving to distance the play from its presumptive misogyny, also casts a spotlight on the fact that in the original productions of this and Shakespeare's other plays, the roles of women were played by boys and men; and that the role one plays in society can seem to change so easily, here just by dressing up in better clothes.

For more information and tickets:

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

http://www.tfana.org/season/taming-shrew/overview

SOME INTERESTING LINKS:

THEATRE FOR A NEW AUDIENCE (TFANA) is one of New York's most important theaters for the consistently excellent production of Shakespearean plays.

www.tfana.org

TFANA has put together a detailed analysis of the play and this production:

http://www.tfana.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/The-Taming-of-the-Shrew-360-A-Viewfinder-2012.pdf
 

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - WIKIPEDIA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Taming_of_the_Shrew 
 

The Taming of A Shrew (Anonymous), similar in some ways to The Taming of The Shrew (TTOTS), is often taken to be a garbled version of  (a possibly early draft of) TTOTS,  with elements, perhaps, of other plays as well:

http://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/shakespeare/taming.html

MAGGIE SIFF (Katharina) ON WIKIPEDIA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Siff

MAGGIE SIFF ON IMDB

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1745019/
 

ANDY GROTELUESCHEN (Petruchio)

http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Trinity/actor-andygrotelueschen/

KATHRYN SAFFELL (Bianca)

http://kathrynsaffell.com/

HERE ARE SOME LINKS TO    
SCRIPTS AND VIDEOS

TAMING OF THE SHREW 

ALL VARIATIONS:

(Note: Please check that you are getting the format and version you want; 

the same play comes in many variations!)

DAUGHTERS OF LOT

Brain Melt Consortium Presents
DAUGHTERS OF LOT
Kraine Theater 

85 E 4th Street, between 2nd Ave & Bowery

Part of the 2012 FRIGID New York Festival.

Written by Alexis Roblan
Directed by Rachel Kerry
Featuring Marlena Kalm, Stav Meishar, Caitlin Mehner, Naomi Bland,and Rebecca Gray Davis

 director’s note in haiku form:
Are you man enough?
For tonight’s entertainment?
...Do enjoy the show.

DAUGHTERS OF LOT is a brilliant idea for a play, with a brilliant conception for its style.

It has a terrific cast. (It's fun to see young actors that will be stars at an early stage of their careers!)

 

Caitlin Mehner, Marlena Kalm, Stav Meishar

DAUGHTERS OF LOT 

Photo by Nicholas Grant

It does not have a fully developed script, or the energy, ferocity and conviction to live up to its premise, or the promises made in the promos (see the director's haiku above) and even the introduction to the audience: After "threatening" the audience with the promise that they will be disturbed, and that the play is for adult audiences only, and that anyone squeamish should leave right away, the play wimps out and is less sexual, explicit, or daring than 9 PM TV.

Let's start at the beginning: DAUGHTERS OF LOT uses the biblical story of Lot's daughters, in the context of a burlesque show, to comment on the role of women and provide a "vexing exploration of the way women are taught to be 'women'."

Here's a little background: In Genesis, after the world is created in seven days, Adam and Eve are thrown out of the Garden of Eden, and Noah and his animals survive the flood, we come to Abraham (the Patriarch of the Israelites). Lot is Abraham's nephew. Lot lived in Sodom, which together with Gomorrah were "exceeding grievous" in their sinning. Lot was said to be the only righteous man in Sodom. Lot had lots of daughters (at least 4: two married, two virgins).

And here's the interesting part of this story: Although Lot was said to be righteous, there were some things that happened that raise modern eyebrows...

First, the Lord sends men to visit Sodom to see how many righteous men live there, to determine if the town is worth saving. When townsmen come to attack these messengers, Lot offers his virgin daughters to the crowd: "Behold now, I have two daughters that have never known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you and do ye to them as is good in your eyes, only unto these men do nothing, for as much as they are under the shadow of my roof."

Then, Lot escapes the destruction of Sodom and the death of his wife (who is turned into a pillar of salt) with his two virgin daughters, and they -- the only survivors of the destruction -- live in a cave in the mountains. Alone in the mountains and imagining they are the last people on earth, Lot's older daughter one night, and his younger daughter the next -- to preserve the seed of their father -- get Lot drunk and sleep with him. Later, each has a child that grows up to be the Patriarch of another tribe.

So, Rape and Incest (of biblical proportions) by the only righteous man in Sodom, with the background of Sodom -- a city renowned for its sinning -- in the context of a modern burlesque, as a platform to discuss the education of women, by an acting troupe of 5 highly talented & beautiful women, playing all the roles of modern and ancient men and women... This should be a fierce play.

But it was bland. There was no sex (just a little talking about the sex and sin that would be but never happened). No nudity. The burlesque was not real -- no singing, no dancing, just a few jokes. The daughters of Lot were on stage, in the burlesque(?) or not(?), but though there was talk about "educating" them, it was not clear what was taught, or what they learned, or what they did with their knowledge, or how, exactly, what they learned in the burlesque was brought back to their own time. The play ends with Lot kind of apologizing for having sex with his daughters -- but aside from the revisionism (the bible blames the girls -- not Lot -- for the sex) its an interesting, but not a very strong scene. And he's just talking; nothing's happening. And the play ends there. After just an hour.

Plays at an early stage are interesting because it's possible and fun to think about how they might develop.

Here are some ideas...

The conception is terrific. Just strengthen it and make it fierce, real, clear, personal, political and sexual.

Dramatize the incendiary scenes in the story of Lot's daughters. Don't just talk about them.

Use members of the audience. Involve the audience physically! (If necessary, put shills in the audience.) Make the audience (safely and comfortably) uncomfortable.

Instead of beginning with the burlesque girls stretching (while people are walking in), have them in the more intimate setting of their dressing room, and have the stretches choreographed with the grace of a kind of abstract dance. (Note/disclosure: I just saw PINA; now all dramatic physicality seems like it should be colored by dance.)

Make the burlesque real with sex, jokes, dance and song. Note that mesh stockings and cleavage alone do not burlesque make. The costumes are excellent, but the burlesque costume is over-used, and there's lots more burlesquing to be done.

Make Sodom real with sex, sin and nudity (on stage, not just talked about).

Make the differences between the time of Sodom, the present day, and the present day burlesque of Sodom real (and clear).

Be clear about what the daughters are learning, and how they change with what they have learned. When interacting with the daughters in the burlesque, make it clear how that is part of the burlesque.  When they are in Sodom, make that real, clear, and explicit; and connect it to what they have "learned" in the burlesque.

The older daughter initiates the rape of the father. Make her role stronger and clearer.

Extend the length of the play to full length theater (100-120 min running time).  That should allow ample time to include songs, music, jokes, sex, sinning and the rest of these ideas.


This play was intriguing. I like theater that makes me think, and makes me think about how I would approach it if I could reshape and direct it.

DAUGHTERS OF LOT  plays at the Frigid Festival, which is a great place to bring a new play to be put on its feet, to be tried out and to be seen by an audience. The Frigid Festival is created by the Horse Trade Theater Group, which is shaping up as one of the most prolific and important OOB theater companies.




DAUGHTERS OF LOT

Kraine Theater 

85 E 4th Street, between 2nd Ave & Bowery

Performance times are as follows: Thursday, Feb 23rd, 7:30 PM; Saturday, Feb 25th, 5:30 PM;
Tuesday, Feb 28th, 9:00 PM; Friday, Mar 2nd, 5:30 PM; and Sunday, Mar 4th, 4:00 PM. Tickets
are $15 and may be obtained through ...

SMARTTIX
www.smarttix.com .




DAUGHTERS OF LOT OFFICIAL SITE
http://www.brainmeltconsortium.com/daughters-of-lot.html

BRAIN MELT CONSORTIUM
http://www.brainmeltconsortium.com

FRIGID FESTIVAL - FRIGID NEW YORK
http://frigidnewyork.info/

HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP
http://horsetrade.info/

CAITLIN MEHNER ON IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2790561/


STAV MEISHAR
http://www.stavmeishar.com

*** *** ***

2011 TOPICAL INDEX OF STORIES IN QPORIT  

PLEASE VISIT OUR OSCAR COVERAGE!
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/01/oscar-nominations.html



PLEASE VISIT ALL OUR WEBSITES:

QPORIT - Quick Previews of Random Interesting Things

BOBOOBLOG - Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway Blog

SONNETS-BY-SHAKESPEARE -- Sonnets & other works by & about Shakespeare  

QPORIT3D - A new blog about consumer 3D

TWITTER/QPORIT

VIDEOS FROM QPORIT

VIDEOS FROM QPORIT IN STEREOSCOPIC 3D

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HOW THE WORLD BEGAN

Women's Project Presents 
New York Premiere 
Catherine Trieschmann's 

How The World Began  

Directed by Daniella Topol 
With Heidi Schreck, Adam LeFevre and Justin Kruger

Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:30pm 

with matinees Sundays at 3:00pm through January 29.

The Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 416 West 42nd Street

http://www.womensproject.org/

Justin Kruger, Heidi Schreck, and Adam LeFevreHOW THE WORLD BEGAN
Photo by Carol Rosegg

HOW THE WORLD BEGAN is a simple play about moderately simple people and fairly complex issues. Specifically, it is about small-town (Kansas) attitudes toward religion and big-city attitudes about science.

That's attitudes, because the play is about attitudes not substance.

A teacher, not that well prepared for the job, several months pregnant and sans guy, comes -- from the big-city to a Kansas town devastated by a tornado  -- to teach biology.

The play begins when a student confronts the teacher over her use (before the play begins) of the term BOBBLEDYGOOK, apparently to describe Biblical views of (spontaneous -- God-given) creation.

The play is worth seeing for its attempt at portraying ordinary people in a situation that is getting out of hand, and for the performance of Justin Kruger.  Although he is too big, too hunky, and many years too old to play a high school biology student; he is a big, hunky, strong actor in his New York debut, who captures convincingly the manifold aspects of his character's character, and he could have a nice career ahead of him.

Heidi Schreck and Justin KrugerHOW THE WORLD BEGAN
Photo by Carol Rosegg  

The set design is interesting.  Suggesting a schoolroom reconstructed after the old school was destroyed, a complete biology classroom is constructed on top of a set of cinder blocks.  The light for the room comes from what appear to be skylight windows on the top of the schoolroom (with the theatrical lights out of sight).

Heidi Schreck, Adam LeFevre and Justin Kruger in the schoolroom set
HOW THE WORLD BEGAN
Photo by Carol Rosegg 

SPOILER ALERT

THE NEXT SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS:

Here are some notes/observations about the play:

The play gets off to a somewhat rocky start, because the first scene seems stagey and unnatural.  Aside from the fact that the boy seems too old to be in the class, the whole scene does not feel like any encounter that could happen in the real world of a high school.

There is something unreal and vague about the whole situation of the play -- it doesn't seem grounded: Does the teacher teach anything else? Why would she be hired to teach only biology? What part of the school year is this? The first class? What level is the class? A first class in science for seniors? How much preparation did the teacher have before she came to teach?  Where are all the other teachers? the other classrooms?

The teacher (Heidi Schreck) is presented -- most likely with a deliberate intention -- as confused, unprepared, with personal baggage, and without "poetry" in her language.  Adam LeFevre, as the boy's guardian, plays the role of "mediator" with straightforward reasonableness.

There is something admirable and important about trying to create "minimal" "normal" characters. I did not find, however, very much in the character of the teacher -- as it evolved over the course of the play -- that was very different, or more interesting, than the single sentence description above.

This play, of course, evokes memories of Oleanna -- student vs teacher  -- and Inherit The Wind -- evolution vs. religion.  This is a much more casual play than either of those.

I was most concerned, however, by the fact that the only objective of the teacher seems to be to keep her job.  She does not ever confront (though they are briefly mentioned) the deeper issues of  science and religion.  Also, it is disappointing that any serious dealing with the religious views of the boy are undercut by revealing that he is very, very disturbed. His religious "convictions" are trumped by his profoundly troubled soul.

The final scene is most interesting.  When the student reveals both tender feelings for the teacher, and how profoundly mentally shaken he is, suffering something like a seizure -- recalling the first scene -- the teacher comes to comfort him in a way that is almost inappropriate. But when he politely reacts to her joy that her baby is moving, she shuts him down immediately. Were this the beginning of the play, it would suggest a very promising dynamic, but at the very end, it just seems like an arbitrary piece of scripting to put a finish on the play.

Perhaps -- I mean this seriously -- the play is most interesting for how it dodges the serious issues and real questions that are raised in the first scene: teacher/student science/religion.  For in the real world, most of the time, the truth is, these issues are dodged, not confronted, and never solved.

Here is a prizewinning film made by Justin at Rutgers:

LOVE WITHOUT LAW

Wilce Productions Presents:

LOVE WITHOUT LAW

Written & Performed by Kathleen Wilce

Assisted by Mary Lee Kellerman

The Manhattan Repertory Theatre
303 West 42nd St. at 8th Ave --  6th Floor

Sunday December 4 at 8 pm
Friday December 9 at 9 pm
Saturday December 10 at 3 pm

This solo show takes you on a journey through a woman's past relationships, artistic challenges, and confusion until she finally reads Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina where suddenly her life all makes sense.


Tickets are $20
Phone: 646-329-6588
Online: http://www.manhattanrep.com

SOME GIRL(S)

SOME GIRL(S)

by Neil LaBute

Some Girls, a popular play by Neil LaBute, has had many productions in the last few years, including a London production starring David Schwimmer, and a New York production starring Eric McCormack.

Nunya Productions mounted a new production in a limited engagement in December 2011 with a new script by LaBute. There were hints that this new script may be headed for a new Broadway Production.

I rarely (actually, never) get asked  to give a playwright notes before a new script mounts a Broadway Production. And, in fact, of course, nobody asked me to do that now, either. But I will anyway.

Perhaps it will help the Broadway team! Most likely they will never see this (or want to). Or if they do, they'll ignore it with a hostile shrug.

I should say, first off, that the December Production by Nunya was very good. And I enjoyed it. And there were especially fine performances by Betty Kaplan, who was one of the most successfully sexy on-stage sexy gamin's I've seen, and Mariya King who perfectly navigated a treacherous role.

Robin Singer was exceptional, creating a standout, subtle, sophisticated, complex character. Bringing Robin to a Broadway Production could be creating the Breakout Actress who helps make the show an Event.

First, the Official Notice for the show, then the notes. WARNING: The notes contain spoilers!

SOME GIRL(S)

by Neil LaBute

with Michael Scott King, Rebecca De Ornelas, Betty Kaplan, Jody Lyn Flynn,

Robin Singer, Mariya King

December 8 - 17, 2011

Presented by Nunya Productions

With The New Jersey Foundation For Dance and Theatre Arts

Sargent Theatre at The American Theater of Actors

314 W 54th St, 4th Floor,

A play to raise funds and awareness for To Write Love On Her Arms

Guy (Michael Scott King) pushing 40 and finally on the verge of getting married, decides to visit former girlfriends...





Robin Singer Photo by Eric Roffman

These include the high school sweetheart Sam (Rebecca De Ornelas) he dumped just before prom night; a free-spirited sexual plaything, Tyler (Betty Kaplan); an older, fire-and-ice college professor, Lindsay (Jody Lyn Flynn); and the woman he really loved, Bobbi (Robin Singer).



THE OFFICIAL LISTING
http://nunyaproductions.com/projects/


AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE PRODUCTION http://offbroadway.broadwayworld.com/printcolumn.php?id=307441


THE PRODUCER
http://nunyaproductions.com/


THE BENEFIT: TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS
http://www.twloha.com/


ROBIN SINGER IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3295250/



NOTES FOR LABUTE

& THE TEAM BEHIND A NEW, COMMERCIAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION

OF NEIL LABUTE'S

SOME GIRLS

WARNING! THESE NOTES CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Disclaimers:
   1. -- Nobody asked me for these notes.
   2. -- I'm no expert on LaBute's work or what he is trying to accomplish: so these opinions are based on what I would like to see, not what LaBute may be trying to accomplish in the play.



NOTES:


1- First of all, the play does not seem like a Broadway Play. It does not have elaborate sets. It does not have bursting-the-envelope action or scandal or revelations. It does not seem like either a Tourist Friendly or a Tourist Destination piece.

My first note, then, is that for the play to succeed on Broadway it should have bigger sets, big, big stars, a breakout new star, and be much more daring. (It could also run more safely in a somewhat smaller and trendier than Broadway venue.)


2a - The play still is (and, as noted by earlier reviews of earlier productions, used to be, as well), somewhat repetitive. As it now stands it consists of one Guy going from city to city, hotel room to hotel room, meeting old girl friends, one at a time.

It might be interesting to combine the first two characters (to eliminate one unnecessary repetition). It might be interesting to have each scene in a different kind of venue, to allow for more interesting set design and variation in style.

2b - The play has limited suspense. Currently we learn early on that the Guy is getting married. There is no clear reason why he should be visiting all the old girlfriends. There is a surprise in the next to last scene and a surprise in the last scene. But a surprise is not suspense. (Note: The twin sister bit is hokey.)

Some possibly interesting ideas would be to never make it clear whether the Guy is really getting married. And have scenes with his "fiance" in between the other scenes. It might be interesting to magnify the importance of the last woman by suggesting early on that visiting her may be the real reason for his expedition.


3 - Magnifying the importance of the last woman is also important because there have been at least two other plays which hang on a similar topic (How I Learned to Drive, by Paula Vogel and The Blackbird, by David Harrower). Indeed, the last scene, as written, has little suspense even within the scene, because as soon as the ages of the Guy and the girl are revealed, the point of the scene is foretold. The final scene needs to be more shocking, and to be more intimately related to everything that has gone before.


4a - One issue with the whole play is that it never really explains how this one Guy could have all these great women hanging on him. This suggests that for a commercial production it would be wise to have a super-star playing the Guy who is already known -- as himself in the public domain, and in the spirit of the character -- for being a major Ladies' Man.

4b - So, in the interest of Commercial Casting, it would be wise to have a cast something like this:

Guy -- A famous, sexy actor such as Fassbender, Duchovny, Ryan (Reynolds or Gosling) or Brad Pitt.

Paired with Brad Pitt, some trophy casting would be Angelina Jolie as the sexy girl. Other possibilities might be Penelope Cruz or perhaps another dark, sexy actress like Eva Green.

For the teacher/older woman, some intense older actor would be most interesting: Jodie Foster, Demi Moore, Kathleen Turner, Michelle Pfeiffer...

As Bobbi, Robin Singer should re-create her exceptional characterization. She could be the Breakout New Actress that helps make the Commercial Production an Event and Commercial Success!

As the younger woman for the final scene, one of the new very powerful younger actresses, such as Evan Rachel Wood or Kristen Stewart could create the role.


5 - By contemporary standards (think SHAME or THE SKIN I LIVE IN or STARZ' SPARTACUS) this play is very, very tame. Scenes with the sexy girl, the teacher, and new scenes with the fiance should be much more intense, daring, explicit, and carried much further. And the final scene should be truly shocking.


6 - One final thought... or question.  Who among the characters really cares about whom? And why?


So. That's my two cents. (Or noncents.) I don't expect anyone that's actually involved to ever see this or care or agree if they do read it. But I did get it off my chest.

*** *** ***

2011 SUMMARY & TOPICAL INDEX OF STORIES IN QPORIT
VISIT ALL OUR WEBSITES:

QPORIT - Quick Previews of Random Interesting Things

BOBOOBLOG - Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway Blog

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NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATRE NOMINATIONS

NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATRE
AWARDS CEREMONY
SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
LOCATION TBD

www.nyitawards.com

2011 NOMINEES

ENSEMBLE
Tonya Canada, Megan Hill, Polly Lee, Michael Levinton, Hugh Sinclair, Laura von Holt, Donya K. Washington, Stephanie Weeks, Merlin Whitehawk, (oh my god I am so) THIRST(y) Little Lord (a theater company)

Seth Allen, Ian Bell, Esteban Benito, Jill Bianchini, Dennis Brito, Tommy Buck, Lowell Byers, Ian Campbell Dunn, Belle Caplis, Amanda Catrini, Lawrence Crimlis, Jordan Feltner, Brad Martocello, Mariel Matero, Jevon McFerrin, Erica Lauren McLaughlin, Alona Metcalf, Sebastian Montoya, Michael Murray, Jason Pumarada, Orlando J. Rivera, Olivia Roric, Stephanie Seward, Lisa Sobin, Eric Spear, Christine Vega, Stewart Villilo, Jonathan Wilde, Richard Zekaria, Balm in Gilead T. Schreiber Studio

Heather E. Cunningham, David Ian Lee, Matthew Semler, Kristen Vaughan, Benefactors Retro Productions

Richard Ginocchio, Jenny Lee Mitchell, Matt Muszynski, Aldo Perez, Jonathon Roberts,
Matthew Talmage, Radio Purgatory Theater THE

Whitney Branan, Jennifer DiDonato, Tauren Hagans, Robert Anthony Jones, Edward Juvier, Lorinne Lampert, Aaron J. Libby, Jake Mendes, Trey Mitchell, Jan-Peter Pedross, Colin Pritchard, Megan Rosenblatt, Chloe Sabin, Dawn Trautman, Craig Treubert, Tyler Wallach, Eric Weaver, The Drowsy Chaperone The Gallery Players

Marc Bovino, Joe Curnutte, Michael Dalto, Henry Vick, Stephanie Wright Thompson, The Tremendous Tremendous The Mad Ones

Fred Backus, Hope Cartelli, Stephen Heskett, Kent Meister, Josh Mertz, Robert Pinnock, Shelley Ray, Theater of the Arcade: Five Classic Video Games Adapted for the Stage Brick Theater

SOLO PERFORMANCE
Andrea Caban, Questions My Mother Can't Answer, Coyote REP Theatre Company & the terraNOVA Collective
Nat Cassidy, Things At The Doorstep: An Evening of Horror Based on the Works of H.P. Lovecraft, Manhattan Theatre Source, Greg Oliver Bodine, and Nat Cassidy
Elaine Del Valle, Brownsville Bred, Del Valle Productions, Inc.
Monica Hunken, Blondie of Arabia, Monica Hunken and Co.
Darrell James, St. Nicholas, Theatre of the Expendable
Grant Neale, Polanski, Polanski, terraNOVA Collective


ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE
Daniel Abeles, Keep Your Baggage With You (at all times), Artists Empire
David Darrow, The Revival, Project Y Theatre Company
Gregory Konow, An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company
Jeff Pagliano, Fracturing, Sweeter Theater Productions
Colin Pritchard, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players
Brent Vimtrup, Sight Unseen, InProximity Theatre Company


ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE
Becky Byers, Dog Act, Flux Theatre Ensemble
Deanna McGovern, An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company
Elizabeth Neptune, Weekend at an English Country Estate, Ateh Theater Group
Lauren Roth, Billy Carver and the Children in Mind, OptiMystics
Nicole Taylor, The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
Laura von Holt, (oh my god I am so) THIRST(y), Little Lord (a theater company)


ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
DJ Canaday, A Christmas Carol, Literally Alive
Trent Dawson, The Revival, Project Y Theatre Company
Kevin Kane, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, The Collective NY
Nick Paglino, An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company
Jeff Paul, Interchange, WorkShop Theater Company
Craig E. Treubert, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players


ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
Virginia Bartholomew, Macbeth, Redd Tale Theatre Company
Jill Bianchini, Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio
Kelly Anne Burns, The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
Belle Caplis, Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio
Heather E. Cunningham, Benefactors, Retro Productions
Daphne Gaines, The Walk Across America For Mother Earth, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club
Kristen Vaughan, Benefactors, Retro Productions


DIRECTOR
Gyda Arber, Theater of the Arcade: Five Classic Video Games Adapted for the Stage, Brick Theater
Michole Biancosino, The Revival, Project Y Theatre Company
Hans Friedrichs, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players
Robert Z. Grant, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, The Collective NY
Leslie Kincaid Burby, The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
Rachel Klein, Circus of Circus, the House of Yes
Paul Zimet, The Walk Across America For Mother Earth, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club



CHOREOGRAPHY / MOVEMENT
Karina Casiano and Daniel Irizarry, The Orphans, La Criatura Theater
Angela L. Harriell, Rachel Klein and Ashley Morgan Monroe, Circus of Circus, the House of Yes
Aaron Haskell, Wake Up, You're Dead, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club
Austin McCormick, Nutcracker Rouge, Company XIV
Christine O'Grady, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players
Elisabetta Spuria, disOriented, Theatre C


ORIGINAL FULL LENGTH SCRIPT
Eddie Antar, The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
Jonathan Blitstein, Keep Your Baggage With You (at all times), Artists Empire
Jeff Lewonczyk, Theater of the Arcade: Five Classic Video Games Adapted for the Stage, Brick Theater
Sara Montgomery, Weekend at an English Country Estate, Ateh Theater Group
Matt Pelfrey, An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company
Matt Wilson, Play America (Life is Short, Wear Your Party Pants), Sister Sylvester

OTHER NOMINEES

Lighting Design
Joie Bauer, Brownsville Bred, Del Valle Productions, Inc.
Alex Fabozzi, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, The Collective NY
Ben Hagen, The Revival, Project Y Theatre Company
Ryan Metzler, St. Nicholas, Theatre of the Expendable
Duane Pagano, The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
Stan Pressner, Pass The Blutwurst, Bitte, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club
Eric Southern, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Pipeline Theatre Company


Costume Design
Krista Amigone, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, The Collective NY
Kae Burke, Circus of Circus, the House of Yes
Hwi-won Lee, The Country Wife, Odyssey Productions
Machine Dazzle, The Walk Across America For Mother Earth, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club
Ryan J. Moller, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players
Zane Pihlstrom, Nutcracker Rouge, Company XIV
Anne Wingate, Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio


Set Design
Matt Brogan, Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio
Kevin Judge, The Revival, Project Y Theatre Company
Duane Pagano, The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
Jason Paradine, Dog Act, Flux Theatre Ensemble
Jeff Stander, Dear Ruth, Retro Productions
Hal Tine, The Changing Room, T. Schreiber Studio


Sound Design
Tim Boyce, The Spring Fling, F*It Club
Quentin Chiappetta, The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
Andy Cohen, Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio
M.L. Dogg, The Land Whale Murders, Shelby Company
Christopher Loar, (un)afraid, New York Neo-Futurists
Aldo Perez, Radio Purgatory, Theater THE
Amit Prakash, The Revival, Project Y Theatre Company


Innovative Design
Matt Acheson and Tom Lee, Puppet Design, The Secret History of the Swedish Cottage, Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
Kae Burke, Aerial & Circus Rigging Design, Circus of Circus, the House of Yes
Volodymyr Klyuzko and Mikhail Shraga, Projection Design, Raven, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club
Alex Koch, Video and Projection Design, Feeder: A Love Story by James Carter, terraNOVA Collective
Hugh Morris, Art Installation, Michael & Edie, The Greenpoint Division
Tatsushi Tahara, Film and Cinema Design, Radio Purgatory, Theater THE


Original Music
Cormac Bluestone, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Pipeline Theatre Company
Chris Chappell and Frank Padellaro, Theater of the Arcade: Five Classic Video Games Adapted for the Stage, Brick Theater
Live Footage, Displaced Wedding, New Worlds Theatre Project
George MacDonald, The Country Wife, Odyssey Productions
Aldo Perez, Radio Purgatory, Theater THE
Colonna Sonora, Woyzeck, Toy Box Theatre Company


Original Short Script
Vincent Marano, My Baby, Ingenius Short Play Festival, Manhattan Theatre Source
Clay McLeod Chapman, Diary Debris, The Pumpkin Pie Show: Amber Alert, Horse Trade
Clay McLeod Chapman, Sixteen Again, The Pumpkin Pie Show: Amber Alert, Horse Trade
Isaac Oliver, Come Here, The Spring Fling, F*It Club
Aaron Wigdor Levy, Monroe, Illinois: Over Here/Townie, On the Square Productions t
Anna Ziegler, If,The Spring Fling, F*It Club


Performance Art Production
(un)afraid, New York Neo-Futurists
Hold Music, PegLeg Productions / Culture Project's Women Center Stage 2011
Locker #4173b, New York Neo-Futurists
Radio Purgatory, Theater THE
The Bitter Poet: Looking For Love In All The Wrong Black Box Performance Spaces, The Bitter Poet
Wake Up, You're Dead, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club
Woman of Leisure and Panic, terraNOVA Collective


Production of a Musical
(oh my god I am so) THIRST(y), Little Lord (a theater company)
A Christmas Carol, Literally Alive
Reefer Madnes the musical, The Gallery Players
The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players
The Human Comedy, Astoria Performing Arts Center
The Walk Across America For Mother Earth, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club

Production of a Play
Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio
Benefactors, Retro Productions
Circus of Circus, the House of Yes
St. Nicholas, Theatre of the Expendable
The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company
The Revival, Project Y Theatre Company



SAVE THE DATE
NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATRE
AWARDS CEREMONY
SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
LOCATION TBD

Coming to the Fringe: FLACCID PENIS SEEKS VAGINAL DRYNESS

 FLACCID PENIS SEEKS VAGINAL DRYNESS

http://www.fringenyc.org/

Writer: Mike Poblete
Director: Rebecca A. Hengstenberg
Limp Productions

Multi-Media Comedy
2h 0m

Allergic to Semen seeks Delayed Ejaculation! Brotherfucker seeks Male Sibling! Anorgasmic seeks Wizard! Tired of insincere Facebook “friends” Dan finds a website for people even more ostracized than himself. Taking place entirely in cyberspace you’ve never seen anything like FPSVD.


VENUE #5: Dixon Place
161A Chrystie Street (Rivington Delancey)
F,V to 2nd Avenue; B,D to Grand; J,M,Z to Bowery

Sat 13 @ 8:30
Wed 17 @ 4:45
Sat 20 @ 12
Mon 22 @ 7
Thu 25 @ 9

Note: Mike's a very fine writer, and this is a good bet to be one of the more interesting shows at this year's FringeNYC.

.