SAM BENDRIX brings a song to our art

After a weekend of previews and a (well-deserved) day off, the Time Stands Still company was back in rehearsal yesterday afternoon on the Mainstage, continuing to refine the production for evening preview performances headed towards Friday’s opening. But yesterday we also welcomed Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir—the first music rehearsal for that show, next up in the season, was underway in the rehearsal hall as Time Stands Still was rehearsing onstage. Music director Doug Levine and actor/singer Luke MacFarlane (best known for his role on ABC’s Brothers and Sisters, recently in the cast of the acclaimed New York revival of The Normal Heart) are clearly relishing the standards of the American songbook, as well as some lesser known but no less wonderful pieces, that playwright Keith Bunin has assembled into the “cabaret” performance of the character Sam Bendrix. Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir will play in the Hamburg Studio, which we’ll be transforming into the legendary nightclub of the title. 

Luke MacFarlane will be playing Sam in SAM BENDRIX AT THE BON SOIR by Keith Bunin.

I intended to stay for just a few minutes at the beginning of the rehearsal yesterday but I ended up sitting and listening for a couple of hours. I noticed that playwright Keith Bunin was smiling along with me as we enjoyed the easy rapport that was quickly established between Luke and Doug, who will be playing Sam’s band leader, and the clear promise of a charismatic performance as Sam by Luke–who is a great singer. You can hear that for yourself by listening here to a couple of the tracks he recorded with his band “Fellow Nameless”  – I especially like “Ahead of Me,” “Bone Dry,” “Take You Home,” and “The Wild.” (By the way, you can find a link to purchase Luke’s album while you’re there.) Of course, Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir is much different stylistically — it takes place in 1958 and Sam, backed by a three-piece ensemble, performs songs that were written more or less around the mid-20^th century: classics from the American songbook by such musical giants as Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Oscar Hammerstein II, to name a few.

Buy your tickets to Sam Bendrix while you’re here to see Time Stands Still. Or before that at 412-431 (CITY) or online–before it sells out!

Time Stands Still: “these pictures are my testimony”

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

I mentioned in my post on Saturday about Time Stands Still—and Tracy (our artistic director, who’s directing) has been mentioning in the press—that the play’s heart is personal, about the relationship between the main character, Sarah, and her boyfriend, James. But playwright Donald Margulies was exacting in the character detail he created for Sarah as a conflict photographer and James as a war correspondent, and in certain references to how they operate in a war zone. One of the sources I came across early in my research that ended up being essential to all of us—Tracy and me during our pre-production preparation, and then the cast once they were here in residence—was a documentary film called War Photographer, about the photojournalist James Nachtwey, considered by many to be the greatest war photographer of all time. Much footage was caught by a tiny video camera attached to the top of his camera, allowing us to virtually see through his lens as he’s shooting photos in Kosovo, Jakarta, and the West Bank, among other places. In between, Nachtwey—a quiet, reserved man—speaks eloquently about the importance of his work, and the apprehensions that come along with it. On his website he says, “I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated.” The theme of “witnessing” is huge in Time Stands Still, so it’s exciting that in War Photographer we get to witness the witness in action. See clips from the film, starting at this YouTube page, and exploring along the right margin for additional clips from there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3VoyjUP8hg&feature=relmfu

Nachtwey also wrote of suffering and of the conflicted feelings that many war photographers speak of in another of our key sources, an excellent book called Shooting Under Fire: The World of the War Photographer, edited by Peter Howe. In it he says:

It’s not easy to witness another human being’s suffering. There’s a deep sense of guilt—not that I caused the situation, but that I’m going to leave it. At some point, my work will be finished, and if I’m lucky, I’m going to get an airplane and leave. They’re not.

            It’s a hard thing to say, but there’s something a bit shameful about photographing another person in those circumstances. None of this is easy to deal with, but overcoming emotional hurdles is just as much part of being a photojournalist as overcoming physical obstacles. If you give in, either physically or emotionally, you won’t do anybody any good. You might as well stay home or do something else with your life.

            People understand implicitly when a journalist from the outside world shows up with a camera, it gives them a voice they wouldn’t otherwise have. To permit someone to witness and record at close range their most profound tragedies and deepest personal moments is transcendent. They’re making an appeal; they’re crying out and saying, “Look what happened to us. This is unjust. Please do something about this. If you know the difference between right and wrong, you have to do something to help us.” It’s that simple, that elemental.

            I try to connect with people in a very respectful manner, to let them know that I appreciate what they’re going through. I’m not there to threaten them. I’m not there to exploit them. I’m there to give them that voice, and I want them to understand that I feel respect for them and for what they’re experiencing.

            But it takes a toll. You carry a weight, you carry a sadness, you carry anger and guilt. And it doesn’t go away; if you have a conscience, you carry it with you, always. Sometimes I think it’s ruined my life, and other times I think it’s given my life meaning.

To hear more from James Nachtwey—and to understand why he had such an impact on the artists of our production—check out this 20-minute video where he accepts his 2007 TED Prize, shows his life’s work, and asks TED to help him continue telling the story with innovative, exciting uses of news photography in the digital era:

http://www.ted.com/talks/james_nachtwey_s_searing_pictures_of_war.html

And to see Nachtwey’s photos, see his website at http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/

TIME STANDS STILL poses questions for our time

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.” Legendary war photographer Robert Capa dispensed that famous piece of professional advice to his fellow photojournalists. As I sat watching our final dress rehearsal for TIME STANDS STILL on Friday I found myself thinking about that quote and how apropos it is to theatre-making too. We’ve all seen productions that are technically proficient, that look really slick but that somehow lack a soul—they’re all surface, no depth. If we don’t grapple with the really puzzling and difficult questions in the rehearsal hall, search into the depths of the characters to find what makes them tick, dig into the events and moments that make up the action, struggle with the ambiguities and the complexities of a play, it’s not possible to get to its heart and soul. It’s only a really close exploration that can make a play live onstage. Tonight we step back and invite the audience in for a new season of close exploration with us at City Theatre, as TIME STANDS STILL by Donald Margulies starts previews.

Capa’s aphorism could be the catchphrase of Sarah, the photojournalist in TIME STANDS STILL. Sarah and her journalist boyfriend James have spent their careers getting as close as possible to the kind of action most of us are thankful to be far from: war. The play’s many questions and issues resonate in our day and age when mass media is pervasive, news coverage is as instantaneous as the Twitter feed (five years ago did we imagine it could get more direct?), and much of the world—literally several dozen countries, at least—is consumed in armed conflict. Like any conflict photojournalist, Sarah is confronted with questions of why and how she can do conflict photography and the issue of intervention: whether a photojournalist should ever step into the frame to change what she sees. But TIME STANDS STILL is not a “war play” (the playwright himself has said there is no political agenda), and the questions are about much more than the ethics of photojournalism. Rather, the play is about the personal—the relationship between Sarah and James after circumstances bring them back home from a war zone. It’s also about two relationships in contrast to one another—that of Sarah and James, and that of their friend Richard and his new girlfriend, Mandy. The play makes us reflect on personal questions about love, relationships (romantic and friendly), marriage, parenthood, career choices. It also poses big questions of morality and responsibility towards ourselves, those we love, and those suffering and less fortunate than us—“What should (or can) I do with the information I receive through the media—whether photo, print, or TV journalism?” “Does popular culture package real-life suffering as a consumable presentation, and do spectators assuage their own guilt by watching, thinking that’s ‘doing’ something to help?” “How does a person of integrity reconcile the desire for comfort and personal happiness with the knowledge that much of the world is afflicted with daily tragedy and woe?”

Those are just a few teaser questions—though the play at its center is about a relationship, it is also swirling with many ideas. And Margulies, without judgment on the characters’ choices, leaves the answers up to us.

Which brings me back to a quote by another famous photojournalist, Philip Jones Griffiths. “I’m a photographer because I want to find out.… That’s the main reason for doing what I do. The second is when I’ve found out for myself, I want to share my findings.” Once you see the play, share your findings with us: let us know what you find out, what questions and themes come to the fore for you, what ideas are most striking.

See you at the theatre!

Jeff Hatcher Free Q&A on Collaboration May 15

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher will be doing a Q & A this Saturday May 15 on “Collaboration,” especially his collaboration with Eric Simonson on the writing of Louder Faster, which opens Friday at City Theatre. Hatcher’s discussion is part of a day-long exploration on the theme of “Collaboration” being offered by the Dramatists Guild (the professional association of playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists) in City Theatre’s Rehearsal Hall.

These events are free and open to the public—please attend any and all discussions, and freely pass along the information to anyone who may be interested or benefit from the conversations.

Here is the announcement and schedule from the Dramatists Guild:

ALL ARE WELCOME at the Dramatists Guild Town Hall Meeting being held on Saturday, May 14 at City Theatre Company, 1300 Bingham Street (at the corner of 13th and Bingham, one block off Carson towards the river) on Pittsburgh’s Historic Southside. All events will take place in City Theatre’s Rehearsal Hall, located in the theatre’s Charles M. Morris Building.

Beginning at 10:00 am, Gary Garrison, DG Director of Creative Affairs, and Roland Tec, DG Director of Membership, will lead the Town Hall Meeting for Guild Members and Playwrights, and will participate in a day-long conversation on the theme of “Collaboration.”

At 11:00 am award-winning playwright Jeffrey Hatcher will talk in a Q&A moderated by Gary Garrison on the subject of his collaboration with co-writer Eric Simonson on LOUDER FASTER. Premiering this weekend at City Theatre, LOUDER FASTER (a City Theatre commission) is a new comedy by Hatcher and Simonson set in 1937 that places famed comic playwright George S. Kaufman—who was Pittsburgh born and bred—at the center of his own Kaufman-like plot. When Harpo Marx bets Kaufman—also known as “The Great Collaborator”—that he can’t write a play by himself, the famed dramatist returns to his childhood home to cure his writer’s block, only to find himself foiled at every turn by slamming doors, mistaken identities, and a hilarious assortment of eccentric locals.

See full bios for Hatcher and Simonson below, at end of announcement.

At 12:00 noon, Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg at City Theatre, and Amy Hartman, DG member and Pittsburgh-based playwright, will discuss the playwright/dramaturg relationship. Roland Tec will moderate.

At 2:00 pm, there will be a conversation with a local panel of collaborators which will include Gary Garrison and Roland Tec (The Rubber Room), Jeanne Drennan and David Berlin (Dear Boy), Kyle Bostian and Gab Cody (Casino Liberty), and Anya Martin (Hiawatha Project).

Hope you will join us for what will surely be a great opportunity to learn about collaborations in Pittsburgh and beyond, and perhaps begin a new collaboration of your own.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Both Jeffrey Hatcher and Eric Simonson have extensive writing and production experience in both the not-for-profit and commercial theatre, as well as in television and film. Hatcher is an award-winning playwright, musical bookwriter, screenwriter, and adaptor, whose works have been seen on Broadway, in regional theatres, and on movie theatre and TV screens internationally. Previously for City Theatre, he wrote Compleat Female Stage Beauty, which was adapted into the film Stage Beauty directed by Richard Eyre and starring Claire Danes and Billy Crudup (screenplay by Hatcher), and Mercy of a Storm. City Theatre has also produced his stage adaptations of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Tuesdays with Morrie (a collaboration with Mitch Albom), and his plays Murderers, A Picasso, and Work Song: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright, his first collaboration with Eric Simonson. Simonson is an award-winning writer and director of plays, opera, TV, and film, whose works have been seen at regional theatres, including Steppenwolf where he is a company member, on movie screens internationally—he is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, and on Broadway—his play Lombardi is currently running there. Previously for City Theatre, he wrote and directed Speak American, and directed Michele Lowe’s String of Pearls. City Theatre also produced his play Work Song: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright, a collaboration with Jeff Hatcher.

Jeffrey Hatcher bio: BROADWAY:  “Never Gonna Dance” (book).  OFF-BROADWAY:  “Three Viewings” and “A Picasso” at Manhattan Theatre Club; “Scotland Road” and “The Turn of the Screw” at Primary Stages; “Tuesdays with Morrie (with Mitch Albom) at The Minetta Lane; “Murder by Poe,”  “The Turn of the Screw,” and “The Spy” at The Acting Company; “Neddy” at American Place; and “Fellow Travelers” at Manhattan Punchline.  OTHER PLAYS/THEATERS:  “Compleat Female Stage Beauty,” “Mrs. Mannerly,” “Murderers,” “Ella,” “Mercy of a Storm,”  “Smash,” “Armadale,” “Korczak’s Children,” “To Fool the Eye,” “The Falls,” “A Piece of the Rope,” “All the Way with LBJ,” “The Government Inspector,” “John Gabriel Borkman,””Cousin Bette,”  “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and others at The Guthrie, Old Globe, Yale Rep, The Geffen, Seattle Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, CATCO, South Coast Rep, Arizona Theater Company, San Jose Rep, The Empty Space, Indiana Rep, Children’s Theater Company, History Theater, Madison Rep, Intiman, Illusion,  Denver Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Rep, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Actors Theater of Louisville, Philadelphia Theater Company, Commonweal Theater,  Asolo, City Theater, Studio Arena and dozens more in the U.S. and abroad.  FILM/ TV:  “Stage Beauty,” “Casanova,”  “The Duchess” and episodes of “Columbo.”  GRANTS/AWARDS:  NEA, TCG, Lila Wallace Fund, Rosenthal New Play Prize, Frankel Award, Charles MacArthur Fellowship Award, Edgerton Grant, McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Barrymore Award Best New Play (“A Picasso”), and L.A. Critics Circle Award Best Adaptation(“Cousin Bette”). He is a member and/or alumnus of The Playwrights Center, the Dramatists Guild, the Writers Guild, and New Dramatists.

Eric Simonson bio: Writer and director Eric Simonson recently directed RUSALKA for Colorado Opera. Other directing credits include GRAPES OF WRATH at Pittsburgh Opera and Carnegie Hall; numerous plays for Steppenwolf Theatre; and productions at The Huntington Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Primary Stages in NY, Court Theatre in Chicago, LA Theatre Works, The Kennedy Center, City Theatre in Pittsburgh, Seattle Rep, and San Jose Rep. His production of THE SONG OF JACOB ZULU played on Broadway and received six Tony Awards including Best Director. His film directing credits include documentaries A NOTE OF TRIUMPH: THE GOLDEN AGE OF NORMAN CORWIN (Academy Award) ON TIPTOE (Academy Award nomination), and STUDS TERKEL: LISTENING TO AMERICA, all of which aired on HBO. Playwriting credits include LOMBARDI (currently running on Broadway), BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY, WORK SONG (co-written with Jeff Hatcher), HONEST, and FAKE. Mr. Simonson is a member of Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, and unions SDC, WGA and SAG. He is the recipient of the Princess Grace Statue Award for sustained artistic achievement, a Jefferson Citation, City Theatre’s own Frankel Award for new play development; and an Emmy nomination and International Documentary Award for his film ON TIPTOE.

Making LOUDER FASTER funnier

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

Today is preview #3 for Louder Faster, after a day off for the actors and most of the artistic personnel. I say “most” because the playwrights were at work yesterday refining the plot and the jokes with judicious revisions and cuts that were handed out to the actors at the beginning of today’s rehearsal, quickly memorized by them, put in to the show by the director (artistic director Tracy Brigden) during rehearsal for tonight’s performance, only to be tested in front of an audience. Tomorrow, we’ll do the same thing again. That’s the preview process, and for a farcical comedy like Louder Faster that opportunity to continually hone the clarity and humor–hopefully in response to consistent audience reaction–is a crucial part of the writing and production.

The journey Louder Faster has traveled to get to this point has been a lengthy one. Eric Simonson first mentioned the idea to us when we asked him for some play ideas to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of Pittsburgh. At that point, we chose to commission what became Speak American, but I loved the idea of the George S. Kaufman play, so I was thrilled when it came back around again with Jeff Hatcher as Eric’s collaborator. That was two years ago. After that, briefly, the timeline was a first draft in January 2010, a reading in New York in June 2010, a workshop here in November 2010, and the start of rehearsals for the world premiere in April 2011–with a number of revised drafts along the way.   

After those two years, the work isn’t quite complete yet–we still have three days, three previews, to watch and listen and make changes, to bolster the stakes and streamline the story and refine the designs and deepen the relationships, and make Louder Faster funnier.

Saturday at the “sausage factory”…

posted by Tamara Dudukovich, City Theatre Board member

(Last weekend, City Theatre Board member Tamara Dudukovich visited us in rehearsal for Louder Faster by Eric Simonson and Jeffrey Hatcher. Tamara was able to watch a run-through, and she sent in her thoughts for the City Theatre blog, sort of a ”report from the rehearsal hall” for those who don’t get a chance to step in and watch. Here’s what Tamara has to say:)

Instead of cooking up my Easter kielbasa, I spent this past Saturday morning watching a different sort of sausage being made.  I got to sit in on the first run-through of Louder Faster, the new Jeffrey Hatcher/Eric Simonson collaboration being prepared as the last dish on CT’s 2010-2011 season menu.  The play, set in the 1930s, is inspired by and in the style of Pittsburgh’s own George S. Kaufmann.   From what I could tell, it’s stuffed with zany antics, social commentary, local puns, and double entendres that give the flavor of that era (including lots of sausage jokes).   Some people might prefer not knowing  exactly what goes into the cultural fare they consume, just as watching Kitchen Nightmares can destroy one’s appetite for fine dining.  Not me – I relished the opportunity to follow the cast, CT’s artistic and production staff, and playwright Simonson into the theatrical kitchen. 

Most striking to me was the measure of seriousness that everyone brought to the art of making comedy – and the quickness with which actors went in and out of character, and the production team and playwright Simonson set about their tasks.  When I arrived at the rehearsal room above Carson Street shortly before 10 am, folks were stretching, getting coffee, making casual chit-chat.  In seconds – certainly less time than it takes to bring water to a boil – a trio of actors had whipped themselves into a frenzy of silly indignation in order to polish some sight and sound gags that included some swift face slaps.  Good morning!  Next, Patti Kelly called folks to their places and for precisely the next hour, the cast ran through of Act 1 amid a makeshift set with minimal props and (from what I could tell) hardly a missed cue.  When Kelly intoned “lights up,”  just as suddenly conversation turned back to exchanging news of the weird and shopping tips (vintage South Side and warehouse clubs alike) while director Tracy Brigden and dramaturg Carlyn Aquiline offered some gentle suggestions to Simonson about potential script changes. Then in another rapid change, everyone was back in role for another focused, intent hour of serious play-making, proving to me just how much hard work, and many mornings like this, are necessary ingredients into serving up evenings of madcap, fast-paced theatre.  Just after noon, when the rehearsal broke for a quick lunch break, I left with my appetite whetted for more.

LOUDER FASTER, an homage to Kaufman

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

A wise person once said that two heads are better than one, and George S. Kaufman certainly knew it.  Called “The Great Collaborator” because he was known for working with other writers (he wrote a single successful play on his own), Kaufman co-authored some of the most well-known classics of the mid-20^th century, including Beggar on Horseback (with Marc Connelly), Dinner at Eight (with Edna Ferber), You Can’t Take it With You (with Moss Hart), and The Solid Gold Cadillac (with Howard Teichmann).  Kaufman also worked with Ring Lardner, George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and about a dozen other collaborators, creating theatre that would endure for generations. So what better way to honor Kaufman and collaboration than with a collaboration about Kaufman? And who better to collaborate on a work about the man who never worked without a collaborator than Jeffrey Hatcher (who grew up near Pittsburgh) and Eric Simonson (who considers our city a home away from home)? They’re both accomplished comic playwrights in their own rights, as well as masters at theatricalizing stories based in history. Both have worked with City Theatre numerous times before; together they are long-standing friends and collaborated on Work Song: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright, produced at City Theatre in 2004-2005.

In Louder Faster, Eric and Jeff place George S. Kaufman at the center of a raucous comedy whose plot bears a striking resemblance to the kind of plays Kaufman himself wrote. But Louder Faster is more specific to Pittsburgh than simply being a City Theatre commission and world premiere. Few people know that George S. Kaufman, “The Great Collaborator” himself, was Pittsburgh born and bred, and Eric and Jeff have come up with an ingenious plot that mines the potential of Kaufman’s reputation as a co-writer of comedy and Pittsburgh’s reputation as a labor town in the 1930s. Facing a looming deadline to win a bet with Harpo Marx by proving he can write a play without a collaborator, Kaufman has returned to his dilapidated boyhood home hoping to overcome his writer’s block and finish in a single weekend the kind of work no one would expect of him: an epic drama. When he’s surrounded by a cast of eccentric locals, the stage is set for mistaken identities, slamming doors, and a classic Kaufmanesque comedy. Much of the genius of the idea lies in the fact that George S. Kaufman finds himself trapped in one of his own plays. 

Kaufman started life in 1889 on Station Street, and then Walnut Street, in Pittsburgh’s East End. He attended Liberty School and Pittsburgh Central High, and studied at Western Pennsylvania University (which would later become Pitt).  He also rooted for the Pittsburgh Pirates, participated in the dramatic society at Temple Rodef Shalom, and acted in school plays during high school. After several brief engagements doing odd-jobs, Kaufman left Pittsburgh for the bright lights of New York. In 1909 he moved to Manhattan, where he began a career as a newspaper contributor and drama writer, eventually working his way up to the drama editor position at The New York Times. He resigned that post in 1930 due to possible conflicts of interest. Between  1918 and 1955, Kaufman had several dozen original works produced on Broadway, most of which qualified as “hits,” and won the Pulitzer twice (for You Can’t Take It With You and Of Thee I Sing, the first musical to win).

City Theatre is excited to be presenting this engaging new work, directed by Artistic Director Tracy Brigden. Louder Faster begins performances this weekend. For more information call 412-431-CITY (2489) or go to
http://www.citytheatrecompany.org/LouderFaster.html.

Precious Little ends, Amish Project begins

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

This weekend, as Madeleine George’s Precious Little ends its run on the mainstage, Jessica Dickey’s The Amish Project begins previews in the Hamburg.

Precious Little is really not to be missed! But don’t take my word for it. Scroll back through the blog to read the reviews–excellent across the board (we hate to disappoint Ted Hoover this weekend, who states in his review that he wishes the production could run forever), watch the video of audience response and artists discussing the play, and read the great background articles surrounding the play and production. 

Then watch Jessica Dickey’s appearance this morning on KDKA’s Pittsburgh Today, where she talks about the genesis of The Amish Project, the seven characters she plays in the show, and the fine line she had to tread between fact and fiction in the writing–among other things.

Look for more features about The Amish Project in the upcoming days and weeks.

Precious Little first rehearsal brings City Theatre together

posted by Molly MacLagan, Literary and Dramaturgy Intern

Precious Little rehearsals started last Tuesday, and playwright Madeleine George was on hand to see her remarkable play take the first steps towards its City Theatre production.  Precious Little follows gifted linguist Brodie as she receives cryptic results of a genetic test performed on her unborn child, and unexpectedly finds herself struggling to decide what to do about it.  As a single woman with no romantic partner to turn to, she looks for comfort in an elderly speaker of a dying language, and an ape at the zoo that was formerly part of a language acquisition program.  At the meet and greet before the first rehearsal, City Theatre staff members exchanged memories of visits to the zoo.  City Theatre Artistic Director Tracy Brigden, who’s directing Precious Little, also announced that the cast and available company members would be making a field trip to the zoo.  Then (after a light lunch of course) it was back to work.

The design presentation allowed company members to see the work that has been done thus far by the designers.  Brigden presented scenic designer Anne Mundell’s model, as Mundell was unable to join.  The foreground is very sparse, to allow it to become a variety of locations, including Brodie’s office, a doctor’s office, and an examination room.  The enclosure at the back of the stage, Brigden explained, would function both as the exhibit at the zoo where Brodie visits the ape, and as a recording booth in the linguistics department where Brodie works with Cleva, the speaker of the dying language mentioned earlier.  This visually represents the play’s theme of “enclosures” and the opposition of inside/outside.  Lighting designer Andy Ostrowski was also on hand to explain some of the ways his design would utilize institutional lighting to continue those explorations. 

Ange Vesco, the costume designer, presented her concept board and described some of her ideas.  Actors Theo Allyn and Laurie Klatscher will both be playing multiple characters, so differentiating the roles is something Vesco is already thinking about.  In addition, she’s exploring ways to create distinction in age -characters range in age from mid-twenties to seventies – and how to subtly and theatrically dress Klatscher when she’s the ape!  Before the first read-through, Literary Manager and Dramaturg Carlyn Aquiline provided print and video resources about everything from prenatal testing, genetics, and ultrasound to linguistics and ape-language experiments.

Another exciting moment was the small birthday celebration held for the Assistant Stage Manager, Lauren Connolly.  Check out photos of the meet and greet, design presentation, and mini-birthday party below.   Check back soon for more about Precious Little.

(Click to enlarge) City Theatre Interim Managing Director Mark Power, Development Director Andrea Glickman, and Gala Committee Member Joyce Candi Grove chat at the Meet and Greet.

(Click to enlarge) Director Tracy Brigden presents a model of the set to the cast of Precious Little while dialect coach Don Wadsworth.

(Click to enlarge) Anne Mundell’s model of the set for Precious Little

(Click to enlarge) Anne Mundell’s model of the set for Precious Little

(Click to enlarge) Costumer Ange Vesco shares her concept board for Precious Little

(Click to enlarge) Playwright Madeleine George looks over research images of the costume design for Precious Little

(Click to enlarge) Lighting Designer Andy Ostrowski describes his lighting design for Precious Little

(Click to enlarge) Stage Manager Patti Kelly offers birthday cake to the Assistant Stage Manager, Lauren Connolly

Holiday Gifts from the American Theatre Critics Association!

posted by Carlyn Aquiline, Literary Manager and Dramaturg

It’s the season of giving, and the American Theatre Critics Association gave two gifts to City Theatre new plays this week! Two of our playwrights from this year have been nominated for American Theatre Critics Association new play awards.

Willy Holtzman

 Willy Holtzman’s The Morini Strad has been nominated for an ATCA/Steinberg New Play Award, which annually honors the best new American play that’s premiered outside of New York City. Six finalists will be chosen in January, and the winning play will be announced at the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville in the spring of 2011. The winning playwright will receive $15,000 and inclusion in the annual theatre yearbook, Best Plays. The Morini Strad received its world premiere production at City Theatre from November 6-December 12, 2010.

David Whalen played Brian Skarstad and Carla Belver played Erica Morini in Willy Holtzman's THE MORINI STRAD.

 

Cori Thomas

 Cori Thomas and When January Feels Like Summer have been nominated for the M. Elizabeth Osborn New Play Award, which recognizes an emerging playwright for a new script produced outside of New York City. The winning playwright receives $1,000 and recognition in Best Plays. The award will be presented in the spring of 2011. When January Feels Like Summer received its premiere at City Theatre from March 20-April 11, 2010.

(L to R) John Marshall Jones as Joe, Debargo Sanyal as Indira, Carter Redwood as Jeron, and Joshua Elijah Reese as Devaun in WHEN JANUARY FEELS LIKE SUMMER by Cori Thomas.

Both plays were audience favorites, playing to sold out houses and to overwhelmingly enthusiastic audience response.

Artistic Director Tracy Brigden had this to say about the nominations: “We are thrilled for Willy and Cori and so proud of these productions. These accomplishments are impossible without the dedication and talents of our staff and artists, especially Daniella [Topol] and Chuck [Patterson]’s sensitive direction, the actors’ brilliant performances, dramaturg Carlyn Aquiline’s invaluable guidance and insight, as well as the team of designers and artisans who created gorgeous productions. Bringing new plays to life is what City Theatre does, and we’re honored to share in the success of these extraordinary new plays.”

If you’d like to read more about the awards or the American Theatre Critics Association, see the ATCA’s website.

City Theatre congratulates Willy and Cori. With only about two dozen scripts recommended for these awards in most years, out of hundreds of new plays seen by ATCA critics across the country, being nominated is in itself an honor. But we hope they’ll be sweeping the awards in the spring!