Audience responds to TIME STANDS STILL

Audience members have been e-mailing us to share their thoughts about Donald Margulies’s Time Stands Still, directed by artistic director Tracy Brigden, designed by Tony Ferrieri (scenic), Robert C. T. Steele (costumes), Ann Wrightson, (lighting), and Joe Pino (sound), and featuring Robin Abramson as Mandy, Andrew May as James, Tim McGeever as Richard, and Angela Reed as Sarah. Here are some typical responses from the past few days:

Katie A. calls the play “delightful and provocative. I mentioned the dilemma [photographing vs helping] to a professional photographer friend and he said this subject was discussed extensively in his journalism program at Point Park. The acting was wonderful; set was perfect.”

Barbara C. says Time Stands Still “was the most riveting play I have seen in several seasons. Margulies’ writing is superb in this and all four actors are perfectly cast. What a great play to open the 2011/2012 season! Please, Ms. Brigden, more, more, more like Time Stands Still. Outstanding work all around and a story that will be on my mind for a long time. Bravo to all!”

Mary Anne J. lauded “the merits of the play. I think that Margulies achieved a remarkable balance, short of preaching, in exploring the dissonance arising out of war/atrocity/disaster photography and reporting. My attention was thoroughly commanded. The dialogue rang very true to my ear and the cast was excellent and very well balanced. Hats off to Ms. Brigden.”

Fore more information, see our website. And purchase tickets here or call the box office at 412-431-CITY.

What did you think? E-mail us to tell us your thoughts.

Performer of the Year

by Robin Abramson and Carlyn Aquiline, City Theatre Literary Manager and Dramaturg

Less than two weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette printed critic Christopher Rawson’s annual designation of Pittsburgh’s “Performer of the Year.” To our great thrill, actress Robin Abramson received that top honor, and for her performances in two plays presented by City Theatre: Mary’s Wedding and Blackbird, both of which were directed by Stuart Carden (who was not mentioned in the article, but should have been). Read Rawson’s article here. I might be wrong about this, but I believe City Theatre gave Robin her first professional job out of college when she was cast as the earthy Laurel-and-Hardy-obsessed Ellen in Outlying Islands, David Greig’s Darwinian coming-of-age story set in the Scottish Hebrides. Robin has also joined us twice as a company member in the Young Playwrights Festival.

Robin in the poster for David Grieg's OUTLYING ISLANDS (2004-05), with Lea Coco (left) and Michael McMillian (right), directed by Tracy Brigden.

When I called Robin to congratulate her, she agreed to write about her reaction to receiving the commendation—what was she thinking and feeling?—after she let the news sink in for a couple of days. Unbeknownst to Robin, I also invited her Mary’s Wedding collaborators—director Stuart and actor Braden Moran—to share their insights on Robin, as an actress, as a person, as a worthy recipient of this meritorious recognition. I was interested to see the symmetry among what they all chose to talk about and how, sometimes even speaking in the same vocabulary.

Robin’s thoughts follow, written in the first-person—Stuart’s and Braden’s comments (along with some of my own) are indented and in italics, and inserted where they seem to be responding to what Robin is talking about.

I officially learned that I had been named “Performer of the Year” from a 5:45 am voice message from my Mother. Mr. Rawson had interviewed me during the run of Blackbird and although we had since then discussed my accomplishments over the past few years, I still was not expecting to be the main feature of his annual article. My gratitude to Mr. Rawson for this recognition is immeasurable.

After having been asked by the wonderful City Theatre to offer some thoughts on being honored “Performer of the Year,” my initial response is “Well, what is there to say? It’s all very simple, it’s extremely validating to be recognized in this way for my work.” But there’s more, this honor has inspired reflection on the year: the challenges, the doubts, and above all, I am humbly reminded of the achievements of many of my fellow artists and collaborators.

That modesty, self-reflection, and eagerness to acknowledge in her own success those who shared the work with her is typical of Robin, a point made by her Mary’s Wedding co-star Braden: “It’s always an honor and a joy to work with an actor who really approaches the work from an ego-free perspective. A true collaborator. That’s Robin.”

Robin and Braden in 2008-09's MARY'S WEDDING by Stephen Massicotte, directed by Stuart Carden.

Although many may regard it as mere coincidence that both Stephen Massicotte’s Mary’s Wedding and David Harrower’s Blackbird were produced by City Theatre, I do not. As many Pittsburgh theatre-goers are well aware, and I have experienced firsthand, City Theatre often produces thought-provoking and adventurous new works by both up-and-coming and acclaimed playwrights. Many of these “push the envelope” plays offer lush, challenging roles for women, which can unfortunately be a rarity in the world of a struggling actress. So, thank you to City Theatre.

Thank you, Robin, for such high praise! The issue of challenging female roles was not lost on Stuart, who also generously mentioned City Theatre in his comments: “I also want to congratulate City Theatre for choosing plays with such complex roles for women.  Robin’s recognition owes much to City’s willingness to program fascinating plays with fascinating female leads.”

Memory is a funny thing because, in retrospect, what I recall most is overcoming apprehension and uncertainty during rehearsals—right up until closing day. Both Mary and Una required a raw sincerity that, initially, I was not convinced I would be able to embody fully. This is where Stuart Carden comes to the rescue.

And here we turn to Stuart. He commenced talking about Mary and Una from the reverse angle, from the perspective of their differences, saying, “On the surface Una and Mary could not be more wildly different. Mary is an innocent who has just tasted loss for the first time and Una has lived with the bitter taste of loss and suffering for more than half her life. Mary is idealistic, spirited, open, and pure while Una is scarred, jaded, closed, and filled with rage.” Then he broached what they have in common: “their need to understand what they have lost and how they deal with that loss in order to find some way to heal and move forward.” And he reveals why he cast Robin: “It is this emotional vulnerability that drew me to the idea of Robin playing both roles.” Which is another way of saying that he cast Robin as both Mary and Una precisely because he was confident that she could embody their “raw sincerity.”

As director of both shows, Stuart bestowed upon me his never-ending knowledge, immense trust, and limitless encouragement. But what I learned most from Stuart is the true art of storytelling: “I am not standing on this stage to merely display my talents, but to tell the audience a true and honest story”—which is easier said than done.

Braden addressed Robin’s dedication to true storytelling, and how that unpretentious approach ends up actually shining a light on her talent: “She’s very interested in looking at the story and the character and finding out how to be a storyteller through the character—not how to draw attention to herself or her abilities. In doing so, her tremendous abilities easily shine through.”

While the end of many rehearsals sent me walking to my car wondering if I could pull this off or if I had been miscast, I always returned the next day determined to overcome whatever challenge Stuart had presented me with, because… I knew he was right, and that if I could just do it, it would work.

Stuart applauded this willingness on Robin’s part to trust in the process with him, and commended her for the honesty and openness she can then offer to audiences: “Robin has the rare ability to be completely emotionally naked on stage. She rends her heart open in every rehearsal and performance in order for us to examine its contents. This is an exceptionally brave act and one that I’m always amazed that actors are willing to do for audiences. And Robin is fearless, once you have gained her trust she is willing to go anywhere with you. Whether that is transforming into Sergeant Flowerdew while wearing a frilly nightgown in Mary’s Wedding or plumbing the raw and agonizing depths of a wounded young woman seeking answers in Blackbird.”

Braden, too, commented on Robin’s commitment to the rehearsal exploration and how that translates to her stage performance, on her determination to face all challenges head on, and on the trust that’s so important among collaborators. He even uses the same metaphor of “emotional nakedness” that Stuart did. In Braden’s words, Robin is “diligent, extremely intelligent, insightful and passionate in the rehearsal hall and carries all that playfully and generously onto the stage. Knowing you have a partner you can trust and rely on allows you as an actor to go to places you might not with someone less willing to be vulnerable and naked out there with you. Her imagination and emotional depths are a joy to witness as an actor. And—most impressive—is her desire to continue to grow—as a human and an artist. Any challenge that was before her she was willing to embrace and try to work through—not run from or hide in a realm of comfort.”

Robin as Una with Steve Pickering as Ray in 2009-10's BLACKBIRD by David Harrower, directed by Stuart Carden.

Stuart expressed best the idea that, in a collaborative art like the theatre, no one can go it alone—actors have to support one another onstage: “An actor is only as strong as their stage partner and I would like to give a shout-out to the two phenomenal Chicago actors that shared the stage with Robin, Steve Pickering and Braden Moran.” And, of course, Robin did not neglect to talk about her co-stars, in glowing and personal terms, bringing up those crucial issues of trust and honesty once more:

Braden Moran, who co-starred with me in Mary’s Wedding helped me understand that you can make a best friend in only a few weeks if you trust each other on stage. I want to apologize to all the designers during tech week who endured hours of Braden and me laughing hysterically through our endless cue to cue rehearsals. Never have I had more laughs. Steve Pickering, my Blackbird boxing mate, never gave me one dishonest moment to work with and can really terrify the front row with just one kick!

Stuart and Braden share the last words on Robin, since, combined, they beautifully summed up the sentiments of all of us who know her: Braden said, “It’s wonderful to see true talent recognized—and I could not be happier for Robin to receive this much-deserved attention. She’s not one who seeks it—so it’s nice to know it’s found her regardless!!” to which Stuart added, “I’m thrilled by Robin being named Performer of the Year but not at all surprised. The range she showed in these two productions was rivaled only by the risk that she took in revealing their complex hearts. Brava Robin!”

Knowing that no theatre event is complete without the audience, Robin’s final expression of gratitude includes you.

Thanks to City Theatre production, cast, crew, and audience. I hope to be back soon!

Between the Unsettling and the Unexpected: BLACKBIRD’s Provocative Design

by Corinna Archer

          Before David Harrower’s internationally acclaimed play Blackbird begins, the audience already knows they are about to see something different.  A new seating configuration in City Theatre’s Lester Hamburg Studio Theatre is just one of the many ways in which the design for Blackbird enhances the play’s unsettling journey and challenges the audience’s expectations. Harrower’s Blackbird is not your typical love story, but a disturbing encounter between Ray and Una, who are as surprised by what unfolds when they confront their past relationship as the audience is.  Not only do the set and costume designs make intriguing first impressions on the audience, but they also intensify the relationship between the characters and the discoveries that are made by the audience during the course of the play.  Although the design may appear realistic in a way that immediately draws the audience into the world of the play, it is also full of unexpected metaphors that address the characters’ psychological and emotional experiences, asking the audience to reconsider the way in which “appearances can be deceiving.”

            The alley seating configuration that was initially suggested by the director Stuart Carden is perhaps the most immediate surprise that the design for Blackbird has in store for its audience.  The first time this theatre has been reconfigured in almost ten years, the new seating arrangement places the audience on either side of the stage so that each audience member is not only confronting the action on stage in a new way, but also sees the members seated opposite while they watch the show.  Just as Blackbird’s characters are never certain if they can trust what they see in front of them, the audience is insecure in this unfamiliar relationship to the performance and must constantly reassess what is happening on stage.

          The seating configuration also distances the audience from the realistic design, underscoring the play’s thematic issue of appearance versus reality.   At first glance, the set, designed by Tony Ferrieri, looks like a “slice” of an authentic office break-room, complete with un-matching furniture, vending machines, lockers, and overhead fluorescents.  Realistic details like cup-rings on the table, electrical wiring running up the walls, and various food wrappers littering the set give it a “thrown-together” and non-descript look.  Like the set design, the costume design gives the characters authenticity from the very beginning of the play.  In his khakis and blue collared shirt, Ray looks like a “regular guy” who fits into the play’s break-room setting, while Una appears to be a stylish, “sexy young adult,” as costume designer Crystal Gomes described these characters.  However, while the characters and their physical environment at first seem reassuringly familiar to the audience, this sense of security is quickly shattered by the play’s unusual story.

Tony Ferrieri's set design. Photo by Suellen Fitzsimmons.

          The design never lets the characters, or the audience, get comfortable, underscoring the tension between Una and Ray that is present from the very first lines of Blackbird. The alley seating configuration forces the set into a long, narrow corridor that becomes even more box-like and closed by the low-hanging fluorescent lights and beams that place a “lid” on the stage.  This pressurized space makes the intensity of the action on stage even more threatening and suspenseful: the audience never knows when the lid might blow.  The break-room itself sets the tone of the play with its cold blues and grays, which Ferrieri chose to support the apprehension and distance felt by Una and Ray during their initial interaction.  The harsh, bare fluorescents also help to make the space uncomfortable, both for the characters and the audience.  Like the play itself, this set is hard to look at in a powerful and provocative way.  Just as Una and Ray must face an unpleasant reality in this small, stark break-room, so must each person sitting in the house of the theatre, forced to confront the difficult questions that Blackbird poses.  The costumes add to the tension by clearly contrasting the way Ray and Una present themselves and relate to the set.  Ray, who tries to remain anonymous, wears his work clothes as a kind of office “camouflage.”  Una, on the other hand, sticks out in her trendier, darker city look, and has no way of hiding on stage.  Like the checkerboard pattern on the floor, Ray and Una are even visually in conflict with one another, engaged in a complex game throughout the play.

 

Steve Pickering and Robin Abramson in costumes designed by Crystal Gomes. Photo by Suellen Fitzsimmons.

          As the play progresses, the design moves further away from reality to metaphorically address the play’s various themes and questions that relate to the emotional and psychological state of the characters.  The trash left on stage, for example, which at first only appears to be another element of realism, making the space feel “lived-in” by Ray’s coworkers, becomes an effective visual metaphor for the issue of abandonment that arises during the course of the play. Other prominent issues, such as who to blame when ordinary rules and values cannot explain what happens, whether or not you can trust who someone says they are, or what it means to be in the wrong place at the wrong time are all underscored by Blackbird’s surprising design.  Just as the play’s compelling yet disturbing story asks the audience to reconsider even the most instinctive values such as right and wrong or real and false, Blackbird’s design challenges the audience to experience the play in a new way that enhances the power of Harrower’s unique but troubling love story.

Mary’s Wedding Tech

Here at City Theatre we are in the heart of technical rehearsals for Mary’s Wedding - this is when all of the technical elements of the performance get added to the hard work the actors have done in the rehearsal room. Director Stuart Carden and actors Braden Moran and Robin Abramson have moved into the theatre where they are joined by lighting designer Andrew Ostrowski, costume designer Susan Tsu and sound designer/composer Andre Pluess. Everyone is working hard to put the finishing touches on the play before the doors open to the public for previews.

 

 (If you want to learn more about Andre Pluess and Susan Tsu, click on their links to the right under “Designers”)

Posted by Christine Pini, Artistic Assistant

Mary’s Wedding Rehearsal Process

Early in the rehearsal process, director Stuart Carden and actors Robin Abramson and Braden Moran explored how to physically express several key moments in the play. In addition to generating ideas for the physical vocabulary for the production it also gave the actors and director the opportunity to explore the stage space. One of the exciting parts of this process was testing how the moments in the play that take place on horseback might be realized in a theatrical way on stage (there will be no live horses in this production!).  You will find some snapshots of this part of the rehearsal process below.  In addition, there are some great photos of the actors on a special horseback riding trip. 

Posted by Christine Pini, Artistic Assistant