Saturday, May 31, 2008

Dell'arte MFA show in SF--June 13-15

Between Two Winters
Created by the MFA Ensemble of the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre

Catherine Tuttle, the accomplished and commanding mayor of Kalispell, MT, and her daughter, Naomi, travel to the deserts of Kuwait to honor a hero who was instrumental in extinguishing fires after the war in the Persian Gulf. During the course of the tribute, Catherine and this man recognize one another and now must reconcile a past they both have spent their lives running from. Between Two Winters is the culminating performance of the second year masters students in their study of the Tragic form.

Tragedy is a form that, at its root, pits the rational and ordered world against the world of terror and chaos. It deals with the human drive to step out of the chorus to stand for and proceed into the hero's journey, unwilling to be passive anymore in a world that defies logic and reason. This sets the tragic hero onto an irreversible collision course with the unrelenting forces of fate that result in a crash of cosmic proportions.

Fri, Jun. 13 - 8:00P
Sat, Jun. 14 - 2:30P
Sat, Jun. 14 - 8:00P
Sun, June 15 - 2:30P


At The Magic Theatre
For directions to The Magic Theatre, go to: http://www.magictheatre.org/pages/location.shtml

Call 707-668-5663 to inquire about student, educator and group discounts
For more information, go to: http://dellarte.com/

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Ko Fest & Workshops

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Artistic Associates, 
This summer the 17th Annual KO  FESTIVAL OF PERFORMANCE will serve up a season on the theme of  "FOOD: appetites, attitudes and politics" July 7 - August 10, 2008 on the Amherst College campus in Amherst, MA. We will also offer a series of 6-day WORKSHOPS with expert teachers who are adept at gearing their classes for participants of all levels of experience, who have ranged in age 18 from to 80.

PERFORMANCES
  • JULY 11 & 12 We will indulge our palates and awaken our senses with "SEASON" a DARK-DINING PROJECTS a multi-course banquet/performance installation where local foods will be served to BLINDFOLDED guests, set in an olfactory, tactile and sonic landscape.

  • JULY 18 - 20 we will think about the politics and pleasures of eating as raised by LightBox's MILK-N-HONEY, a piece that is the result of three years of research and interviews with flavor scientists, farmers, dumpster-diving "freegans," diabetics and many others. All performances will be followed by the AFTER SHOW CAFÉ, a dynamic discussion forum with invited experts.

  • JULY 25 - 27 with HEARTS AND TONGUES we will join Temple Crocker & Annie Kunjappy in contemplating humankind's relationship to the natural world and the role the senses play in this sublime, contentious and ever-evolving exchange.

  • AUGUST 1 - 3 we will experience the power of song to give us a visceral experience of the control our desires and appetites have over us in SONGS OF HUNGER AND SATISFACTION, a new cabaret by Belle Linda Halpern that will be a funny, intriguing in a profound Jewish-American take on our constant hunger for food, sex, acceptance, and fame – and for true nourishment.
All of these performances are accompanied by lobby displays that contextualize the work and by facilitated, post-performance discussions that provide opportunities for inter-audience/artist exchange and civic dialogue.
 
In addition, we will host two special events:
  • JULY 13 NANABOZHO, our annual all-ages event with the beloved Mettawee River Theatre Company, performed outdoors with live music and giant puppets
  • AUGUST 8 - 10 2/3 - two short plays (Me and Bobby McGee and Lugnuts of the Soul) for three actors by Amherst College's Peter Lobdell.
 
WORKSHOPS
  • July 7 - 12 THE ART OF COLLABORATION: devised theatre and ensemble practice
    with Temple Crocker and Barbara Lanciers

  • July 14 – 19 FINDING THE THEATRICAL SOUNDSCORE: with voice and non-traditional instruments
    with Katie Down
  • July 21 - 26 PHYSICAL & EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES TO CLASSICAL TEXTS
    with Ellen Beckerman

  • July 28 - August 2 CREATING CABARET: styles, stories & songs
    with Deletta Gillespie
  • August 4 - 9 FUNDAMENTALS OF PUPPET PERFORMANCE: performer, instrument & score
    with Robert Smythe?
Please help get the word out! Pass this information along to all appropriate friends, colleagues and students.

In spite of efforts to eliminate duplicates, some of you may have received more than one posting. Many of you are highly networked individuals who appear on more than one listserv, or have multiple e-mail addresses. Please, let me know by return email if you would like to be removed from this list, if you have email address updates, or if you would like to receive a festival brochure or weekly email reminders of our performances during the month-long festival.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE EVENTS PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.kofest.com

All best wishes,
 
--Sabrina 
 
Sabrina Hamilton
Artistic Director
Ko Festival of Performance


Authentic Dynamics Workshop in July (NY)

Authentic Dynamics: momentum and change for actors and clowns


Join Under the Table's Matt Chapman on Saturday, July 5 in Brooklyn for a unique physical investigation of the dynamics of the performer

This world works on certain undeniable dynamics. To perform with authenticity, the actor must have the ability to identify and navigate them. In this workshop, a few fundamentals of the stage will be explored, including johakyu ( beginning/middle/end, or how things grow, break, and resolve), minimum-to-maximum, evolution, and the rhythms of comedy. W

This workshop is appropriate for actors, clowns, and directors of all levels. Learn to see human action and comedy onstage more clearly.

Dress to move and bring water.

When: Saturday, July 5, 2008. 1-6:30 pm
Where: Triskelion Arts: 118 N. 11th St, 3rd Floor. (L to Bedford,
Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Cost: $75 (Limited scholarships are available)
To register, reply by email. Payment holds your slot.
us@underthetabletheatre.org

Note: Class size is limited. If it gets filled up, they'll add a repeat section on Sunday the 6th, so if you're interested in that, let Matt know quickly.
__________________________________________________________

Matt Chapman is a performer, director, and teacher of physical theatre and clown. He is Artistic Director of Brooklyn's Under the Table, a physical theatre ensemble. He also tours as an actor with Dell'Arte International (California).

In the US, Matt has taught Clown and Improvisation as adjunct faculty at Marymount Manhattan College and Manhattanville College in New York, and has taught workshops at New York University, Vassar College, Sarah Lawrence College, Towson University, Luther College, the University of Iowa, the University of North Dakota, the New York Fringe Festival,
and the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival, as well as working in public schools and with the mentally ill in New York care facilities. He has served as an assistant to Ronlin Foreman, Clown master and Director of Pedagogy at Dell'Arte International.

Matt teaches abroad as well; his workshops in the last year have included South Africa, Denmark, the Netherlands, and England.

This past winter and spring, Matt directed "Circus Life," a contemporary circus work about HIV/AIDS in Durban, South Africa, toured the US teaching workshops for Dell'Arte International through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and taught Clown workshops in Denmark with the other members of Under the Table while
on tour there. He attended the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre
and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas.

To find out more about Matt's work, please visit the websites listed below:
http://www.underthetabletheatre.org
http://www.clownnosefactory.com

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Theatre admin job, Canada

-------------------------------------------------------------------
JOB - CENTRE ADMINISTRATOR - EDMONTON
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation
Department of Drama, University of Alberta

Salary Range:   $2059.64 - $2627.63/month + a comprehensive benefits
package

Hours: 17.5 per wk

This is an opportunity for an experienced, independent, imaginative arts
administrator to play a leading role in the establishment of an exciting
new venture for the Canadian Theatre. The CCTC will combine critical
research and creative activity in the creation of new theatre. It will
conduct, facilitate and promote creative activity and research in
original theatrical creation through Original Play and Performance
Creation, Collaborations with Community, Research and Publication,
Programs that Promote Diverse Voices, Interdisciplinary Research and
much more.

Reporting to the Director of CCTC, this position will be responsible for
creating an operating business plan, fundraising for short and long term
Centre activities, working with the Director in forging creative
partnerships and in raising the profile of the Centre, locally,
nationally and internationally, as well as developing and overseeing
administrative and financial structures which support the Centre's daily
operations and activities. A primary responsibility will be taking the
lead in fund development activities for the Centre.

Masters level degree or equivalent combination of formal education and
relevant professional experience will be considered.

Knowledge or experience with community organizations in the Arts sector
generally and theatre community specifically, both locally and
nationally, is essential.

Extensive experience in office management, an ability to work
independently, and a strong understanding of fund-raising principles and
strategies in the research, arts and community foundation environments
is required.

A detailed job description can be requested by contacting
knunn@ualberta.ca, resumes and cover letters can be sent to the same
address. Online applications through the U of A's careers website can be
made at
http://www.careers.ualberta.ca/Support/Competitions.aspx?key=1002

The deadline for applications is: June 6, 2008
Reply
Reply to all

Fundraiser for Finelli movie

There will be a fundraising party for the work-in-progress film about the life of Judy Finelli (founder of SF Circus Center) on June 3 in San Francisco...details as well as info on how to contribute to the project:


http://www.denkerfilmworks.com/Denker_Filmworks/Fund-Raising_Party.html

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Toy Theater Festival opens Friday (in Dumbo NY)





To order tickets for specific Programs, use the BUY TICKETS! links in the Program & Performances listings below. Individual programs $20; additional programs $15; kids' tickets half-price.

To order a Festival Pass, click here! You will be taken to the St. Ann's Warehouse site. Festival Pass: $50! Includes admission to all shows, workshops & benefit concert not included.

For assistance, or to order tickets by phone, call: 866-811-4111 or 718-254-8779.

St. Ann's Warehouse 38 Water St., DUMBO, Brooklyn (Map)
Getting here: A or C to High St.; F to York St.; 1, 2, or 3 to Clark St.

23FRI

5:00pm
Toy Theater
Museum

Opening
Reception

7:30pm
Program 1

10:00pm
Program 2

24SAT

1:00pm
Public Workshop

5:00pm
Symposium I

7:30pm
Program 2

10:00pm
Program 1

26MON

7:30pm
Program 3

27TUE

7:30pm
Program 4

28WED

7:30pm
Program 4

9:30pm
Toy Theater Festival
Benefit Concert
and
Reception
Parvathy Baul

29THU

7:30pm
Program 5

10:00pm
Film Screening:
Dante's Inferno

30FRI

7:30pm
Program 5

10:00pm
Program 6

31SAT

1:00pm
Public Workshop

5:00pm
Symposium II

7:30pm
Program 6
10:00pm
Cabaret


Mounted throughout the Warehouse, the finest examples of historical and contemporary toy theaters, representing 100 artists and collectors.
Opening Reception: Friday May 23rd from 5:00 to 7:00pm; FREE!
The exhibit will be open (and free) to the public and ticketholders one hour before showtimes and starting at 2:00pm on May 29 and 30.
TEMPORARY TOY THEATER MUSEUM PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Jason Adams • Emily Anderson • Morgan FP Andrews • Germán List Arzubide • Danielle Ash • Daniel Baker • Jon Bankert • Alejandro Benítez • Michelle Beshaw • Eric Bernard • Ramón Alva de la Canal • David Hyde Costello • Jonathan Cross • Pablo Cueto • Marsian DeLellis • Trish Denton • Andrea Dezsö • Drama of Works • Morgan Eckert • Eric Edelman • Joel Egger • Beth Elkins • El Puente Academy Students & El Puente Leadership Center • Sally Fisher • Sean-Michael Fleming • Jane Freeman • Elvira Gascón • Janie Geiser • Alexandra Gray • Chris Green • Ayesha Hameed • Patrick Harrop • Sarah Hauser • Louise Harter • Serra Hirsch • Island Academy (Rikers Island) • Frances Jetter • Rebecca Kelly • Tine Kindermann • Kieran Kinsella  • Mayer Kirshenblatt • Kara Kovacev • Daniel Lang/Levitsky • Jamie Leo • Naima Lowe • P.J. McWhiskers • Johnnie Moore • Ann Neff • El Neto • Ken Nintzel • Judith O'Hare • Oiseaux Sisters (Carolyn Fellman & Susan Andrews) • Erin Orr • Lisa Pietersma • Fiona Pippa • Valeska Populoh & Cause Company • Julio Prieto • Helen Quinn • Kip Rathke • Maddy Rosenberg • Erik Ruin • AE Ryan • Harry Saffren • Toni Schlesinger • Beom Sik Shim • Annie Silverman • Lake Simons • Lydia Stein • Mark Sussman • KT Thomas • Edwin Torres • Amy Walsh • K Webster • Karen Werner • Paul Zaloom/Sean Meredith/Sandow Birk • Danijel Zezelj
Above (l to r): From Alain Lecucq's A Robinson, Temporary ToyTheater Museum (2006), Great Small Works' Blue Skies
FESTIVAL BENEFIT CONCERT:
Parvathy Baul

Join us for this special concert and reception with international artist Parvathy Baul, a gifted singer, painter and storyteller from West Bengal who has chosen the path of self-training in the Baul order.

Parvathy is known for her electrifying voice and masterful solo performances in the ancient Baul style, dancing and singing while accompanying herself with use of traditional instruments (the duggie, ektara, and nupu).

Wednesday, May 28 at 9:30pm
Admission $30
BUY TICKETS!

FILM SCREENING:
Dante's Inferno

A film which melds the seemingly disparate traditions of apocalyptic live-action graphic novel and charming Victoria-era toy theater, Dante's Inferno is a subversive, darkly satirical modern update of the original 14th-century literary classic.

A collaboration between artist Sandow Birk, designer Elyse Pignolet, director/writer Sean Meredith, composer Mark McAdam, and writer/puppeteer Paul Zaloom.

Thursday, May 29 at 10:00pm
Admission: $10
BUY TICKETS!

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

Learn about the history and construction of toy theater stages and puppets, then create your own story—in a box! All ages welcome.

Saturdays May 24 & 31, 1:00 to 4:00pm Admission: $20 for adults, kids $10

Saturday May 24 BUY TICKETS!
Saturdays May 31 BUY TICKETS!

HIGH SCHOOL WORKSHOPS

Students from Brooklyn's El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice will present an original toy theater work inspired by the 1992 Cuban film, "The Last Rhumba of Papa Montero," and the students' own reflections on rites of passage. The production stems from Great Small Works' Toy Theater-making workshops in NYC public high schools (including Island Academy on Riker's Island), and is a collaboration between El Puente Academy, El Puente Williamsburg Leadership Center, and Great Small Works teaching artists Jenny Romaine, Sam Wilson and Phillip Shung.

Friday, May 30
Brooklyn location & Time TBA

F R E E !
TOY THEATER SYMPOSIA

SYMPOSIUM I: New Dramaturgies: Puppetry, Video, and the Miniature Moderated by Mark Sussman
With panelists: Toni Dove, Sha Xin Wei, Grant Guy, and Susan Simpson.

Saturday May 24, 5:00 -7:00pm. FREE!

SYMPOSIUM II: Seriously Fake: The Compressed Powerof the Miniature (A discussion of possibilities for Toy Theater in the 21st Century)
Moderated by John Bell
With: Eileen Blumenthal, Claudia Orenstein, Ravi Gopalan Nair,and Frank Maugeri.

Saturday, May 31, 5:00 - 7:00pm. FREE!

Alejandro Benîtez (see Program 1)

FAMILY PROGRAM
Sunday 5/25 at 11:00am
and 2:00pm


LIZ JOYCE (Sag Harbor, New York)
The Rooster's Gift
Rooster is proud of his gift, crowing and making the sun rise until one morning, he oversleeps and the sun rises without him! A colorful, traditional Toy Theater puppet show for young children and chickens, written by Pam Conrad.

JUDITH O'HARE, YOU & ME PUPPETS (Reading, MA)
The Crocodile, The Boy, and The Good Deed
A story from the plains of Africa which raises a universal question: "Does a good deed deserve a bad deed?


PETER SCHAUERTE-LÜKE (Germany)
Zeralda's Ogre
Based on a well-known children's book by Tomi Ungerer. This ogre likes children very much - to eat.

RON SOPYLA (NYC)
Shadow Screens
The ultimate in low tech shadow puppetry! Cardboard cut outs on a frame made of tinker toys lit by penlight flashlights. Still, they fill a wall with funny, exciting, and dreamlike images to accompany good, silly stories.


Family Program
Sunday 5/25 at 11am
BUY TICKETS!
Sunday 5/25 at 2pm
BUY TICKETS!

PROGRAM ONE
Friday 5/23 at 7:30pm
Saturday 5/24 at 10:00pm


HANNE TIERNEY, GAUTAM DASGUPTA
and JANE WANG
(NYC)
Das Triadische Ballett
This Bauhaus toy theater features the rise and fall, from 1912 to 1923, of Oscar Schlemmer's Triadic Ballet. The story chronicles the pitfalls of collaborations, and is performed by cut-outs of Schlemmer's costume designs. Jane Wang accompanies on the toy piano.

SPICA WOBBE & PEI-YU SHIH (NYC & Taiwan)
"So Close and Yet... So Far"
A non-verbal poetic story created with shadows and light about a girl searching for a star which looks so close and yet… so far. Performed by Spica Wobbe and Morgan Eckert. Music by Yang Chen and Ming-chang Chen.

LAURA HEIT (Los Angeles)
The Matchbox Shows
Miniature Raconteur and sequined pyromaniac performs teeny tiny puppet shows inside matchboxes.


HUNTER KACZOROWSKI (NYC)
Duncan, Part One -or- The Boy With a Bird in His Heart
A dreamscape of the early life of Duncan Grant (1885-1978), one of the first Post-Impressionist painters in England and an enigmatic playboy of English bohemia. Performed with Dax Valdes, narrated by Charis Jones.


Program One
Friday 5/23 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!
Saturday 5/24 at 10:00pm
BUY TICKETS!

PROGRAM TWO
Friday 5/23 at 10:00pm
Saturday 5/24 at 7:30pm


CAITLIN LAINOFF (Los Angeles)
Le Petite Macabre
A puppet opera inspired by Gyorgy Ligeti, the story of an inept devil heralding the destruction of the world to make way for a cleaner, brighter century. Performed by Jesse Ayala, Danielle Ash, Beom-Sik Shim and Catherine Strecker, music by Daniel Corral--all current students or recent graduates of California Institute of the Arts.

CLARE DOLAN, GABE LEVINE,
and THE MUSEUM OF EVERYDAY LIFE
(Vermont)
The Road to Brody
The story by Russian Jewish writer Isaac Babel succeeds to be more than just a lyrical anti-war tome. Turning his keen eye towards the everyday interactions of ordinary people, Babel deftly reveals greater truths about the generosity and avarice of human beings, and the sheer beauty of life, despite all of its brutality and disappointments.

GREAT SMALL WORKS & CENTER FOR ADVANCED VISUAL STUDIES, MIT
Definitely Maybe
Based on a novel by Soviet science fiction writers Boris and Arkady Strugatsky, which questions the limits of scientific knowledge in the modern world from the perspective of a handful of 1970's Soviet scientists. A collaboration between John Bell, Larissa Harris and Jessica Rylan through MIT's Center for Advanced Visual Studies.

RAVI GOPALAN NAIR & PARVATHY BAUL (Kerala, India)
The Story of Radha and Krishna
A singing story-telling performance with small hand-carved wotoden puppets, based on Indian concepts of Toy Theater. The story of Radha and Krishna has inspired men and women from all classes and religions for many centuries; its story of unconditional love brought revolution in human relationships with the freedom to remain unbounded.


Program Two
Friday 5/23 at 10:00pm
BUY TICKETS!
Saturday 5/24 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!

PROGRAM THREE
Sunday 5/25 at 7:30pm
Monday 5/26 at 7:30pm


VARIOUS ARTISTS
Mini-Performances in The Museum
Small, short, intimate performances take place simultaneously in the Temporary Toy Theater Museum. Peep shows, experiments with light and shadow, pop-ups, and pre-film technology.

Janie Geiser (Los Angeles)
The Reptile Under the Flowers
Erin Orr with Sxip Shirey and Fabian Gonzalez (NYC)
Armchair Naturalist
Adhere & Deny (Winnipeg)
The Prampolini Action
Lake Simons (NYC)
The Old Umbrella Man
Daniel Lang-Levitsky (NYC)
Excerpts from muqaddimah
Chris Green (NYC)
Sleepwalker's Waltz
Great Small Works & Topological Media Lab (Montreal)
Soil Desire People Dance
Danielle Ash & Beom Sik Shim (Los Angeles)
Light Cave and Light Surgery
Alexandra Gray (NYC)
From Ashes
Ken Nintzel (NYC)
Palindrome


SUSAN SIMPSON (L.A.)
Concrete Folk Variations
A steely serial noir set in the cop-shops, lesbian bars and streetcars of McCarthy era Los Angeles, just before the rise of the modern gay rights movement.


PETER SCHAUERTE-LÜKE (Germany)
Jack the Giant Killer -and- The Giant's Tale
Direct from the Burgtheater in a castle near Cologne, two stories about giants: the first a traditional English tale; the second based on a short story by Wolfgang Hildesheimer, whose stories mirror human behaviors with a fine black humor.

ALEJANDRO BENiTEZ & ANA MARTiNEZ (Mexico City)
Leyendas
Based on two popular Mexican fables from colonial times, representing myths still alive in Mexico's memory: a beautiful sorcerer and a deserving ghost.


Program Three
Sunday 5/25 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!
Monday 5/26 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!

PROGRAM FOUR
Tuesday 5/27 at 7:30pm
Wednesday 5/28 at 7:30pm


PUPPETEERS COOPERATIVE (NYC & Boston)
Civility and the Sea
Three women of Marblehead encounter cross-dressing, capitalism, and murder, while remaining perfectly respectable at all times. Performed by Sara Peattie, Theresa Linnahan and Michelle Beshaw, known for large-scale puppet parades, pageants and ceremonies of celebration and complaint.

LITTLE BLUE MOON THEATRE (California)
Nathalie -and- The Widow
Little Blue Moon Theatre is known for its gently erotic and often hilarious toy theatre productions. In Nathalie a French street puppeteer takes off all of her clothes inside her booth puppet stage on a hot day.In The Widow a lamenting widow offers anything for a night of complete satisfaction with a man. Created and performed by Michael and Valerie Nelson (aka Magical Moonshine Theater).

ALAIN LECUCQ, COMPAGNIE PAPIERTHEATRE (France)
A Robinson
Robinson Crusoe, alone-or almost alone--on his desert island, is one of the most famous characters in literature. He was seen on stages all over England and many paper theatres of the 19th century were dedicated to him. Texts from both Daniel Defoe's novel and historic toy theater adaptations.

TORRY BEND (Los Angeles)
Loser
Adaptation of Aimee Bender's story of a boy who, after losing his parents, develops a supernatural relationship to objects. Narrator: Julia Paskin; Puppeteers: Brenda Gausch, Catherine Strecker, Caitlin Lainoff, Jesse Ayala; Musicians: Emily Corwin, Daniel Corral; artwork by Cristina Paulos.


Program Four
Tuesday 5/27 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!
Wednesday 5/28 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!

PROGRAM FIVE
Thursday 5/29 at 7:30pm
Friday 5/30 at 7:30pm


COSMIC BICYCLE THEATRE (NYC)
The Dong with the Luminous Nose
A selection from the upcoming operetta, Mister Edward Lear's ABSURD-Ditties. Designed, directed and composed by J.E.Cross of The ClockWorks, Inc.

SHODDY PUPPET COMPANY (Philadelphia)
Soldiers and Chickens
In this surreal story of loyalty and love, mythological images from the works of H.C. Anderson and Frank L. Baum unravel allegories of aviation, acrophobia, and antebellum race laws, all converging at a soiree in the belly of a fish.

MEREDITH HOLCH (Vermont)
Picture Perfect
An animated video featuring cut-out pictures and kids' farm toys come to life. The result is an inventive and poignant look at development's effect on Vermont's landscape and its disappearing rural traditions.

CHINESE THEATRE WORKS (NYC)
Two Horses
Combining Peking Opera techniques and Western paper theater to tell a story of cultural change and continuity: CTW founder Kuang-Yu Fong's journey towards becoming a Peking Opera artist in late-20th-century Taiwan. Created by Kuang-Yu Fong and Stephen Kaplin and performed by Ms. Fong, Mr. Kaplin, Yayun Teng and Jing Shan.



ERICA HARRIS (NYC)
The Big Ship
An animated video.


Program Five
Thursday 5/29 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!
Friday 5/30 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!

PROGRAM SIX
Friday 5/30 at 10:00pm
Saturday 5/31 at 7:30pm


FRANK MAUGERI & SETH BOCKLEY (Chicago)
Laika's Coffin
A miniature opera with miniature Soviet-inspired sets, based on the biography of the doomed first animal in space. Created and directed by Frank Maugeri of Redmoon Theater and Seth Bockley, with music by Kevin O'Donnell, puppets by Kass Copeland, and art direction by Angela Tillges.


PETER SCHUMANN (Vermont)
University of Majd: The Story of a Palestinian Youth
With the help of a violin, a pair of cardboard wings and a pile of paper dolls, Bread and Puppet Theater's director tells the real story of a Palestinian youth in an Israeli prison.

PAUL ZALOOM & LYNN JEFFRIES (Los Angeles)
Abecedarium N to Z
Puppeteer and political satirist Zaloom and renowned designer and nightclub puppeteer Jeffries pack a wallop in a series of rapid-fire vignettes.


GREAT SMALL WORKS (NYC & Boston)
Blue Skies
Scenes of flood, tornado, wind and rain question the politics of weather disaster. Created and performed by Isaac Bell, Trudi Cohen, Ron Kelley, Cate Kelley and Jonathan Kelley.


Program Six
Friday 5/30 at 10:00pm
BUY TICKETS!
Saturday 5/31 at 7:30pm
BUY TICKETS!

TOY THEATER CABARET
HOSTED BY GREAT SMALL WORKS
Saturday 5/31 at 10:00pm- One Show Only
BUY TICKETS!

Be terrified! Be Amazed! Be Inspired! The Angel of History lords over a carnival of short toy theater wonders ranging from the low to high tech, from traditional to inventive, from political to personal to fantastic.


BONNIE DUNCAN (Boston)
Alva's Companion
A tiny lamplit meditation on love and loss. Music by Valerie Opielski.

HOWIE LEIFER (NYC)
The Preacher and the Flood
A cautionary tale based on a song by Rick Nestler.

EMILY DeCOLA & JONATHAN FARMER ( NYC)
Unearthed
A photographer attempts to capture the soul of his beloved in the heart of his camera.

KATE BREHM (NYC)
Pig and Pepper
Alice is followed down a toy theater video rabbit hole, using classical Alice in Wonderland illustrations as puppets, and a camera as an overhead projector.

ISAAC BELL (Boston) & JONATHAN KELLEY (Vermont)
Manifest Destiny
A rotting lump of a post-apocolyptic world in the confines of a rather large wooden box. Inspiration from Dante's Inferno and Dawn of the Dead, with lyrics from Radiohead, a poem by Claire King and soundtrack by Ron Kelley, Jonathan Kelley, and Isaac Bell.

JIM NAPOLITANO & TIM LAGASSE (CT)
The Rag
The latest in "Wayang Zerox," the form these two UConn Puppet Arts graduates invented in 1992, combining Victorian Toy theater, a video camera and the daily news.

ALISSA HUNNICUTT (NYC)
Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Based on a song by Samuel Barber with text from a James Agee prose poem depicting the sights and sounds of Knoxville, Tennessee. A story of childhood memories and love of family.


Toy Theater Cabaret
Saturday 5/31 at 10:00pm
One Show Only
BUY TICKETS!


Great Small Works is:
John Bell, Trudi Cohen, Stephen Kaplin, Jenny Romaine,
Roberto Rossi (on leave), and Mark Sussman

Toy Theatre Festival: Co-Designer Rob Ebeltoft • Museum Associate Emmy Bean • Program Associates Lake Simons, Erin Orr • Production Manager Meghan Williams • Lighting Design Jeanette Yew • Stage Managers Andrea Rideout, Gregory Corbino • Graphic & Website Design Sean-Michael Fleming

Great Small Works wishes to thank the following for their generous support of the Eighth International Toy Theater Festival: National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Jim Henson Foundation, Scherman Foundation, Kornfeld Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Sonya Staff Foundation, Asian Cultural Council

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Bouffon Glass Menajoree at Green Room NY Tuesdays at 10:30 pm

I saw this show last night, and I highly recommend it-- there are just 2 performances left.

It's pretty damned fantastic.
==============================

Did someone leave the blender on, or is that the sound of Tennessee Williams turning over in his grave?
Why would anyone do this to an American masterpiece?!?



Bouffon Glass Menajoree
2007 NY Innovative Theatre Award winner for Outstanding Production
TWO PERFORMANCES LEFT


Gentlemen callers beware!  Tennessee Williams' classic tale is ripped wide open as Ten Directions, Paul Lucas Productions, and The Green Room present the revival of Bouffon Glass Menajoree, a twisted and outrageous bouffon parody with a new ending determined by an audience member every night.  Winner of the NY Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production.  "Total Theatrical sacrilege.Delicious!" -NYTheatre.com, "Must See! Hilarious!" -TimeOutNY   "Genius" - CultureBot, "Hilarious Madness" - Show Showdown, "Extremely Funny"   -NY Theatre Wire "Twisted Southern Goth! Absurdity at its best!" KAFI FM, MN

Written in collaboration with the cast Lynn Berg (Tony & Tina's Wedding), Audrey Crabtree (ComedyCentral), Aimee Leigh German (Opening Baywatch Butt) and director Eric Davis (Red Bastard, Cirque du Soleil), Bouffon Glass Menajoree is a dark comedic parody of the Tennessee Williams's masterpiece, performed in the style of bouffon.   Employing this time-honored tradition of undermining the establishment through verbal and physical satire, BGM is a satire not only of traditional American theatre, but of American society, the family unit, and the audience  themselves.  The production involves direct interaction with the audience: one lucky member will even play the role of the gentleman caller every night, determining how the show ends. This show is certain to surprise, shock and delight.

Performances begin April 29th and run Tuesday nights only through May 27th at 10:30pm downstairs at the newly reopened Green Room at 45 Bleecker, NYC.

2 for 1 SPECIAL DISCOUNT, 

In person, use code "BGM241" at 45 Bleecker, Box Office hours Tues. - Sat 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Sun. 11:00 AM - 8 PM.  

Online, use Code: green241 at http://www.broadwayoffers.com

For directions, call 212-260-8250

For more information, visit http://www.bouffonglassmenajoree.com/

Monday, May 12, 2008

Job Posting at Dell'arte


News

Dell'Arte job posted
May 8, 2008

Pedagogical Research Assistant:
Assist Director of Pedagogical Research with instruction; evaluate student studio work; conduct training; Direct performance; Perform research as directed. Min req: Relevant Undergraduate Degree & Master Fine Arts in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre.
Send resumes to Bobbi Ricca, PO Box 816, Blue Lake, Ca. 95525. No phone calls or email applications accepted.

Daniel Stein workshop July 21-Aug 7 Berkeley, CA

I took this workshop 10 years ago at Dell'arte and it was fantastic then-- I'm sure it's gotten even better now.

More information at http://www.berkeleyrep.org/school/adult_index.asp

====================================

generating new material: heart of a poet / mind of an actor / body of a gymnast



Instructor: Daniel Stein

Give your imagination a whack on the side of the head! Discover concrete ways to get beyond "STUCK" when you're creating new work. Practice ways to think, see and create without the auto-critique shutting you down. This is a hands-on course in generating new material dealing with the emotions of shape, the excitement of rhythms (tempo, architectural, dynamic) and finding ideas from untapped and unconventional sources. Otherwise put: it's training in juggling the juxtaposition of the physical world on stage and the metaphysical world that the audience will eventually take home with them. You, the artist, will go back to your studio with concrete ideas and a running start at building your next project. This work is great for performers, directors, teachers and anyone else looking for freedom and empowerment in their own creativity.

Daniel Stein studied in the Professional Actors Training Program at Carnegie Mellon University, where he worked with Jewel Walker. He then studied with Etienne Decroux in Paris, becoming M. Decroux's translator, and began his professional career as an actor with the French National Theatre—a relationship which lasted 20 years. His solo performances have toured in more than 30 countries, and have been seen in the US in venues such as the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center. He has taught master classes throughout the world at institutions such as Juilliard School and The Institute of Dramatic Arts, Tokyo. Daniel has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and is a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow. Daniel served for five years as Dean of Students and another five years as School Director, of The Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre. The fall of '08 has him slated to direct in Philadelphia and act in Clown Show for Bruno Shultz in Israel and Germany.

Books published that talk about his work:

  • Le Theatre du Geste by Jacques Lecoq, Bordas–Paris
  • Modern and Post Modern Mime by Thomas Leabhart, Modern Dramatists
  • The Origins and Development of the Art of Mime by Annette Lust, Scarecrow Press

Monday–Thursday, 7–10PM 7/21–8/7 $500

Friday, May 9, 2008

origins of Columbina

All you commedia heads: I wanted to call your attention to an article in the March 2008 issue of THEATRE JOURNAL, on the origins of Columbina:
"Caterina's Columbina: The Birth of a Female Trickster in Seventeenth Century France" by Dominica Radulescu, pp 88 - 113.

Joan

Thursday, May 8, 2008

FW: Intiman Seeks Apprentice

INTIMAN THEATRE AMERICAN CYCLE APPRENTICE: Seeking F/T Apprentice to work with Education & Community Programs to deliver The American Cycle programming. The Cycle is a 5-year series of iconic American stories, free public programs & civic dialogue. This year's play is All the King's Men. The primary focus of this position is to participate with the social justice mission, production and coordination of Rough Eagles, the HS youth program. Must have experience in either: teaching, directing, choreography, devising original work, playwriting or acting. Mid-August through October; $225/week stipend. For more information & application: INTIMAN Employment page at
http://www.intiman.org
. Deadline: 5/30/2008.

Last year, MFA grad Andrew Phoenix was awarded this apprenticeship and Intiman was very happy with his work, so they will look favorably on more D'A applications!
Joan

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Augusto Boal Workshop NY May 15-17

I got this email from TOPLAB. If you are able, please check it out.

I took a workshop with Augusto about 10 years ago and it was fantastic.

Adam
===================

Please forward or repost

The Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory (TOPLAB)
451 West Street
New York, New York 10014
(212) 924-1858
toplab@toplab.org
http://www.toplab.org

Because a few registered participants had to drop out of the Aesthetics of
the Oppressed workshop that is to be facilitated by Augusto Boal, a small
number of places have opened up for those sessions.

The first workshop, Rainbow of Desire into Forum Theater, remains
completely filled and registration is closed.

If you would like to be considered for one of the places in the Aesthetics
of the Oppressed workshop please fill out the application form that is
appended below and return it to us at toplab@toplab.org.

The workshop takes place from Thursday, May 15 through Saturday, May 17,
2008 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, all three days. Tuition is $550. No
scholarships or tuition discounts are available and tuition must be paid
online upon acceptance.

We expect that these workshop places will be filled quickly and, while
acceptance is not guaranteed, they will probably be given to those who
apply the earliest.

The workshop will take place at the Brecht Forum, 451 West Street, New
York City.

A description of the Aesthetics of the Oppressed workshop follows.

And don't forget about the public performance/demonstration with Augusto
Boal on Tuesday, May 13 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at The Riverside Church,
91 Claremont Avenue, New York City. Online reservations can be made at
http://brechtforum.org/node/1613?bc=

========================================================================
TOPLAB is pleased to announce that Augusto Boal has been nominated for a
Nobel Peace Prize!
========================================================================

The Aesthetics of the Oppressed: Games, Techniques and Dialogues

facilitated by Augusto Boal, with assistance from Julian Boal and TOPLAB
facilitators

Thursday, May 15 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm,
Friday, May 16 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and
Saturday, May 17 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

This workshop will combine basic and advanced Image Theater exercises and
techniques with theoretical and practical dialogues and discussions with
Augusto Boal on aspects of Theater of the Oppressed principles, praxis and
facilitation. This is the integrated arts approach used at Boal's Center
for the Theater of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro and consideration of
Boal's new ideas and recent formulations concerning the aesthetics of the
oppressed will be included in this workshop.

Image Theater is designed to develop individual skills of observation and
self-reflection, and cooperative group interaction. Leadership-building
and consensus-building games and techniques explore relations of power
and group solutions to concrete problems through "living body imagery."
Discussions begin through the language of images, offering a fresh
approach to power analysis and new opportunities for the exchange of
ideas.

Tuition: $550

*****

Application to the Aesthetics of the Oppressed:

Please fill out this application and return it to toplab@toplab.org
You will be notified as soon as possible about your acceptance. DO NOT SEND
ATTACHMENTS. EMAIL CONTAINING ATTACHMENTS WILL BE DELETED UNREAD.

Name

Address

City

State/Province

ZIP/Postal code

Country

Daytime telephone

Evening telephone

Cell phone

Email

Alternate email (if any)

Website (if any)

1. Please tell us what, if any, experience you have had with Theater of
the Oppressed, or with theater generally. (Note that theater experience
or background is not in and of itself a sufficient criterion for
acceptance. Similarly, lack of theater experience does not disqualify
anyone from being accepted. Most participants in TOPLAB workshops have
not had any theater or drama training.)

2. Tell us about your involvement in or work with social-change
movements or organizations.

3. What do you hope to get out of these workshops? Do you plan to use
the techniques in your social action work? How?

4. Are you a member of a labor union? If so, which one? Are you a
student? If so, where? Are you a teacher? If so, where?

5. Tell us about any foreign travel experience, especially in
underdeveloped or developing countries.

6. How did you hear about the Theater of the Oppressed and the Theater
of the Oppressed Laboratory?

7. Any other comments or info about yourself?

*****

======================================================================
"We must emphasize: What Brecht does not want is that the spectators
continue to leave their brains with their hats upon entering the
theater, as do bourgeois spectators." --Augusto Boal
======================================================================

The Theater of the Oppressed, established in the early 1970s by
Brasilian director and Workers' Party (PT) activist Augusto Boal, is a
form of popular theater, of, by, and for people engaged in the struggle
for liberation. More specifically, it is a rehearsal theater designed
for people who want to learn ways of fighting back against oppression in
their daily lives. In the Theater of the Oppressed, oppression is
defined, in part, as a power dynamic based on monologue rather than
dialogue; a relation of domination and command that prohibits the
oppressed from being who they are and from exercising their basic human
rights. Accordingly, the Theater of the Oppressed is a participatory
theater that fosters democratic and cooperative forms of interaction
among participants. Theater is emphasized not as a spectacle but rather
as a language designed to: 1) analyze and discuss problems of oppression
and power; and 2) explore group solutions to these problems. This
language is accessible to all.

Bridging the separation between actor (the one who acts) and spectator
(the one who observes but is not permitted to intervene in the
theatrical situation), the Theater of the Oppressed is practiced by
"spect-actors" who have the opportunity to both act and observe, and who
engage in self-empowering processes of dialogue that help foster
critical thinking. The theatrical act is thus experienced as conscious
intervention, as a rehearsal for social action rooted in a collective
analysis of shared problems of oppression. This particular type of
interactive theater is rooted in the pedagogical and political
principles specific to the popular education method developed by
Brazilian educator Paulo Freire: 1) to see the situation lived by the
participants; 2) to analyze the root causes of the situation; and 3) to
act to change the situation following the precepts of social justice.

Augusto Boal

Augusto Boal is a political activist and major innovator of
post-Brechtian theater. He served as Artistic Director of the Arena
Theater in Sao Paulo from 1956 to 1971. In the 1970s, he came under
attack by the Brasilian government, resulting in his imprisonment,
torture and subsequent exile. Boal has lectured, conducted workshops,
and mounted productions throughout North and South America, Europe,
India and Africa, and has written a number of books, including Theater
of the Oppressed; Games for Actors and Non Actors; and The Rainbow of
Desire. An activist in the Brasilian Workers' Party (PT), he presently
resides in Rio de Janeiro. In 1992, he was elected to the City Council
of Rio, a post he held for four years. Once installed in office, he
adapted his theater techniques for use in city politics, with some
hilarious--and sometimes rancorous--results. Members of the Center for
the Theater of the Oppressed became Boal's City Council staff, and
created seventeen companies of players practicing "Legislative Theater"
throughout the city. Currently, Boal continues to work with the Center
for the Theater of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro and is researching
and formulating a theory of the aesthetics of the oppressed.

The Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory (TOPLAB)

The purpose of the Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory, founded in New
York City in July 1990, is to provide a forum for the practice,
performance and dissemination of the techniques of the Theater of the
Oppressed. TOPLAB is a group of educators, cultural and political
activists and artists whose work is based on extensive training and
collaboration with Augusto Boal since its founding. TOPLAB conducts
on-site training workshops on theater as an organizing tool for
activists in neighborhood, labor, peace, human rights, youth and
community-based organizations. We work with educators, human service and
mental health workers, union organizers, and political and community
activists who are interested in using interactive theater as a tool for
analyzing and exploring solutions to problems of oppression and power
that arise in the workplace, school, and community˜problems connected to
AIDS, substance abuse, family violence, homelessness, unemployment,
racism and sexism.

Since 1990, through the auspices of the Brecht Forum, TOPLAB has
initiated and organized intensive workshops led by Augusto Boal in New
York City. It has also planned and led hundreds of training workshops in
the techniques of the Theater of the Oppressed at the Brecht Forum and
elsewhere in New York City, as well as throughout North America and
internationally. In this capacity, TOPLAB has brought together people
from diverse backgrounds, occupations, and organizations, and functioned
as a resource, information, and networking center serving individuals
and groups interested in theater for social change. Each year, TOPLAB
offers a series of public workshops at the Brecht Forum in New York.

In addition to facilitating training workshops, TOPLAB members have
worked in various street theater projects around the themes of
globalization, neoliberalism and international solidarity, and to
protest United States aggression in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, and
its members and associates are involved in a wide range of progressive
and radical political and cultural groups and movements.

TOPLAB will neither facilitate workshops for, nor accept funding from
for-profit corporations and similar enterprises.

========================================================================
"The Marxist poetics of Bertolt Brecht does not stand opposed to one or
another formal aspect of the Hegelian idealist poetics but rather denies
its very essence, asserting that the character *is not absolute subject*
but the object of economic or social forces to which he responds and in
virtue of which he acts...

"In Brecht's objection [to idealist poetics], as well as in any other
Marxist objection, what is at stake is who, or which term, precedes the
other: the subjective or the objective. For idealist poetics, social
thought conditions social being; for Marxist poetics, social being
conditions social thought. In Hegel's view, the spirit creates the
dramatic action; for Brecht, the character's social relations create the
dramatic action....

"Brecht was a Marxist; therefore, for him, a theatrical work cannot end
in repose, in equilibrium. It must, on the contrary, show the ways in
which society loses its equilibrium, which way society is moving, and
how to hasten that transition.

"Brecht contends that the popular artist must abandon the downtown
stages and go to the neighborhoods, because only there will he find
people who are truly interested in changing society: in the
neighborhoods he should show his images of social life to the workers
who are interested in changing that social life, since they are its
victims. A theater that attempts to change the changers of society
cannot lead to repose, cannot re-establish equilibrium. The bourgeois
police tries to re-establish equilibrium, to enforce repose: a Marxist
artist, on the other hand, must promote the movement toward national
liberation and toward the liberation of classes oppressed by
capital...[Hegel and Aristotle] desire a quiet somnolence at the end of
the spectacle; Brecht wants the theatrical spectacle to be the beginning
of action: the equilibrium should be sought by transforming society, and
not by purging the individual of his just demands and needs....

"I believe that all the truly revolutionary theatrical groups should
transfer to the people the means of production in the theater so that
the people themselves may utilize them. The theater is a weapon, and it
is the people who should wield it."

--Augusto Boal, The Theater of the Oppressed

===
The Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory (TOPLAB)
toplab@toplab.org
http://www.toplab.org

"My fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the
battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed."
--George W. Bush, May 1, 2003

"...I told the American people that the road ahead would be difficult, and
that we would prevail. Well, it has been difficult--and we are
prevailing."
--George W. Bush, June 28, 2005

"Our cause in Iraq is noble and necessary....America is engaged in a new
struggle that will set the course for a new century. We can and we will
prevail."
--George W. Bush, January 10, 2007

"Prevailing in Iraq is not going to be easy."
--George W. Bush, March 19, 2007

+U.S. military fatalities through May 1, 2003: 140
+U.S. military fatalities through June 28, 2005: 1743
+U.S. military fatalities through January 10, 2007: 3017
+U.S. military fatalities through March 19, 2007: 3217
+U.S. military fatalities as of May 5, 2008: 4071 (this figure exceeds the
number of people killed in all of the incidents that occurred on September
11, 2001)

+Iraqi deaths due to the US invasion, as of September 2004 (estimated by
The Lancet): 100,000+
+Iraqi deaths due to the US invasion, as of July 2006 (estimated by The
Lancet): 654,965
+Iraqi deaths due to the US invasion, as of May 5, 2008 (estimated
by Just Foreign Policy): 1,205,025*

*These figures are based on the number of deaths estimated in The Lancet
(the British medical journal) study through July 2006, and then updated
based "on how quickly deaths are mounting in Iraq". To do that, Just
Foreign Policy multiplies The Lancet figure as of July 2006 by the ratio
of current deaths reported by Iraq Body Count (IBC), divided by IBC deaths
as of July 1, 2006. The IBC numbers, considerably lower than those cited
by The Lancet, Opinion Research Business (a British polling firm which
estimated 1.2 million Iraqi deaths as of September 2007), and even the
Iraq Ministry of Health, are based on the number of fatalities cited in
various news reports and have been criticized, with much justification,
for not giving an accurate assessment of the real Iraqi death count. The
much more rigorous and statistically-reliable study, conducted by teams
from Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University and Al-Mustansiriya
University, and published in The Lancet in September 2004, put the figure
at around 100,000 civilians dead. However, that data had been based on
"conservative assumptions", according to research team leader Les Roberts,
and the actual count at that time was credibly assumed to be significantly
higher. For example, The Lancet study's data greatly underestimated
fatalities in Fallujah due to the surveying problems encountered there at
that time. The second Lancet study, released on October 10, 2006,
indicated that 654,965 "excess" deaths of Iraqis have occurred since the
outbreak of the aggression and genocide committed by the United States
against the people of Iraq. The current figures provided by Just Foreign
Policy seem to be logically consistent with the increasing rates of death
from 2003 to 2004, and 2004 to 2006.

Sources: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths.html
http://icasualties.org/oif/
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
http://www.zmag.org/lancet.pdf
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1338749,00.html
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/Iraq_war.html
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php4?article_id=6271
http://olm.blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20041025/008279.html
http://www.thelancet.com/webfiles/images/journals/lancet/s0140673606694919.pdf

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Body & Song Workshop, May 24 NYC

Urban Research Theater presents:


- BODY & SONG WORKSHOP -

This workshop is a rare opportunity to explore the organic intersection of song, movement
and action.

Each session begins with the discovery of active silence, as the group follows its leader
through elementary movement explorations in search of the playful, the rigorous, the
dynamic, and the subtle. We then move into singing, using fragments of traditional and
original vibratory songs to unlock the freedom and vitality of the body-and-song, the
body-in-song, the body-of-song...

This workshop touches on all aspects of performance and is designed to serve the inner
and outer lives of dancers, actors, singers, martial artists, yoga practitioners, and anyone
with an interest in embodied practice. Every participant receives personal attention and
guidance, and is invited to encounter the present moment in a safe and open space.
Beginners and advanced participants are welcome.

LAST WORKSHOP OF THE SEASON:

- Saturday, May 24, 2008
- 2:00pm to 5:00pm
- Baryshnikov Arts Center
- Fee: $20 (paid in advance)

DETAILS AND PARTICIPANT TESTIMONY:
http://www.UrbanResearchTheater.com/

QUESTIONS AND REGISTRATION:
ben@urbanresearchtheater.com

BEN SPATZ has has over ten years of experience as a director, performer, and leader of
theatrical research. He lived in Poland from 2003-2005, first as an ensemble performer
with the Gardzienice Theater Company and then as a Fulbright Fellow at the Grotowski
Institute. Ben has trained with Song of the Goat Theater, Rena Mirecka, Odin Teatret, and
the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards. In addition to leading the
practice-based performance research of Urban Research Theater, Ben is a doctoral student
in theater at the City University of New York.

MICHELE FARBMAN is a sixteen-year practitioner of chanting, meditation, and other forms
of internal yoga. She has lived and worked in New York City for sixteen years as a writer,
editor and teacher, and has been a full-time member of Urban Research Theater for one
year.

Fwd: Bill Irwin in Philadelphia ( and Aaron Cromie too!)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aaron Cromie <aaroncromie@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 6, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Subject: Bill Irwin in Philadelphia
To: Adam Gertsacov <kafclown@well.com>


Adam,
Could you please post this listing to the Blog?


Ciao Famiglia,

Bill Irwin is premiering his new show THE HAPPINESS LECTURE at the
Philadelphia Theatre Company starting May 16. I've been working with
the show since is first development in 2006 and am excited to be a
part of the terrific ensemble cast.

Please come visit us in Philly!

Aaron Cromie ('01)


Photo galleryTHE HAPPINESS LECTURE
WORLD PREMIERE
By Bill Irwin
May 16 - June 15, 2008

Bill Irwin – a two-time Tony Award-winner, film/television star, physical comedian, playwright, director and choreographer – leads a
brilliant ensemble on an adventure in the pursuit of happiness. Irwin has created a unique and imaginative evening of delightful vignettes
and physical comedy. This world premiere is a wild and entertaining ride that spoofs theatrical pretensions while exploring the sheer joy
of laughter. Featuring some of Philadelphia's finest actors and dancers including: Nichole Canuso, Jennifer Childs, Melanie Cotton, Aaron Cromie, Lee Ann Etzold, and Makoto Hirano, along with New York-based Ephrat "Bounce" Asherie and Cori Olinghouse.

Dawn Falato '01 has also been developing the show and serves as the
company 'swing' for the show.

If you can make the show, please say hello.

http://www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org

There are ticket deals and discounts if you contact the box office,
especially for previews.

Take care,
Aaron Cromie '01