In two weeks MTWorks will be producing the world premiere of David Stallings’ DARK WATER, directed by one of my favorite directors, Heather Cohn.  DARK WATER is about the ramifications of the Gulf oil spill, which began on April 20, 2010 and caused extensive damage to wildlife and marine habitats.  Although the accidental marine oil spill was eventually capped by mid September of that same year, detrimental ramifications continue to exist along the shoreline of Louisiana and as far as the Florida panhandle.

Stallings’ DARK WATER uses poetry, allegory, music, puppetry and movement to create this magical world as the animals of Louisiana face the ultimate threat to their lives. Diánna Martin plays Barnacle, an old sea turtle, who is fighting against man’s destruction, nature’s wrath, and her enemies of the wild to save her children trapped in the spill.  We were thrilled to be able to chat with her about DARK WATER.  Read on as she tells us about the challenges of transforming into a turtle, the ways this play takes her out of her comfort zone, and the ways in which preparing to play Barnacle affected her.

Diánna Martin, you’re currently preparing for your lead role in David Stallings’ DARK WATER, a contemporary fable about the Louisiana oil spill. Tell me a little about the play.

DM: Dark Water is a beautiful tale about a mother trying to save her children during one of the darkest times in our history on an environmental scale (and basically, in my opinion, on any scale). In the play, the oil has spilled, it’s headed toward all the marine life in the area as well as the land, and I am trying to get my children to safety. Barnacle encounters all different types of people (animals) as she tries to make her way to her kids, some of whom are not very nice. It brings together a myriad of characters that we may recognize for whom they represent but their story is unique.

We discover things about the spill as well as these characters, while showing the day in the life of what it must have been to try to live through this. Empathy is one of the greatest gifts we have been given as a species, if we care to use it, in my opinion, and it is my belief that this production engages the audience in a way that will provoke discussion and indeed empathy for creatures whose desires in life may not be so different from our own as a species.

All of the characters are animals. As an actress, how do you work to find that sweet spot which blends animal characteristics with human expression? How do you find that truth in order to bring BARNACLE to life in the purest way?

DM: Well, regarding general physicality, it’s been a group effort in finding what are some mannerisms that are human, but that seem appropriate for the particular animal, at least in way of greetings and whatnot.

However I find the majority of it is in focusing on my journey, which is very human: to save my children. Add in that I’m a loving mother who has lived a long, long time and seen a lot in this world; and keeping in mind what my creature is (a lumbering, much older turtle who can go slow on land, fast in the water, and who is also very grounded and powerful). Also bringing in location and the lovely dialogue that has been provided gives me a way to go forward.

My boyfriend teased me that I was going to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for his first time seeing me on stage, and I laughed because that is so NOT what one will see in this production. We are seeing characters who are animals in a set of given circumstances within a parameter that we as humans can understand. And as we work on characters we realize more and more their lives and live their plights and their joys. I think people will be surprised and delighted at what they see.

This play is very multi-dynamic filled with music, dance, puppetry, projections and song. Do you find this taking you out of your comfort zone? 

DM: Indeed! I am very much out of my comfort zone, but that’s a good thing…it’s the only way one grows. I am singing in the play, which is new to me. Although I have sung once before in a play, it’s not something I am used to at all. I used to do choir in college, used to do back-up vocals playing out in NYC for a singer/songwriter, and I can do a mean karaoke when among friends. It’s actually very scary for me. People don’t realize this but I’m really shy about a lot. That’s one of those things.

Even though my uber dream is to rock out in a chick rock band.

Has this role brought up any discussions – either with other cast members or with friends and family – about the oil spill that were deeper, richer, or more heartfelt than what was sparked by the original incident? 

DM: Well, I won’t go into conversations, since they sometimes ended up with me yelling at someone using language not appropriate for this interview. ;) However, I can tell you that I have learned so much from doing this play.

As you know, I am an animal person and have always considered myself a champion for the environment. However, I have to be honest that originally the reality of all the marine and avian life that were affected by this crisis for a long while was more of a concept or idea. A concept that I saw but didn’t feel as deeply

I mean, do folks know that they set the oil on the water on fire to try to burn it up to “get rid of it” and hide their tracks? Think about that for a minute…any animals caught up in the water that might have actually survived suddenly just set on fire. If we put ourselves in their shoes…well, that must have been even more terrifying.

When doing research for the play, I started looking up the different animals with whom Barnacle comes into contact in the show. Of course I grew up with channel 13 animal specials and have seen these creatures, but as I began to really look into them, I felt for them more and more.

Then one day I was looking up the Sheepshead fish, of course kind of blown away by the teeth on the critter. But as I searched YouTube desperately trying to find imagery of the fish in its natural habitat, all I could find was one video after another of: how to cook it, how to catch it, how to kill it; lengthy videos of a fisherman holding the poor thing out of water to show to the camera the teeth and laughing, while the animal is suffering. Drowning on air, basically.

I was aghast at the casual cruelty and inability for me to even see what this animal looks like living it’s life because all that was available were vids of people killing it. That kind of hit home. I eat fish, but I eat them, I don’t torture them.

On top of it, in this production we are all actors who are animals – but they appear as humans in this play. They have the same needs and desires as we do – to live, to eat, to love, to endure. Being able to play it on that level also really made their plight all the more real for me.

What are some moments of the play that are your favorites to perform?

DM:  Well, I would tell you, but that would give it away…

Suffice to say that for the most part it is anything having to do with either being a devoted mother…or taking to task those who get in my way.

There’s an extraordinary team being brought together for this production. It’s clear that a lot of thought is going into the set design, the costumes, etc. Share with us some of your impressions of what we’ll see, and what kind of world this team has created for DARK WATER.

DM: I am truly amazed at the level of ingenuity and talent that has lent itself to this production. Some of the artists I have worked with before, some I have not, but I am thrilled to be a part of what is happening here. We have seen renderings, and I can’t wait to see what they bring for us to work with. The fact that we are being transported under the ocean as well as on land is just amazing. It’s going to be like a playground for the actors.

My costume is going to be great, too. I’m really just so excited, I can’t wait until we can get into tech and play.

Finally, Diánna - anyone who knows you knows you’re a big animal lover. For other animal lovers who may want to know, will this play leave them broken hearted, galvanized or uplifted?

DM:  Oh, man – I hope it’s a combination of all three. That’s what the play does for me.

I hope it’s a wake-up call to those who are desensitized to what the reality of this oil spill meant and means to the thousands of creatures who died slow and painful deaths, the animals that continue to be born with defects, and to the pollutants that effected the ecosystem, the plants, ocean, and humans as well.

It is an uplifting play that will break your heart while calling you to action. ;)

–

Thanks so much for hanging out with us, Diánna, and for giving us so much to think about!  For the rest of you, don’t forget to check out DARK WATER – info below.

~~~

DARK WATER plays the following schedule through Saturday, March 29: 

Week 1:
Friday, March 14th at 8pm
Saturday, March 15th at 8pm
Sunday, March 16th at 2pm

Week 2:
OPENING NIGHT :: Monday, March 17th at 7pm
Thursday, March 20th at 8pm (followed by panel discussion)
Friday, March 21st at 8pm
Saturday, March 22nd at 8pm
Sunday, March 23rd at 2pm

Week 3:
Thursday, March 27th at 8pm
Friday, March 28th at 8pm
Saturday, March 29th at 8pm

Opening Night performance followed by short reception.

Advance tickets are $18 ($15 Students/$12 Seniors) and are available online or by calling 866-811-4111. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater ½ hour prior to performance.

Running Time: 90 min. One intermission.

The Theater at the 14th Street Y is located on 344 East 14th Street (at 1st Avenue)

By Subway: L to 1st Avenue
By Bus: M14 or M15 to 14th and 1st

Related Posts:

• The Stranger To Kindness: 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• The 2012 National Newborn Festival Is Almost Here!
• The National Newborn Festival: Celebrating Emerging Playwrights In Style
• Win Tickets To Barrier Island
• Ever Seen A “NewBorn” Play? (Part 1)

As part of the Board of Directors of MTWorks I’m really proud to be involved with the National Newborn Festival. Part of my job was to help choose the Excellence in Playwriting Award (see below for the winner!) and this year I’ll be introducing one of the plays — but I won’t tell you which one!  You’ll just have to come join me at the festival.

So what is Newborn?

Now on its sixth year, The National NewBorn Festival is MTWorks playwriting competition and flagship program created to find talented emerging playwrights from across the US, introduce their work to the New York community, and open new doors to regional voices.

READINGS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

TO RESERVE YOUR SEATS CLICK HERE
(OR VISIT http://tinyurl.com/72h4jfw)

February 2-4, 2012
The City College of New York (map)
North Academic Center, 160 Convent Avenue  New York, NY
First Floor Lecture Hall (1/202)

THE 2012 PLAYS & SCHEDULE

Thursday, February 2nd at 7pm

The Tragedy of Dandelion by Duncan Pflaster, directed by Leah Bonvissuto, produced by Jessica Thornhill.

The Tragedy of Dandelion follows a Princess named Dandelion, who attempts to escape, by dressing as a boy, a forced marriage to Ratliff, a man who raped and impregnated her. She collaborates with Prince Crispin, son of Queen Alice, telling him that the baby is his, to gain a place in that kingdom and while waiting in the Queen’s orchard, meets the Queen’s daughter, Princess Cèlie, and shares a kiss with her. She gains a place in Alice’s kingdom, till Ratliff and her father King Stephano, come to Alice’s palace and point out that Dandelion is a female, and drag her away. A new lesbian verse play by Duncan Pflaster.

Friday, February 3rd at 7pm

Denny and Lila by August Schulenburg, directed by Tom Wojtunik, produced by London Griffith.

After her husband Marcus divorces her for their much younger maid Lucia, Mary turns to the con artist team of Denny, Lila and Jabber for revenge. They take the job, with Denny pretending to be the Neruda-quoting electrician ‘Fred’ to seduce Lucia; and Lila pretending to be the daffily charming British novelist ‘Mara’ to seduce Marcus. All goes well until Denny develops an unexpected connection to Nettie, Mary and Marcus’ manic-depressive daughter.

Saturday, February 4th at 5pm *Excellence in Playwriting Award Winner*

The Excellence in Playwriting Award is bestowed by the MTWorks’ Board of Directors. The board selects the winner before the festival takes place and is not influenced by the work the director and actors are achieving at the readings.

Absinthe by Joe Musso, directed by Dev Bondarin, produced by Martha Goode.

It’s July 1900, and a race riot has engulfed New Orleans, sparked by a black man killing two white policemen. At first, the violence on the streets is far removed from the genteel parlor of Grace Newman, a blind white woman cared for by her house servant, Curtis, a former slave owned by Grace’s father. Grace and Curtis’s relationship is forged by respect and compassion. However, their true feelings for each other must remain hidden from Grace’s racist brother Henry, a Civil War vet who fought for the South and who is hell-bent on bringing justice to a black man who killed two white policemen. As a race riot in the streets unfolds, Grace and Curtis’s relationship unravels.

Saturday, February 4th at 8pm *Resident Reading*

On Egdon Heath adapted by David Stallings from Thomas Hardy’s novel The Return of the Native directed by Glory Kadigan, produced by David Stallings.

Award-winning playwright David Stallings’ adapts one of the most powerful works of famed author Thomas Hardy, “The Return of the Native”. The ensemble of townspeople On Egdon Heath will take you on a journey of love, passion and folklore, centered around the beautiful and mystical Eustacia Vye. Her hunger for escape and a devastating twist of fate will affect the lives of the Yeobrights, the Wildeves and the heart of the heath.

Related Posts:

• A Day In The Life … “The Family Shakespeare” By The Numbers
• MTWorks National NewBorn Festival Kicks Off Tonight
• The National Newborn Festival: Celebrating Emerging Playwrights In Style
• Delving Into DARK WATER With Diánna Martin
• The Empress of Sex (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.

Today we continue our series with Dev Bondarin.

Like so many dedicated theatre women whose role is behind the scenes (rather than on the stage) I met director Dev Bondarin’s work long before I actually met Dev. It’s an interesting thing to meet a person via her work, especially when she’s a director … Because while her voice is all over the production, if she’s done her job right you walk away unable to separate her out from what you just saw.  Sure, you may say “that was an amazing play” but unless you’re finely in synch with all the moving parts that make up a theatre piece you may never understand why you feel that way.  And so, its important that I give particular accolades to Dev today – because she’s so often interpreting other’s words … and I’ve been looking forward to hearing her own words for a while now.

Talk to me about being a woman who does what you do – just overall.

I love what I do and I do take pride in being a female director. Being a woman shapes the lens through which I see the world. While not all of the stories I am drawn to have a feminine theme, they touch me in ways that are specific to being a woman.

Are there days it makes a difference – good or bad?

Every day being a woman in theater gives me the chance to make a positive difference.

However, there are some days when I have felt like my insights are perceived as threatening to other women who are competitive or to men who have a need to suppress. That is always a challenge.

Are there barriers you fought against in the past?

There are barriers out there—many unspoken and some unconscious—to contend with. (Just look at how many women are directing professionally as compared with men.) I try, however, to focus on the positive: what are the opportunities I am finding and what new collaborators have I met who I want to work with again. The more opportunities that my fellow female directors and I find, the more we are chipping away at the bigger barriers. And things are getting better, no question about it.

I am more confident in my work and in collaborating so in that regard everything has become easier. I know more and more who I am as a director and as a woman.

The men that you work with – do they treat you as an equal?

The men I work with are wonderful. I can think of one or two instances when I collaborated with a man who was challenged by my being a woman but they are few and far between so I try to take those encounters in stride.

I am lucky that the majority of those with whom I work—men and women— are good people who encourage a working environment of openness, collaboration, and mutual respect.

Are there some resources you’d like to share that you find particularly helpful as a woman?

I recently joined the League of Professional Theatre Women, an organization that promotes visibility and opportunities for female theater artists. I recently directed in their New Play Festival at New World Stages. The evening featured a diverse collection of work of written and directed by League members.

What’s up next for you, Dev?

I have been lucky to work with many wonderful theater companies that are either run or co-run by women (Prospect Theater Company and the Gallery Players among others). This weekend (That’s tomorrow night!!), I am teaming up with playwright Cody Daigle again for a reading of his new play WHY WE FALL with On the Square Productions. Next week I am directing a reading of James Armstrong’s new play WORTH for Abingdon Theater Company and after that I will be working on the next installment of Prospect Theater Company’s Musical Theatre Lab.

~~~

More about Dev Bondarin

Dev Bondarin’s directing credits include Reefer Madness: The Musical and The House of Blue Leaves (The Gallery Players), Snapshots and Map Quest (Prospect Theater Company), A Home Across the Ocean, (MTWorks @ Theatre Row), Romeo & Juliet (EBE Ensemble in Prospect Park), Thucydides (Samuel French Festival – 2009 Winner), and Raised by Lesbians (FringeNYC).

Dev is the Special Project Manager for Prospect Theater Company where she has been a staff member for six seasons. She spearheads and directs the company’s annual musical theater lab of commissions of short musicals by different writing teams on a central theme. Dev loves working with writers and has also directed/developed work with Abingdon Theater Company, Luna Stage, Milk Can Theater, On the Square Productions, and the Manhattan Theatre Source. Dev has assisted Kate Whoriskey, Jim Simpson, and Mary B. Robinson, and has been awarded an SDCF Observership. MFA in Directing from Brooklyn College/BA in Theater Arts and Art History from Brandeis University. Member: Lincoln Center Directors Lab. Associate Member: SDC and the League of Professional Theatre Women.

Find out more at her website: www.devbondarin.com.

Related Posts:

• The 2012 National Newborn Festival Is Almost Here!
• “A Home Across The Ocean” – A Heart Right Here
• Delving Into DARK WATER With Diánna Martin
• Entrevista: Director Joe Barros (The Legend Of Julie Taymor At New York Fringe Festival 2011)
• Romeo & Juliet: Choose Your Own Ending (Fringe Festival 2011)

These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.

Today we continue our series with Alex Bond – a woman I’ve had the pleasure to experience in many ways – as an actress, a singer and most fortunately, as a friend. When I sent Alex a few questions for this Q&A Ms. Bond – being the storyteller that she is – sent back a history that only she could write.  ”Dear Karen,” she began, “as always, you bring up a hot topic which elicits brutal honesty.  Here we go…”   Here we go, indeed —

The subject of “women” (and being one) is a tough one for me.  I have always been one, even though while growing up in the 1950’s my name was considered to be a man’s name.  My mother would sign me up for some activity and there would always be the question on enrollment day, “Alex Bond, is HE here?”  I would reluctantly raise my hand.

But let’s start at the beginning.  When I was 18 months old, my mother dropped me on my head (oh, THAT explains it) and I had my first Traumatic Brain Injury.  We won’t go into the physical or emotional ramifications (another treatise altogether), but suffice it to say that for six months after the skull fracture I would not allow my mother to hold me, change my diapers, or feed me.  Thus began my distrust of the female sector of the species  – of which I am a member.  Hmmmm.

I went to an all-girls’ school K- 12 where my mother taught.  I was the “Glee”- like non-athletic  (yes, field hockey was uber-important)  artsy-fartsy girl in my class with the geeky boy’s name.  K-12 girls can be real mean.  My distrust was re-enforced.  Senior year I had a second skull fracture — from a car accident this time — (that REALLY explains it all) and the insecurities from the first TBI returned.

I continued my education by going to an all-girls’ college for a year and a half.  Finally, I mustered the courage to tell my mother that I wanted to go to a co-ed school where I might have the opportunity to discover the other half of the species.   I had had my fill of females! Voila! I finally had friends, and they were male — the guys in the Radio/TV  department.  This began a long, abiding appreciation of “techies” — smart, quiet men, interested in solving puzzles.  (My dear husband Leon is a techie.)

In graduate school in theatre in Texas, I discovered gay men — the girlfriends I had never had!  In fact, I was told by “the boys” numerous times that I was really a gay man in a woman’s body.   My own mother even said to me on one occasion when we were discussing homosexuality,  “I am sure that if you had been born a boy you would have been gay.”  I took it as a compliment.  And in grad school I met gay women (Lesbians if you prefer), women who were no-bullshit, honest, and intelligent.   Both of these groups  were non-threatening (emotionally and sexually), and we were all “different”, so I began to enjoy friendships that have lasted now for years —  those remaining friends that AIDS did not steal.  And it is because of these men and women that I finally started taking baby steps toward making “straight” female friends – including making myself my friend.  It was “okay” for me to be a woman.  What a breakthrough!

I am 60 now and am delighted I am a female.  I have extraordinary friends – female and male,  straight and gay, old and young.  My friends have been carefully chosen.  (Please consider yourself one, Karen.) And I love them and support them as best as I can.  I can trust all my friends not to drop me on my head.

So, this exposé doesn’t really answer your questions.   But it does provide the background for what I will now confess.

I am an actress/writer/former dancer/former leather bar chanteuse.  I see life as a smorgasbord and I have been fortunate to have had many marvelous and varied dining experiences.  In my profession as an actress, I have on occasion experienced penis envy because there are, quite simply, more roles for men.   As a writer, I think I would be taken more seriously if I were a man.  As a former dancer, I wish I still could.  And as a former leather bar chanteuse, no one but THIS LADY could have been THAT WOMAN!

I have never experimented with the corporate world – I have no interest whatsoever.  I am content to have always been “in the Arts” and I am content to be a Woman in the Arts.  (I can say though that I would have made more money if I were a man – period, end of sentence.)  I am so fortunate to have a devoted male partner (my Leon) who shares the bounty of life with me and who loves me for the woman I have become because of my journey.

If reincarnation is what’s next, I make the request here and now to come back as a woman.  I also ask that I not be dropped on my head.  I’d like thicker hair, too.   (Ha, as though the hair thing will come through!)

What’s next in this life?  I have the privilege of doing a monologue from Doric Wilson’s  A Perfect Relationship for the 50th anniversary of his life as a playwright @ The West Bank Café on March 16th at 9:30pm.  It’s a fund raiser for TOSOS.

And I am reading (with the fabulous David Carson) selections from my book “LATE NIGHTS WITH THE BOYS: confessions of a leather bar chanteuse” for a one-night-only book reading as part of the 2011 Planet Connections Festivity.   This is the first time we will have 80 minutes, so if you listened to us before, come back, we will have more “Anna stories” for you. Please check out www.alexbond.org for more details.

~~~

Thank you so much, Alex, for sharing your story with us for Women’s History Month!   As always, your wit, intelligence and sparkle shine right through your work.  I’m honored to be your friend.  (And you correctly surmised – I will not bonk you on the head).

A little more about Alex:

ALEX BOND has appeared in MTWorks’ productions of Barrier Island by David Stallings and A Home Across the Ocean by Cody Daigle.  Off-Broadway Ms. Bond appeared in Luigi Creatore’s Flamingo Court as Clara, Marie, and Chi-Chi.

Regional theatre work:  DFW Fringe Festival at the Hub Theatre, Provincetown Theatre, New Harmony Theatre, Depot Theatre, Buffalo Studio Arena, Virginia Stage Company, Theatre Virginia, South Jersey Regional Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Theatre Three. Numerous national commercials.

Whenever and wherever possible Ms. Bond performs readings from her novel “LATE NIGHTS WITH THE BOYS: confessions of a leather bar chanteuse” with David L. Carson; their work has received the ‘Producer’s Pick Award’ from the 2007 Dallas/Ft. Worth Fringe Festival and the ‘Best Literary Staging’ from the 2008 San Francisco Fringe Festival, and Fruit of Distinction Awards in 2009 from The Fresh Fruit Festival/All Out Arts.

She and Mr. Carson fight intolerance with humor and truth one reading at a time.  Ms. Bond is delighted and honored to be part of MTWork’s and TOSOS’s acting companies.

Related Posts:

• Doric Wilson – Gone But Not Forgotten: Help Celebrate His Life
• Early Risers / Night Owls … Come With Me – Help Save UNDER St. Marks
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Robin Rice Lichtig
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Glory Kadigan
• Planet Connections Q&A: Good Lonely People

The National Newborn Festival has become, over the last four years, one of the premiere playwriting festivals in the country for emerging playwrights. A flagship program created and produced by MTWorks, an ever-growing, non-profit theatre company, Newborn allows playwrights to have a work never produced in New York be read in a festival setting.

Free and open to the public, this year’s festival is being sponsored by The City College of New York’s Psychology Club & Department and begins Thursday, February 3rd, and runs through Sunday, February 6th. This year we are showcasing the works of Duncan Pflaster, Rich Rubin, Marilynn Barner Anselmi, Riti Sachdeva, and Jacqueline Goldfinger.

David Stallings

The festival will kick off the first night with the reading of The ReEducation of Arizona by MTWorks’ Artistic Director and resident playwright David Stallings, and end the final evening with the Audience Favorite Award ceremony and a raffle, as well as an extra reading of the winning play. For 2011, in addition to the Audience Favorite Award which is selected by those who attend the readings, the MTWorks Board of Directors is presenting the first annual Excellence in Playwriting Award, to be announced prior to the festival.

I have directed a reading in the last two Newborn Festivals, and will be acting in this year’s, so I’m very excited about this brainchild that MTWorks has created…one that encourages playwrights, directors, and actors to come together and celebrate the artistic process. I asked the playwrights to talk a little bit about their work and their thoughts on said process.

How did you come to hear about The Newborn Festival?

Duncan Pflaster

(Duncan Pflaster – The Empress of Sex) I’ve been a fan of MTWorks for some time now, and when I saw they were accepting applications for the festival, I jumped to send in my script.

(Rich Rubin – Costa Rehab) Spotted the posting on the nyc playwrights website, probably around this time last year.

(Marilynn Barner Anselmi – Raising Ricci) The NewBorn Festival and MTWorks was one of many companies I discovered during my desperate internet searches for possible artistic avenues.

(Riti Sachdeva – Parts of Parts & Stitches) A call in the Fund for Women Artists e-newsletter.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Skin & Bone) My play, “Slip/Shot,” was in the Festival last year, and it was a fantastic experience. MTWorks also produced my drama, “The Oath,” in 2009.

Describe your play in one sentence.

(Duncan Pflaster – The Empress of Sex) A woman spurned in her affairs of the heart sets herself up as empress of an island where no love is allowed, only sex; all is orgies and sensual pleasure till her ex-lover comes in disguise to try to win her back.

Rich Rubin

(Rich Rubin – Costa Rehab) A very raunchy comedy with an underpinning of great sadness.

(Marilynn Barner Anselmi – Raising Ricci) After the death of their son, two women attempt to find healing and acceptance in the home of their Southern family.

(Riti Sachdeva – Parts of Parts & Stitches) In war, it is a fine line between madness and courage.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Skin & Bone) Skin & Bone is a dark comedy about two little old ladies who detest aging because they can’t do the things they love anymore – like eating people.

(David Stallings – The ReEducation of Arizona) The ReEducation of Arizona opens a discussion about the trickle down effect of politicians and media upon the smaller families in our country.

What makes your work, this play in particular, stand out from the rest?

(Duncan Pflaster – The Empress of Sex) It’s a romantic comedy in the tradition of Marivaux and Shakespeare that doesn’t shy away from modern expressions of sexuality.

(Rich Rubin – Costa Rehab) I’m not sure that is does. I’m hoping that audiences will find Costa Rehab irreverent and off-kilter and at times even outrageous, but I suspect that description applies to just about everything in the festival.

Marilynn Anselmi

(Marilynn Barner Anselmi – Raising Ricci) Maybe my willingness to portray raw grief as honestly as I’m capable.

(Riti Sachdeva – Parts of Parts & Stitches) The woman-centerdness of the tone, the action, the impetus. The emotional urgency of compassion and determination.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Skin & Bone) I think Skin & Bone is the only comedy in the Festival this year, and the only one that utilizes the more traditional elements of Southern Gothic storytelling (a la William Faulkner, Kate Chopin, etc…).

(David Stallings – The ReEducation of Arizona) As I am the only writer that has read all of the plays (lucky me), I believe that each play uniquely shows the aesthetic of MTWorks!  I think with this play, the recent events in Arizona have made it more timely now than when it was written.

Whose work do you admire and find to be an inspiration to you as a writer?

(Duncan Pflaster – The Empress of Sex) Charles Ludlam is the top (especially for this play); his combining traditional theatrical forms with comedy and sexuality has always been an inspiration.  Also love Israel Horovitz, Christopher Durang, Theresa Rebeck, Eric Overmyer, Paul Rudnick, Tony Kushner, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Tom Robbins…. and more and more…

(Rich Rubin – Costa Rehab) The list goes on and on, and includes August Wilson, Martin McDonagh, Lee Blessing and Annie Baker. I’m also a big fan of Theresa Rebeck, Lynn Nottage, Tracy Letts and Rebecca Gilman. It might be easier to ask me to list the playwrights whose work I don’t admire.

(Marilynn Barner Anselmi – Raising Ricci) Douglas Wright, Marsha Norman, Margaret Edson and, certainly, Harper Lee.

Riti Sachdeva

(Riti Sachdeva – Parts of Parts & Stitches) So many – Audre Lorde, Nilo Cruz, Malcom X, Deepa Mehtha, Natacha Atlas, Mother Nature.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Skin & Bone) Recently, I’ve been inspired by the work of Martin McDonagh, Enda Walsh, and Leo Butler.

(David Stallings – The ReEducation of Arizona) I always go back to Shakespeare and Shaw when I am lost.

What do you hope the audience will walk away with after this reading?

(Duncan Pflaster – The Empress of Sex) I hope they have a good time.  I hope my words touch their hearts and their erogenous zones.

(Rich Rubin – Costa Rehab) A few laughs … and at least a subliminal sense of the tragic absurdity of war.

(Marilynn Barner Anselmi – Raising Ricci) At least a glimpse at a real life, shared experience, and the germination of healing.

(Riti Sachdeva – Parts of Parts & Stitches) To think about how each one of us has an opportunity and responsibility to stand up for the “other”.

Jacquelyn Goldfinger

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Skin & Bone) I hope they’ll walk away having laughed a lot, and it might provoke some thought about what it means to age in America’s youth culture.

(David Stallings – The ReEducation of Arizona) I always hope that the piece was entertaining first.  And then my goal is to open a discussion.  It is easy to say that because we are New Yorkers, the nonsense going on in Arizona with their offensive Immigration bill and laughable paroling of minority studies in schools does not affect us.  But it does.  And these measures are persecuting Americans who are most vulnerable.  In this play, I give facts that seem ridiculous and fiction that, while comic, has a darker undertone.

What other projects do you have lined up for 2011?

(Duncan Pflaster – The Empress of Sex) I’ll be doing my experimental play Six Silences in Three Movements in March as part of Manhattan Rep’s 2011 WinterFest; most likely doing something in the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity this Summer (though not confirmed yet); and I’ve just been commissioned to write my first screenplay, so that’s a new adventure.

(Rich Rubin – Costa Rehab) Assisted Living, a pretty mainstream comedy-drama about a family dealing with Alzheimer’s disease, will have a second production (in Oregon) this spring. I recently finished a full-length about the disintegration of Arthur Miller’s marriage to Marilyn Monroe on the set of The Misfits, and I’m currently working on another full-length about a primatologist with a complicated love-life.

(Marilynn Barner Anselmi – Raising Ricci) More mad attempts to get my work out there (wherever that is).

(Riti Sachdeva – Parts of Parts & Stitches) My MFA thesis show La Fea: A FlamenChoreoMyth, bringing together two of my great  passions: theatre and flamenco. Produced by University of New Mexico, directed by Ricky Martinez of New Theatre, Miami.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Skin & Bone) My dark comedy, the terrible girls, is world premiering at Azuka Theatre Company in Philadelphia and being published by Playscripts this spring. You can read more about my work online: www.jacquelinegoldfinger.com

(David Stallings – The ReEducation of Arizona) I have The Family Shakespeare here in NYC with MTWorks in April.  So I am excited for that!

~~~

The 2011 National Newborn Festival will be held at The City College of New York, North Academic Center (NAC), 138th St at Amsterdam Avenue. The admission is free but you do need to reserve your seats as the space is limited. For a complete schedule and reservation information visit www.MTWorks.org.

Next week we’ll have a chance to talk to the directors of these readings to find out what their thoughts are on the plays that have been selected for the festival. In the meantime . . . I think the following video will also whet your appetite.

Related Posts:

• The 2012 National Newborn Festival Is Almost Here!
• MTWorks National NewBorn Festival Kicks Off Tonight
• Ever Seen A “NewBorn” Play? (Part 1)
• Delving Into DARK WATER With Diánna Martin
• The Empress of Sex (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

For those of you who attended the Happiest Medium’s 1st Anniversary Party (in 3-D) you may have seen these slide shows already. They feature the great performers we had there, and some of their upcoming projects. Here is the main slide show with the normal as well as 3-D-ified images that will jump out at you if you look at them with ChromaDepth 3-D glasses.

And let me thank all our performers and sponsors one last time -

Ahmond, Monica Bauer, Charites, John Fico, Jeff Grow, Paolo Javier, Kampfire PR, Kill the Band, MTWorks, Karen Tortora-Lee, and  Franca Vercelloni,

Now to look at the slides…

Because we loved Kill The Band so much we made a slide-show just for them. It can be enjoyed with or without glasses, but if you went to the party, pull your glasses out now!

Don’t forget to catch their monthly show – Alter Ego.

Related Posts:

• 2nd Season Mini Fridge – Tasty, Filling And Leaving Audience Wanting More! (Jun 28, 2012 – Jul 04, 2012 )
• It’s Time For Mini-Fridge Elevenses With Kill The Band – Mock Bottom Mockumental CD Release Experience!
• Mike Milazzo — Open Mike
• Following The Path Of Yoga
• It’s A Double Header Of Our Favorites – BALLS! And KILL THE BAND!

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York City’s premiere eco-friendly theatre festival, connecting artists and audiences with diverse dynamic charitable organizations. The Planet Connections experience entertains, enlightens and informs.

This Summer I was quite fortunate to be able to direct a play for one of my favorite theatre companies, MTWorks, who hired me to direct Carol Carpenter’s Good Lonely People for the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. It was such an honor to work on this important piece for MTWorks, of which I am a company member. I was also delighted to be a part of Planet Connections’ quest to bring awareness to our environment and give back to the community.

Good Lonely People deals with a Democrat family living in a Red State, who get together on the night of the 2009 election, but are torn apart because of strong differences in opinion regarding the gay daughter of one of the couples. To me, these are large aspects of the play; but it’s also very much about family accepting each other and the love needed to get past the anger; and how no matter what someone’s bumper sticker says – at the end of the day their actions are what matter. My hope is that people coming to see it, regardless of their political preference, can walk away with an appreciation of the important message that Carol Carpenter has infused into this piece regarding acceptance and love.

The charity that we are raising money/awareness for with this production is PFLAG – Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians and Gays – and we have been delighted to have representatives come to the production and do a talk back with us afterwards. It’s a charity that is important to themes in the show and also to MTWorks. When I see people wiping tears from their eyes and hear that the play is an incredibly important piece to be seen by families, it makes me smile as I hear my own thoughts echoed.  I’m thrilled that I can be a part of something that moves people in such a way.

The Happiest Medium put the questions that we have asked other shows to playwright Carol Carpenter regarding Good Lonely People. Here is what she had to say:

Here’s Antonio’s question -

If you would have to single out a quality between dialogue, plot or character, which one is the strongest in your play/piece, and why?

Character. These are people with long, interconnected histories — interpersonal, geopolitical, cultural and religious histories — and they have overcome great strife together, always emerging stronger than before. But on this night, they’re presented with the one issue they’ve always avoided, and the one that just might do them in. The play is really about how good people in a decent family in a provincial town with limited experiences and information do their very best to keep loving each other when faced with the issue of a gay family member.

Here’s Karen’s question -

What has been the most surprising or unexpected thing that’s happened during this play? Did that wind up taking the play in a new direction?

An actor had an issue with a scene that I knew wasn’t quite right. He kept saying his dialogue was unmotivated. I, of course, knew exactly why the words were there but he didn’t. Which usually means the writing is lacking. So his insight unlocked the scene for me. The other great surprise has been what an incredible dramaturge Cristina Alicea from MTWorks is. This was a good play and now, thanks to her, it’s a great play.

Here’s Anne’s question -

What do you think is the central theme and reason this play was conceived?

The central theme, for me, is that family is worth the effort. It’s worth overlooking the bad in order to get the good. I conceived of the play when my own mother threw an Obama “party” at our house in our tiny conservative town — I just couldn’t fathom who would come — and I had to surprise her, and support her, by attending (while doing some reconnaissance, of course). That party was the seed of Good Lonely People.

Here’s Stephen’s Question -

Why should the audience (we) go to your play? What will the audience learn about the “human condition” by going to your play?

Because it gives dignity to a culture and a people that we don’t often get to see on an NYC stage (we get to see plenty of them in parodies on Jon Stewart though). I hope everyone walks out thinking, “Weird. They’re just like my family except one of them wears a cowboy hat.”

Here’s Sarah’s Question -

What is your favorite line from the play?

“I used to tell my Pentecostal boss down at the courthouse, ‘I might go to hell for bein’ a Baptist, but I’ll never go to hell for bein’ a Republican!“

Here’s Diánna’s Question -

What about this play do you feel most drawn to personally, and because of that, what message do you hope the audience walks away with?

Sissy’s generosity of spirit and wisdom, which is what I aspire to. Even though the plot of this play is fictional, the conflicts are autobiographical and Sissy is who I’d like to be. The play is the culmination of fifteen years’ worth of processing my own hurt and anger at family members who subtly but clearly expressed their disapproval of my “lifestyle”. But something changed in my 30s, as my aunts and uncles began really aging; I began moving to a place of forgiveness. A place where I could sincerely say “We disagree, and they’re really awesome people” instead of “Those ignorant redneck racist homophobes shouldn’t be allowed to breed.” That kind of rhetoric is so damaging, to both the subject and the messenger. So on a personal level, it’s a very liberating play and I guess I’d want the audience to walk away with the knowledge that forgiveness is liberating.

Related Posts:

• Celebrating Life, Love, And Connections – Congratulating Carol Carpenter
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Carol Carpenter
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Alex Bond
• Ever Seen A “NewBorn” Play? (Part 1)
• It’s A Triple Play For Natalie Menna!

Keep reading for a chance to win tickets . . .

Written by award-winning playwright David Stallings, and directed by Cristina Alicea; Barrier Island tackles the nature of a fearless community that chooses to stake their lives on the strength of the historic Galveston seawall — built to protect the island from natural disasters — as they await the arrival of one of the most devastating hurricanes to hit the United States since Katrina, Hurricane Ike. Nominated for the 2009 Weissberger Award (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Barrier Island is the first play in “The Galveston Cycle.”

Barrier Island will play a 4-week limited engagement at Center Stage NY (48 West 21st Street, 4th Floor, Buzzer 401#). Performances begin Friday, April 30th through Saturday, May 22nd.

One lucky grand prize winner will receive:

• A pair of tickets to the first week of Barrier Island at Center Stage NY.

To enter, correctly answer the following question:

Q. What is Barrier’s twitter account?

(Wanna cheat? Find the answer at  www.MTWorks.org )

Email us your answer with your first and last name to giveaways@thehappiestmedium.com, all entries must be received by Friday, April 23rd.

Click here for contest guidelines.

Good luck!

Related Posts:

• Delving Into DARK WATER With Diánna Martin
• The 2012 National Newborn Festival Is Almost Here!
• The National Newborn Festival: Celebrating Emerging Playwrights In Style
• Small Town, Big Show – “Barrier Island”
• Ever Seen A “NewBorn” Play? (Part 1)

Developed 3 years ago, The National NewBorn Festival is the flagship program of a non-profit theater company very dear to me, Maieutic Theatre Works; or as we like to call it MTWorks – that way we don’t have to get into the whole “Maieutic is pronounced /meɪˈjuːtɪks/”.

New plays that have yet to receive a New York production are read in a festival setting and free to the general public from Thursday, January 21st through Sunday, January 24th. This year we are showcasing new plays by Barrie Kreinik, Jacqueline Goldfinger, Carol Carpenter, Gwydion Suilebhan and Cody Daigle.

The audience also gets to pick and vote for the recipient of the Audience Favorite Award. The winner receives a second reading on Sunday night after the resident reading of A Song for St. Michael’s by one of the NewBorn creators and Artistic Director of MTWorks, David Stallings.

What I appreciate about festivals is the networking opportunities it creates for dramatists, actors, directors and companies.  This week I asked all 6 dramatists some questions about their work and inspirations.

AM-How did you hear about NewBorn?

(Barrie Kreinik – A Thousand Shapes) I’m an MTWorks company actor and my first performance with the company was in NewBorn 2008, so I’ve already had some experience with the Festival.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Slip/Shot) I read about the NewBorn online two years ago, and submitted my play The Oath. MTWorks liked The Oath so much that they produced it in 2009! It was an incredible experience! Slip/Shot is my first new play since The Oath and the fab MTWorks company offered to include it in the NewBorn Festival.

(Carol Carpenter – Good Lonely People) I read about artistic director David Stallings’ work in an article or blurb online. When I realized we were graduates of the same college, I decided to reach out to him.

(Gwydion Suilebhan – Faithkiller) I’m almost too embarrassed to admit this… but I found it on Facebook.

(Cody Daigle – A Home Across The Ocean) MTWorks produced my play Providence in 2008, and the experience was fantastic. When I finished the new show, I sent it to them, eager for a chance to work with them again.

AM-Describe your play in one sentence:

(Barrie Kreinik – A Thousand Shapes) Three women at an American university face the consequences of crossing boundaries and discover the shape-shifting nature of love.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Slip/Shot) It’s about people trying to make sense of a situation that simply makes no sense and, in doing so, create “truths” that may or may not be very truthful.

(Carol Carpenter – Good Lonely People) Election night 2008 transforms a family in a small conservative town.

(Gwydion Suilebhan – Faithkiller) The exploits of an atheist superhero in a 1940s New York radio studio, a run-down apartment in present-day Los Angeles, and a not-too-distant theocratic future: what do the stories we tell reveal about the things we believe?

(Cody Daigle – A Home Across The Ocean) A 13-year old foster child and a poet from London help a family and a gay couple face loss and redefine itself.

(David Stallings – A Song For St. Michael’s) A young boy is taught how to grieve within the cold rules of his structured community.

AM-What makes your work stand out from the rest?

(Barrie Kreinik – A Thousand Shapes) The play’s subject matter twists familiar tropes.  The issue of teacher-student relationships has been addressed in other plays, but what happens when the teacher and student are both female?  It’s about relationships and feelings that defy labels, where everything happens under the surface, where the characters are afraid to address what’s really going on — where they aren’t sure what’s really going on.  There’s a lot of language, a lot of quoting other people, but also a lot of unspoken communication.  I don’t know if this makes it stand out from everything else per se, but these are some characteristics of the piece.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Slip/Shot) My plays have been described as “Southern gothic” so I think that makes my work different from the others.

(Carol Carpenter – Good Lonely People) My work is grounded in the people and places of the American Southwest. There, I explore the tension between oppositional ideologies and cultures: between progress and tradition, urban and rural, professional and working class, religious and secular. My journey as a writer is to find beauty and value in those I judge, to uncover paradox and hypocrisies within myself through the insights of characters I would deplore in real life, and to harmonize conflict through humor and reconciliation.

(Gwydion Suilebhan – Faithkiller) My work is very post-modern: multi-racial and multi-generational casts, interwoven narratives and meta-narratives, and a variety of media juxtaposed for a Twitter generation of theatergoers.

(Cody Daigle – A Home Across The Ocean) Ah, the dreaded “sell-yourself” moment. I think my work stands out because it’s quiet, simple, but the emotions are big. I’m very interested in the poetry of who we are in private, with the people we’re closest to, and I think that comes through in the work.

(David Stallings – A Song for St. Michael’s) It is the second piece in a trilogy about a town in Texas and the dysfunctional traditions passed down through generations based in stubbornness and ignorance.  Those who have seen the development of Barrier Island will enjoy seeing a different and equally entertaining part of the community.

AM-Whose work do you admire – who inspires you?

(Barrie Kreinik – A Thousand Shapes) Caryl Churchill, Tom Stoppard, Diana Son, Joanna Murray-Smith, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Wendy Wasserstein… to name a few.  This play in particular was influenced by the works of Virginia Woolf.  And I’m also inspired by Shakespeare — his incredibly rich language and raw emotionality.  His use of language.  I’m fascinated by language.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Slip/Shot) I’m a huge fan of early 20th Century Southern literature – Kate Chopin, William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Katherine Anne Porter, and Carson McCullers come to mind.

(Carol Carpenter – Good Lonely People) Sam Shepard, Horton Foote, Leila Buck.

(Gwydion Suilebhan – Faithkiller) I’m inspired by playwrights who look beyond their own lives for inspiration… who use their plays to ask broad, penetrating questions about being human in the modern world.  David Hare, August Wilson, and Sarah Kane come to mind — diverse stylistically, but all of them big.

(Cody Daigle – A Home Across The Ocean) Tony Kushner, because of his incredible gift with language. Christopher Shinn, Sarah Ruhl, Melissa James Gibson, Paula Vogel, Terrence McNally.

(David Stallings -  A Home Across The Ocean) Shakespeare’s.  His universality and specificity are a paradox that few have been able to reinvent.

AM-What do you hope the audience will walk away with after this reading?

(Barrie Kreinik – A Thousand Shapes) I hope they walk away in deep discussion with each other!  I’d love to inspire conversation, dialogue, examination.  They might wonder about the ambiguity of relationships, about our need to name things, to label them.  Hopefully they’ll wonder about what the characters do after the play ends.  Whatever happens, I hope they’re thinking.

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Slip/Shot) I hope that the audience will laugh a lot, cry a little, and walk away thinking a little bit about how they tell their own stories and create their own personal “truths.”

(Carol Carpenter – Good Lonely People) Respect for uneducated, uncultured, underprivileged working class white folks.

(Gwydion Suilebhan – Faithkiller) A glimpse, perhaps, of a way to get out of the ideological complexity and deep emotion underlying the religious culture clashes that have paralyzed American life for at least a century… and (I would be remiss in not adding) a very strong desire to buy a ticket to a full production of the play.

(Cody Daigle – A Home Across The Ocean) I hope they walk away feeling as though they watched something that felt deeply true, something funny, something moving, something real.

(David Stallings – A Song for St. Michael’s) My favorite reaction from an audience is a gasp!

AM-What other projects do you have lined up in 2010?

(Barrie Kreinik – A Thousand Shapes) I’m still in the process of lining up specific projects, but I’ve got ongoing work as a voice-over artist, singer, and dialect coach, and I’m working on a couple of new play ideas.  I put on a lot of hats!

(Jacqueline Goldfinger – Slip/Shot) So far, I have a world premiere of my commissioned adaptation of Little Women in San Diego and a production of my dark comedy the terrible girls in Philadelphia. My short play, His Last Fight, will also be published in the anthology “Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2010″ by Smith and Kraus.

(Carol Carpenter – Good Lonely People) Good Lonely People is in the final running for the High Desert Play Development Series at Southwest Repertory Theatre. I am currently conducting research for a new book whose near-impossible goal is to convince working class conservatives that their economic interests are not being served by their party.

(Gwydion Suilebhan – Faithkiller) My play The Constellation will be running in DC this winter, and I’ll be workshopping a new play called Reals this spring… more importantly, though, I’ll be having my first child — which is the greatest project I can imagine!

(Cody Daigle – A Home Across The Ocean) I’m working on two new plays – a play about architecture, real estate and theater (seriously!) called The Lasting and a relationship comedy called Cuddleman.

(David Stallings – A Song for St. Michael’s) Barrier Island with MTWorks opening April 30th and A Daughter of Israel with BOO-Arts in the fall.

* * *

The 2010 National NewBorn Festival takes place at The Asya Geisberg Studio (526 West 26th Street, No 1017. Between 10th and 11th Ave). The admission is free but you do need to reserve your seats as the space is limited. For a complete schedule and reservation information visit www.MTWorks.org.

Next week we will bring you an interview with the directors involved in the festival, including our very own contributor Diánna Martin.  I leave you with a short conversation with one of the many writers that have inspired the dramatists participating in NewBorn, Tony Kushner.

Related Posts:

• The National Newborn Festival: Celebrating Emerging Playwrights In Style
• Ever Seen A “NewBorn” Play? (Part 2)
• Delving Into DARK WATER With Diánna Martin
• The 2012 National Newborn Festival Is Almost Here!
• MTWorks National NewBorn Festival Kicks Off Tonight

New York Fringe Festival 2009

Unless you’ve been living outside of New York City for the last decade or so, chances are you’ve either attended a Fringe show yourself, or you’ve at least heard about the festival.  ”Fringe”, of course, means The New York International Fringe Festival and it is the largest multi-arts festival in North America, with more than 200 companies from all over the world performing for 16 days in more than 20 venues.  It kicks off in just two weeks on August 14th, so right now everyone involved is  getting their act together, so to speak, and preparing for Opening Night.

One very special show which will be featured this year at the Fringe Festival is Eli and Cheryl Jump, a poetic, haunting play written by Daniel McCoy.  I got a chance to chat with Daniel and find out what it’s like to be part of the Fringe, what sparked him to write this play, and what he hopes it will mean to the audience.

Playwright Daniel McCoy

KTL - Eli and Cheryl Jump will be playing at the Fringe Festival. Tell me what it means for you, as a writer, to have one of your works be a part of the Fringe.
DMcC – This is the first time that I applied, so I’m very excited to have had my play accepted into the festival. When I first moved to New York back in 2006 I volunteered at Fringe Will-Call to get free tickets; it was my little “Welcome to New York” experience so Fringe has been a constant for me. Having a play in the Festival is like coming full circle.

KTL – Well congratulation. Do you feel like you’ve “arrived”?
DMcC – It’s definitely a nice check mark. It feels like a bit of a right of passage, having a show at the Fringe. Maybe by the 3rd or 4th one I’ll be jaded. (Laughs). The Fringe Festival is such a brand and such an identifiable thing. When you tell people “Hey, I’ve got a show in the Fringe” everyone knows what that means, everyone knows when it is. It’s definitely a milestone for me.

KTL - What’s the most unusual thing that’s happened as a byproduct of being part of Fringe?
DMcC – I feel like everything’s gone by the book so far. Martha Goode from Ignited States has done a bunch of Festivals, and so has the other company she is involved with, MTWorks. They know the ropes. Martha’s job is to keep everything floating so that we can focus on pulling the play together. Oh, and Martha is the sound designer as well, so she’s pulling double duty! We’re just cranking though, getting ready to open. Of course, we haven’t been in for a tech yet or a space walk-though, so that will be an experience. We only get 2 hours for that.

KTL - Only two hours? Really?
DMcC - Yeah, that’s the allotment, twice the running time of your show, and we’ve got a one-hour show, so that’s what we get! We’re lucky, though, Eli and Cheryl Jump is pretty light on the tech so it’s not as difficult as some.

KTL - About the Title “Eli and Cheryl Jump” … it’s very evocative.  And it could be taken as very cryptic or very literal. Or, it could almost be a last name. I must say, the first time I saw it I thought “Oh, Eli and Cheryl Jump” as in “Eli and Cheryl Smith”.
DMcC -(Laughs) Wow, really? No … it’s definitely a verb.

Eli and Cheryl Jump

KTL - Well, I know that now, since I’ve read it. But what were you trying to put into people’s mind’s with the title?
DMcC – In the play there’s obviously a big reveal. But that’s not all the play is about. The events are not what it’s about, it’s the journey Eli goes through … this mythology that’s been created by his mom, created by feelings of his absent father, turning it from something that’s a curse into something he can use to empower and to aid in this moment of crisis he and Cheryl find themselves in. There are several reasons for the title, I also wanted to give away the game, so to speak, and not try to force a surprise. It’s still inherent, but placing flash forwards to the crisis that the 2 main characters are in, I wanted to go there right away, that’s why the play starts where it does. So the title was along those lines. It both keeps a secret and yet completely reveals. This is not a play about a twist or a surprise, but about a monumental action in both their lives. It has layers, physically and spiritually that hopefully work in tandem. Plus, at the end of the day, it was the title. It just was the title that felt right.

KTL - Of course I don’t want you to tell too much or give anything away, but what can you tell me about the seeds that started Eli and Cheryl Jump?
DMcC – I did a first draft in December of 2007, and then we did a workshop in Spring of ’08 with Crosstown Playwrights who are the writer affiliates of Ignited States; it’s a number of us who meet on a weekly basis. I needed a play for our Spring Forward Festival so I had submitted a few that weren’t working for me and all of a sudden I said I’ll write a play in a week, use whatever came out no matter what, and this is what resulted. You can’t always remember the first spark … it could be an image … there’s one pretty significant image that I could reference right now but I won’t … but I started writing the story that Eli’s mother is telling in the beginning of the play. It was almost written as a short story, about Eli’s life and journey. And it grew from that as it does in the play.

KTL – This play is very poetic – there’s a lot of mysticism about it. Why did you choose that voice to tell this story?
DMcC – I was frustrated and I wasn’t coming up with something so I basically posed 2 challenges to myself: to write in a style I’m not drawn to – a monologue piece with direct address. And two: I chose to tackle a subject which I felt I had no business approaching just because of my relative lack of connection to it in my own life experience.

KTL – So this style was a first for you …
DMcC – At the time, yes, it was. But I have noticed that, since writing Eli and Cheryl Jump I play more with that poetic style and form. A lot of my work previously was more straight, naturalistic dialog. Now I’ve been working in a more presentational, poetic style since writing this play and saw that it worked at least in this context. The subject dictates the form, and what I like, what I think is successful (I hope) is how it undulates back and forth, in and out. In the flashbacks, in the car with Carla Jean, to the scenes with Eli’s landlady, when he first meets Cheryl … those are all fairly naturalistic and take place firmly in our world. But then reality cracks open and we see the Id of Eli, in some cases, or the mythic figure he aspires to be (or run from) and that’s when we run into “story land”, the world that his mother created for him. That’s when that world becomes his reality, and ours as well.

Cheryl and Eli

KTL – Your play has several different characters but only 2 actors, there’s limited stage direction and you say there can be limited-to-no set design, so it’s all a very minimalist approach. Tell me about how you came to make those choices.
DMcC – Well, as far as having just one actress play all these women in Eli’s life, I felt it was very important to keep Cheryl present on stage. Chronologically Cheryl’s character doesn’t enter till the final 3rd of the play, but with the use of the first flash forward we meet her character right away. So you’re introduced to her at the start, but then she’s absent until the “third act”.   And of course she’s important — the play is named after her, after all! (Laughs). So it was an interesting, fun, challenging way for her to be on stage; having one actress assume all these important figures in Eli’s life. And there’s no pulling-the-wool over the audience’s eyes, the actress simply assumes different body language and uses another voice. It’s fun for a really good actor to take on a part like that. It’s satisfying dramatically and keeps us invested in each of the characters. And this way a single actress becomes an equal player on the stage, as opposed to four smaller supporting roles.
As far as my reasons behind having a minimalistic set – honestly, it’s easily producible. I mean, we could take this play out on to the streets if we wanted to and perform it right there. Plus, I tend to enjoy minimalist production. It engages you. You, as an audience, get to meet the performers halfway and fill in the blanks. And certainly when you have a play like Eli and Cheryl Jump – one that changes location and time and goes in and out of reality – well really then it’s all or nothing. Unless you could bring in a turn table and fly things in and out, and have scenery on tracts, the only other thing to do would be to have absolutely nothing and and let imagination be the set. We also have great sound design to fill in a bit of that voice, it’s a pretty important element here, almost like a sound collage. Ultimately, I just really enjoy the rawness and honesty that worked for us with 2 actors and some chairs … doing what we were doing, creating this piece of theatre 5 feet form the audience. It’s very immediate … there’s no place to hide. It’s a very honest experience.

KTL – What do you hope people will take away from Eli and Cheryl Jump?
DMcC - I want the audience to have made that leap with Eli and Cheryl and be glad that they did. I think what’s going to do that is not the script but the absolute beauty and honesty with which the actors do the show. Charles Linshaw and Cassandra Vincent had the first reading yesterday and I was shivering at what they were bringing to the piece already. Nicole Watson, our director, knows how to navigate the play, how to make it pop and make it soar, it’s going to be on them to turn it from (again, I hope) a good read on the page to making it an experience. I want the audience to be shaken a bit but glad they went on the journey. I hope it’s a unique journey and not just another play.

KTL – Well, here’s my favorite part of the interview – Bonus question time. You can talk about any topic, no censorship, promote a cause, tell a joke, whatever you want. The floor is yours. No pressure.
DMcC - I also happen to be part of an ensemble called The New York Neo-Futurists who perform a show called Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind.

KTL - Hey, I”m going to review that next week for The Fab Marquee!
DMcC - Well, you are in for a wild ride! It’s a fantastic concept – 30 plays in 60 minutes. They’re all original works, written, directed performed by the ensemble. It’s a roller coaster of an hour. There’s always lots of yelling, lots of jumping around. I wanted to give a little shout out to that group because they’re terrific. I just joined in April.

KTL – How often do they mix it up?
DMcC – It changes every single week. Someone in the audience gets picked to roll a six-sided die onto the stage and whatever number comes up 2 through 12, that’s how many play come off the roster and how many new ones go up, so it’s consistently changing. You could go every few months and never see the same show twice, it’s a always completely a different show. This year we’re celebrating our 5th year, so it’s a great time. I’ll be back in it in September after Fringe, so I’m excited to get back to that.

KTL - Well there’s a lot to celebrate! Congratulations, Daniel, for you success with getting your play, Eli and Cheryl Jump into Fringe. I look forward to seeing it.

And the rest of you can check back here to see my review in a few weeks.  Meanwhile, to purchase tickets for Eli and Cheryl Jump, or to find out more about the festival, visit www.fringenyc.org.

Eli and Cheryl Jump
The Players Loft
Price: $15.00
8:30pm  Fri 8.14.09,  9:30pm Fri 8.14.09 with 5 other showtimes 8.14.09 through 8.29.09

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