On Tuesday, March 12th, my theatre students and I attended the UDC's Performance Oversight Hearing. This public oversight hearing was held in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building. Chairman Phil Mendelson served as the Committee Chairs. On the agenda were:
Two weeks prior, my theatre students stop me in the hall and showed me a poster alerting students to the Performance Oversight Hearing. I had just seen it earlier that morning and wondered if it might be worth attending. However, I was hesitant ... We were all still reeling with disappoint after the Town Hall meeting. Two of my students spoke and did a brilliant job. They spoke about how theatre had not only changed their lives, but allowed them to impact the lives others. As inspiring and motivating as their speeches were, we've seen little change. So, I didn't end up mentioning the Performance Oversight Hearing and was surprised and encouraged when they asked if we could go. I quickly made adjustments to our Theatre of the Black Experience and History of Theatre II schedule, because I knew that our voices should be heard. On Tuesday morning, we gathered at 9:30AM at the Cosi on 12th and G streets. We were just a handful of more than 100 UDC students, faculty, administrators and staff present. Signs were made. T-shirts and buttons were passed out. Everyone's energy was positive, enthusiastic and hopeful. I had encouraged my students to signed up to testify, but they weren't able to do so in time. At 10:00am, we were joined by Virginia Spatz, a writer, education advocate, and activist, who interviewed each of the students as part of an article she's writing about me and THE HAMPTON YEARS for East of the River magazine. It seems that just as Viktor Lowenfeld was fighting to show that Hampton Institute needed an Art Department and that African American students should be allowed to learn how to be artists, I'm fighting for Theatre Arts to remain a part of the UDC's curriculum so that students seeking a degree in theatre at a public institution may be able to do so. At 10:30am, we finished our breakfast, gathered our belongings and made our way to the Wilson Building. It was a rainy day, but we were determined and in good humor. Virginia joined us, which was great. She was able to give us a bit of insight into what to expect. For instance, it's going to take a long time. Bring snacks and a water bottle, because the hearing doesn't stop and you will get hungry. Applauding a powerful testimony is not appreciated aka according to the rules and procedures of the hearing. If Marion Barry shows up, and he did, he will get the people riled up and try to take over the hearing. Things will get heated and when that happens, the truth is finally getting out, so lean in and take notes. It wish it weren't the case, but this was my first time ever participating in anything like this. It seems fitting that it should happen now, because for the past several months, basically since working on Our Man Beverly Snow, I've been thinking a lot about civic action and the role of an artist in a revolution. While, I don't always have 8 hours to give over to something like this, I do look forward to participating in more hearings. More than anything, more than even the results, it's important that we show up and speak on behalf of and in defense of the arts in our community. As we settled into our chairs in the chamber, we knew that theatre arts would more than likely not make anyone's agenda other than our own, but we wanted to be there to show support. We came to listen to the testimony of some 45 witnesses who believe that UDC is essential to the District of Columbia. We came to learn about the matters at hand: budget management, strategic planning, curriculum development, and attracting a diverse and rigorous student body. What's more we wanted to help overturn the following misconceptions:
And we accomplished what we set out to do. The entire performance hearing was recorded and can be watched here. You'll see me 5:05 and at 6:51 you hear Provost Bain declare that he believes we should have a theatre program. He says it in the midst of some confusion, but he was heard loud and clear. I've heard from so many people who were inspired by my testimony and who want to help. We'll see what, if anything, will happen next. Either way, I'll keep you posted.
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This is happening tonight at Studio Theatre and I'm so excited to take part! Artists in Conversation: Stephen Adly Guirgis After the Friday, March 8, 8:00pm show starting at approximately 10:00pm, Tony-nominated playwright of The Motherfucker with the Hat Stephen Adly Guirgis will join director Serge Seiden in a moderated conversation to discuss his writing process, his big-hearted characters, and the cheerful vulgarity of his work. As a part of this event, audience members will be hosting a Twitter chat using the hashtag: #GuirgisinDC For those new to tweet chats, we've been encouraged to use Tweetchat.com to follow and automatically insert the #guirgisindc into your posts. Now, to make this night even more thrilling, the lovely folks Studio Theatre have generously invited members of the artistic teams from previous D.C. productions of Mr. Guirgis' work to attend the performance and join in on the conversation. These productions include Last Days of Judas Iscariot at Forum Theatre, Jesus Hopped the A Train at Round House Theatre, and Our Lady of 121st Street at Woolly Mammoth. Truth be told, it's by the grace and good will of the Theatre Gods and Muses that I got an invite, because I haven't worked worked on any of those productions and only got to see Last Days of Judas Iscariot. But like the good theatre scholar that I am, I've read as much of Mr. Guigis' work as I could get my hands on. I was first introduced to him when I was a literary/dramaturgy intern at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Before I could begin reading and ranking plays, Mary Resing (former Director of New Play Development) tasked me with reading all the plays Woolly had produced over the last three to five seasons. Since I was living in Baltimore at the time and commuting into D.C. everyday, this assignment was an absolute delight. It was after reading Mr. Guirgis' Our Lady of 121st Street that I became obsessed with his creative vision; his masterful use language, imagery and emotion; his passionate, lyrical, and jagged worlds; and his broken characters filled with such anger, desperation, and longing for hope. Needless to say, I feel quite fortunate to be included in this conversation and look forward to capturing my experience on Twitter: #GuirgisinDC. I hope you can join in on the discussion! About the Play and ProductionThe Motherfucker with the Hat
By Stephen Adly Guirgis Directed by Serge SeidenDramaturgy by Lauren Halvorsen Designers Debra Booth (Set Design), Michael Giannitti (Light Design), Ivania Stack (Costume Design), Robb Hunter (Fight Director), and Eric Shimelonis (Original Music and Sound Design) Featuring Liche Ariza, Rosal Colón, Drew Cortese, Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey, and Quentin Mará. Synopsis Jackie, out on parole and newly sober, is determined to start anew with his childhood sweetheart Veronica, but her unrelenting coke addiction, his slick-talking AA sponsor, and the discovery of another man’s hat in his living room all threaten to derail Jackie’s tenuous progress. With passion, profanity, and genuine vulnerability, Jackie and Veronica untangle their decades of codependence as they wrestle with the painful limitations of trust, desire, and rehabilitation. January 30th - March 24th Metheny Theatre at The Studio Theatre, 1333 P St. N.W. Washington, DC Ticket Information: 202-332-3300 or www.studiotheatre.org JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe Field Trip Theatre Company, what would they be? AMANDA COFFIN: Fearless, Supportive, Collaborative JL: What excited you about working with Field Trip Theatre this season? AC: This season I was a script reader for Field Trip Theatre during their selection process. Danielle Mohlman, the Artistic Director, had also spoken with me about serving as dramaturg for one of the readings, so when I read Fallbeil by Liz Maestri, I immediately asked if I could work on that script if they happened to choose it as part of the season. I was thrilled when Danielle emailed to say that not only were they going to include Fallbeil in the reading series but they were also planning to take it to the Capital Fringe Festival in the summer. I feel very blessed to have been given such a great opportunity to work on such an interesting and compelling script. JL: Tell us about the play you’re working on and what surprised you most about it. AC: Fallbeil is a play that deals with war and the effects war can have on the people living back home—those who aren’t necessarily fighting on the front lines but have family or friends who are. But even beyond this, the play explores relationships between brothers and sisters, girlfriends and boyfriends, and friends of all kinds through two different time periods—the 1940s and the early 2000s. Add some ghosts and graveyards to this non-linear story, and it became a piece I couldn’t resist. I was most surprised by the fluidity of the storytelling and the historical characters who led very real lives. They attempted a risky resistance movement, The White Rose, that I was unfamiliar with before reading this play. JL: What makes Liz Maestri an essential voice in the American Theatre? AC: Liz represents 20-somethings and 30-somethings in a very real and relatable way, but even beyond this her ability to create dynamic female characters makes her voice a very important one for the American stage. In Fallbeil, Liz gives us two women forced to make independent and life-altering decisions for themselves and their families. The gravity of these choices and the severity of the outcomes give these characters an important maturity that grounds the piece and allows the audience to respect these young female characters. JL: What do you hope audiences are thinking about after they experience this play? AC: I hope audiences leave excited by the possibilities of new work! I love working with new playwrights and developing new work because the possibilities are endless in these beginning stages. I definitely hope audiences are excited by the chance to see the play again in a few months at the Fringe Festival. It would also be great if they left the play with an interest in the White Rose movement and a desire to learn more! JL: Why should audiences attend the reading of Fallbeil? AC: I think audiences should attend the reading to see a unique piece of theater with compelling and relatable characters. Audiences with an interest in European History or World War II will find things to love as will those who enjoy plays that focus on relationships and families. Most importantly, I hope audiences attend to support a great theater company and to support local playwrights! About the DramaturgAMANDA COFFIN recently moved to the Washington, D.C. area from Boston, MA where she got her BA in Theatre Studies from Emerson College. Here in D.C., Amanda serves as the Artistic Intern at Round House Theatre where she just completed dramaturgy for Glengarry Glen Ross. This past summer she served as the museum theater intern at Plimoth Plantation, a living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts and also directed the premiere of the ten-minute play "Organic Seed" (Boston Actor's Theatre) which has been selected for Smith & Kraus's upcoming anthology, Best Ten Minute Plays of 2013. Amanda serves as a script reader for Field Trip Theatre in Washington, D.C and Boston Actors Theater and Fresh Ink Theatre in Boston, MA. About Field Trip TheatreField Trip Theatre is committed to supporting emerging artists through development and production of new plays that engage diverse audiences and reflect the perspectives and identities of The District. We value innovative storytelling and uncensored artistry that serves the diverse community of Washington, DC. On Sunday, March 10th at 8:00pm, Field Trip Theatre will present a reading of Fallbeil by Liz Maestri at the the Wonderland Ballroom. Tickets to this event are sold out, but click here to be added to waitlist. JACQUELINE LAWTON: Why did you decide to get into theatre? Was there someone or a particular show that inspired you? LIZ MAESTRI: There’s no way to make this sound cool. When I was about 13 years old, I saw Les Mis on Broadway. Something within became possessed—I promptly asked my mother for the soundtrack, memorized it, and started auditioning. That same year, I saw STC’s Macbeth with Stacy Keach, and that’s when I decided to “get serious.” Uh-oh, look out! JL: Next, tell me a little bit about your writing process. Do you have any writing rituals? Do you write in the same place or in different places? LM: So far, every script has had its own process, ranging from creating outlines to hammering 60 pages out in two sittings. I hope to someday find a steady, comfortable rhythm, but for now am enjoying these different explorations. Two things I like to do for every script, however, are to create a soundtrack and a design concept. Might as well use that Theatre BA for something, amirite? I like to write on a deadline. I like quiet, studious environments. I also like privacy, because I find it helpful to play scenes out loud as I go along, and I’d rather no one be listening to that. JL: Describe for me all the sensations you had the first time you had one of your plays produced and you sat in the audience while it was performed...what was different about the characters you created? How much input did you have in the directing of that work? LM: When Taffety Punk produced my first play (Owl Moon) in 2011, I was so dumbstruck by this good fortune, I never felt compelled to intervene in the rehearsal process. I also didn’t need to because everything was rather serendipitous—the play was written before I met the Punks, but all five roles found a perfect fit with a company member, and the cast, design team, and director all went above and beyond. Being able to just sit back and watch the play get out of my head and onto a stage was both liberating and a great lesson in letting-go. The sensations I felt as I sat in the audience for the first time are probably sensations you don’t want to hear about. I thought I wouldn’t get the dreaded gurgle-wurgle of stage fright from seeing my own play performed, but no dice. The feelings I had, however, were huge. HUGE! I had never felt true pride before, not like that. It was what I imagine it would be like to see one's child do something amazing. Pretty sure I cried in the bathroom from the sheer emotion of it. JL: What do you hope to convey in the plays that you create--what are they about? What sorts of people, situation, circumstances, do you like to write about? LM: I often write about loss in one form or another. Many of my characters are people who don’t handle it well, but who persist. I’m really interested in bravery, particularly bravery in the face of change, inevitability, and uncertainty. I also love to work with elements of the natural world, magic, and supernatural acts or characters. JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. LM: I don’t recall where the initial inspiration to write Fallbeil came from—I think it may just have been out of obsession with Sophie Scholl. I legitimately fell in love with her. I had taken German language classes in high school and college, and wondered why so few people in the US know the story of the White Rose. I really wanted to write something educational, and had to come to terms with the fact that writing straight history plays is not something I’m cut out for. I started working with this device where “a redheaded playwright” is onstage, watching and interacting. It was structured as a kind of funeral service. Eventually, the idea developed into a fantasy piece with a storyline that is more closely tied to the politics and anxieties of today, but I hope that the play still conveys the love and respect I have for this person I’ve never met. JL: What do you want audiences to think about after experiencing your play? LM: To think about how lucky they are, and how free. To love the people in their lives and to not take their time on Earth for granted. To aim higher. JL: What advice do you have for up-and-coming playwrights? LM: Listen more, talk less. And work hard, because talent alone isn’t enough. JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? Where can we follow your work? LM: Besides working with the Field Trips, next up are two projects in May: a reading of my play House Beautiful at Theater J’s Locally Grown Festival, and a run of Condo Condo Condoland at the unstoppable EMP Collective in Baltimore. About Field Trip TheatreField Trip Theatre is committed to supporting emerging artists through development and production of new plays that engage diverse audiences and reflect the perspectives and identities of The District. We value innovative storytelling and uncensored artistry that serves the diverse community of Washington, DC. On Sunday, March 10th at 8:00pm, Field Trip Theatre will present a reading of Fallbeil by Liz Maestri at the the Wonderland Ballroom. Tickets to this event are sold out, but click here to be added to waitlist. On Sunday, March 10th at 8:00pm, Field Trip Theatre will present a reading of Fallbeil by Liz Maestri at the the Wonderland Ballroom. Tickets to this event are sold out, but click here to be added to waitlist. Synopsis Two 21-year-olds are taking matters into their own hands—at any cost. Sophie has resolved to destroy Nazi Germany from the inside out, while Else faces her sudden and terrifying responsibility as the new head of her family. This historical fantasy examines the relationship between sisters and brothers, young people and war, and defiance and triumph in the face of all odds. Directed by Nick Vargas Dramaturgy by Amanda Coffin Featuring ... Else - Caitlyn Conley Karl - Josh Adams Hans - Kevin Collins Sophie - Chelsey Christensen Fritz - Steve Isaac The Wonderland Ballroom is located at 1101 Kenyon St NW on the corner of 11th St NW and Kenyon St NW. Accessible by Metro at Columbia Heights station. About the Playwright Liz’s plays include OWL MOON (Original Works Publishing, Taffety Punk Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage Festival/Doorway Arts Ensemble); SOMERSAULTING (Page-to-Stage/Taffety Punk, The Artists’ Bloc Downtown Series); TINDERBOX (Forum Theatre ReActs); FALLBEIL (Great Plains Theatre Conference, Field Trip Theatre); and hybrid collaboration THE PRESSURE COOKER (Source Festival). With E.M.P. Collective: THE RAIN (Genesis project), HOLD ME, PALE HORSE (Reject the Gaze), VALOR and THE GREATEST GIFT (One-Minute Play Festival), and CONDO CONDO CONDOLAND (CENTERSTAGE 50Fest). Liz was a founding core member of The Anthropologists, a movement ensemble in NYC, and has worked at numerous theaters including Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Black Women’s Playwright Group, 78th Street Theater Lab, Impetuous Theatre Group, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, and The Kennedy Center, among others. Liz studied playwriting with the 24 With 5 Collective at New Dramatists, and received a DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities YAP Award. Member: The Playwrights’ Center, Dramatists Guild of America. www.lizmaestri.com About Field Trip Theatre Field Trip Theatre is committed to supporting emerging artists through development and production of new plays that engage diverse audiences and reflect the perspectives and identities of The District. We value innovative storytelling and uncensored artistry that serves the diverse community of Washington, DC.
Did you get your tickets yet? I sure hope so! It's a rare and wonderful occasion that such a rich, diverse and talented group of playwrights can be experienced on one bill. I'm telling you, this isn't an event you're going to want to miss! Here's a recap for those just checking in: Tonight, at 8:30pm, eight DC playwrights -- Kathleen Akerley, Bob Bartlett, Mary Stone Hanley, Kristin LePine, Steve Spotswood, Danielle Mohlman, Anu Yadav and Laura Zam—will respond to unanticipated events. They question: is there anything that is truly beyond our control? Join this intimate gathering of some of DC’s most vivid voices, reading their own work, in a program curated by Gwydion Suilebhan and Paul Douglas Michnewicz. Interactive discussion with wine follows the performance What: DC-Area Playwrights Group presents 360º of America: Force Majeure When: Saturday, March 2nd at 8:30pm Cost: $15 General/$10 Student. Click here to purchase tickets! Where: Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Still not convinced? Well, check out these great playwright interviews: JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe the DC Area Playwrights Group, what would they be? BOB BARTLETT: Supportive - Diverse - Community JL: What excited you about taking part in 360º of America: Force Majeure, which is being presented as part of the Intersections Festival? BB: The challenge, as much as anything. I enjoy writing to a random prompt like Force Majeure. And writing monologues isn’t a strength of mine – and I rarely have them in my plays. But in the fall I participated in Laura Zam’s workshop on creating a one-person show, so I’m having more fun with them these days. I don’t see monologues creeping into my work, however – especially 360 second ones. And I’m not an actor, but try to do things which frighten me and force me to grow, even when I don’t want to – like reading this piece in front of a packed house. Ugh. JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. BB: It’s about a man who doesn’t speak. Ever. And a force which compels him to. I know – a 360 monologue delivered by a character who doesn’t speak?? That’s a high bar. But there are days I don’t speak much. Not many, since I’m a teacher. I remember once as a kid, I tried to go an entire day without speaking. I failed. JL: Why should audiences come see 360º of America: Force Majeure and participate in the postshow discussion? BB: Well, to see eight terrific and diverse explorations on a theme, and glean some insights into monologues, writing and performing them. And to see playwrights reading their own work, something which terrifies many writers (like me!!) And for the wine. JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? BB: In March I’ll have a reading of my new play THE ACCIDENT BEAR at id theatre in Manhattan. They’re the folks who bring us Seven Devils Playwrights Conference. And I’m currently doing a rewrite of my play WHALES for some pretty important people. JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe the DC Area Playwrights Group, what would they be? MARY STONE HANLEY: Openings. Community. Difference. JL: What excited you about taking part in 360º of America: Force Majeure, which is being presented as part of the Intersections Festival? MSH: I am exciting about sharing my work and hearing the diversity of voices, perspectives, approaches and techniques. I also look forward to the audience discussion. I am forever intrigued by what people hear and understand when they experience art. JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. MSH: My 360 minutes is actually a monologue from a one act called The Lemonade Stand. It's the story of 6 street kids 5 of whom live together in a run down studio apartment. They build community, take care of each other--sometimes for good, and sometimes not--and create their own culture with rules and boundaries. The monologue is by Langston, a 17 year old wordsmith who spends most of the time in the library or playing flute and drums on the street for spare change. As the oldest of the group he is sometimes the spiritual leader. In this monologue he describes his relationship to the cosmos. JL: Why should audiences come see 360º of America: Force Majeure and participate in the postshow discussion? MSH: Each playwright brings a different story; with differences in perspective, language, style all from different lives and experience , a festival really of difference. Audiences get to share the smorgasbord, savor the differences, momentarily live in whole new worlds, and be amazed by the beauty of it all. JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? MSH: Writing, writing, writing. I want to complete The Lemonade Stand and begin public readings. Submissions, submissions, submissions. I have two 90 minute one acts, The Name Game and Street Life that I will be submitting to various places. I intend to submit Street Life to the DC Black Theater Festival for a reading. JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe the DC Area Playwrights Group, what would they be? KRISTEN LEPINE: Supportive, generous, and talented. JL: What excited you about taking part in 360º of America: Force Majeure, which is being presented as part of the Intersections Festival? KL: I am thrilled and humbled to write and perform alongside writers that I respect in a festival that celebrates artistic thought and creation. Performing my own play is a challenge, and I am grateful for the opportunity to explore my craft in a new way. JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. KL: Knowing that I needed to perform what I wrote was both a stumbling block and an inspiration. I have never written something for myself to perform and haven’t been on a stage for 20 years! I wrote and trashed several monologues before I decided to get over my performance jitters and narrow my focus to show a single, personal, and relatable moment of terror and grace. JL: Why should audiences come see 360º of America: Force Majeure and participate in the postshow discussion? KL: It will be exciting to see how each of the eight playwrights tackle the subject, FORCE MAJEURE, in diverse and provocative ways. Also, this event is a “Date Night for Playwrights.” If you are a DC playwright, producer, actor, director, or theatre go-er, this is going to be a fantastic night to meet and mingle. And, there will be wine! JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? KL: I am in the midst of a major rewrite of a Greek inspired saga about working mothers titled Leto Legend. JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe the DC Area Playwrights Group, what would they be? DANIELLE MOHLMAN: Why I moved. (Sure, I had an apprenticeship at the Studio Theatre, but I knew that was a one-year deal and that I needed to move somewhere that had a community of playwrights. Gwydion would probably blush if he knew DC-Area Playwrights was the kick-in-the-pants I needed in order to get myself out of Boston.) JL: What excited you about taking part in 360º of America: Force Majeure, which is being presented as part of the Intersections Festival? DM: This is going to sound corny, but I'm most excited about the fact that I was chosen to do this. The fact that a group of people thought that my words were valuable enough to be heard means the world to me. JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. DM: My monologue is about the Zombie Apocalypse and someone's decision to not break up with their deadbeat boyfriend because they're just going to be torn apart by zombies anyway. I had just written a piece based upon victims of the Station Nightclub fire in Warwick, Rhode Island when I was asked to do this and as meaningful and cathartic as that was, I didn't want to revisit such real catastrophes so soon. I choose zombie apocalypse to lighten the very real feeling of loss. JL: Why should audiences come see 360º of America: Force Majeure and participate in the postshow discussion? DM: Well, for one, I'll be monologuing about zombies, so what can be more awesome than that? And also, there's wine. I feel like I should mention something about the importance of supporting local playwrights and local work, but everyone who reads this blog is already aware of that. So...zombies and wine! JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? DM: Artists' Bloc is producing a movement workshop of my play Dust at the end of May. Also, Field Trip Theatre is doing a staged reading of my newest play Nexus on June 9 at the Wonderland Ballroom. JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe the DC Area Playwrights Group, what would they be? Stephen Spotswood: Supportive, Uplifting, and Active JL: What excited you about taking part in 360º of America: Force Majeure, which is being presented as part of the Intersections Festival? SS: Well, Gwydion did a great job selling it. I'm also making a pointed choice to try things that scare or intimidate me. And a playwright-specific performance piece? When I haven't performed in, oh, we'll say a long time? That's intimidating. JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. SS: I won't spoil what specifically the piece is about, but when I was told the monologue had to be about a "force majeure" I immediately started thinking about things that weren't giant catastrophes, that weren't huge worldshaking events. I started thinking about the tiny, personal inevitabilities that we all face sooner or later. Tiny, but equally unstoppable. JL: Why should audiences come see 360º of America: Force Majeure and participate in the postshow discussion? SS: I'm sure other people will cover the appropriate answer of "it's a universal, timely topic" and "it's something worth talking about." But I'm going to go with: Myself not included, there's a cast of really talented artists and I'm really excited to see where they went with this. Also, I am told, there will be wine. JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? SS: My play SKIN AND THE NOVEMBER SKY (originally commissioned by Theater J) is being workshopped by a company up in NYC for a short production sometime this year. Possibly as early as April. I'm also working with Pinky Swear Productions on marketing for their three-show rep in April, which includes plays by Renee Calarco an Ally Currin--both fantastic local playwrights. And in June I've got a 10-minute play (THE MAN IN THE POWDER-BLUE SUIT) included in this year's Source Festival, which was just announced this week. I'm a big fan of that little play, so I'm excited to see it getting on its feet JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe the DC Area Playwrights Group, what would they be? ANU YADAV: Hopeful, engaged and percolating. JL: What excited you about taking part in 360º of America: Force Majeure, which is being presented as part of the Intersections Festival? AY: Gwydion and Paul's excitement excited me! And the synchronicity that I am currently developing a larger play about God. The timing for where my mind is right now was really perfect. JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. AY: The play I'm working on is called Meena's Dream, and I'll be performing an excerpt of it. I presented it as a work-in-progress for my thesis at University of Maryland's MFA in Performance program. It's about a young Indian American girl named Meena, who is raised Hindu in the US. Meena feels powerless about the fact her mother, Aisha, is very sick so she uses her dreams and imagination to feel powerful. Along the way she meets Lord Krishna and goes on a hero's journey, to face her deepest fears of her mother's potential death. I was inspired by my own upbringing in Iowa and Kansas, dealing with racism, culture clash, and jumping between segregated worlds of Indian and white. My father passed away when I was about 12, and while the play is not exactly autobiographical, it is about a young girl grappling with the reality of a parent's mortality. I really wanted to write the story of a young and powerful girl, and her relationship to her mother -- a story of strong females fighting for the biggest vision of their own lives in a world that doesn't often hold that out for them. JL: Why should audiences come see 360º of America: Force Majeure and participate in the postshow discussion? AY: Because it will a fun and provocative evening with a host of diverse characters, ideas and perspectives on how we deal with 'acts of God' or things outside of our control. And who wouldn't want to catapult themselves into an exciting conversation about that? JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? AY: To grow more as a writer by continuing to write. I will finish writing Meena's Dream and perform it as a solo actress at Forum Theatre next January as part of their upcoming season. Through that, I'll be collaborating with three incredibly talented and skilled musicians -- Anjna Swaminathan, Rajna Swaminathan and Sam McCormally -- who are composing a live score to the play. Beyond that, I'd like to start writing shorter pieces more frequently to keep developing that muscle. A playwright is an athlete, and I'm looking forward to training! JACQUELINE LAWTON: If you only had three words to describe the DC Area Playwrights Group, what would they be? LAURA ZAM: Community. Fabulous. Support. JL: What excited you about taking part in 360º of America: Force Majeure, which is being presented as part of the Intersections Festival? LZ: I loved the idea of creating an evening of theater with 7 other playwrights. I rarely get to do something so collaborative in a writerly sort of way. When I was in grad school (Brown), we did something a bit similar called Once Upon a Weekend (the brainchild of Paula Vogel). On a Wednesday we'd get a handful of elements that had to be included in a play; then, we had to write that play in 48 hours. On Friday, we presented these pieces as an evening of theater; it was a blast! 360º of America felt a bit like that, only thankfully we had more time! JL: Tell us about your play and what inspired you to write it. LZ: My play is called INTRODUCING DEBBIE DEMOCRAT. It's a monologue in which a woman goes on Youtube in order to talk passionately about why we need gun control--in the wake of the Newtown shootings. However, during her rant, she finds out that her political position is not as clear-cut as it seems. The inspiration for his play is this moment in time, when the country is so split on the issue of guns. I wanted to explore this polarization. JL: Why should audiences come see 360º of America: Force Majeure and participate in the postshow discussion? For the past year or so (since the inaugural Locally Grown Festival at Theater J), there has been a buzz around DC playwrights: Who are we? What are we writing? Where we're going, individually and collectively? I'm hoping that audiences are still interested in checking us out and being a part of the pieces we create because their comments allow us to grow these works. They are an integral part of our success! I also invite the public to provide feedback about how our plays reflect their lives as Washingtonians. I think audiences should attend our event because we are writing these plays specifically for them. JL: What’s next for you as a playwright? LZ: I got a piece of good news concerning my play MARRIED SEX, but I can't reveal it yet. I'm waiting to see where that goes regarding my intent to bring MARRIED SEX to New York for an Off-Broadway run. I'm also working on two other projects: (1) a memoir, based on MARRIED SEX; and (2) a kind of web series, featuring Ken Johnson, a flawed motivational speaker who is my alter-ego. In closing, I'd like to publicly thank the fabulous Jacqueline Lawton for writing about these DC-Area Playwrights and this evening of theater. Jackie, you yourself are a beautiful force of nature--a Force Majeure. The DC-Area Playwrights Group was established with the sole mission of creating a platform on which playwrights can connect with and support one another artistically and professionally. The group was established on behalf of playwrights with all levels of experience living in the DC metropolitan area, which we have considered in the broadest possible terms. Anyone who has self-identified as meeting those criteria is welcome to join the group. Currently, the group is being co-moderated by Brett Abelman, Renee Calarco, Danielle Mohlman, and Gwydion Suilebhan, who are working collaboratively to keep the platform living and working for everyone. Imagine: Art that encourages compassionate listening and provocative questioning. The best professional, emerging, community and student artists from DC and beyond. Theaters filled with diverse, dynamic audiences. Conversations over a glass of wine in the café with a someone new who has just had the same experience as you. Chances to perform, discuss, party! All this and more awaits you at the INTERSECTIONS Festival at the Atlas from February 22 - March 10, 2013. Now in its fourth year, this unique all-arts festival brings together more than 100 performing groups over twelve days to offer music, theatre, dance, film and spoken word that captures a kaleidoscope of perspectives on our ever-evolving community and world. All five of our performances spaces will be alive with world premieres and innovative collaborations among artists of all ages, races, cultures and art forms. From Family Saturdays featuring performances and events for children to late-night parties and jazz jam sessions, INTERSECTIONS seeks to connect the broadest possible audience with the most exciting new ways of making community-inspiring art. We invite you to join us -- to be delighted, energized and maybe just a little transformed. --Mary Hall Surface, Festival Artistic Director "Neither party to this agreement shall be liable for failing to perform or delay of performance, if delay is caused by circumstances or events outside their reasonable control, which shall include but not be limited to industrial action, acts of God (ie. by tornadoes, perils of the sea, extraordinary floods, severe ice storms or um, Zombie apocalypse!!!) ..." On Saturday, March 2nd at 8:30pm, eight DC playwrights -- Kathleen Akerley, Bob Bartlett, Mary Stone Hanley, Kristin LePine, Steve Spotswood, Danielle Mohlman, Anu Yadav and Laura Zam—will respond to unanticipated events. They question: is there anything that is truly beyond our control? In a recent interview with DC Theatre Scene, co-curator Gwydion Suilebhan, gave audiences a bit of a teaser: “These monologues or dialogues will look at the overwhelming deniable forces that sometimes enter our lives, like a hurricane or act of God; the things that make us feel puny or human or small. Sometimes we respond in a tremendous way as a culture,” Suliebhan says. “Everyone who is there will gather for conversation after the work, talking about what transpired and things in our lives in DC that make us feel small and human. We want a 360-degree conversation between curator, the artists and the audience.” Join this intimate gathering of some of DC’s most vivid voices, reading their own work, in a program curated by Gwydion Suilebhan and Paul Douglas Michnewicz. Interactive discussion with wine follows the performance What: DC-Area Playwrights Group presents 360º of America: Force Majeure When: Saturday, March 2nd at 8:30pm Cost: $15 General/$10 Student. Click here to purchase tickets! Where: Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Meet the Curators!!!
Meet the Playwrights!!!KATHLEEN AKERLEY Kathleen Akerley is the artistic director of Longacre Lea. As a freelance director she has also worked with Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Solas Nua, Rorschach Theatre, Theater Alliance, Forum Theatre, WSC Avant Bard and Studio Second Stage; as a playwright she has worked with Sideshow Theatre (Chicago), eXtreme eXchange, Source Festival, The Hope Operas, had several plays commissioned by Round House Theatre's Heyday Players, adapted Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle for the stage in 2010 and had readings of her plays Only Angels at Theatre J's 5x5 series and The Hungry Dry at Boston Center for the Arts; as an actor she has worked with Catalyst Theatre, Theater Alliance, WSC Avant Bard, Washington Stage Guild and Olney Theatre. She is a recipient of the Mary Goldwater Theater Lobby Award for acting and directing, and a member of the playwriting collective Lizard Claw. BOB BARTLETT Bob Bartlett’s plays include THE ACCIDENT BEAR, BEARBACK INK (The Capital Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals), FALWELL, KANSAS, WHALES, DEATH BY HIBACHI, KUCHU UGANDA, FALLOUT, HUNTER RISING, and XPHILES UNREQUITED. His work has been performed or developed at Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, the Lark New Play Development Center, the Kennedy Center's Page-to-Stage Festival, Source Festival, DC's First Draft, Theatre J, Active Cultures, and the Capital Fringe Festival. WHALES was awarded runner-up for both ACTF's 2011 David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award and Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwriting, is a semi-finalist for the 2012 O'Neill Playwrights Conference and a finalist for the 2011 Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition, and recently received readings in Atlanta (Alliance Theater), NYC (The Lark), and Washington, DC (National New Play Network/DC Area Writers Showcase at the Kennedy Center). He teaches theatre at Bowie State and holds an MFA in Playwriting from Catholic University of America. Visit bob-bartlett.com. MARY HANLEY Dr. Mary Stone Hanley is a playwright, poet, and founder of Hanley Arts & Education Associates, a professional development consultancy in arts and equity education. She has written several plays and two screenplays published and produced about the lives of Black and Latino youth based on ethnographic research that she has conducted. Street Life, The Lemonade Stand, and The Name Game are a triptych of one acts that she is presently working on about the struggles of young people. She has a BA in Children’s Theater, a PhD in Education; she was an educator of forty years in public schools and higher education where she taught arts education to teachers. Her research topics include drama for K-12 students, hip hop culture, and the arts for adult learners. A forthcoming co-edited book, Culturally Relevant Arts Education for Social Justice: A Way Out of No Way, will be published by Routledge in 2013. KRISTEN LEPINE Kristen Lepine staged her first play at the age of nine in her grandmother’s living room. Today she is the playwright in residence and company member at The Hub Theatre, which has commissioned three plays to date: Foolish Fire, Leto Legend, and Dire Wolves. Her plays have been staged at Active Cultures, The Firehouse Theatre, The HUB Theatre, Inkwell, Georgia College and State University, Kennedy Center Page to Stage Festival, Pinky Swear Productions, The Pittsburgh New Works Festival, The Source Theatre Festival, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Kristen has an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Humboldt State University, and she currently teaches theatre at the University of Mary Washington. DANIELLE MOHLMAN Danielle Mohlman holds an MA in Theatre Studies from Emerson College. Recent credits include Followed by a Sometime Cowboy at Forum Theatre’s Re(Acts) and Jim and Paul Meet in Dreams (Field Trip Theatre) and The Crow (Artists’ Bloc), both at the Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage Festival. Other credits include Stopgap at the Capital Fringe Festival (Field Trip Theatre), The Bed at DC SWAN Day (Georgetown Theatre Company), Apocalypse, part of 360° of America at the Atlas Intersections Festival, and John. John. John. at Station Nation — a festival honoring the victims of the Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island. In 2012, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities awarded Danielle a Larry Neal Writers’ Award for Dramatic Writing. Upcoming productions include Nexus at The Wonderland Ballroom (Field Trip Theatre) and an open movement workshop of Dust (Artists’ Bloc). Danielle is a co-moderator of DC-Area Playwrights and a member of Playwrights’ Arena at Arena Stage. STEPHEN SPOTSWOOD Stephen Spotswood received his MFA in Playwriting from Catholic University in 2009. He is the winner of the 2007 Paula Vogel Award, the 2009 Mark Twain Award for Comic Playwriting and the 2010 Christopher Brian Wolk Award. Previously produced works include: We Tiresias (Best Drama, Capital Fringe Festival 2012); When the Stars Go Out (Bright Alchemy Theatre); Sisters of Ellery Hollow; The Resurrectionist King (Active Cultures Theatre); Off A Broken Road (Imagination Stage); A Cre@tion Story for Naomi (Bright Alchemy); Born Normal and Gilgamesh, who saw the deep. He is a member of the Forum Theatre artist ensemble, an artistic associate with Pinky Swear Productions, and frequent dramaturg at Theater J. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, author Jessica Spotswood. You can follow him on Twitter at @playwrightsteve and learn more about his upcoming projects at playwrightsteve.com. ANU YADAV Anu Yadav is a D.C.-based performer, writer and teaching artist who has performed at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Imagination Stage, Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Strathmore Mansion, Studio Safdar in Delhi, and the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Beijing. She was a multiple Artist Fellow and Young Artist Grant recipient from DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. She is featured in Walk with Me, an award-winning documentary by Ellie Walton and Tanisha Christie. She performed her solo play ‘Capers to roughly 5000 across the country as a tool for awareness on housing as a human right and was featured in publications that include The Washington Post,Washington City Paper, WAMU-FM and the Express. She completes her M.F.A. degree in Performance at the University of Maryland, College Park this May. She will perform her newest play, Meena’s Dream, at Forum Theatre January 2014. LAURA ZAM Laura Zam is an award-winning writer and performer. Her solo work has been presented in New York (Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Public Theater, Dixon Place) as well as internationally and regionally (Woolly Mammoth, The Kennedy Center, The National Theatre, and others). Her newest play MARRIED SEX was commissioned by Theater J for their Locally Grown Festival. Through her award-winning touring play COLLATERALLY DAMAGED, Laura raises awareness about contemporary genocide. Laura has published extensively: plays, monologues, essays, and articles. Awards include the Amiri Baraka Literary Prize, an Open Society grant, a Tennessee Williams Fellowship, and an Artist Fellowship from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Also an arts-healing educator, Laura has worked with trauma survivors internationally, including teens from the Middle East, U.S. military, and survivors of sexual abuse/assault. She has taught at Brown University, UC Berkeley, and others. Laura has an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Brown University. LauraZam.com. The DC-Area Playwrights Group was established with the sole mission of creating a platform on which playwrights can connect with and support one another artistically and professionally. The group was established on behalf of playwrights with all levels of experience living in the DC metropolitan area, which we have considered in the broadest possible terms. Anyone who has self-identified as meeting those criteria is welcome to join the group. Currently, the group is being co-moderated by Brett Abelman, Renee Calarco, Danielle Mohlman, and Gwydion Suilebhan, who are working collaboratively to keep the platform living and working for everyone. Imagine: Art that encourages compassionate listening and provocative questioning. The best professional, emerging, community and student artists from DC and beyond. Theaters filled with diverse, dynamic audiences. Conversations over a glass of wine in the café with a someone new who has just had the same experience as you. Chances to perform, discuss, party! All this and more awaits you at the INTERSECTIONS Festival at the Atlas from February 22 - March 10, 2013. Now in its fourth year, this unique all-arts festival brings together more than 100 performing groups over twelve days to offer music, theatre, dance, film and spoken word that captures a kaleidoscope of perspectives on our ever-evolving community and world. All five of our performances spaces will be alive with world premieres and innovative collaborations among artists of all ages, races, cultures and art forms. From Family Saturdays featuring performances and events for children to late-night parties and jazz jam sessions, INTERSECTIONS seeks to connect the broadest possible audience with the most exciting new ways of making community-inspiring art. We invite you to join us -- to be delighted, energized and maybe just a little transformed. --Mary Hall Surface, Festival Artistic Director |
My BlogI'm a playwright, dramaturg, and teaching artist. It is here where you'll find my queries and musings on life, theater and the world. My posts advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity in the American Theatre and updates on my own work. Please enjoy!
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