So we don’t know the title of Manuel Perez’s new comedy yet, but the author tells us the new draft is HOT (capital letters). We do, however, know that its next up for our reading series on Oct 17.
Collaborators include: Grace Aldridge, Sophie Aung, Ronit Aranoff, Jeremy Ferdman, Lauren B. Ferrel, Theresa Giacopasi, Erik Gullberg, Julia Rae Maldonado, Manuel F. Perez and Kire Tosevski.
"That's it kitty, breeeeeeeath"
Recently I’ve started an acting conservatory program at Stella Adler, which includes a round of classes including a voice and speech class – a technical aspect of training that any actor will tell you is unthinkable to neglect. Early in the term, voice and speech class has mostly consisted of my classmates and I lying on our backs and breathing deeply. As I stared at the ceiling and imagined my intercostal muscles spreading apart, I couldn’t help but consider how this strange work to playwriting:
Next up in our reading series will be Trailer Park Special: A White Trash Black Comedy by Alicia Frank. Collaborators on the project will be: Michael Abourizk, Ronit Aranoff, Matt Berger, Stacey Bone, Alicia Frank, Lauren B. Ferrel, Melissa Lusk, Julia Rae Maldonado, and Manuel Perez.
Schedule to begin work September 26th, 2009.
Occasionally, my facebook wife and fellow ICBINS business partner Julia will invite me along to some off-off-off production or workshop and I’m usually skeptical and almost always half-dreading it in the days preceding. But one thing remains constant: I am ALWAYS proven wrong and end up enjoying the hell out of the performances. Never again will I doubt her. This past weekend Julia asked if I’d come see NYNEO’s workshop performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VI. To be honest I had never read this play or seen a production of it before and I was a little unsure of how I’d receive it. You see, a few years ago Denzel Washington shot me with a tranquilizer gun, wait no – I saw him in an excruciatingly soporific Broadway rendition of Julius Caesar, and since then I’ve been afraid of falling asleep through Shakespeare. (more…)
ahh the 2009 school year approaches. another soul-shaking reminder that we’re out in the real world now. speaking for myself, i still haven’t forgiven College for throwing me out on my ass like an old used up girlfriend when I was always so good to him – so good.
but you know what? you know what, College? i’m glad it’s over. turns out things are pretty all right here out here in the cold. and by cold i mean my 90+ degree non-airconditioned convent cell that I’m forced to live in because i had to pay for you and now i have no money.
just so happens lots of us NYU-exes are keeping busy this august. this friday, I’m planning on catching Dan Moyer’s play Winnemucca at The Fringe which has been getting great reviews. especially looking forward to this because last october, icbins had the pleasure of hosting a reading of an earlier draft as part of our reading series.
also, our pals at new york neo classical continue to be the shit. Yesterday, i saw their workshop of Henry VI (abridged) directed by our favorite, Bill Griffin. i love these guys. even as it continues to evolve, Henry VI was every bit as much of a pleasure as their spring production of Measure for Measure.
more good stuff from us ex-tischies to come in 2009 i’m sure, even as we welcome the freshly dumped class-of-2009 into our comforting open arms.
- j.
You got one more chance to catch Winnemucca at The Fringe – Friday, August 28th at Venue #5, The Lafayette St. Theatre @ Theaters at 45 Bleeker. Performances by Jenni Putney, Grayson DeJesus & Will Brill, written by Dan Moyer & directed by Wren Graves. Buy tickets here.
Doing much better than when i last checked in. finished my draft of The Play That Was Lost yesterday at an airport terminal – again. (incidentally wondering if The Play That Was Lost is a better title than the one I’m currently working with.)
fuck yes
there are few good feelings like the exhilaration of finishing a draft of a play but this time i feel tremendous relief to be moving on to other projects – some short form, completing that screenplay, etc.. And although i have little justification for feeling this way, i’ve been scolding myself for months for taking too long and doing too much work on what is essentially a first draft. my gut is telling me that i must have done something wrong to be trudging along in the mud and obsessing over and incessantly tweaking this silly draft in a way i’ve never obsessed or tweaked before.
Am i being a little mean to myself? To expand on some themes Chiara touched on in her last post… How can a young writer ever measure how successfully they are doing their job? by the number of completed works? by hours spent plugging away? cups of coffee consumed? What?
as unanswerable a question as this should be, there are always those with strong opinions indeed:
So I’ve been away for the last 5 weeks and I have tried to see as much theatre as possible. I saw many shows in London as well as a show in the ancient theatre at Epidaurus in the Peloponnese in Greece. The theatre there was built in the 4th century B.C. and seats nearly 15,000 people. (My dad pointed out that that is 3,000 more seats than Poly Pavilion where the UCLA basketball team plays!) The theatre boasts perfect acoustics – which is a delight to the actor. My sister and I saw Helen Mirren in Phaedre when we were visit the theatre. It was a very interesting and exciting experience. Although they did not have an ATM… a very frustrating experience when you’re coming from New York City. We do get spoiled by an ATM every block… . (because we didn’t have any cash we couldn’t eat from about 3pm until 1am….)
Helen Mirren in PHAEDRA
Well, before the show started we walked around the ancient site. There were temples to different gods, and bath houses for healing as well as a very large stadium. The theatre was set on one side of the city and looked out into the hills sourrounding it. What blew my mind was that the theatre, essentially in the middle of nowhere, sat that many people. And when Helen Mirren whispered the word “Hyppolytus” because she couldn’t find the strength to bring more volume to the name of the man she loved, all of the thousands of us present could hear it perfectly. It was chillingly exciting. And it got me thinking about how we really don’t need all the intricate and fancy modern conveniences that we have grown accustomed to in order to put on great theatre.
With a busy schedule and a near-empty wallet, it’s almost impossible for me to check out the countless number of shows going up here in New York (and all over the world, really). Thus, I rely on the detailed reporting of The New York Times, The New Yorker, and occasionally Variety, to keep myself up-to-date with what’s coming, going, and what might be taking the art in a crazy new direction (I originally wanted to post about this, but may hold off til I see it/it blows my mind).
The rest of this post doesn’t really fall into any of those three categories. Instead, it just made me laugh, and it’s worth a share if only because such ridiculousness can nab you a headline (applicable!).
Writers Room
Have you guys heard of the Writers Room? It’s on Astor Place, and is exactly what its name purports it to be: a room for writers. It is my dream of dreams to become a member.
The Writers Room offers New York writers two vital things: a quiet area to work, and a place to congregate with other freelance writers. This doesn’t mean that The Writers Room is a social clubhouse; from what I hear, many writers choose not to interact with the others. Still, their membership proves that for even the most surly, reclusive authors, sometimes it’s nice just to SEE other faces, even if you aren’t in the mood to chat. (more…)
hey! remember that play that’s robbed me of my friends and my sanity? yeah! i’m proud to announce that i finished it. i’m less proud to announce that my computer was stolen three days later. damage assessment: 70 pages of the script i’ve been working on for nearly a year now were gone, along with the outlines I had used to construct them. best day ever.
the good ol' days
though i frequently look back on the days of the typewriter with false nostalgia, there’s no doubt that macbooks decked out with Final Draft have changed the writing process in many ways for the better. how great is it to be able to edit drafts instantly, format automatically, and have years of your work in an aesthetically-pleasing five-pound package? (pretty great.) unfortunately, what’s created with ease is destroyed with ease, and with that in mind i bring you:
the broody writer’s guide to blunting the pain of the computer disaster that will inevitably befall you too, (yes, you!):
icbins
jraemaldonado
misterpatches
lbferrel
chiatola
mannycbins
rmaranoff