Last weekend I had the great pleasure of attending a reading of Mariana Carreño King’s play OFELIA’S LOVERS. Not only was the reading free but they also provided the audience with wine, and since I’m not exactly rolling in cash these days and still enjoy the dubious benefits of alcohol, this was most agreeable. There really is nothing quite like live theater, and I certainly don’t require a large production budget to be entertained. Ofelia’s Lovers may not have had the money to construct a detailed set and elaborate costumes but what it did have was a captivating script and actors that captured and performed the characters beautifully.
I may be new to the working world and to my post as managing director of ICBINS but I’m no stranger to theater. Sure - I somewhat enjoy fancy theatrics like actors disappearing in a cloud of smoke or swinging across the stage, but when it really comes down to it and what I will take away with me and ponder for weeks to come is the dialogue. Some of my all time favorite performances had a minimal set with one setting and actors that sat around (they didn’t fly) and just talked. That’s right, they talked – for two hours, and I could have sat through 10 more. Not to say every dialogue heavy performance I’ve seen was spectacular but with the right story and the right cast everything else is just eye candy.
This is good news for a broke ass company like ICBINS.
As a new company, ICBINS doesn’t yet have a lot of money to spend on productions. Starting at the bottom and working your way up seems daunting and hopeless for many who’d prefer to wait for an opportunity to be handed to them, but if you don’t learn by doing even at the most basic level you’ll have a much tougher time grasping the big picture in the long run. When we designed the budget for our latest production of The Bros’ Play, we had to throw out conventional ideas and really get creative with our spending. We were told by people experienced in the field that it’s not realistic to produce a play for less than $10,000 (and that’s without paying any of the staff). Well they’d never met a resourceful bargain seeker steadfast and determined to put on a good show for little to nothing.
You don’t have to look too far to find people who share a passion for the theater and a willingness to lend a helping hand in any way possible, especially in NYC. We were able to build a set with items from our own apartments and buy the rest from IKEA, which was a godsend for our budget. All of us involved in the project went beyond what’s expected from our positions like writer, director, actor and producer. We were able to put value into the production that no money could buy, and because of this everything came together nearly without flaw and we had a blast. Putting on our first show taught us a lot about the craft, and as the productions get bigger and the donations get bigger we’ll have a better idea of how to make the most of our budget. Of course it doesn’t hurt that writers for the shows we produce are phenomenal, and as ICBINS continues this journey, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind a little more impressive eye candy.
FYI, ICBINS is getting back in gear and this summer we’re kicking off our reading series with a new play by Chiara Atik: When You Die, You Go to Target. Public reading date TBA
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[...] as lauren has touched on in a post last week, a play need not rely on spectacle to be a great play. the writers that i like best have a great understanding of sound. and even in the most lavish theatrical productions, all those sets, lights, costumes can only suggest a world to an audience, who are left with their imagination to fill in the rest. movies on the other hand? they can transport you to another world. with pretties. [...]