Here are some lovely words by a friend of Gillien Goll's (The Mulberry Bush):
Loved the whole experience! Great to see bits of plays I remember and bits of plays I'd heard of and never actually saw. The whole thing was wonderfully and inventively staged and there were lots of terrific actors (amazing how many good actors and singers there are in this town that are willing to do this kind of stuff for free). The program with its helpful explanatory paragraphs was well prepared and invaluable for giving context and history. So my friend, a Brit with only anecdotal knowledge of OOB, was able to follow along and enjoy too. She loved the evening as well, said "This kind of thing is why I wanted to live in New York." She found the organizer at LaMama afterwards and really gushed at him about how brilliant it was.
So glad to see it, to see you -- hope many people do and enjoy this event.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
Why Friday Had A Blue Thursday: It Was Raining Eggs
by Elaine Molinaro, director of Why Tuesday Never Has A Blue Monday by Robert Heide
Last night was my night to see the tour. I showed up at 7pm to take the first tour. We stood at the cube at Astor Place underneath a rain sputtering sky. We got out our umbrellas. The tour was held for 10 minutes. Since the skies didn’t open up into a downpour, they decided to play in the drizzle. Ellen Stewart rang her bell, and the show began. I walked along experiencing the delights and surprises of the tour for the first hour, until I got to St. Mark’s Church at 8pm. Then I headed to Middle Collegiate Church to start setting up for my piece. We got set up, and I watched our first show. My wonderful actors had a handle on it. By week three, they are strong and confident. Us directors need to know when to give the piece over to the actors and bud out. It was that time. I headed back to St. Mark’s to pick up the third tour where I left off. I walked back to Murder Cake to see it once more. Joyce Miller, the funky actress in the old fashioned red bathing suit, was being hit on by a guy in the street. She was handling it well. He finally sauntered on. I introduced myself as one of the directors and asked her if she was okay. She and I started chatting about how to best deal with the situation. The guy came back. This time to check on his TV. Get this, he was storing it for the evening in Joyce’s cart.
The third tour came through. I once again had the pleasure of listening to Diane Di Prima’s stream of consciousness which Joyce was so musically reciting. I really got into the next part of the tour. I was happily walking down Second Avenue toward my piece thinking how truly cool this performance event was and looking forward to seeing my piece in context of the whole. From the distance, I could see my actress Michelle, her white costume glowing in the street light, standing on her Bauhaus modern chair. However, Michael wasn’t sitting across from her in his chair. In somewhat of a commotion, he was cleaning the carpet we laid down on the sidewalk. As the tour approached, he quickly sat down, and they played the piece.
I found out afterward that between the second and third tour, eggs were thrown at them from the third story window above our performance area. We had a run in with the tenant who lives there in week one. She showed up on the street yelling at us about performing there and called the police. We hadn’t heard from her since. For whatever reason, tonight she decided to launch a follow-up attack.
The fourth tour was approaching. We could see the cart down the street. Suddenly, a second round of eggs were launched out the window, landing right in front of our carpet. What do we do? Do we perform? Well, she hadn’t thrown eggs yet during the performance, so we played it. Our line director and I watched the window. I felt really uncomfortable for all of the people, actors and audience, standing below the windows. Then, it happened. The third round of eggs came flying. Two female audience members took the brunt of it. Egg all over their bodies. They were stunned, not realizing at first what had happened. I felt just horrible. Thank goodness the eggs didn’t hit anyone on the head or in the face. My actors looked confused, stop or continue? They did what they know how to do best, they performed. I couldn’t watch them because I was watching the two girls wipe themselves off with napkins from the nearby deli. After our show, I offered to get more paper towels for them. They told me it was okay. I am so impressed that both women, and the rest of the audience STAYED to watch the rest of our piece, and CONTINUED on with the tour. Wow.
After the show, Ralph called the police. They showed up and went inside. They didn’t get access to the third floor. I guess the tenant just didn’t answer. They spoke with the tenant on the fourth floor, came back down, and basically told us there isn’t much they can do unless she does it again, and we actually see her face.
I put our set and props away and headed to 4th street to catch the end of the tour: Viet Rock and the Epilogue. The actress playing Ellen Stewart gave her closing speech. She spoke of being harassed for running a theater. Her words hit me so hard. It was happening to us, 50 years later. She spoke of believing in the possible and persevering. I realize that it has fallen to us to take up that torch.
I wanted to move our piece. Some people told me that if we move, the angry tenant has won. Keeping my actors and audience members safe would be a better way of winning, it seemed to me last night.
This morning, I have an idea. Maybe we shouldn’t run away or stay. We should incorporate what is going on. Harassment is, unfortunately, still part of the landscape. It happened to Ellen Stewart. It is happening to us. Maybe we should do what Ellen Stewart did. At one point, she literally asked her audience to pick up their chairs and move to a different location so the show could go on. Maybe we could set up at 122 Second Avenue, the former site of La Mama, and then, after letting them know to watch out for falling eggs, ask our audience to help move us. In that way, the audience will live this experience with us. Ellen Stewart persevered by moving her theater, by being flexible. As a small way of combating the harassment, we can call attention to it, yet by moving still keep the audience and actors safe and allow the show to go on.
Last night was my night to see the tour. I showed up at 7pm to take the first tour. We stood at the cube at Astor Place underneath a rain sputtering sky. We got out our umbrellas. The tour was held for 10 minutes. Since the skies didn’t open up into a downpour, they decided to play in the drizzle. Ellen Stewart rang her bell, and the show began. I walked along experiencing the delights and surprises of the tour for the first hour, until I got to St. Mark’s Church at 8pm. Then I headed to Middle Collegiate Church to start setting up for my piece. We got set up, and I watched our first show. My wonderful actors had a handle on it. By week three, they are strong and confident. Us directors need to know when to give the piece over to the actors and bud out. It was that time. I headed back to St. Mark’s to pick up the third tour where I left off. I walked back to Murder Cake to see it once more. Joyce Miller, the funky actress in the old fashioned red bathing suit, was being hit on by a guy in the street. She was handling it well. He finally sauntered on. I introduced myself as one of the directors and asked her if she was okay. She and I started chatting about how to best deal with the situation. The guy came back. This time to check on his TV. Get this, he was storing it for the evening in Joyce’s cart.
The third tour came through. I once again had the pleasure of listening to Diane Di Prima’s stream of consciousness which Joyce was so musically reciting. I really got into the next part of the tour. I was happily walking down Second Avenue toward my piece thinking how truly cool this performance event was and looking forward to seeing my piece in context of the whole. From the distance, I could see my actress Michelle, her white costume glowing in the street light, standing on her Bauhaus modern chair. However, Michael wasn’t sitting across from her in his chair. In somewhat of a commotion, he was cleaning the carpet we laid down on the sidewalk. As the tour approached, he quickly sat down, and they played the piece.
I found out afterward that between the second and third tour, eggs were thrown at them from the third story window above our performance area. We had a run in with the tenant who lives there in week one. She showed up on the street yelling at us about performing there and called the police. We hadn’t heard from her since. For whatever reason, tonight she decided to launch a follow-up attack.
The fourth tour was approaching. We could see the cart down the street. Suddenly, a second round of eggs were launched out the window, landing right in front of our carpet. What do we do? Do we perform? Well, she hadn’t thrown eggs yet during the performance, so we played it. Our line director and I watched the window. I felt really uncomfortable for all of the people, actors and audience, standing below the windows. Then, it happened. The third round of eggs came flying. Two female audience members took the brunt of it. Egg all over their bodies. They were stunned, not realizing at first what had happened. I felt just horrible. Thank goodness the eggs didn’t hit anyone on the head or in the face. My actors looked confused, stop or continue? They did what they know how to do best, they performed. I couldn’t watch them because I was watching the two girls wipe themselves off with napkins from the nearby deli. After our show, I offered to get more paper towels for them. They told me it was okay. I am so impressed that both women, and the rest of the audience STAYED to watch the rest of our piece, and CONTINUED on with the tour. Wow.
After the show, Ralph called the police. They showed up and went inside. They didn’t get access to the third floor. I guess the tenant just didn’t answer. They spoke with the tenant on the fourth floor, came back down, and basically told us there isn’t much they can do unless she does it again, and we actually see her face.
I put our set and props away and headed to 4th street to catch the end of the tour: Viet Rock and the Epilogue. The actress playing Ellen Stewart gave her closing speech. She spoke of being harassed for running a theater. Her words hit me so hard. It was happening to us, 50 years later. She spoke of believing in the possible and persevering. I realize that it has fallen to us to take up that torch.
I wanted to move our piece. Some people told me that if we move, the angry tenant has won. Keeping my actors and audience members safe would be a better way of winning, it seemed to me last night.
This morning, I have an idea. Maybe we shouldn’t run away or stay. We should incorporate what is going on. Harassment is, unfortunately, still part of the landscape. It happened to Ellen Stewart. It is happening to us. Maybe we should do what Ellen Stewart did. At one point, she literally asked her audience to pick up their chairs and move to a different location so the show could go on. Maybe we could set up at 122 Second Avenue, the former site of La Mama, and then, after letting them know to watch out for falling eggs, ask our audience to help move us. In that way, the audience will live this experience with us. Ellen Stewart persevered by moving her theater, by being flexible. As a small way of combating the harassment, we can call attention to it, yet by moving still keep the audience and actors safe and allow the show to go on.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Wash Out
Ah, the weather - we can't control it, but we'd sure like to.
So, yeah, this past Thursday, we got rained out. All last fall, for the West Village Fragments, we'd avoided the rain, but we kinda knew that, in June especially, we probably wouldn't get so lucky. When you're doing a 'normal' play outdoors, everyone runs to grab things and cover up things and take cover themselves, which I imagine happens fairly quickly and all in a group. With a performance like this, though, with over 80 performers on the street, spread out over a 10 block radius, the logistics are a bit more complicated. Ralph had just gotten all of the set pieces distributed to their locations, and the third tour was less than 15 minutes underway when the storm hit. Light rain at first - we can deal with that - then came the thunder, lightning and a gullywasher. Tour 1 was at A Corner of A Morning/Balls - the 2 pieces on East 9th Street. The balls sagged to the ground, grazing the parked cars, and the cast and audience members took cover underneath the inflatable mattress that is the main set piece for Corner (see pix above by Liche Ariza), actually in and around the entry to the basement shop that was the original La MaMa. Tour 2 was at St. Mark's Church, where, for a bit, the actors in either The Hawk or Rock Garden (someone clarify this for me?) continued to perform under umbrellas in the downpour - and folks on that tour were actually disappointed when we called the show! (Gluttons for art.) Tour 3 just scattered. I'm in Why Hanna's Skirt Won't Stay Down, which hadn't even gone out yet, so I didn't get a drop on me, but some folks were soaked. Kind of a bummer, but exciting. We called all the audience members and offered them times on other shows - there were still enough open slots to do that - so we didn't add a Sunday 'rain date' show this week.
They're predicting rain on Thursday...
End of the Second Week
By the end of the first week, we'd already found our groove in terms of how to get everything set up and making the four overlapping tours work every night. During the second week, we kept tweaking the individual aspects, of course, especially the pace and length of the different excerpts. And there have been lots of surprises every night, but overall the East Village Fragments has settled into a kind of routine, just as the West Village did last fall.
Ralph has been going around getting the more complicated pieces set up and ready, and working with Emma to arrange all of the hospitality and volunteers. Catherine mans the box office while I'm working with Susan to get the line directors and the first piece (Hair) prepped, then I take over the box office and we start the first tour.
Because the event is a little longer than we'd hoped, we have a gap in line director coverage of about 7-10 minutes between Jim Fritzler (LD1) and Helena Gleissner (LD2) which coincides with Leslie Strongwater's 18 Happenings in 6 Parts and The Maids. Once she had a sense of how long it took the tour to get to her, Leslie came up with the idea of texting me to find out what time each tour begins and then letting me know when the tour had moved past her. It's not perfect (I'm lousy at texting) but it works...
Some of the surprises:
1. It started raining Thursday night about 8:15, right before we began the 4th tour and we had to cancel the evening. Fortunately, the tours were all manageable enough in size that Catherine was able to reschedule most everyone for another night. I've heard of some great pictures, especially of A Corner of a Morning seeking shelter under their air mattress but haven't seen them yet.
2. Thursday was also the night of Make Music New York, an event that had musicians setting up all over the five boroughs to entertain passersby. We knew that there was going to be music at Astor Place, but imagine my surprise when the guys began setting up enormous speakers and mics and amplifiers right behind me. They didn't start until a few minutes before 8, and the bands that got to play were all very good, but I couldn't hear a damned thing over the walkie-talkie while they were playing. I think everyone could hear me, so I was able to do some cueing, but until the rain came, I was deaf for all practical purposes. The only tour it really affected was the 8pm tour, and we just asked Jacqueline Gregg, who plays our Ellen Stewart character, to perform her Prologue across the street in front of the Chase bank. I guess it worked, but since the rain scattered everyone, I never did find out for certain.
3. Friday night there was a murder on 4th Street between First and Second Avenues, not far from Hanna's Skirt. Catherine and Nick can address that better than I can....
4. Someone slapped Sasha Painter during The Foreigners on Friday night.
5. In the middle of Lullaby for a Dying Man on Saturday, an older guy in shorts and dark socks carrying a plastic shopping bag and some kind of cooler started to get right up into the scene. Frank Blocker, who plays the Victim, is belligerent and mocking to the Guard (played by Christopher Beier) and the scene gets really heated. I'm the line director for the last segment, and I was watching this guy getting closer and closer to the scene. Ryan Redebaugh plays the Priest (a very good actor in a thankless role, because the excerpt we chose has very little of this character) and I could tell that he saw the guy getting closer and that Ryan was ready for him. I started moving over to where I could help Ryan, when the guy pulled something out of his pocket and shows it to Ryan—I knew immediately that it was a badge! Ryan whispered something quickly to him and I saw the light go on for the undercover officer and he started backing away. I moved in and gave him one of the cards for the show and he said, "I knew something was going on but I couldn't figure it out", then heads off down the Bowery. Bear in mind, the audience was watching all of this happen, so as he left, they were all asking me, "Was that part of it?"
These are just some of the stories I know about... anyone else have any they'd like to share?
Barry
Ralph has been going around getting the more complicated pieces set up and ready, and working with Emma to arrange all of the hospitality and volunteers. Catherine mans the box office while I'm working with Susan to get the line directors and the first piece (Hair) prepped, then I take over the box office and we start the first tour.
Because the event is a little longer than we'd hoped, we have a gap in line director coverage of about 7-10 minutes between Jim Fritzler (LD1) and Helena Gleissner (LD2) which coincides with Leslie Strongwater's 18 Happenings in 6 Parts and The Maids. Once she had a sense of how long it took the tour to get to her, Leslie came up with the idea of texting me to find out what time each tour begins and then letting me know when the tour had moved past her. It's not perfect (I'm lousy at texting) but it works...
Some of the surprises:
1. It started raining Thursday night about 8:15, right before we began the 4th tour and we had to cancel the evening. Fortunately, the tours were all manageable enough in size that Catherine was able to reschedule most everyone for another night. I've heard of some great pictures, especially of A Corner of a Morning seeking shelter under their air mattress but haven't seen them yet.
2. Thursday was also the night of Make Music New York, an event that had musicians setting up all over the five boroughs to entertain passersby. We knew that there was going to be music at Astor Place, but imagine my surprise when the guys began setting up enormous speakers and mics and amplifiers right behind me. They didn't start until a few minutes before 8, and the bands that got to play were all very good, but I couldn't hear a damned thing over the walkie-talkie while they were playing. I think everyone could hear me, so I was able to do some cueing, but until the rain came, I was deaf for all practical purposes. The only tour it really affected was the 8pm tour, and we just asked Jacqueline Gregg, who plays our Ellen Stewart character, to perform her Prologue across the street in front of the Chase bank. I guess it worked, but since the rain scattered everyone, I never did find out for certain.
3. Friday night there was a murder on 4th Street between First and Second Avenues, not far from Hanna's Skirt. Catherine and Nick can address that better than I can....
4. Someone slapped Sasha Painter during The Foreigners on Friday night.
5. In the middle of Lullaby for a Dying Man on Saturday, an older guy in shorts and dark socks carrying a plastic shopping bag and some kind of cooler started to get right up into the scene. Frank Blocker, who plays the Victim, is belligerent and mocking to the Guard (played by Christopher Beier) and the scene gets really heated. I'm the line director for the last segment, and I was watching this guy getting closer and closer to the scene. Ryan Redebaugh plays the Priest (a very good actor in a thankless role, because the excerpt we chose has very little of this character) and I could tell that he saw the guy getting closer and that Ryan was ready for him. I started moving over to where I could help Ryan, when the guy pulled something out of his pocket and shows it to Ryan—I knew immediately that it was a badge! Ryan whispered something quickly to him and I saw the light go on for the undercover officer and he started backing away. I moved in and gave him one of the cards for the show and he said, "I knew something was going on but I couldn't figure it out", then heads off down the Bowery. Bear in mind, the audience was watching all of this happen, so as he left, they were all asking me, "Was that part of it?"
These are just some of the stories I know about... anyone else have any they'd like to share?
Barry
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
I like making theater because...
It's the closest i can get to being a kid again. so maybe i'm running around like a fool sometimes, but i've really enjoyed getting this show rolling. the preview week of OFF Stage has been all about digging trails and building forts. it's been meeting the other kids down the block, and not knowing whether to let 'em use your ball or throw pine cones at 'em. it's sucks that i can never ever be 12 yrs old again, but this past week i've had the Balls.i had such a great time working with the Balls director, Helena. night-by-night we've worked on those Balls and by the end of the week those Balls were working for us. Balls the play is Paul Foster's creation, but the Balls are Helena's creation - my job: hang the Balls! so this involved some tree climbin' - great, i'm a kid up there. i got 'em tied up there, and yes, there's the same scrapes and scabs, too. some of us on 9th street have even reverted to the multiple snickerings of unavoidable wordplay.
all of the pieces in this show have turned out so well, and they've really taken on the site-work concepts that have already made me see the East Village in a whole new way. making the Balls go for Helena is so terrific for me. i can't wait for the next couple of weeks. the theater is so much fun to me when i get the chance to play like this.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
"Animal Control Is Closed"
Best Practices: What to do when a wounded (but you should see what he did to the other guy) rat decides to limp into your performance area and keel over right before your second tour arrives?
Calling 311 at 7pm doesn't get you far on a Sunday night - but Jim, our line director, came up with a excellent idea of keeping the crowd away with a cone that just happened to be lying around. The Cooper Union security staff tidied up the package with some newspaper and we (Monument/Five Spot) were all set
Monday, June 18, 2007
Audience Feedback on Previews!
Ralph got this in an email:
****************************************************
My name is Johnny Byrne. I am 24 years old, a choreographer and dancer in New York, I live in the East Village.I had the amazing experience tonight of getting caught up in your live theater.
Last night, I noticed that there was some perf. art happening in the street, but of course my friend wanted to see the new "art" in Urban Outfitters. My moron friend was too caught up in her shopping to enjoy the real art happening. So tonight when I saw the beautiful glow of a red head doll from my gym at 4th street, i had to find out what was going on. So I walked up 2nd ave, and my tour started with the mini play about the nun, the librarian, and the suburban mom.
I followed all of the way to the end. I really loved it! It has me wired. I couldn't believe how real it all was, and all the interruptions of crack heads, drunken college kids, and ignorant ghetto kids from alphabet cityreally didnt distract, they ADDED to the realness. At one point the scene with the cop and the serial killer took place in front of a rough mens half-way house. Three guys came out obviously mentally ill, one had an umbrellaand started cursing and threating to hurt somebody. The actor made it so real, the continued their scene not missing a beat and it actually gave the play so much more power. In the next scene with the drag queens, and neurotics, I was just laughing my ass off.
I thought the girl who was taller and more curvy ( and was the black man's girlfriend) was really a stand out. She was hysterical and everyone in the scene was so committed and gave 110%.
Another beautiful moment were the two divided by the cement corner, they were in saran wrap and just hilarious. I am so grateful for tonight. I have been really depressed with this neighborhood, how it is changing. The streets are filling with starbucks, trendy and tacky restaurants and of course the overwhelmingand stank smell of cheap tequila bleeding from bars. The neighborhood is over populated and everyone tries to be so trendy that they all end up looking the same way anyway. The east village is more like the UWS now.
My boyfriend is artist David LaChapelle, and I knew he grew up in the east village when it was really in its golden years and developing with warhol. haring, and the village voice...etc. When I was watching these plays tonight, I could just imagine going back in time and seeing how relevant they were at the time they were first produced.
Congratulations on such an amazing event. It looked very difficult to arrange, because there was so much involved, and it turned out perfectly!You are all so talented, I never write emails but I was really inspired.
One last thing. the last scene about Vietnam actually made me cry. Everyone was so incredible. the black man's monologue really touched me as well as the black woman's monologue and the asian woman's dictian.The guitar player was so musical and sweet and the young recruit was really convincing. I am so grateful. When they sang the part about the little girl scratching my back, i almost cried.
There was some really profound stuff in that play!I was really not prepared to see theater tonight but you made my whole summer!
Johnny
PS, I didnt buy a ticket, so if there is a place i can send the 18 dollars please advise!
****************************************************
My name is Johnny Byrne. I am 24 years old, a choreographer and dancer in New York, I live in the East Village.I had the amazing experience tonight of getting caught up in your live theater.
Last night, I noticed that there was some perf. art happening in the street, but of course my friend wanted to see the new "art" in Urban Outfitters. My moron friend was too caught up in her shopping to enjoy the real art happening. So tonight when I saw the beautiful glow of a red head doll from my gym at 4th street, i had to find out what was going on. So I walked up 2nd ave, and my tour started with the mini play about the nun, the librarian, and the suburban mom.
I followed all of the way to the end. I really loved it! It has me wired. I couldn't believe how real it all was, and all the interruptions of crack heads, drunken college kids, and ignorant ghetto kids from alphabet cityreally didnt distract, they ADDED to the realness. At one point the scene with the cop and the serial killer took place in front of a rough mens half-way house. Three guys came out obviously mentally ill, one had an umbrellaand started cursing and threating to hurt somebody. The actor made it so real, the continued their scene not missing a beat and it actually gave the play so much more power. In the next scene with the drag queens, and neurotics, I was just laughing my ass off.
I thought the girl who was taller and more curvy ( and was the black man's girlfriend) was really a stand out. She was hysterical and everyone in the scene was so committed and gave 110%.
Another beautiful moment were the two divided by the cement corner, they were in saran wrap and just hilarious. I am so grateful for tonight. I have been really depressed with this neighborhood, how it is changing. The streets are filling with starbucks, trendy and tacky restaurants and of course the overwhelmingand stank smell of cheap tequila bleeding from bars. The neighborhood is over populated and everyone tries to be so trendy that they all end up looking the same way anyway. The east village is more like the UWS now.
My boyfriend is artist David LaChapelle, and I knew he grew up in the east village when it was really in its golden years and developing with warhol. haring, and the village voice...etc. When I was watching these plays tonight, I could just imagine going back in time and seeing how relevant they were at the time they were first produced.
Congratulations on such an amazing event. It looked very difficult to arrange, because there was so much involved, and it turned out perfectly!You are all so talented, I never write emails but I was really inspired.
One last thing. the last scene about Vietnam actually made me cry. Everyone was so incredible. the black man's monologue really touched me as well as the black woman's monologue and the asian woman's dictian.The guitar player was so musical and sweet and the young recruit was really convincing. I am so grateful. When they sang the part about the little girl scratching my back, i almost cried.
There was some really profound stuff in that play!I was really not prepared to see theater tonight but you made my whole summer!
Johnny
PS, I didnt buy a ticket, so if there is a place i can send the 18 dollars please advise!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Why Tuesday Never Has a Blue Monday
Between the irate woman, threatening to call the police and have us evicted, the acupuncture place pulling our lights, and a couple of regulars wandering around, beating their chests, suggesting that they too can be animals, it's hard to tell where life ends and drama/spectacle begins. But, then, why bother. So far it's a wonderfully exhilarating, liberating ride. As my friend, Ron Jones said, after happening upon our scene, Friday night: "Finally New York is doing something great, again." It's about time.
It was such a treat to meet playwright, Robert Heide last night, just passing by. Hope he'll come again, down the road.
Michelle Beshaw
It was such a treat to meet playwright, Robert Heide last night, just passing by. Hope he'll come again, down the road.
Michelle Beshaw
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Why Tuesday Never Has A Blue Monday
Sublimity and Supression. Why Tuesday Never Has A Blue Monday experienced both this evening.
Robert Heide, the wonderful playwright of the piece, was at La Mama this evening and dropped by afterward to catch our second show. He sat and watched, laughed, nodded. At the end, he had tears in his eyes. I couldn't help watching him watch the piece. I saw his engagement with it but also the memories being stirred up in him when seeing and hearing it again. It was performed at La Mama at 122 2nd Ave. in August of 1966. He told us we got it. I was touched.
Then, before the third show, a woman appeared yelling and screaming at us. "You can't be here. You need a permit to perform on the street. I am calling the police. I am calling 911," she yelled at us with her cell phone on one ear. I found out that she is a current tenant of 122 2nd Ave. Our line director, Jon Murphy was right at my side to help, calling Ralph. I called Barry who told me we do not need a permit to perform and have permission from Officer Hernandez from the 9th precinct. Ralph showed up quickly and began negotiations with the tenants of the building - a Czech gym/club on the 1st floor, an acpuncture/massage place on the 2nd floor and the angry woman on the 3rd who stirred up the trouble. They were all on the street at this point. Jon asked me if I wanted the third tour to skip us. I said "no way." We performed anyway even while the tenants were standing there threatening us.
Okay, one admission - we had plugged in a light to an outdoor outlet that belongs to the acupuncture place. Ralph had contacted them to ask permission and even offered to put an ad for them in our program but had not gotten a response. We decided to go ahead and plug in, and it hadn't been an issue up until tonight. Yes, we were "borrowing" a little electricity. We turned the light on for the 5 min. scene and immediately turned it off in between. The 3rd floor tenant made it her personal cause to accuse us of being complete crooks. We unplugged the lights for the 3rd and 4th shows. We are switching to battery lights for tomorrow.
Lots of action for us this evening in a variety of ways!!
from director Elaine Molinaro
Robert Heide, the wonderful playwright of the piece, was at La Mama this evening and dropped by afterward to catch our second show. He sat and watched, laughed, nodded. At the end, he had tears in his eyes. I couldn't help watching him watch the piece. I saw his engagement with it but also the memories being stirred up in him when seeing and hearing it again. It was performed at La Mama at 122 2nd Ave. in August of 1966. He told us we got it. I was touched.
Then, before the third show, a woman appeared yelling and screaming at us. "You can't be here. You need a permit to perform on the street. I am calling the police. I am calling 911," she yelled at us with her cell phone on one ear. I found out that she is a current tenant of 122 2nd Ave. Our line director, Jon Murphy was right at my side to help, calling Ralph. I called Barry who told me we do not need a permit to perform and have permission from Officer Hernandez from the 9th precinct. Ralph showed up quickly and began negotiations with the tenants of the building - a Czech gym/club on the 1st floor, an acpuncture/massage place on the 2nd floor and the angry woman on the 3rd who stirred up the trouble. They were all on the street at this point. Jon asked me if I wanted the third tour to skip us. I said "no way." We performed anyway even while the tenants were standing there threatening us.
Okay, one admission - we had plugged in a light to an outdoor outlet that belongs to the acupuncture place. Ralph had contacted them to ask permission and even offered to put an ad for them in our program but had not gotten a response. We decided to go ahead and plug in, and it hadn't been an issue up until tonight. Yes, we were "borrowing" a little electricity. We turned the light on for the 5 min. scene and immediately turned it off in between. The 3rd floor tenant made it her personal cause to accuse us of being complete crooks. We unplugged the lights for the 3rd and 4th shows. We are switching to battery lights for tomorrow.
Lots of action for us this evening in a variety of ways!!
from director Elaine Molinaro
Friday, June 15, 2007
That was Francois!
That was Francois! I have a little bit more of the story from the Birdbath gang’s perspective…
So last night I’d heard that we might have lost our cart, but I couldn’t find anyone to confirm it. I’d met a bunch of people working on several shows after us on the tour, but no one from The Maids – the show right before us. So I went around the corner to see what they knew.
There were two actresses busy working on something – and a man standing there as though he was guarding them from passersby. I decided that he must surely be one of us whom I hadn’t yet met – so I introduced myself…and he said “Hi. I’m Francois.” I asked him what he knew about the cart situation. He looked at me blankly – and I asked again. Then he said, “You’re looking for your car?” Finally figuring out that I had the wrong person (yes I’m quick) – I moved on.
At that point, tour one was headed our way. I made sure that our actors got the scene started – and then had to run back to Middle Collegiate and get some missing props for our cart (which itself was not in fact missing).
When I came back with the props, Jonathan and Kara told me that a creepy guy (yes - that's right - Francois!) had interrupted their scene. They just kept going - and eventually he was surrounded by 6 cop cars and arrested! Did anyone see what else happened?
So last night I’d heard that we might have lost our cart, but I couldn’t find anyone to confirm it. I’d met a bunch of people working on several shows after us on the tour, but no one from The Maids – the show right before us. So I went around the corner to see what they knew.
There were two actresses busy working on something – and a man standing there as though he was guarding them from passersby. I decided that he must surely be one of us whom I hadn’t yet met – so I introduced myself…and he said “Hi. I’m Francois.” I asked him what he knew about the cart situation. He looked at me blankly – and I asked again. Then he said, “You’re looking for your car?” Finally figuring out that I had the wrong person (yes I’m quick) – I moved on.
At that point, tour one was headed our way. I made sure that our actors got the scene started – and then had to run back to Middle Collegiate and get some missing props for our cart (which itself was not in fact missing).
When I came back with the props, Jonathan and Kara told me that a creepy guy (yes - that's right - Francois!) had interrupted their scene. They just kept going - and eventually he was surrounded by 6 cop cars and arrested! Did anyone see what else happened?
Hope That Nobody DIED During Birdbath Last Night!
I took the first tour of the preview last night! And witnessed an assault! Don't you love New York?
Craziest thing that happened took place during Birdbath (by Leonard Melfi, dir Kay Mitchell). I am not even sure exactly what happened. Hopefully someone can comment or post who saw it better? I was being a good little audience member and following the cart like I was told (I guess I would also be a good Nazi or have drunk the koolaid in Jonestown! But, they SAID follow the cart, and I am very LITERAL).
Anyway, a homeless guy passed us as we were watching the scene and then I think after we were about 50 feet from him, someone jumped him and started beating him??? Not sure, but it was loud-- it may have been a security guard or police officer grabbing him. I couldn't see and was stubbornly trying to watch the performance. The group was confused for a moment as to whether or not the jumping was part of the show-- but the cart was definitely being wheeled AWAY from the assault in progress, so most of us followed it. When we were about 75 feet away, someone started yelling "Call 911!!!" Our actors kept going-- about half the tour group was watching the beating or whatever going on, and half of us were following the actors. I don't think anyone knew exactly what was going on. By the time were at the end of the scene, a half dozen cops were on the scene at the other end of the block, police cars were there and an amublance was arriving. I asked some of the other group members what was going on as we were walking to the next scene, but noone seemed to know.
I think our cart got stolen at the next stop, Murder Cake (by Diane Di Prima, dir Lauren Keating). I was very disturbed not to have a cart to follow to the next stop-- I was FIXATED on the carts (MUST FOLLOW CART-- no matter if people scream, desperately want you to call 911, or sirens are screaming all around you-- MUST FOLLOW CART).
Other highlights, a woman come out from the abandoned-looking building that the Futz (by Rochelle Owens, dir Jose Zayas) scene was performing in front of and started yelling at them to move their "practicing" elsewhere. They just went on with show, while she stood right beside them, arms folded, yelling at them to go away. Someone (director?) finallly went went up and tried to explain to her what was going on-- she just yelled "What? I don't CARE! Go away!" Finally she went back in the building and shut the door in a huff when the actors just ignored her. This was the FIRST tour-- so I've been wondering what happened when the other tour groups came through.
Huge kudos to crazy actors Moti Margolin and Eric C. Bailey, who stand outside wearing boxers and suspenders ALL NIGHT shouting obscene sex dialogue from Sam Shepard's The Rock Garden (dir Bryn Manion). I had to hide my face behind my program to hide the blushes as passerbys caught some of their graphics lines out of context-- I don't know how they do it. Ditto, underwear clad Liche Ariza and Jennifer Whitman (A Corner of the Morning by Paul Foster, dir Belinda Mello) and Catherine Porter and Nick Matthews (Why Hanna's Skirt Won't Stay Down by Tom Eyen, dir Mark Finley). And the whole cast of Conquest of the Universe or When Queens Collide (by Charles Ludlum, my soulmate, and dir Gabriel Shanks) I don't know what they are wearing-- but it ain't much.
Loved the passerby during The Mulberry Bush by Phoebe Wray, dir Casey McLain, who said "YEAH! Me too!" emphatically when one of the actresses said "I always wanted to fly" and just kept walking down the street.
Great Night. Hope that guy's not dead from the Birdbath scene, though. Anyone have any info?
Craziest thing that happened took place during Birdbath (by Leonard Melfi, dir Kay Mitchell). I am not even sure exactly what happened. Hopefully someone can comment or post who saw it better? I was being a good little audience member and following the cart like I was told (I guess I would also be a good Nazi or have drunk the koolaid in Jonestown! But, they SAID follow the cart, and I am very LITERAL).
Anyway, a homeless guy passed us as we were watching the scene and then I think after we were about 50 feet from him, someone jumped him and started beating him??? Not sure, but it was loud-- it may have been a security guard or police officer grabbing him. I couldn't see and was stubbornly trying to watch the performance. The group was confused for a moment as to whether or not the jumping was part of the show-- but the cart was definitely being wheeled AWAY from the assault in progress, so most of us followed it. When we were about 75 feet away, someone started yelling "Call 911!!!" Our actors kept going-- about half the tour group was watching the beating or whatever going on, and half of us were following the actors. I don't think anyone knew exactly what was going on. By the time were at the end of the scene, a half dozen cops were on the scene at the other end of the block, police cars were there and an amublance was arriving. I asked some of the other group members what was going on as we were walking to the next scene, but noone seemed to know.
I think our cart got stolen at the next stop, Murder Cake (by Diane Di Prima, dir Lauren Keating). I was very disturbed not to have a cart to follow to the next stop-- I was FIXATED on the carts (MUST FOLLOW CART-- no matter if people scream, desperately want you to call 911, or sirens are screaming all around you-- MUST FOLLOW CART).
Other highlights, a woman come out from the abandoned-looking building that the Futz (by Rochelle Owens, dir Jose Zayas) scene was performing in front of and started yelling at them to move their "practicing" elsewhere. They just went on with show, while she stood right beside them, arms folded, yelling at them to go away. Someone (director?) finallly went went up and tried to explain to her what was going on-- she just yelled "What? I don't CARE! Go away!" Finally she went back in the building and shut the door in a huff when the actors just ignored her. This was the FIRST tour-- so I've been wondering what happened when the other tour groups came through.
Huge kudos to crazy actors Moti Margolin and Eric C. Bailey, who stand outside wearing boxers and suspenders ALL NIGHT shouting obscene sex dialogue from Sam Shepard's The Rock Garden (dir Bryn Manion). I had to hide my face behind my program to hide the blushes as passerbys caught some of their graphics lines out of context-- I don't know how they do it. Ditto, underwear clad Liche Ariza and Jennifer Whitman (A Corner of the Morning by Paul Foster, dir Belinda Mello) and Catherine Porter and Nick Matthews (Why Hanna's Skirt Won't Stay Down by Tom Eyen, dir Mark Finley). And the whole cast of Conquest of the Universe or When Queens Collide (by Charles Ludlum, my soulmate, and dir Gabriel Shanks) I don't know what they are wearing-- but it ain't much.
Loved the passerby during The Mulberry Bush by Phoebe Wray, dir Casey McLain, who said "YEAH! Me too!" emphatically when one of the actresses said "I always wanted to fly" and just kept walking down the street.
Great Night. Hope that guy's not dead from the Birdbath scene, though. Anyone have any info?
Thursday, June 14, 2007
dress/undress rehearsal
Just putting the bed out on 9th St was already a piece of theater. We got lots of jokes from passersby. Despite the chill, actors Liche Ariza and Jenn Whitman stripped down to underwear and ran the scene under the street lights. A few people stopped to watch: someone across the street yelled "say cheese" and his camera flashed. So far the neighbors are intrigued. The Chinese women who work at the reflexology/back rub/acupuncture store watched, laughed and were kind enough to let us use the john.
Can't say I loved moving the garbage and recycling away from the performance area and then putting it back again, but such is the life of a director. The high point was watching Ralph shimmy up (and down) a tree to tie a rope for "balls".
Can't say I loved moving the garbage and recycling away from the performance area and then putting it back again, but such is the life of a director. The high point was watching Ralph shimmy up (and down) a tree to tie a rope for "balls".
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Ah New Yorkers!
A few interesting encounters at St Marks Church tonight as we waited for the tour to arrive: First a man who was reading the paper on a bench near us as we rehearsed exclaimed "Do you have to do that right here?" and when we explained what we were doing he replied "Haven't you done enough? Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, you people have to go ruin something else." Not a lover of the theater. Who we people are was was unclear.
Bryn Manion (director of The Rock Garden) made a new friend - a self-described drug addict who wanted, first to know what was going on in his hood, then respect, then to be a part of the show, then just to talk for a while, but eventually decided he would let us do our thing while he completed his run to the liquor store.
When we did finally do our bits many passers-by gathered to watch. ps it was really cold, especially those brave performers in tiny dresses, or their underwear.
Bryn Manion (director of The Rock Garden) made a new friend - a self-described drug addict who wanted, first to know what was going on in his hood, then respect, then to be a part of the show, then just to talk for a while, but eventually decided he would let us do our thing while he completed his run to the liquor store.
When we did finally do our bits many passers-by gathered to watch. ps it was really cold, especially those brave performers in tiny dresses, or their underwear.
And We're Off!
Tonight is the dress rehearsal, but I'm sure many of the directors, actors, and artists who have spent the last two days in tech rehearsals already have tons of stories to share. Over at Bowery and 4th, our show - two simultaneous versions of CONQUEST OF THE UNIVERSE, OR WHEN QUEENS COLLIDE by Charles Ludlam, directed by Chris Mirto and (me) Gabriel Shanks - are finding their way through silver jumpsuits, cowboy hats, tranny punk drag, paisley umbrellas, satanic fire women, and the curious absence of a lampost on the northeast corner, where most of our interstellar galactic battle takes place.
Even weirder is figuring out how the audience will travel from our piece down 4th Street to VIET ROCK, a different kind of war altogether, without anyone getting run over by oncoming traffic. But that's what dress rehearsals are for, right? :-) I hope other directors and collaborators will post their experiences in the days to come. With 25 (!!!) pieces and a 2 1/2 hour tour, it's going to be a doozy!
Even weirder is figuring out how the audience will travel from our piece down 4th Street to VIET ROCK, a different kind of war altogether, without anyone getting run over by oncoming traffic. But that's what dress rehearsals are for, right? :-) I hope other directors and collaborators will post their experiences in the days to come. With 25 (!!!) pieces and a 2 1/2 hour tour, it's going to be a doozy!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
THE MULBERRY BUSH
We had our tech rehearsal on Second Avenue last night. Some people passing by yelled out, "it's a play!" and stopped to watch. We were rehearsing projecting our voices to be heard over the traffic, so each of us did one speech to the others (not how it'll be in the actual performance), and people from Dempsey's Bar came out to watch, joining the actors as an audience. We also got a lot of double-takes, as people passed by and heard the word "bitch" and phrase "go to Hell."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
