Project #4: Unconventional Theatre

My First Time
Fresco Productions
July, 12 2007-Present
written and directed by Ken Davenport

Because this show's content revolves around loosing ones virginity, free tickets were offered to virgins on opening night.
"I'm shocked. I knew that there would be interest in virgins; I didn't think there would be this much,"
LINK


This show is not only unconventionally written, but the tactic that producers used to bring in an audience was very unusual. Free seats were given to any virgin that showed up on opening night. In order to "prove" their virginity, self proclaiming virgins were subjected to a verbal test performed by a hypnotherapist. About 20 of the 50 "virgins" were turned away.



Pathway To The Red Sun
Rogue Theatre
March 26, 2009 - present
Poetry and text by Anna Maria Murphy
Music Director: Andrew Bate

LINK

This unconventionally written version of Madam Butterfly is currently on tour. What makes this show unusual is the mixture of Japanese legends and ghost stories combined with a apocalyptic themes. The futuristic and minimalist set is made mostly of metal railing. The costumes are a mix of periods.



Rods and Cables
3-Legged Dog Productions
March 20, 2009 - April 11, 2009
Written and directed by Allison M. Keating

"Allison M. Keating creates wild chaos with her elaborate bizarre designs and compelling characters all within an intimate cabaret environment."
LINK

This Circus-like styled show takes a is unique in that it mixes styles such as cartoons and the old west. The unusual designs in the show make it unconventional. Though there is a storyline, the concepts in the designs are abstract and non-traditional in nature.




Cinderella Toe Jam II: Royal Pink
Performance Space 122
April 2, 2009 - April 5, 2009
Performed by MEI-BE WHATever dance ensamble

"Royal Pink explores restriction through the body, resulting in a dance that reveals an unusual and unexpected beauty - the transformation of body, lives, movement."
LINK

This show brings to life the psyche of woman that feel compelled to look the way society tells them they should. This interpretive dance piece is performed by women dressed in plastic wrap.




A Cupboard Full of Hate
Off-leash Area:
2005,2006
Conception and Direction – Paul Herwig
Dramaturgy and Direction - Jennifer Ilse


"In this show Off-Leash Area brings the audience on a visual journey inspired in part from this experience, and aided by imagery inspired by a variety of visual artists"
LINK

This play is about a man that locks himself in a cupboard for the rest of his life because he hates the world. The story as well as the set is unconventional. The scenes take place in a small space on stage that represent different styles of memory boxes. Much of the images are very dark in nature.

Project #3

1. NYC Today

33 Variations
Present
New York

This picture show actress Jane Fonda and others in the Broadway production of 33 Variations.
LINK


2. Naked Broadway

Equus
February 2007
New York


This picture shows actor Daniel Radcliffe and the horse form a production of Equus.
LINK
This was controversial, not only because of the nudity, but also because of the casting of Daniel Radcliffe as the lead role. The subject matter of the show revolves around the sexual fixation that the 17-year-old has on houses. This is controversail enough, but when the star of the Harry Potter (a children serious) films was cast as a role that involves nudity, parents got in an up roar.

3. Gay Broadway

"Naked Boys Singing"
September 2008
New York
"On Aug. 15, Bailey’s company, MBF Productions, paid for online list advertising for “Naked Boys Singing” casting calls in the general announcements section of The State newspaper’s website. On Aug. 19, MBF received notice their ad had been canceled."
LINK
"Naked Boys Singing" is controversial because of the gay themes and the excessive nudity. Many of the ads for casting calls that were posted on websites were taken down due to the issues brought on by controversy.

4. Racist Broadway

"Miss Saigon"
September 1990
New York
"'it cannot appear to condone the casting of a Caucasian actor in the role of a Eurasian' and therefore it was denying the British actor Jonathan Pryce permission to appear on Broadway in the role"
LINK
In this casting for Miss Saigon, a Caucasian male by the name of Jonathan Pryce was cast as the Eurasian lead. This was an issue for the Actor's Equity Union. He was removed from the role, and many other actors in similar situations were also replaced with ethnically correct actors. This was controversial in that the actors petitioned it and many jobs were lost.

5. Raided or Closed

"Behzti"
December 2004
Birmingham
"All remaining performances of a controversial play which features sex abuse and murder in a Sikh temple were cancelled by a theatre yesterday due to threats of more violent disorder from the Sikh community."
LINK
This show contained sexually explicit content and murder. Though these were controversial enough, the real problem came from the religious content. Because the action of the play takes place in a sikh temple, this brought much uproar. When 400 protesters tried to raid the show, police had the show shut down for safety purposes.

6. Arrested

April 1902
New York
“Inspector Harley with Street Station had arrested L.E. Lawrence, the stage manager, for attempting to raise the curtain.”
LINK
Because of licensing issues, a show at the New York Winter Garden was not allowed to start. These problems stemmed from a poorly constructed roof garden. The police stopped the lifting of the curtain and arrested the stage manager for his attempts to start the show.

7. NEA 4

8. Regional Theatre

9. College/University
"The Laramie Project"
November 2005
Ann Arbor

LINK
This show, which tells the story of the murder of a homosexual man named Matthew Shephard, started much controversy on the OFU campus. The Westboro Baptist Church congregation got together to protest the show. They stood outside with signs that read such things as "God Hates Fags". As many as 400 community members countered this protest with messages of love. The show went on despite the protests.


10. High School

"Rent"
February 2009
Newport Beach
"the principal told him to cancel the show because she disapproved of the gay characters in the musical"
LINK

Just a few weeks ago, the Corona del Mar High School production of Rent was canceled when the principle was asked to review the script. It was not the drug use in the script that was viewed as shocking; it was the gay themes that startled the schools principle. The director intended it to be used as a tool in teaching acceptance to his students. After the production was canceled, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" is now set to take the shows place this fall.

Project #2: Option #2

Pre-broadway production

The Herald (Glasgow)
Carol Woddis, January 28, 1992
Gut-wrenching saga. Angels in America, Cottesloe National Theatre, London
LINK
"Packed into its three-and-a-half hours -- and by the end, it felt more like three-and-a-half gut-wrenching days -- is a saga which confronts death and homosexuality head-on but in a way that lifts it far beyond the merely political."

This review explained the historical significance of Angles in America: Millennium Approaches. It gave some background on Tony Kushner's. This review also included Carol Woddis’ opinions on Cottesloe National Theatre's 1992 production of Angles in America.

Broadway Production

Christian Science Monitor
May 17, 1993, New York
'Angels in America' Remains Earthbound
LINK
"Kushner's play sometimes seriously flounders, especially in scenes between the married couple. Some of the dialogue is wooden and forced. Yet "Millennium Approaches" has moments that reveal how good theater can be. These occur when the characters look beyond their own needs, but these moments are few and far between."

This review praises the uniqueness of Angles in America: Millennium Approaches in the world of Broadway. The high points of the plot are summarized. The views of the reviewer were both positive and negative when referring to the 1993 Broadway production.

Professional Production

USA TODAY
By: David Patrick Stearns, Chicago, October 14, 1994
'Angels' flies high outside Broadway
LINK
"A theatrical masterstroke is often followed by a scene that just lies there. And though it's never less-than-absorbing,the acting is uneven, ranging from the pedestrian to performances that eclipse their Broadway counterparts."

This review discusses the social value of the show and its past impact on Broadway. It also includes positive and negative aspects of the staging of the Chicago Royal George Theater production of Angels in America. The acting and the execution of scenes were also described in a subjective manner.

College Production

Michigan far-right protests Angels in America production
Tana Michaels, April 2007
LINK
""But the themes are universal. All couples struggle and sometimes one partner leaves. The play shows the truth of humanity and human lifestyles shown through the eyes of a gay couple."

This review manly focuses on the controversy surrounding the Saginaw Valley State University production of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches. It covers the themes and the concepts of the show. It also talks about the way in which the director went about cutting the script.

HBO Mini-series

Variety
November 4, 2002 - November 10, 2002
'Angels' soars as major mini of 2003
LINK
"For those who didn't get to see the powerful drama on stage, HBO Films is bringing "Angels" to life with an all-star cast headed by Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson."

This review discusses the film adaptation of Angels in America. A short synopsis of the storyline is given. The cast and acting was talked about.

Project #1: Professional: Goodman Theatre

King Lear
By William Shakespeare
"dramatic tragedy"
LINK
"radical tragedy"
LINK

Vigils
By Noah Haidle
"Is this a dark comedy or what?"
LINK
"turns on a dime from riotous physical comedy to heartfelt sorrow"
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The Crossing
By Hugo Salcedo
"contemporary tragedy"
LINK
"best Spanish language play of the year"
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Frank's Home
By Richard Nelson
"bafflingly banal drama"
LINK
"dreary drama"
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Beyond Glory
By Stephen Lang
"Stephen Lang’s one-man show called “Beyond Glory”
LINK
"solo drama-documentary"
LINK

Romance
By David Mamet
"Comedy"
LINK
"nonsense does not fine absurdist drama make?"
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Crumbs from the Table of Joy
By Lynn Nottage
"African-American drama"
LINK
"coming-of-age story"
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Massacre
By José Rivera
"Jose Rivera's disturbing new drama"
LINK
"José Rivera's overwritten and underdeveloped new morality play"
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The Clean House
By Sarah Ruhl
"Sarah Ruhl is writing the very best contemporary drama"
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"Sarah Ruhl’s Comedy-Drama The Clean House"
LINK

Project #1: Academic: Northwestern University

Indians
By Arthur Kopit
"Arthur Kopit’s nineteenth century groundbreaking drama"
LINK
"Indians" comes off as more diatribe than drama"
LINK

Sweeney Todd
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
From an Adapatation by Christopher Bond
"In Stephen Sondheim's 1979 stage musical"
LINK
"Sweeney Todd is a revenger’s tragedy"
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Marisol
By José Rivera's drama
"Rivera's gripping urban drama"
LINK
"apocalyptic play"
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Thrush
By Caridad Svich
"A stark drama with songs about war"
LINK
"drama"
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Spunk
By George C. Wolfe's
"The play is an anthology of Zora Neale Hurston folk tales[...]mini-musical"
LINK
"the musical Spunk"
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The Bacchae
By Euripides
"The Bacchae is among the most primal of the Greek tragedies"
LINK
"Athenian Drama"
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On The Verge
By Eric Overmyer
"Eric Overmyer's chimerical new comedy"
LINK
"whimsical comedy"
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The Sins of Sor Juana
By Karen Zacarías
"The Sins of Sor Juana" is a historic fantasy of self-determination"
LINK
"Drama"

The illusions
By Tony Kushner
"a rather fast paced, satiric comedy"
LINK
"this Illusion is totally contemporary, brimming with drama, comedy, action, and most important, ideas"
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Ghetto
By Joshua Sobol
"Holocaust Drama With Music"
LINK
"conventional drama"
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