I Interview Artistic Directors Part 5: Marty Stanberry

Marty Stanberry

Hometown: Charleston, IL

Current Town: St. Louis, MO

Q:  Tell me about HotCity Theatre.

A:  HotCity Theatre was created from the merger of two small Equity Theatre Companies in 2005; HotHouse Theatre Company which was founded in 1997 and City Theatre which had its roots in a long-time community theatre which became professional in 2002. The company is dedicated to the development of new works as well as producing at least one modern classic per season. Plays must have an “edgy” quality to them in theme and/or subject matter.

Q:  How do you create your season?

A:  The season consists of 4 mainstage productions – one is “usually” a modern classic with some “name” recognition; one is a premiere of a script chosen from our “New Play Festival” the prior season and the other two are “usually” new plays straight from Broadway/Off-Broadway or Regional (such as The Humana Festival of New Plays). Our main theatre is a “less than 100 seat blackbox” so criteria includes size of cast (and cast-ability within the St. Louis artistic community) and technical requirements.

Q:  Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as an artist or as a person.

A:  I grew up in a small university town in Central Illinois. I was a child during the Vietnam Was era in the late 60’s/early 70’s and I remember all the cultural clashes going on in our country and on the local university campus. I had an Aunt who was very much into the arts and she would take me (along with siblings and cousins) to many of the university productions – one in particular was a version of Cinderella where somehow the production team had created a bubble around Cinderella during her transformation(s) – I remember being awestruck as a 6 year old, wanting to live in that magical world – a world that seemed more real to me than the one I was witnessing outside the theatre!

Q:  If you could change one thing about theater, what would it be?

A:  This is a “domino” issue: More importance on the art of theatre as a cultural element which would come from our education system and government support as it is in Britain and Canada.

Q:  If you could change one thing about your theater, what would it be?

A:  A larger venue. We were formerly in a large blackbox (200+audience capacity). The smaller venue has limited our play selection choices and design options.

Q:  What kind of theater excites you?

A:  Plays with action (drama is happening rather than discussed); Plays that challenge social mores, Plays that stimulate conversation and foster multiple points-of-view.

Q:  What do you aspire to in your work?

A:  To emotionally and/or intellectually affect our audiences.

Q:  Has your practice changed in the last ten years? Do you see changes in technology and culture changing how you work in the next ten years?

A:  Yes, we are much more focused on new works which has willingly forced us to keep on top of technological and cultural changes as they happen. We recently received a grant from PNC Bank to develop a new script where social media is the topic. Luckily we have a plethora of local university staff and resources to borrow/rent from.

Q:  What advice do you have for theater artists wishing to work at your theater?

A:  Visibility! All production personnel are paid, including box office and running crew and NO ONE is turned away who wants to volunteer for on-going or special event planning/running. Rarely is someone hired based on resume alone.

I Interview Artistic Directors Part 4: Russ Tutterow

Russ Tutterow

Hometown: Straughn, Indiana

Current Town: Chicago

Q:  Tell me about Chicago Dramatists.

A:  Chicago Dramatists is a producing theatre and playwrights' workshop. We work with hundreds of playwrights every year, almost all from the Chicago area. Most of our work is done with our member playwrights. We have two playwright memberships: Residency (for accomplished playwrights) and The Playwrights Network (which any playwright can join at any time). We conduct a great variety of year-round programs to develop their plays and nurture their growth and careers: productions, workshops, private readings, classes, talent coordination, career guidance, panels, fireside chats with theatre leaders, and a public staged reading in our signature Saturday Series, every Saturday at 2:00.

Q:  How do you create your season?

A:  We choose the strongest plays from all the plays we have in some manner worked on from the last several years.

Q:  Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as an artist or as a person.

A:  I have been asked if there was a time when I knew I was a director. My usual answer was "in college." But then I realized I was actually 'directing' stories on the playground when I was maybe eight years old. I have always wanted to make things.

Q:  If you could change one thing about theater, what would it be?

A:  Lower ticket prices.

Q:  If you could change one thing about your theater, what would it be?

A:  Higher salaries and fees for everyone.

Q:  What kind of theater excites you?

A;  Theatre that is full of suspense and surprise.

Q:  What do you aspire to in your work?

A:  Perfection.

Q:  Has your practice changed in the last ten years?

A:  Yes. Because of computers and the Internet.

Q:  Do you see changes in technology and culture changing how you work in the next ten years?

A:  Yes. But I have no idea what to expect.

Q:  What advice do you have for theater artists wishing to work at your theater?

A:  Come here. Attend our readings and productions. Introduce yourselves.

I Interview Playwrights Part 411: Kirsten Childs

Kirsten Childs

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Current Town: New York, New York

Q:  What are you working on now?

A:  Right now, at this very moment? A musical exploration of the African-American experience in the Wild West.

Q:  Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as a writer or as a person.

A:  Wilmington, North Carolina. Summertime. Visiting my grandparents. Happy as a clam, spinning around on the dirt road out in front of their house, singing a paean to the sun and sand and sky – the opening number to a nascent musical. Interrupted mid-spin and mid-song by the realization that my aunt was peeking out from the porch, watching me. Mortified, running to hide behind a vine gnarled fence.

Q:  If you could change one thing about theater, what would it be?

A:  Its accessibility.

Q:  Who are or were your theatrical heroes?

A:  Edward Albee, Michael Bennett, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, Anton Chekhov, Will Marion Cook and Bob Cole, Bob Fosse, Pamela Gien, Micki Grant, Lorraine Hansberry, John Jesurun, Cherry Jones, Sarah Jones, Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy, La Chanze, Frank Langella, James Lapine, Arthur Laurents, Robert Lee and Leon Ko, Audra MacDonald, Moliere, Lynn Nottage, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Gerome Ragni, James Rado and Galt MacDermot, Chita Rivera, William Shakespeare, Diana Son, Stephen Sondheim, Joe Stein, Stew, Peter Stone, Nilaja Sun, Ivan Turgenev, Gwen Verdon, August Wilson, George C. Wolfe.

Q:  What kind of theater excites you?

A:  Theater with music, dance, story. Theater that is not ashamed to be theatrical.

Q:  What advice do you have for playwrights, composers or lyricists just starting out?

A:  Keep writing.

Q:  Plugs, please:

A:  Very excited to be working on a project with Lynn Nottage and Steve Cosson (The Civilians)

Coming up next/Purple Rep/ at the Monkey

DARK NIGHT SERIALS

- a FREE event to benefit our 2012 season!

Monday is a Dark Dark night, for Dark Dark plays followed by Dark Purple entertainment. We want you to wash it down with Purple Nurples. We want you to win a head shot package from Anna Flores, a new beautiful drawing by Carolyn Raship and free theater tickets to hot Off Broadway shows.

Join these purple playwrights for bold first stagings of new work followed by burlesque, music, daring physical theater and more.

Dec 5th- The Rockin' Kick off-

Hosted by John Hume ( JOHN HUME LIVE!)

plays by:
Johnna Adams
Brendan Burke
August Schulenburg
Adam Szymkowicz

musical guest: Stacy Rock
and additional rockin' performances by:
Daniel Irizarry, Laura Butler Rivera and Jody Christopherson

raffle: Tickets to 2nd Stage's Production of How I Learned to Drive, Jan 2012


Dec 12th- The Bitter Sweet Ball

Hosted by Susan Gardner of Sugar Shack Burlesque

plays by:
James Comtois
Larry Kunofsky
Charlotte Miller
Kristen Palmer

Adam Szymkowicz

Musical Guests: Dominic Frasca (http://www.dominicfrasca.com/index.htm) Floanne Anka (Edith Piaf Alive and Living in New York)

Raffle:an original one of a kind drawing by Carolyn Raship and tickets to Edith Piaf, Alive and Living in New York at the Metropolitian Room



Dec 19th- The Violet Orgy

Hosted by Floanne Anka ( Edith Piaf Alive and Living in New York)

A juicy surprise mash-up of the darkest purple writing, featuring your favorite Serial playwrights. We'll announce the winner of Anna's Flores Photography's headshot session and take you into the night with Burlesque by Dame CuchiFrita (Brown Girls Burlesque), The Rachel Klein Theater Ensemble presenting: A Tale of Sorrow and Sequins
Starring: Scooter Pie, Megan O'Connor, Miss Kristen Lee, Robyn Nielsen, and Michael Porsche and sexy painted guitar tunes performed by musician Adam Cohen.


Doors open at 7:30pm

Show at 8pm

ADMISSION IS FREE

Nurples $7 or 2 for $12

Raffle tix 1 for $2 or 3 for $5

**Thanks to a generous donation both events take place at The Monkey. for more info on the Monkey: http://monkeywest.com/

*** check out the head shot raffle package/ Anna Flores Photography at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anna-Flores-Photography/145718232104887

I Interview Artistic Directors Part 3: Andrew Leynse

Andrew Leynse

Hometown:
I was born in Pomona, California, but have lived in New York City since I was 8 years old.

Current Town:
New York, City, but my wife, actress Mary Bacon, and I also have a small country house in Arlington, Vermont.

Q: Tell me about Primary Stages.

A: Primary Stages is an Off-Broadway theater company, now in our 27th season, dedicated to inspiring, supporting and sharing the art of playwriting. We are currently the theater company in residence at 59E59 Theaters.

Q: How do you create your season?

A: Putting together a season is always a challenging process. As Artistic Director, I work closely with our founder, Casey Childs and our Associate Artistic Director, Michelle Bossy, in selecting the plays. It is important to look at the season as a whole so we find ourselves interested in themes and/or playwrights, their language and how they will challenge audiences in different ways. For example, we try not to produce four plays in a season that are all dark or all comedies. Also, as an institution, we have a responsibility both to the artistic community of New York City and to showing cultural diversity in our choices. In addition, we have ongoing relationships with many playwrights and work with them on multiple plays. We also seek out early career playwrights as well.

Q: Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as an artist or as a person:

A: I had the fortunate opportunity to grow up in New York City. My mother exposed me to lots of theater on Broadway and off and I became fascinated with the art form. Also, because my father was a filmmaker, I grew up watching many classic films and studying plot and theme early on. When I was in high school, my school did not have a drama program, so I decided to create a drama club which I then wrote plays for and directed. I realized it was too much for me to act in them as well. During that time, I also had the opportunity to intern and later work at Playwrights Horizons when Andre Bishop was artistic director and my first show there was Lucky Stiff by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. It was an extremely exciting moment to be at Playwrights Horizons and I got the chance to work with some incredible artists.

Q: If you could change one thing about theater, what would it be?

A: Perhaps what people’s understanding of theater is. The French have two words for theater: theatre and spectacle, and audiences know when they are going to see a spectacle and when they are going to the theatre. Here in America, the two are often blended and audiences don’t know the difference.

Q: If you could change one thing about your theater, what would it be?

A: It has been a goal of ours to try to expand our producing opportunities beyond four mainstage shows a year and perhaps even have a second stage where we could produce more artists.

Q: What kind of theater excites you?

A: Theater that is transformative, that challenges audiences; a playwright’s voice that is unique unto itself, subjects that are compelling and contemporary, that resonate with audiences today.

Q: What do you aspire to in your work?

A; I always aspire to excellence but I am always interested in growing and learning and discovering things in new ways.

Q; Has your practice changed in the last ten years? Do you see changes in technology and culture changing how you work in the next ten years?

A: Our culture is constantly changing and technology has been a large part of that. It affects how we market plays, how we think about and write and read plays and even how we see plays. The theater is constantly changing and continues to evolve in exciting and dynamic ways. But it is still a social event that needs to be experienced by the group and written and envisioned by authors.

Q: What advice do you have for theater artists wishing to work at your theater?

A: I think artists wishing to work at Primary Stages should get to know our work to understand who we are and what excites us. We are accessible in many ways. We have our Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group (which you are a member of), workshops and many playwriting programs through our ever growing school, the Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA). There is an active community of artists here at Primary Stages.

I Interview Playwrights Part 410: Jennie Berman Eng

Jennie Berman Eng

Current Town: Rockville, MD

Q:  Tell me about Exit Carolyn.

A:  Exit Carolyn is a play about two best friends (Julie & Lorna) whose friendship struggles after their third best friend (and roommate) dies unexpectedly. Julie and Lorna are forced to confront the possibility that they don't really function without their third, Carolyn. It's about grief and loss and how we're forced, usually in our 20's, to decide who we are going to be as adults, and which friends we're going to keep from childhood. When I tell all this to people they wince and I can see their brains rolling around the words, "Wow. That sounds depressing." But actually, it's a comedy!

I wrote the play after a friendship breakup, that still leaves me unsettled. There is so much available information about how to deal with the loss of a romantic relationship, but so little guidance written about breaking up with a friend.

Q:  Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as a writer or as a person.

A:  This tells it perfectly: I'm in 7th grade. I had worked out the exact timing and location of a between-class, hallway run-in with my junior high crush, Howard Kozloff. I had staked the school, found out his class schedule, calculated for locker location and potential traffic patterns in the science hall, where my scene was to go down. I had my cutest, newest outfit on. My bangs were sprayed and teased till they arched in a large, cascading wave over my head (it was the 80s). The bell rang and everything went according to plan. Howard had written me a funny note and I had spent the previous evening penning the perfect, wittiest comeback. I would see Howard, and say something like, "Oh, hey, I have a note for you," and then casually reach in and hand it to him. He'd smile and say, "Cool. I'll read it in Math." It would be a great beginning to our lifetime love affair.

The bell rang. I walked the requisite steps at the appropriate speed. And there he was. And there I was. Face to face. I smiled and said, "Oh, hey, I have a....", and reached into my backpack. I pulled out the note, but in shuffling the bag a large maxi-pad fell out of my bag and landed at Howard's feet. My humiliation was complete with the addition of an exploded strawberry yogurt that had soaked the pad and appeared to be, well, you know. Howard was both repulsed and, I think, a little angry, as if I was purposely throwing used pads at his feet in some kind of preteen menstruating political statement.

As a person and a playwright, I am always the girl with yogurt exploding in my backpack onto something important. I am always the jokester, trying to recover from some kind of faux pas, which means I'm most comfortable writing comedy. That feeling of being the outsider has stuck with me, and I tend to write characters who don't quite fit in or do what they're supposed to.

Q:  If you could change one thing about theater, what would it be?

A:  Getting theaters to produce work by women.

Q:  Who are or were your theatrical heroes?

A:  Wendy Wasserstein. I saw The Heidi Chronicles when I was 16 at The Kennedy Center in DC, and instantly knew I wanted to be a writer. I also really love Neil Simon, even though it's definitely not "cool" to. But what's not to love about well-structured plays that make people laugh? Nicky Silver appeals to my sense of being weird. All that being said, I like new plays by living writers. I like theaters that produce new plays.

Q:  What advice do you have for playwrights just starting out?

A:  What Wendy Wasserstein said to me (at an appearance she did at the JCC in Maryland), "Get yourself into an MFA program." It was the best thing I ever did.

Q:  Plugs, please:

A:  Come see Exit Carolyn! It's funny! It's dark! It's weird and unexpected, and magical things happen that challenged my lighting designer! The actors are extraordinarily good, and the director, Adam Knight, is truly a gift to me from the theater gods.