tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170130312381670812024-03-21T13:38:05.501-05:00Austin PlayhouseProfessional Theatre in the Heart of TexasAustin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-61540792362153413932019-05-22T12:48:00.000-05:002019-05-22T12:48:49.550-05:00<div>
<span class="im"><div dir="ltr" style="color: #500050; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="color: #500050; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
Austin Playhouse interviews the playwright of </h2>
<h2 style="color: #500050; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i>The Book of Will</i>, Lauren Gunderson. </h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We close our 19th Season with <i>The Book of Will</i> by Lauren Gunderson. <i>The Book of Will </i>tells the story of the determined community that begged, borrowed, and stole so that they could publish the true versions of Shakespeare's plays in the First Folio. </div>
<div>
Austin Playhouse was thrilled when Lauren Gunderson agreed to answer a few of our questions about <i>The Book of Will.</i> </div>
<div>
You may recognize Lauren Gunderson's name if you have visited Austin Playhouse recently. <i>The</i> <i>Book of Will</i> is the third Gunderson play Austin Playhouse has produced. Past productions include <i>Silent Sky</i> and <i>Miss Bennet. </i>Check out the interview below!</div>
<h1 class="font_0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #605e5e; font-family: din-next-w01-light, din-next-w02-light, din-next-w10-light, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></h1>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXYODE5IYPW62waj21HSM36MztOrjZke7FoLU1lyQ0IBEZeZ0Xxl2VQep_6-P9fe34Nz-4d3B9opvWyJGx1WnE6lZpDw2Bs4ctBAermv8y6yqd7R_UEiPJDElxMnTmW2HSJh1Zd7OGuNV/s1600/BookofWill-4467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6vT7GjaKqIS1k7readxN-Qtq0pIXrwGlRDnWCFEg-vv4Z25P4xOrCQC0uXW7voPOTaI7Zig1RCXPnGfYKEuAXIEt6bHDa8ouryjK35eANHHvGbn0ly5XdodUVFyYvyfz1h1VpaPHNxgi/s1600/Lauren+Gunderson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6vT7GjaKqIS1k7readxN-Qtq0pIXrwGlRDnWCFEg-vv4Z25P4xOrCQC0uXW7voPOTaI7Zig1RCXPnGfYKEuAXIEt6bHDa8ouryjK35eANHHvGbn0ly5XdodUVFyYvyfz1h1VpaPHNxgi/s1600/Lauren+Gunderson.jpg" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="color: #500050; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> AP: </span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Book of Will</span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is about the community that came together to print Shakespeare’s First Folio. How did you know that this would make a great story and why did you feel it was important to tell?</span></div>
</span><div>
LG: This is a story less about Shakespeare and more about community. It's about friends, legacy, and what we can accomplish when we come together. It's also a love letter to theatre and how great storytelling can resurrect, inspire and bring people together. </div>
<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AP:</span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>T</b></span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>he story of </b><i><b>The Book of Will </b></i><b>could feel like a history lesson, but you humanize these characters in a way that everybody can relate to. Why did you feel that was important and how did you begin that process?</b></span></div>
</span><div style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LG: Shakespeare doesn't need much help being glorified, he needs help being humanized. I saw this play as a way of finding what is human and true and funny and awkward and lovely and hard about Shakespeare through his best friends. </span></div>
<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXYODE5IYPW62waj21HSM36MztOrjZke7FoLU1lyQ0IBEZeZ0Xxl2VQep_6-P9fe34Nz-4d3B9opvWyJGx1WnE6lZpDw2Bs4ctBAermv8y6yqd7R_UEiPJDElxMnTmW2HSJh1Zd7OGuNV/s1600/BookofWill-4467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXYODE5IYPW62waj21HSM36MztOrjZke7FoLU1lyQ0IBEZeZ0Xxl2VQep_6-P9fe34Nz-4d3B9opvWyJGx1WnE6lZpDw2Bs4ctBAermv8y6yqd7R_UEiPJDElxMnTmW2HSJh1Zd7OGuNV/s320/BookofWill-4467.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AP: </span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the things we love about your plays are the vivid, compelling female characters. </span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you see their role in the world of</span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Book of Will</span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? </span><span style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><div style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LG: I see everyone's role as supporting the group. The women are equal members of this group and join their tribe in doing something impossible. </span></div>
<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AP: While doing research on this historical event, did you wish that you knew more about the real people in the story or were you pleased to be able to fill in storylines?</span></div>
</span><div style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">LG: So much! Come to the play and see!</span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AP: What do you hope the audience will take away from the story of </span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Book of Will</span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? </span><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
</span><div>
LG: That life is short but the life of stories can be long lasting. By telling stories and watching stories we get to time travel, to reconnect and to life our best lives in conversation with art and the full human experience. </div>
<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">AP: And our last question, do you have a favorite Shakespeare quote? If so, what is it?</span></div>
</span></div>
LG: There are way too many to count. We read Sonnet 116 at our wedding which ends:<br />
<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But bears it out even to the edge of doom.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: white;">If this be error and upon me prov'd,</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: white;">I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd."</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>The Book of Will </i>runs May 31 - June 30 at Austin Playhouse at ACC Highland. Performances are Thursday - Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 5pm. Call 512-476-0084 or <a href="https://austinplayhouse.ticketleap.com/book-of-will/">online here</a>. <a href="http://www.austinplayhouse.com/">www.austinplayhouse.com</a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-11948070356854490632019-05-03T12:38:00.000-05:002019-05-03T12:38:04.886-05:00SUMMER AND BIRD From Page to Stage: An interview with Katherine Catmull<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Austin Playhouse's Marie Fahlgren recently interviewed author/playwright Katherine Catmull about the process of adapting her young adult novel <i>Summer and Bird</i> for the Austin Playhouse stage. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbdWSu8DFVslVabEe_3cAO5oREGpUEhZi4Q76xjHn9XGntQOCaNOy9yKkTDSKygcFkR8JSMf1S7rqjuaYqsVzhyfDBsurP0tbluEn9hkGyelz1yP2UAXtj3vC8ICjH1fJDER81MZL66i-/s1600/Kathy+%2526+Bensbird+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbdWSu8DFVslVabEe_3cAO5oREGpUEhZi4Q76xjHn9XGntQOCaNOy9yKkTDSKygcFkR8JSMf1S7rqjuaYqsVzhyfDBsurP0tbluEn9hkGyelz1yP2UAXtj3vC8ICjH1fJDER81MZL66i-/s200/Kathy+%2526+Bensbird+%25281%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katherine Catmull on the<br />
<i>Summer and Bird</i> set.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Where did you find your inspiration to write <i>Summer and Bird?</i></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was babysitting the two young daughters of friends of mine, and I wanted to make up a story to tell them that night. In the car on the way over it popped into my mind: two girls who looked like them, named Summer and Bird, whose parents had gone missing--a good babysitting tale! But they had already picked out books for that night. So when I got home I wrote down all I had thought of, the first page or so, and filed it away. A few years later when I decided to write a book, I was looking through old scribbles and found that one, and it grabbed me.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The girl Summer was based on recently graduated from college, by the way! And the younger one will graduate soon. Children move with terrifying swiftness!</span></div>
<div>
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5l-IR1BsVJOG3eRHjv9XO8oEsnMOtvsVrDfDqlUUHT9eYgi9u_QOQznyhg88bafJZqvPZ2RWRqyuaqO2-rV68Zquz-Sr4WhWuXe86-rzQq8cXH1x7xdrs7Dj-hyvxNf6plGS68UTxbGe/s1600/SUMMER+AND+BIRD-3908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1373" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5l-IR1BsVJOG3eRHjv9XO8oEsnMOtvsVrDfDqlUUHT9eYgi9u_QOQznyhg88bafJZqvPZ2RWRqyuaqO2-rV68Zquz-Sr4WhWuXe86-rzQq8cXH1x7xdrs7Dj-hyvxNf6plGS68UTxbGe/s320/SUMMER+AND+BIRD-3908.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madi Palomo and Sarah Chong Harmer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What challenges did you face when adapting the book<i> Summer and Bird</i> into the stage adaptation? </span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That book is quite dense in many ways: dense language, dense with images, dense with ideas, dense with plot. It was my first book, you know, so I was like: HERE IS EVERYTHING I KNOW. It was also a bit melancholy, partly because it’s about family breakups, older-sister anguish, etc and partly I suspect because it was a sad period of my life (my mother had had Alzheimer’s for six years when I began it, and she died four years later, just before I finished my first draft—in the book, the Swan, this lovely white creature Summer can no longer communicate with, holds some of my feelings about all that).</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But a one-hour play cannot be dense—it needs to be spare and bright and clear. It’s also a bit unfair to invite a bunch of young folk to a play and have it be relentlessly <i>gloomy</i>. It was actually Lara as she dramaturged my early drafts who helped me solve that one: she suggested I reconceive the Raven, who is a quiet, serious figure in the book. She said she imagined the Raven in a top hat and shiny suit, and that was all she had to say—I immediately got a vivid idea of this jokey trickster figure.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So basically the process of adapting was twofold: cut cut cut cut (I was so sad to lose Summer’s visit to the Green Home! and the patchwork bird!), nope, cut some more, nope, more than that; and brighten and lighten it up.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What did you enjoy the most while writing the adaptation of <i>Summer and Bird</i>?</span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That Raven was enormously fun to write! I love a snarky outsider who always has a rude remark to make. It’s almost the opposite of me: I’m a ridiculously earnest person who has more than once managed to ruin a joke setup by answering seriously: “Hm that’s interesting, I wonder why a priest a rabbi went <i>would</i> go to a bar together! Some sort of ecumenical effort, perhaps?” etc. But if I can write the Raven, I must have a snarky trickster in me somewhere.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since you are also an actress, what was it like to have your writing world and theatre world combine? </span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s the loveliest. I was an actor first, so collaborating with others and adjusting to their needs and taking notes—that’s all quite natural to me. It makes me feel supported rather than challenged, as it does for some playwrights. Writing is horribly LONELY. I also very much appreciate that hard deadline theater provides.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvJAkw3El94w4Pn9U0v04JlEcNbf26FgvzLXETX7O6JVhmZfZ6hefWkzcvw5j2iOvHF8R3RJKOMUxMfpF0bqK5wrps4_bnMDLHISRpJR3dP7vRA1j_SL4JQtmrdvCJEK_FYbGjBc7YNFQ/s1600/SUMMER+AND+BIRD-4123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1188" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvJAkw3El94w4Pn9U0v04JlEcNbf26FgvzLXETX7O6JVhmZfZ6hefWkzcvw5j2iOvHF8R3RJKOMUxMfpF0bqK5wrps4_bnMDLHISRpJR3dP7vRA1j_SL4JQtmrdvCJEK_FYbGjBc7YNFQ/s320/SUMMER+AND+BIRD-4123.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madi Palomo, Sarah Chong Harmer,<br />
and Jen Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What message do you hope young audience members will take away after seeing <i>Summer and Bird</i>?</span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh gosh, what a great question and I have no idea! Something about how families can be apart and yet together, I hope; something about how being a sibling is both the hardest thing and the best, most precious thing (it has been so in my life—I have five younger siblings). Also something about how we bring ourselves when we make meaning—we do “choose what things mean,” as Ben says, and we can choose differently if we like. Nothing important means only one thing.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When did you start writing? </span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wrote tons as a kid, and then as a teenager I got pretentious and anxious and stopped. Grad school in English lit did NOT make me any less pretentious and anxious, let me tell you, and it took a while for that to wear off. The first thing I wrote <i>and finished</i> (the finishing is key) as an adult was a FronteraFest monologue I wrote at the end of 2002 and performed in 2003, called “Pizza Apostrophe” — a woman calling to the pizza she has not ordered but still hopes will come. “O how could you not tell from the ache in my voice that I wanted extra cheese?” I was 42! Talk about a late re-start.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Is there anything else you would like young audience members to know about either you or the story of <i>Summer and Bird?<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i></b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The main thing I would say—my second book, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Radiant Road,</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> is actually about this—is don’t do what I did! Don’t get all shy and self-conscious about your beautiful makings, whether your making is writing or dancing or music or building robots or writing games or drawing or painting or WHATEVER. Whatever creative thing you do, please don’t stop. Keep going. We need your voice, we need you so badly. Keep going! And don’t forget to finish things, that’s EVERYTHING. </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Summer and Bird</i> runs May 3 - 12 at Austin Playhouse. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. All student tickets are FREE! Adults are sliding scale: $7 - $28.</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://austinplayhouse.ticketleap.com/summer-and-bird/">Click here for tickets</a>!</b> <a href="http://www.austinplayhouse.com/">www.austinplayhouse.com</a></span></div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-41539331165164389032019-05-03T12:35:00.001-05:002019-05-03T12:35:03.750-05:00Top 10 Reasons to Catch SUMMER AND BIRD<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2012 local author Katherine Catmull published her fantasy novel <i>Summer and Bird</i>. The story takes readers on an adventure from Up (our world) to Down (the bird world). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The story is navigated by two smart, strong, stubborn, loving, and brave sisters, Summer and Bird. It's a complete delight of a book, filled with achingly beautiful prose creating a new fantasy world that feels connected to a tradition of fairy tale storytelling, while being wholly and completely its own creation. And the story, of two girls whose family may be breaking up in spite of the love they share also felt very relevant and meaningful to children who might be in a similar, though possibly less fantastical, situation. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of which inspired AP's creative team to commission Katherine to adapt her novel to a stage play. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We think there are tons of reasons to check out the world premiere of Summer and Bird, but we asked director Lara Toner Haddock to write up her top 10!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpNvzmuF4Yz58qhlgStmxBnJhqkXFwaTj099np5ITuo4BdQkhO8-ZUoXU5kfPmkHLlBmCfmaJhhWsr6XLxII4KrYfUOwtVGKL3_RCYNf1PxcvY15oTIsM0tM7yv1P3ajupqEQUNhlT_PO/s1600/SummerBird_Event_Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpNvzmuF4Yz58qhlgStmxBnJhqkXFwaTj099np5ITuo4BdQkhO8-ZUoXU5kfPmkHLlBmCfmaJhhWsr6XLxII4KrYfUOwtVGKL3_RCYNf1PxcvY15oTIsM0tM7yv1P3ajupqEQUNhlT_PO/s400/SummerBird_Event_Image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>10</b>. Because when you were little you longed for more
adventure stories with strong, smart, real <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="mso-comment-date: 20190503T0922; mso-comment-reference: DT_1;">girls</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>9</b>. Because you know someone who needs to be introduced to
the magic of theatre.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>8</b>. Because you believe in giving books a new life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the puppets are made from recycled
hardbacks destined for the great library in the sky. Now they’ve been
transformed into parrots, sparrows, owls, flocks of birds, and the cutest baby
phoenix you’ve ever seen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>7</b>. Because you’re obsessed with Game of Thrones, but it’s
only on once a week and you need to see more awesome girls wielding sharp
objects defending the realm.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>6</b>. Because you believe in supporting local art and local
artists.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>5</b>. Because you don’t want to anger The Puppeteer. Seriously.
Don’t make this lady mad. She eats birds.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>4</b>. Because your heart will grow three sizes watching Sarah
Chong Harmer take care of a baby phoenix.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>3</b>. Because you’re doing it for the kids. Your ticket to a
public performance subsidizes free tickets for elementary students.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>2</b>. Because you want to learn the bird language too (hint:
Birdsong is a map!).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>1</b>. And the #1 reason to see Summer and Bird…. Because it’s a
really wonderful story. And the world needs more of those.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Summer and Bird</i> runs May 3 - 12 at Austin Playhouse.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2pm</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Box office: 512-476-0084 or <a href="https://austinplayhouse.ticketleap.com/summer-and-bird/">online here</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.austinplayhouse.com/">www.austinplayhouse.com</a></div>
<div style="mso-element: comment-list;">
<!--[if !supportAnnotations]-->
<div style="mso-element: comment;">
<div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_1" language="JavaScript">
<br /><!--[if !supportAnnotations]--></div>
<!--[endif]--></div>
</div>
<br />Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-55133189952095733662018-11-14T12:24:00.000-06:002018-11-14T12:24:58.028-06:00Flooding at Austin PlayhouseDear friends,<br />
<br />
Saturday morning, our heroic Box Office Manager, arrived at the theatre to find an old sewage pipe left over from the Highland Mall days had broken its sealing cap and was
spewing dirty water into the theatre. By the time ACC shut off the water it had
already gotten backstage and some water had splashed
onto the stage near where the pipe broke. The pipe was located above the off-stage right area, connected to ACC plumbing above the theatre.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaC9UmrSOB8GAnyyrupkebFfwctWEmqHZ-71eIqRgeRanmmkEqFvhfWFBLxb_K3af2y07NurvnoW_phDikpfofY9trLNWET0c7rrVJygjIFxKSo6x-zSGSlJq9jGr0gKaLKUfdsTNZWZc1/s1600/stage+floor+torn+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1600" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaC9UmrSOB8GAnyyrupkebFfwctWEmqHZ-71eIqRgeRanmmkEqFvhfWFBLxb_K3af2y07NurvnoW_phDikpfofY9trLNWET0c7rrVJygjIFxKSo6x-zSGSlJq9jGr0gKaLKUfdsTNZWZc1/s320/stage+floor+torn+up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
ACC immediately assigned an
environmental safety team and had
Blackman Mooring come in Saturday
afternoon to start the clean up. They
got all the accessible water out,
cleaned the floors, removed the laminate flooring in the scene shop and the
hallway by the restrooms, and installed
industrial dehumidifiers throughout the
theatre. We moved the bulk of the
costumes to the front lobby so they'd
be out of the way of the backstage
cleanup.<br />
<br />
On Monday, November 5, the team came back to do more testing and made the determination to
remove affected parts of the stage, some sheetrock, and more flooring backstage. We all want to make sure
that every bit of
contaminant is removed. All this has meant we are unable to
open <i>The Mystery of Edwin Drood</i> on November 16 as planned.<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Right now there's a ton of activity in the space. Our entire backstage area is being packed up and moved into a storage pod so that the backstage tile floor and some affected drywall can be removed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We are still dependent on a lot of moving pieces moving the way they should, but we also have to keep moving forward. We're planning to start public performances on Saturday, November 24. We look forward to seeing you at the theatre!</span></div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-84167785293799543582018-04-17T12:13:00.002-05:002018-04-17T12:13:47.379-05:00The Inspiration Behind our Festival-Winning Plays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In 2017 for our first new play festival we received almost 800 submissions. It was an overwhelming response to kick off a brand new event. For the second year of the festival we limited submissions to Texas playwrights. This new focus creates opportunities to work more closely with the playwrights and support the creation of these amazing new local plays. We're thrilled to present Austin audiences with staged readings of these three winning plays! We spoke with the playwrights about the inspiration for their plays. Join us April 27 -29 for the festival!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Reina Hardy, playwright of <i><span style="color: red;">Eidophusikon</span></i></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Staged reading Friday, April 27, 8pm</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEPdHe0KcCEbVcE3AGuPqOm5N9DPq8_I3TqxllyoNhXpEHreYfQp1bphXmC7noMc1HTMSKGpyBUpVMtwN1B3G6neAruSUcOcx3ydd48XIG_FZtvEOZ8D3WkN0lSkDpYTa3XJk0hh3Vzfo/s1600/Photo+on+4-12-13+at+3.26+PM+%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="516" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEPdHe0KcCEbVcE3AGuPqOm5N9DPq8_I3TqxllyoNhXpEHreYfQp1bphXmC7noMc1HTMSKGpyBUpVMtwN1B3G6neAruSUcOcx3ydd48XIG_FZtvEOZ8D3WkN0lSkDpYTa3XJk0hh3Vzfo/s200/Photo+on+4-12-13+at+3.26+PM+%25232.jpg" width="145" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Eidophusikon is a real thing! Philip James de Loutherberg was a real person! He created the Eidophusikon because he wanted to create lighting effects that weren't yet possible on a full-sized stage. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was very interested in his project of aesthetic rapture and transport.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I became obsessed with it for two reasons: (1) No one knows how he did it. There are these glowing contemporary reviews, but the machine is long destroyed and no one has ever found the plans. (2) The Eidophusikon was about the size of a decent flatscreen television. We have obviously outstripped De Loutherberg's ability to achieve his own goal of perfect verisimilitude inside a box. What continues to fascinate us about the Eidophusikon is its distance from verisimilitude; its toy-ness; its tackiness. All of this is to say, when I first came to Austin I shopped a lot at a store called Texas Thrift. The store (where I bought ceramic unicorns and 80s pointy-toed shoes, and yes, souvenir prom glasses) somehow got connected in my mind with the Eidophusikon - a thing which is lost, dead, broken, trashy, out-of-date by centuries and yet still very important somehow.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>C. Denby Swanson, playwright of <i><span style="color: red;">Nutshell</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Staged reading Saturday, April 28, 8pm</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWslzUfnHX_RxhyXKTyH-9IguIY4dCBeXjMUJeagJv1sweFeqT2CRS188TGpG6SwLZ5LmEsYISzOET5E_9VhBVNZ3Lt3XNKHZJVB-t2oZKMjuTa6zOBg6d8rG6aE-bHKX6Mze8ZesoKXTf/s1600/CDS+2007_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWslzUfnHX_RxhyXKTyH-9IguIY4dCBeXjMUJeagJv1sweFeqT2CRS188TGpG6SwLZ5LmEsYISzOET5E_9VhBVNZ3Lt3XNKHZJVB-t2oZKMjuTa6zOBg6d8rG6aE-bHKX6Mze8ZesoKXTf/s200/CDS+2007_3.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nutshell is about the life of Frances Glessner Lee, a Chicago heiress born in 1878 who built the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, a series of exquisitely precise 1 inch to 1 foot-scaled miniatures of crime scenes. She created them for Harvard University, where she had endowed the Department of Legal Medicine, as a way to train detectives how to investigate homicides. Eventually, the Nutshells wound up at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, Maryland, where my friend and director Elissa Goetschius saw them. She posted an article on Facebook, which another friend made sure I saw, and I was immediately entranced. I knew there was a science play in there. And a play about women’s forgotten history. And a play that invited theatricality. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then in 2016 I received a commission to write a play from Ensemble Studio Theater / Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project.</span><br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Lisa B. Thompson, playwright of <i><span style="color: red;">Monroe</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Staged reading Sunday, April 29, 7pm</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRg47mXfYOqxdsxLzt5J2z2rNJFxisNUAqnerBL9HK-NSk6zigBPeYoLx0lF8SPJcU5GmnqQyZmcf6JkGg_x2bQKq2z_Kc-keOOkd24wiBj2mzbtmIRobfb4jEJGozrmFGbGQJellIRQS/s1600/Lisa+B+Thompson+headshot+outside+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRg47mXfYOqxdsxLzt5J2z2rNJFxisNUAqnerBL9HK-NSk6zigBPeYoLx0lF8SPJcU5GmnqQyZmcf6JkGg_x2bQKq2z_Kc-keOOkd24wiBj2mzbtmIRobfb4jEJGozrmFGbGQJellIRQS/s200/Lisa+B+Thompson+headshot+outside+%25281%2529.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Monroe is inspired by my family. As a child I was fascinated about them moving from Louisiana to California during the Great Migration. My father is from Lake Charles and my mother is from Monroe (hence the play’s title). I was curious about their decision to leave the south for the west coast instead of relocating to a northeastern city or the midwest like the majority of African Americans during that period. The drama is also inspired by a conversation between my parents about a lynching down south. During breakfast one Sunday morning my eight year old self was captivated by their serious yet matter of fact tones. The details of the story evade me but the tenor of it remains. A bit of my innocence died on that morning. Recalling that conversation makes me think of all the black children around breakfast tables now who are overhearing their parents discuss the repeated killings of unarmed African Americans by the police. In time we will see what their imaginations produce to cope with their loss of innocence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Austin Playhouse Festival of New Texas Plays</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">April 27 - 29, 2018</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Austin Playhouse at ACC Highland</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">512-476-0084</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.austinplayhouse.com/">www.austinplayhouse.com</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-65673065329171147832017-05-05T11:59:00.000-05:002017-05-05T12:57:43.007-05:00Keep writing, Austin: Cyndi Williams reflects on our first Festival of New American Plays<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjekWlx1Q6lomlcP1qwoDt72eOsORfd3eEJ1JWzM-l1_GxpcAPjzlTXyaT_uD8cg0Q4x-25fWL-tbwDQp4x0c_FhkxJmDDl_52eD3fYYgkLC_ksLARpV7qOXpkqfr9ogb1IEqYRdVkYyn/s1600/IMG_5972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjekWlx1Q6lomlcP1qwoDt72eOsORfd3eEJ1JWzM-l1_GxpcAPjzlTXyaT_uD8cg0Q4x-25fWL-tbwDQp4x0c_FhkxJmDDl_52eD3fYYgkLC_ksLARpV7qOXpkqfr9ogb1IEqYRdVkYyn/s200/IMG_5972.JPG" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen Mercantel, Jess Hughes and<br />
Andrew Osborn Ginder in rehearsal for<br />
Sarah Salwick's <i>Low Hanging Stars</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">In the 1980's, not too many people in Austin wrote plays. Or maybe lots of people wrote scripts and tucked them into the back of their sock drawer, because Austin didn't have many development or production opportunities for playwrights at the time. For years I only knew one playwright, Marty Martin, who wrote wonderful historic dramas. The first time I was nominated for an award for a new play script, only two other original scripts were nominated. Randall Wheatley won for his very funny radio station comedy <i>Billy's Last Broadcast</i>, and he stood in front of the theater community and said this...</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<b>"If Austin wants a national profile as a theater city, it doesn't matter how many amazing new interpretations of Hamlet we present... it matters how many original plays we produce."</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Not to slag Shakespeare, but a living theater calls for living playwrights. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
In the late 90's, ScriptWorks, a service organization for playwrights, was founded by David Mark Cohen, along with a small band of playwrights, including me. (Carson Kreitzer, the writer of <i>Capitol Crime!</i> is a Core Alum of ScriptWorks, and Sarah Saltwick is a current member who happens to also have a script in ScriptWork's Out of Ink Festival this weekend!). </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGZPy1cEkEvQWQ76UheXfKurUymzGdoY3LI6pk0iC-WZRhbV-fp05zLInEVLF6Vi-nb1YobiYBMu-Oi37LwF_tnreeu4NJr9M1ijX2zC7fYUNLzCHPdTpU7WhikBt_chznR3YwnKccmHk/s1600/IMG_5971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGZPy1cEkEvQWQ76UheXfKurUymzGdoY3LI6pk0iC-WZRhbV-fp05zLInEVLF6Vi-nb1YobiYBMu-Oi37LwF_tnreeu4NJr9M1ijX2zC7fYUNLzCHPdTpU7WhikBt_chznR3YwnKccmHk/s200/IMG_5971.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Director Cyndi Williams & <br />
Playwright Sarah Saltwick in <br />
rehearsal for <i>Low Hanging Stars</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By the early 2000's, I heard this figure: fully one out of three plays produced in this city was an original script. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
But Austin's more recent economic upturn has its downsides (traffic, anyone?) and one of those downsides has been the loss of affordable theater space. In the last few months alone, we have lost Salvage Vanguard's theater on Manor Road, and the Off Center, run for many years by the Rude Mechs. Both of these companies produce and promote new work, and have national profiles... but they don't have theater spaces in Austin, Texas, anymore. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
I am so proud of Austin Playhouse for stepping up with our first festival of New American Plays. We had over 700 entries, and we read quite a few excellent scripts, including the lovely ghost story, <i>Low Hanging Stars </i>by Austin's own Sarah Saltwick. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<b>Keep writing, Austin.</b></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">For tickets and more information on Austin Playhouse's Festival of New American Plays, <a href="https://austinplayhouse.ticketleap.com/festival-of-new-american-plays/">click here</a>! </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>Admission is Free. If you would like to pick a price for your ticket it will support the actor salaries, playwright awards, and production expenses for the New Play Festival!</b></span></div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-61532574849141212702016-09-21T00:24:00.000-05:002016-09-21T00:25:06.790-05:00Interview with Silent Sky Playwright Lauren Gunderson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim34wOm2bkLVcP3-lMUpwdFO-sgmrv764gyh3_EBJTP1WNTKZ3_yDVIixPWfj_hQoZBO-9auEWypLOwWPOqbuJTSFKPlcBStwLNsBZ74KnFf4EjhxU3Ut2Xkhaql8r8AMeXG74Cuij-Svu/s1600/Lauren-Gunderson-headshot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim34wOm2bkLVcP3-lMUpwdFO-sgmrv764gyh3_EBJTP1WNTKZ3_yDVIixPWfj_hQoZBO-9auEWypLOwWPOqbuJTSFKPlcBStwLNsBZ74KnFf4EjhxU3Ut2Xkhaql8r8AMeXG74Cuij-Svu/s200/Lauren-Gunderson-headshot-2.jpg" width="157" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">This week, we're gearing up to open <i>Silent Sky</i>, a magical and inspiring play that tells the story of astronomer Henrietta Leavitt who transcended her post as a real-life Harvard "computer" to make a revolutionary discovery about the universe. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We were also lucky enough to have an opportunity to interview playwright Lauren Gunderson about her brilliant play.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Read on and then join us at </span><i style="color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Silent Sky</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, running September 23 - October 16. For tickets and more information, </span><a href="http://www.austinplayhouse.com/silent-sky" style="font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">click here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121;">Although this
play wasn't written that long ago, do you think this play has a new message for
today's audiences? </span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">We are still
in the unfortunate rut of under-opportunity and under-representation for women
in the sciences and tech (and Hollywood, and politics and on and on and on).
This play aims to expose and challenge that angering trend with a true story of
a woman who changed the course of astronomy and (to the extent that astronomy
defines us as a civilization) human life. And she did it in a room with several
other brilliant but underpaid, sequestered, unappreciated woman mathematicians
that were not allowed to even use the telescopes that the men could. That sends
a message across time to us to say that women aren't asking for special
treatment, we are </span><i style="color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #212121;">showing</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #212121;"> how special we already are and always have been. We're
not asking anyone to let us participate, we are exclaiming that we have
participated in discoveries, breakthroughs and wild achievement all along
(despite being excluded, barred and presumed incapable). I also intend for the
play to show more than one kind of heroine. Women characters are often (even if
they are the play's protagonist) surrounded by men. This play reverses that
making the male character the rarity. This creates a diverse sisterhood that
will give every audience member (male or female) someone to root for. </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">Do you have
any rules for your plays? </span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">I do tend to
follow Paula Vogel dictum to include one impossible thing in every play. This
generally leads to some exciting theatricality. I also start with an image in
my mind for the <i>end</i> of the play and write toward that end. I
don't really know a play is worth writing until I get a sense of it's
resolution. </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #212121;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Did you find the lack of personal information on
the real Henrietta frustrating or liberating?</span></span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">Liberating! I
tried to honor her spirit even if every detail isn't biographically confirmed.
The science is accurate as is the history of her various discoveries and
publications. And I think that's what she would care most about. I took details
that were particularly beautiful or ironic or inspiring and included them
faithfully. She did travel on a ocean liner to Europe. She did insist on being
identified as an astronomer on her final census. She discovered thousands of
cepheid stars from that wallpapered Harvard attic. A member of the Nobel
committee did call her for a prize. Before the premiere of the play a few years
ago I went to her grave in Cambridge to say thank you for not haunting me for
making up parts of her life. So far she has kept to that arrangement. :)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="background: white;">In our research, Henrietta's siblings were seldom mentioned. What
inspired you to give her a close companion in a sister? </span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">I wanted to
write about <i>women</i> not just one woman. And I thought the
contrast between the life that Henrietta, Annie and Will chose and the life of
most women of the time would best be juxtaposed in a sister for Henrietta. That
way they are in the exact same generation but choosing very different
lifestyles. In reality it was Henrietta's mother who was her companion and even
moved to Boston to be with her until she died. Also I have a sister and felt
that it was about time I wrote about her a bit, too.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #212121;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">In </span></span></b><b><i style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">Silent Sky</span></i></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">, it is intimated that
Will and Annie have a romantic relationship. Is this fiction based? </span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">Mostly yes.
But the women that worked there tended to go unmarried (Annie was and Will
never married after her horrible husband left her when she was young). I also
borrowed from the concept of a "Boston Marriage" (the play is set
near Boston after all), which at that time meant a loving sometimes romantic
relationship between two women who spent their lives together.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #212121;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">What question do you wish you were asked about </span></span></b><b><i style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">Silent Sky</span></i></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">? </span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">About the
music. I knew this play could be a play as opposed to a short story or blog
post because the mathematics of her stars contain music: pattern, volume,
rhythm. It quickly became a way to dramatize an idea, to theatricalize her
science. The music is another way to connect science to art. More on that here: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://silentskyplay.tumblr.com/post/74392089598/not-with-numbers-but-with-notes-math-music-on&source=gmail&ust=1474481960885000&usg=AFQjCNFQMsEiyC8mzrLfnycI7Qnmtm_4Ag" href="http://silentskyplay.tumblr.com/post/74392089598/not-with-numbers-but-with-notes-math-music-on" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://silentskyplay.<wbr></wbr>tumblr.com/post/74392089598/<wbr></wbr>not-with-numbers-but-with-<wbr></wbr>notes-math-music-on</span></a></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #212121;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">If you had to write a play about a one of
today's female scientists, who would it be?</span></span></b><span style="background: white; color: #212121;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
<o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="382">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I write about
a lot of women scientists (Ada Lovelace, Emilie du Chatelet) and find it better
to write about science after a generation or two has time to digest what the
discoveries become. It's hard to write fiction about today's science because we
can't know what it means. Does it change the world or quickly become obsolete?
So I tend to write about science history and trust that, as with any historical
story, we apply its essential ideas and lessons to ourselves in the
present. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="background: white;">What research would you want audience members to do before seeing this show?</span></span></b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #212121;">They needn't do any! Just come ready to have fun, learn a bit, and fall in love with these amazing, funny, passionate women and the stars they love. </span></span></div>
</div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-3787849846888149662015-12-20T13:15:00.001-06:002015-12-20T13:15:49.564-06:00A Stage Manager's love for The Philadelphia Story<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHX5EjEawY7bJX0IzZc9RpEVzWuXIfNWsm8u1ZqwHz6WTQUIZjj9tbVOWbWz3ke65NikUMp5-CLJi3UrigO9ZntzQp_p-h9MouWurFjZgSBcGKA5vZLLRoxHY-2NiVklPB0ACOFxR7OT5i/s1600/The-Philadelphia-Story-%25281940%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHX5EjEawY7bJX0IzZc9RpEVzWuXIfNWsm8u1ZqwHz6WTQUIZjj9tbVOWbWz3ke65NikUMp5-CLJi3UrigO9ZntzQp_p-h9MouWurFjZgSBcGKA5vZLLRoxHY-2NiVklPB0ACOFxR7OT5i/s320/The-Philadelphia-Story-%25281940%2529.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
I first saw the <i>The Philadelphia Story</i> as a teenager. I fell hard and instantly for the dialogue - spending time with these characters made me feel worldly and intelligent, which I think is exactly how every 16-year-old girl wants to feel. Their words seemed to effervesce around me, a snapshot of American culture in a very interesting time - the sparkly, cultured breath before the plunge into the gritty, rationed waters of the 1940s. But over the years, though my feelings about its themes are complex, I have discovered more and more to love about this story.<br />
</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Tracy appealed to that younger me in particular. At the time, all I wanted was to surround myself with fast-talking, confident dames in the style of Rosalind Russell - sharp-tongued women who held their own and gave the fellas a run for their money. Don't get me wrong, I still love those scrappy characters, but I now see that what drew me to Katherine Hepburn's portrayal of Tracy Lord was that she's a gentler model of this archetype: strong, but feminine too, and not competing with the boys so much as operating in her own league completely. She's unflappable, but we get to watch her get flapped, and THAT is compelling.</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbo-qc39AF5O7BMJIJeWRYU8P6MaCg2wQBJ75iWQtWfVZaAjColmgMKHVCvcb0bUJKOcCM5tSvibHoimMAzYJQ6xS5lL1wUFeVJdVSKBC9NOCtoSltwKMOvEMz3xS4yijDz3tFYFMvgTk0/s1600/katharine-hepburn-6-the-philadelphia-story1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbo-qc39AF5O7BMJIJeWRYU8P6MaCg2wQBJ75iWQtWfVZaAjColmgMKHVCvcb0bUJKOcCM5tSvibHoimMAzYJQ6xS5lL1wUFeVJdVSKBC9NOCtoSltwKMOvEMz3xS4yijDz3tFYFMvgTk0/s320/katharine-hepburn-6-the-philadelphia-story1.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
The story behind this play and the subsequent movie also colors and deepens my affection for them - Philip Barry wrote the play for Hepburn specifically to star in after she was labeled "box office poision" and her film career was widely believed to be kaput. She rallied, bought the rights to the movie, starred in it and influenced the rest of the casting.</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This play, for me, is about gumption, redemption, and the kind of strength that's tempered with mindfulness and warmth. It's a study of a time and place in our national history - where intelligence, wit and the implementation of these were highly valued. It's about kindness and understanding across social and economic lines - something to think about, in this time of closed borders and partisan everything. It's about giving yourself, and others, a break sometimes. Couldn't we all use that?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- Rachel Dendy</span>Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-80460538466990872582014-05-20T10:09:00.003-05:002014-05-20T11:40:54.470-05:00Don's Treehouse in France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
So what does Don do when he doesn't have to build a theatre? Well he heads over to France to visit his grandkids and build them the best treehouse ever!<br />
This April, Producing Artistic Director, Don Toner, took a well-deserved vacation during the run of <i>Roaring</i> to visit his grandkids in France. My mother and brother went along too. While there, Mike and Dad worked their tails off building an incredible treehouse for the kiddos.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcBWFGZy7H9R3NMGgZH3rL6OGShOPh9SmAS8BsQCSLvpQpM4sTqcpaQ8pQ37ZvnjHJ171HpTl9yaWFM2-edIZKM7ZAc3Htd8RXUsdOJTwpjMG0TP962nfzIzEoIszPkqfULzV9Ou_fCE3/s1600/treehouse10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcBWFGZy7H9R3NMGgZH3rL6OGShOPh9SmAS8BsQCSLvpQpM4sTqcpaQ8pQ37ZvnjHJ171HpTl9yaWFM2-edIZKM7ZAc3Htd8RXUsdOJTwpjMG0TP962nfzIzEoIszPkqfULzV9Ou_fCE3/s1600/treehouse10.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the family posing on the staircase of the treehouse. That's right, it was built 14 feet up around a Sequoia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uTppEo8A9qFRGclJ1GBQZvHuA3kADpPhdLkrtZKiyXPLlREp3WbLXciWPMqKrPcnrXmrajHB2abfhlYYqiUXqtpDlAaalpT5Tlasb2oRYHyClIz0omfkpuTm-15b3wPY2vdVQGHHzYtc/s1600/treehouse3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uTppEo8A9qFRGclJ1GBQZvHuA3kADpPhdLkrtZKiyXPLlREp3WbLXciWPMqKrPcnrXmrajHB2abfhlYYqiUXqtpDlAaalpT5Tlasb2oRYHyClIz0omfkpuTm-15b3wPY2vdVQGHHzYtc/s1600/treehouse3.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It took them some time to select the right tree, then they had to clear a lot of bamboo and prep the tree.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12WRfPvDBdWCfoQwipi8WfcXLlzubLmC_CBu-5eJj7s2ErfPrajHdfA_4CwUQ7Djeb3gzoKM4dxFKQeqt927uHVZt1pU095vfdM_8ad3ZMCe5ZOnWo9QltxgkeaOz93W7Yf3jse7vqF7S/s1600/treehouse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12WRfPvDBdWCfoQwipi8WfcXLlzubLmC_CBu-5eJj7s2ErfPrajHdfA_4CwUQ7Djeb3gzoKM4dxFKQeqt927uHVZt1pU095vfdM_8ad3ZMCe5ZOnWo9QltxgkeaOz93W7Yf3jse7vqF7S/s1600/treehouse2.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then they built the deck. This was slow going as they were using a lot of reclaimed lumber from the property and were working 14 feet in the air. Once the base was stable they built a pulley system to haul up supplies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rGSA-XDKy52pVtlIHlJWsEfOZEwISL4Ie5ed1nrWw9OmnqdroLqqFIx5zR5I06mSwt8a6wJIuIQ7P0Bb6sWt2LgjYOIRsRSDz7WDDI2B4O_LBwXYctQdOKZ8oGpMy8GuYC1Vi_S-8es0/s1600/treehouse15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rGSA-XDKy52pVtlIHlJWsEfOZEwISL4Ie5ed1nrWw9OmnqdroLqqFIx5zR5I06mSwt8a6wJIuIQ7P0Bb6sWt2LgjYOIRsRSDz7WDDI2B4O_LBwXYctQdOKZ8oGpMy8GuYC1Vi_S-8es0/s1600/treehouse15.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JxSM0anTTZn8Q2VXO0-WKp7PeqP1ywM6J9wS9ShYcdGXwqxvKZfavOnzzRsJNXCW72DbLZvy5TCk1PmUUfCFyBGoEmVa9PhVmUcOXVPpHOjawNjMVsfEiLg-XL0LKZbw9agEF1Ft3MSv/s1600/treehouse13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JxSM0anTTZn8Q2VXO0-WKp7PeqP1ywM6J9wS9ShYcdGXwqxvKZfavOnzzRsJNXCW72DbLZvy5TCk1PmUUfCFyBGoEmVa9PhVmUcOXVPpHOjawNjMVsfEiLg-XL0LKZbw9agEF1Ft3MSv/s1600/treehouse13.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdRyLoeNUH68kF9RKaMX5t4u3sVHlX88jECtxyif-cc9ptPF1Sy2Yb2VJFrul4xk4eXXvuwz__XolNAuzpgX1tVt8RXmnkOso6oH5bysZ4R-WwVreluTgdoUSJiXWJgWtE6BfaKEOWo7u/s1600/treehouse14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdRyLoeNUH68kF9RKaMX5t4u3sVHlX88jECtxyif-cc9ptPF1Sy2Yb2VJFrul4xk4eXXvuwz__XolNAuzpgX1tVt8RXmnkOso6oH5bysZ4R-WwVreluTgdoUSJiXWJgWtE6BfaKEOWo7u/s1600/treehouse14.jpg" height="320" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didi the terrier was an excellent supervisor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyrfxLTCjyj6tCo7fhUCRbVJ5-tNjrxjpNH99lPItjMoQZQf8di0k5KJU6dKPCy3Gg592bqq1zXLOV0AmMqBBtImlGxJ_IW5IVtLuLzW0tzzUeT9oB_49mgzPvhgOdngEvWdvPRcpIPn4/s1600/treehouse9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyrfxLTCjyj6tCo7fhUCRbVJ5-tNjrxjpNH99lPItjMoQZQf8di0k5KJU6dKPCy3Gg592bqq1zXLOV0AmMqBBtImlGxJ_IW5IVtLuLzW0tzzUeT9oB_49mgzPvhgOdngEvWdvPRcpIPn4/s1600/treehouse9.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6ALV9uWLQqFjrA_oQJZyeWXgEBZtO_bVYwVOSPD66EaRdRzFAiBKa8DiBqoZAgaDSLZLeTNPOWAjqZ0Uh8iF3ekIogu__ANL0MO0Co2_39xwyighZNDJ3-yBjFZMX_B72ASIFFf9wG1G/s1600/treehouse12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6ALV9uWLQqFjrA_oQJZyeWXgEBZtO_bVYwVOSPD66EaRdRzFAiBKa8DiBqoZAgaDSLZLeTNPOWAjqZ0Uh8iF3ekIogu__ANL0MO0Co2_39xwyighZNDJ3-yBjFZMX_B72ASIFFf9wG1G/s1600/treehouse12.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished tree house has a roof, siding, and shutters that open and close.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2n1ZrHDgvxTk4-HXp1ged5hyphenhyphen6BFij4i5QBMJmAI2UTkr1s5sufQSloPuqhGD9KyLMu6U4otP49m7LzpDs8oEyAztRIUqIiZc8tkwDdERgtWKQWn-P6Op1dyUqByfJqMQ9iXO4Q00fkxlO/s1600/treehouse8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2n1ZrHDgvxTk4-HXp1ged5hyphenhyphen6BFij4i5QBMJmAI2UTkr1s5sufQSloPuqhGD9KyLMu6U4otP49m7LzpDs8oEyAztRIUqIiZc8tkwDdERgtWKQWn-P6Op1dyUqByfJqMQ9iXO4Q00fkxlO/s1600/treehouse8.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the view of the tree from the lawn for a little perspective!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbncE0eQbOL_pry1uW7iU9bLGivQUSer4emnZp6e-O0eKT218NtbS2acwiHC-ZhpfUo2TVjAnh-pt-mLgGfE8JmDAY1JI179zNHp0s-Q7dTI9iFsf4kal9JIP64j2W9GwjrDVtgtQjX-A/s1600/treehouse6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbncE0eQbOL_pry1uW7iU9bLGivQUSer4emnZp6e-O0eKT218NtbS2acwiHC-ZhpfUo2TVjAnh-pt-mLgGfE8JmDAY1JI179zNHp0s-Q7dTI9iFsf4kal9JIP64j2W9GwjrDVtgtQjX-A/s1600/treehouse6.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here's the finished treehouse! Some of the lumber will be stained and the bamboo railing will be replaced with rope. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I missed my family a ton during April, but it was definitely worth it. When dad got home he needed another vacation from all the hard work!<br />
-LaraAustin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-88497371784876016192014-03-27T18:03:00.000-05:002014-03-27T18:03:29.476-05:00Roaring Rehearsal: A Special Treat!<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Last Saturday, our playwright Cyndi Williams' nephew Christopher came and surprised everyone with a special treat. Christopher is a long-time lover and supporter of Austin Playhouse and has been eager to volunteer for us in some way. When he found out that the theatre has a Keurig machine, he very graciously offered to come serve us all coffee before rehearsal. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJiGu-SWJp3Qbca_QFmdrJatqDR7itIrRB3lHDMBOt_DKJudW6GtHzEDIAXsSpf-nMqP7EzH6vdEEihwkg1Vv82V8Rq9kOOgIfa3u8jEGICesJx9d54hLVIUwe0m0U-gWXGod05-rnm6uz/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJiGu-SWJp3Qbca_QFmdrJatqDR7itIrRB3lHDMBOt_DKJudW6GtHzEDIAXsSpf-nMqP7EzH6vdEEihwkg1Vv82V8Rq9kOOgIfa3u8jEGICesJx9d54hLVIUwe0m0U-gWXGod05-rnm6uz/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
Rehearsals are in full swing and director, writer, cast and crew have been working very hard so this was a very special and much appreciated delight! Thank you Christopher!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqsao4SNnqni4-4j_R9b8f1uCGN_23IoqvTc1eTbu2h8gfueAtuxzgosGPBIFB80cYHlkbjk2MTkrqrU3ezpB5aCXs0FneKnu2u8LYtGQtdChhVUMOHLgdblLujJ2RTjzt62KKf07gH8_/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqsao4SNnqni4-4j_R9b8f1uCGN_23IoqvTc1eTbu2h8gfueAtuxzgosGPBIFB80cYHlkbjk2MTkrqrU3ezpB5aCXs0FneKnu2u8LYtGQtdChhVUMOHLgdblLujJ2RTjzt62KKf07gH8_/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-84108363602287832612014-02-19T16:34:00.000-06:002014-02-19T20:58:32.775-06:00Developing a Play: Roaring by Cyndi Williams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSjNlpJlyiEENKnnG7fOU5zzGxqaqzdwApDIUYVvd_PJ9-232Vu6GLsxnwy_aw0Ewwl7UHmFbtOsB5eni1G1cdzqTLTnwC6yYE1AiJo6eUbS6cxSRKnQAJhM0X063WmTYUeK_8YnawwV0/s1600/flapper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSjNlpJlyiEENKnnG7fOU5zzGxqaqzdwApDIUYVvd_PJ9-232Vu6GLsxnwy_aw0Ewwl7UHmFbtOsB5eni1G1cdzqTLTnwC6yYE1AiJo6eUbS6cxSRKnQAJhM0X063WmTYUeK_8YnawwV0/s1600/flapper.jpg" height="320" width="219" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
What do I really want to write about? I asked myself, about three years ago. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Make a list, I decided, of things I can't stop thinking about.<br />
<br />
A few things on the list seemed to fit together:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
* A romance with older people</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
* Seeing the ghost of a living person</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
* Living in a society under the ground</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
* The way we make assumptions about people at different stages of life, especially the way young people sometimes tend to infantilize and patronize older people</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
* Coming of age in different decades</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Doing research on the idea of ghosts of living people, I came across a possible scientific explanation: the double-slit light experiment. Only half-way understanding the science, it lit a fire under me. SCIENCE and the SPIRITUAL! And I was off!<br />
<br />
About 30 pages in, my brilliant idea began to feel awkward. So I did what I have done many times: put the pages into the hands of trusted dramaturg and friend, Lara Toner.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
As a young actress, Lara appeared in several of my plays, including <i>Cowpeople</i>, <i>A Name for a Ghost to Mutter</i>, and <i>Fish</i>. Then Lara decided to add awesome director to her resume. She directed an excellent production of my play <i>Dug Up</i> for Austin Playhouse's Larry L. King stage a few years ago. She would tell me if these awkward pages held any promise.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxOl6FZ_5FoPX_Jy8O8-ol5zNQkSCKAQhHxJ2VU1tj9bZfEZcDE2cs86wYGWWzjnNcOEa9A-JS2y4jhLSa8K5_OHFcAz3No47HHRzvd1uYoMn8CQvIG27YJZDFSW5haAlC97DAgD_kgll/s1600/firefighters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxOl6FZ_5FoPX_Jy8O8-ol5zNQkSCKAQhHxJ2VU1tj9bZfEZcDE2cs86wYGWWzjnNcOEa9A-JS2y4jhLSa8K5_OHFcAz3No47HHRzvd1uYoMn8CQvIG27YJZDFSW5haAlC97DAgD_kgll/s1600/firefighters.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female firefighters at Pearl Harbor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Her response was that I should finish the play so Austin Playhouse could produce it.<br />
<br />
When the first draft of Act One was completed, we gathered actors for a reading of it, and everyone got excited.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I completed the first draft of the script. We had a reading, and everyone was disappointed.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Armed with many notes, I killed my darlings, cutting three characters out of the script. Continued to research the double-slit light experiment till I 4/5th's understood it. Developed an odd theory about the color blue. Revised, rewrote, and wondered if I was smart enough to write a play about science and spirit. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
We had another reading, and everyone was relieved.<br />
<br />
More rewrites. Another reading. This time... there weren't so many notes. Everyone was excited again.<br />
<br />
Now the rewrites are less a re-imagining a story, and more fine-tuning what we have. I'm looking at each character's journey through the story, one by one. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
This is the process that we've used to develop <i>Roaring</i>.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I think of this play as a Valentine to all the people who have brought us to where we are, and as a toast to hope for our future. -Cyndi<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxFaKOC-O316RkJpTYOb2fPqu350hJr3GXZXtOfh5qhdZbSLXg3sXjpjgvmL0Aw4f7FL8-umTRnHUzvDDs1_0gOgzyEoK6ibmw3brPJXf42MR2DnExV2-sOdzPLeKhkZvwGUniGruIV3I/s1600/rita+levi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxFaKOC-O316RkJpTYOb2fPqu350hJr3GXZXtOfh5qhdZbSLXg3sXjpjgvmL0Aw4f7FL8-umTRnHUzvDDs1_0gOgzyEoK6ibmw3brPJXf42MR2DnExV2-sOdzPLeKhkZvwGUniGruIV3I/s1600/rita+levi.jpg" height="320" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Prize Winner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-77857347526964737622013-10-04T12:54:00.000-05:002013-10-04T12:54:33.758-05:00Behind the Scenes: Properties Design for Man of La Mancha<h4>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Helmets and Horseheads</span></h4>
Gathering properties for a production often involves lots and lots of thrift store shopping. With <em>Man of La Mancha</em> it's hard to find horse heads, golden helmets, and broken lances in a thrift store, so almost everything that appears onstage had to be built. We built shields, rakes, lances, gauntlets, and much, much more. <br />
<br />
I spent several evenings working on The Golden Helmet of Mambrino and the horse and donkey heads. The helmet is cardboard and papier mache with lots and lots of acrylic paint. The acrylic paint creates a flexible plastic shell. The hat got severely dented during a fight on stage and popped right back into place at intermission! <br />
-<em>Lara Toner</em><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uK2g4ROwc0QmTz3WPnKbUv_svCijGvuxjWreEHF-lvxcsJBLNjb6j6oRjsKdDBKbM4gqccXT1zod_1Tn28aLwgPM2LrHB5YVqE-Cia_49N7X-ia5q0aQL0JqPtXPLv58BVVoRJ-qYJXB/s1600/IMG_3228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uK2g4ROwc0QmTz3WPnKbUv_svCijGvuxjWreEHF-lvxcsJBLNjb6j6oRjsKdDBKbM4gqccXT1zod_1Tn28aLwgPM2LrHB5YVqE-Cia_49N7X-ia5q0aQL0JqPtXPLv58BVVoRJ-qYJXB/s320/IMG_3228.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balloon inflated to the size of Rick Roemer's head? Check. Cardboard circle with wedge removed to create a "shaving basin"? Check.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktl4s_TdwlmoXtC5UVz2NeL4_ZO_AHgeKLUuXRxf0B0DIXN_svcysbLrFoSsGskxmSNHBB2gjD23mUvEQrZWkLaLi8DN4v649keoJ0Ox-AuAPRc5mWopAJ_UReT3Jxox3WzntJlGYF4wK/s1600/IMG_3229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktl4s_TdwlmoXtC5UVz2NeL4_ZO_AHgeKLUuXRxf0B0DIXN_svcysbLrFoSsGskxmSNHBB2gjD23mUvEQrZWkLaLi8DN4v649keoJ0Ox-AuAPRc5mWopAJ_UReT3Jxox3WzntJlGYF4wK/s320/IMG_3229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbISGtLQD0YtxNTGXFl_Kt_ydHZ733Z75WVErR1JVgtdd5T6T0Hp_Ka8p0YPeEqtUouNIYy-dxOV9INK9TDJ5hAhSBRYPmO98bfo6Bufk2YbUj5WXzG2Hthzb0nlIDlL6J_Oinw6S5oPVB/s1600/IMG_3232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbISGtLQD0YtxNTGXFl_Kt_ydHZ733Z75WVErR1JVgtdd5T6T0Hp_Ka8p0YPeEqtUouNIYy-dxOV9INK9TDJ5hAhSBRYPmO98bfo6Bufk2YbUj5WXzG2Hthzb0nlIDlL6J_Oinw6S5oPVB/s320/IMG_3232.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papier mache!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4CWB0VCtbuqzP1vjVrhuHUO19MzHNsTgqyYNBdYS5VqNwGexxT1J0Pj55htgJ6CrQoSKJEJbnfO2YoLqlosg-Ahn_IFn6CyYdX6sQEOKVhyY84y2uEQFfFY_43Dw_NK27ZPoQNVU1ttW/s1600/IMG_3292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4CWB0VCtbuqzP1vjVrhuHUO19MzHNsTgqyYNBdYS5VqNwGexxT1J0Pj55htgJ6CrQoSKJEJbnfO2YoLqlosg-Ahn_IFn6CyYdX6sQEOKVhyY84y2uEQFfFY_43Dw_NK27ZPoQNVU1ttW/s320/IMG_3292.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 3 coats of newspaper the balloon is removed. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbQ0F9pr5l2qthE9r-PExrpohWxaA6qCj4ttu_nzq3C_NVLFxam1QpL28jxZv_1RSzMdKYClshxsJiIE9rHyTsdFe3D-aMvDCpPfnTiRf-AgJx4GDaESx-4oyVjqsFo7-D07Idx0S6HYG/s1600/IMG_3300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbQ0F9pr5l2qthE9r-PExrpohWxaA6qCj4ttu_nzq3C_NVLFxam1QpL28jxZv_1RSzMdKYClshxsJiIE9rHyTsdFe3D-aMvDCpPfnTiRf-AgJx4GDaESx-4oyVjqsFo7-D07Idx0S6HYG/s320/IMG_3300.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The helmet is base coated in gold acrylic paint, then sponged with several different metallic shades to create depth.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-X77lAzo2vZWQrg9yZ7LcQmNyyQlTRmcle03xfiT8klCp2coOoaXM1JU5c86AXKVJ36yQKW94iHtLxP4psHxhzZe1XCcBqoql1C8sOD2u75cnPkBD3NZJ-nBh1MQ5nauwXFT1m64HfZ5/s1600/IMG_3314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-X77lAzo2vZWQrg9yZ7LcQmNyyQlTRmcle03xfiT8klCp2coOoaXM1JU5c86AXKVJ36yQKW94iHtLxP4psHxhzZe1XCcBqoql1C8sOD2u75cnPkBD3NZJ-nBh1MQ5nauwXFT1m64HfZ5/s320/IMG_3314.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost done! The hat needed drying time between each coat of papier mache and paint. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRN0ufv8h8GktupdsGYU3NjBtyvEStuZ7Lqc2Vty62YiKW0GMPcKuqH6fUHtaC5_OuYOoljAZh4vu8sHyPRHWlSmjj1_ufHKOZ9oMF1Bx5ce3oedLD4ezKaP8QatsLH4_HvQzK5aR3NEH/s1600/fb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRN0ufv8h8GktupdsGYU3NjBtyvEStuZ7Lqc2Vty62YiKW0GMPcKuqH6fUHtaC5_OuYOoljAZh4vu8sHyPRHWlSmjj1_ufHKOZ9oMF1Bx5ce3oedLD4ezKaP8QatsLH4_HvQzK5aR3NEH/s320/fb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rick Roemer as Don Quixote de la Mancha.<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The horse and donkey heads started out as felt hats, a wire frame from a large bell ornament, and baskets. They were covered with hand-sewn burlap and fabric. The ears are a floral mesh with hand-sewn moss.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjit9yS2KLRBTS1hF2cXCqz2ndFOJN1OZQCGry5rXOPpW4PyC_nzsLuCEu1xonq2BgbDM4LX1P9JbLQBBCa_8WDIVvxWd8lv5G1e6kpoqI1STqphBbA8kW5oOVJuXCbvnvvCtQVECEJYe/s1600/IMG_3327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjit9yS2KLRBTS1hF2cXCqz2ndFOJN1OZQCGry5rXOPpW4PyC_nzsLuCEu1xonq2BgbDM4LX1P9JbLQBBCa_8WDIVvxWd8lv5G1e6kpoqI1STqphBbA8kW5oOVJuXCbvnvvCtQVECEJYe/s320/IMG_3327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bases of the donkey and horse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXLwnb1WhOz2FZKHTGEEnaMy6wEG9MeQXaoXH7fNHmT_J7PWrmqsIt81m93T5KRbKNhUvtKwvoovW_I_j8WVW98aXN892iAfGwB4LovuhaheE5opHp59V9dhi8TV1CRbvJhHrHOpZM1Qz/s1600/IMG_3328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXLwnb1WhOz2FZKHTGEEnaMy6wEG9MeQXaoXH7fNHmT_J7PWrmqsIt81m93T5KRbKNhUvtKwvoovW_I_j8WVW98aXN892iAfGwB4LovuhaheE5opHp59V9dhi8TV1CRbvJhHrHOpZM1Qz/s320/IMG_3328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Base coating of fabric and ear frames.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_EkW-ytQb3AQo_7at9viHZ7-ACsWILm3s_rN0ernB33hl5aW4ESqgMD6z5y1nokUetHgVmd3CBGeeL4WkuC3QSMujwMEvs9bHkFFr9RROqNzxz7ExnaQbZwgcvyt-THHHFPV-tIIWvmd/s1600/lamancha2-0636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_EkW-ytQb3AQo_7at9viHZ7-ACsWILm3s_rN0ernB33hl5aW4ESqgMD6z5y1nokUetHgVmd3CBGeeL4WkuC3QSMujwMEvs9bHkFFr9RROqNzxz7ExnaQbZwgcvyt-THHHFPV-tIIWvmd/s320/lamancha2-0636.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First dress rehearsal. They still need moss, manes, eyes, and lots of burlap fringe to hide the human heads.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimX4zYokrMU1UftqKRt1mn3m5UYdYLPy_pM_MZEHwnBOM16GY63Pl718k5N5bA2jFVfMfVpEOplMNs3gKJC3GKlmYmws1Omsz8Ey5PsJyLByEsfsiCqxVD1J7-d6Z8kUr7-R6qa2YZJ-jO/s1600/IMG_3360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimX4zYokrMU1UftqKRt1mn3m5UYdYLPy_pM_MZEHwnBOM16GY63Pl718k5N5bA2jFVfMfVpEOplMNs3gKJC3GKlmYmws1Omsz8Ey5PsJyLByEsfsiCqxVD1J7-d6Z8kUr7-R6qa2YZJ-jO/s320/IMG_3360.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished donkey head hanging backstage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrd1DHnYyL4UdX4xyuHf9pZWKNked_g4-tTI1jyCOpMZh8nD6JXC870MSg7v15jOloxFHDNLCih4wtdqvCJmRt3uUU8G-y_fOeaOUWJENZgoV3iKXNrJVjcqX8d0NjOHrtc9U-NPQwf-n2/s1600/IMG_3361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrd1DHnYyL4UdX4xyuHf9pZWKNked_g4-tTI1jyCOpMZh8nD6JXC870MSg7v15jOloxFHDNLCih4wtdqvCJmRt3uUU8G-y_fOeaOUWJENZgoV3iKXNrJVjcqX8d0NjOHrtc9U-NPQwf-n2/s320/IMG_3361.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished horse head. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-53670208645562882702013-04-09T17:50:00.001-05:002013-04-09T17:50:15.450-05:00Noises Off Loads In!Out with Lady Windermere's Fan, in with Noises Off!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGN3j2r9KU8hOcSv1pOazcEY3PHiKq7tQPCaq2NDI5muNj5ZJldy9XsJVrncsPoxofYT9u_RJyK5ei9PxBx3oeVH8d6QMw6x_zIlfQcR3mvq8MPbb6u86iqL0Fh-Hp5MTCMri4gc-W8VI/s1600/IMG_3080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGN3j2r9KU8hOcSv1pOazcEY3PHiKq7tQPCaq2NDI5muNj5ZJldy9XsJVrncsPoxofYT9u_RJyK5ei9PxBx3oeVH8d6QMw6x_zIlfQcR3mvq8MPbb6u86iqL0Fh-Hp5MTCMri4gc-W8VI/s320/IMG_3080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
On Sunday we had the last performance of Lady Windermere's Fan! Monday morning we got busy on....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1HI4NdCd_G4ECCX3MB61bBVZiEnfavqGcfvzQQPonvlVI51pGxEttfKdNM1lre6N-GNwJjW2mJngNg4rKUwe7goK8UotbwLrwWpGh6GdwWKtbmzmLA6WazG3E1KkmcGL8rlYr6BHXz8_/s1600/IMG_3071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1HI4NdCd_G4ECCX3MB61bBVZiEnfavqGcfvzQQPonvlVI51pGxEttfKdNM1lre6N-GNwJjW2mJngNg4rKUwe7goK8UotbwLrwWpGh6GdwWKtbmzmLA6WazG3E1KkmcGL8rlYr6BHXz8_/s320/IMG_3071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Noises Off! We've been wanting to do Michael Frayn's hilarious backstage farce for ages. We just had to get into a place with high enough ceilings to deal with the massive set! Speaking of ceilings....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingFDA1ZJFLnXNG_BhFrTyaCREaeT5O1GI6GRDZAlzmLIrVGxMrnnBC09qle_J1RVeAVXMFqCKt0juMVhZLHNIJOVknNe9LMRWGyJo7zlpGuv_-mz8e_esQOXv4VWjbdgyqnThM21Ib5ZD/s1600/IMG_3083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingFDA1ZJFLnXNG_BhFrTyaCREaeT5O1GI6GRDZAlzmLIrVGxMrnnBC09qle_J1RVeAVXMFqCKt0juMVhZLHNIJOVknNe9LMRWGyJo7zlpGuv_-mz8e_esQOXv4VWjbdgyqnThM21Ib5ZD/s320/IMG_3083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Ours got a dark blue makeover so it will disappear during performances! Don and Mike and Patrick have been busy for the past two days loading in lumber.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoUnt5yLVXHQXmXuTUjGvoZYSfmdxkY0P543gKo0vDC9Wm-gi7zjlC-rIt-yIUOvCXVtO3WwS_MqDDyOxeAE-bWkLG5SxU8S2VJe4Ne6hsGcaOhUfdzFl4XcJvPdUpB8M8wVdruYSPStU/s1600/IMG_3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoUnt5yLVXHQXmXuTUjGvoZYSfmdxkY0P543gKo0vDC9Wm-gi7zjlC-rIt-yIUOvCXVtO3WwS_MqDDyOxeAE-bWkLG5SxU8S2VJe4Ne6hsGcaOhUfdzFl4XcJvPdUpB8M8wVdruYSPStU/s320/IMG_3081.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
So much lumber. And making platforms and walls and stairs and did I mention the whole thing turns around?! Our lovely spinning fan pieces were a piece of cake next to this set!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdD_FQTYqnY8Un6mZl_PWKA9Hpyke0mCZHhQuHxqJR3v1OtIjgYO5g8iQp8RN16C4SdWvY-SHDMQAHGJKBQyiieUxOSBYWFRJ7nHLVQ1tlZTJ8bgRQiTE25bO7Yui4y5Ix6zUDYteNek-/s1600/IMG_3084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdD_FQTYqnY8Un6mZl_PWKA9Hpyke0mCZHhQuHxqJR3v1OtIjgYO5g8iQp8RN16C4SdWvY-SHDMQAHGJKBQyiieUxOSBYWFRJ7nHLVQ1tlZTJ8bgRQiTE25bO7Yui4y5Ix6zUDYteNek-/s320/IMG_3084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes action as it all comes together...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mbuoGpb7g0NK8j0aBLbmzE1QIqiEybe2hCcPhm1VG4esUHKqoz1byHtSxVVSyitEichPLs4Ghe0Dd-s80zhkXCLFUVy7vzwHLtAqJWUEzFMoBwiv4VCEujnsXzJ7IGczb-TxZmyLaaKW/s1600/IMG_3072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mbuoGpb7g0NK8j0aBLbmzE1QIqiEybe2hCcPhm1VG4esUHKqoz1byHtSxVVSyitEichPLs4Ghe0Dd-s80zhkXCLFUVy7vzwHLtAqJWUEzFMoBwiv4VCEujnsXzJ7IGczb-TxZmyLaaKW/s320/IMG_3072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's a first day of rehearsal peek at the actors enjoying their last down time before the craziness begins!<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-45266169176796425392013-01-25T15:14:00.000-06:002013-01-25T15:14:08.358-06:00Other Desert Cities: Behind the Scenes with Bernadette Nason<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Other Desert Cities</i>
is making its Texas debut at Austin Playhouse after successful
off-Broadway and Broadway runs. We've interviewed the cast to give our
audience a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating the family
of <i>Other Desert Cities</i>. We'll be posting new interview excerpts on a regular basis, so check back soon! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Bernadette N<span style="font-size: small;">ason play<span style="font-size: small;">s Silda Grauman<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;">a recovering a<span style="font-size: small;">lcoholic who <span style="font-size: small;">co-wrote<span style="font-size: small;"> screenplays with her sister Polly (Babs George) in the 1960's. <span style="font-size: small;">Bernade<span style="font-size: small;">tte <span style="font-size: small;">has appeared in many Austin Playhouse productions including <i>B</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>oeing-Boeing, The Importance of Being Earnest</i>, and <i>Steel Mag</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>nolias</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tBWHraWX5lSTAN-hgxQAK9FAeaBTT7qmIXnPOo6aEfSCuYntbm0VndVyRxAQvdAFsN9DYBX57P4W4iiASJ7BdzIax_UCVKOXuLFAPpzoeGdOkxAE7s2PQ7HRHxAP2WKGbHvyb9oCkFTn/s1600/ODC-7817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tBWHraWX5lSTAN-hgxQAK9FAeaBTT7qmIXnPOo6aEfSCuYntbm0VndVyRxAQvdAFsN9DYBX57P4W4iiASJ7BdzIax_UCVKOXuLFAPpzoeGdOkxAE7s2PQ7HRHxAP2WKGbHvyb9oCkFTn/s320/ODC-7817.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What</span></b></span><b><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> was your first
impression of the play?
How has that changed
during rehearsal?</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">It was a
cold, cold day in
England when I first investigated
the play; from
what I could tell, it was
smart and funny with great dramatic
moments. This was
supported when I
read it on my
return; it was an easy,
"un-put-down-able"
read! </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Even
after only one or
two rehearsals, it
became clear how
rich a piece it is,
both in language and
ideas. Every
character is fully
fleshed
out yet with
room for actors
to build their
own
interpretation,
develop their
own sense of who
they're portraying. And
yet, the
more I read,
work on and
perform the
play,
the more I see
every
character's
POV,
not only Silda's.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">Most
of the actors have worked together
before. How does
knowing
your fellow
performers affect
the rehearsal
process?</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span>
</div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">
</span>
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've worked with the whole cast before, individually.
It's been really helpful having an idea of my colleagues'
process -- it makes it easier to give them space to "do their
thing" while I work on my own. There's an gentle, easy
camaraderie which is really important to me in any rehearsal
set-up. If one can feel comfortable with one's fellows, it
makes it less scary when one feels unsure or vulnerable. And
God knows, this is a play in which vulnerability figures
strongly, both for actors and characters.</span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">What
resear</span><span style="color: #990000;">ch have you done</span><span style="color: #990000;"> for you</span><span style="color: #990000;">r part?</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Apart from the obvious web searches on the play, playwright, other
productions, reviews, etc. I read up about the Vietnam war (as a Brit, I don't know much)</span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">;
also about how recovering alcoholics cope with life, i.e. their daily struggles. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1KwkVwignDB5aSl7lIgjBLw2GHO0roVELWIA4Vx0Ej6hFn4i0qBpn4THXTekCRd2RNDG0nFrUdg0salB-B1gK5HZCdD61wa7aQGHjmBTpUnxnp07R7jgV_1h7thORBZ37VlUKJ28n0wS/s1600/ODC-7627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1KwkVwignDB5aSl7lIgjBLw2GHO0roVELWIA4Vx0Ej6hFn4i0qBpn4THXTekCRd2RNDG0nFrUdg0salB-B1gK5HZCdD61wa7aQGHjmBTpUnxnp07R7jgV_1h7thORBZ37VlUKJ28n0wS/s400/ODC-7627.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vDon462exCwesPVfyuoI4VUBQW4Rhcl5DgPN1tzpJyjOby7jok5Nv2KJVca4q7Roo_rrQZmCwgR5JUsNsizs1oAsTP_CvWVo90SPMUZHgiIW2z_dCFiZZxCXSZW69ol7sWogFdCzyihB/s1600/ODC-7878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vDon462exCwesPVfyuoI4VUBQW4Rhcl5DgPN1tzpJyjOby7jok5Nv2KJVca4q7Roo_rrQZmCwgR5JUsNsizs1oAsTP_CvWVo90SPMUZHgiIW2z_dCFiZZxCXSZW69ol7sWogFdCzyihB/s320/ODC-7878.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;">What do you find the most challenging
about this play (or your performance)?</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Ha ha! Trying to balance Silda's (a)
wacky personality, (a) her
loud, lower-register voice, (c) her California/Texan/Jewish
dialect, and (d) what she actually has to say! Also, balancing a
sense of Silda's brittle vulnerability with her brash presentation. Also balancing her general couldn't-care-less, seen-it-all attitude
with a deep,
sincere passion for both
liberal politics/her family.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;">Are you</span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;"> doing anything
in th</span></b></span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>is play you haven't done before?</b></span><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;">
See above!</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">Are there parts of your
character based on anything from your real
life?</span></span></b></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">
As a storyteller, I always have to be careful
about whose story I'm actually telling. If
it's my story, I should in theory feel safe sharing my interpretation of
it. If it's someone else's,
obviously I must
get permission both
to tell the story and to tell my version of it.
The problem is, one's own
story often overlaps
with someone else's and this can
cause serious problems
when it comes to permission. In
this play, I identify
more with Brooke
than I do with
Silda but all the same, I
can see where Silda gets her
sense of righteousness -- she may
not have all the facts and she may
not remember a story correctly but
she feels nonetheless that the story needs to
be told.
In my real life,
I often confront
the
subject of
permission. I have
told stories
with sensitive
family issues,
thinking that I've
successfully
excluded anything
other than the
most basic facts
and my
own feelings, then
had family members
question my right to
share any of the
facts at
all.
"They can't
imagine a world in
which you have the
right to speak of
it...critically,"
as Silda would say. </span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;">What has
been the easiest part of this process?</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">
Oh, working with people I really respect. And less significantly, the easy drive from my home to Highland Mall.</span>Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-63414416478610811572013-01-23T13:57:00.000-06:002013-01-23T13:57:02.665-06:00Other Desert Cities: Behind the Scenes with Rick Roemer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Other Desert Cities</i> is making its Texas debut at Austin Playhouse after successful off-Broadway and Broadway runs. We've interviewed the cast to give our audience a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating the family of <i>Other Desert Cities</i>. We'll be posting new interview excerpts on a regular basis, so check back soon! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">First up is <b>Rick Roemer</b> who plays Lyman Wyeth, the patriarch of the family. Lyman was a successful Hollywood actor who became a star of the GOP. </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rick has appeared with Austin Playhouse in roles as varied as Lady Bracknell in <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i> and Littlechap in <i>Stop the World, I Want to Get Off</i>. But in <i>Other Desert Cities</i> he's doing something he's never done on stage before...</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm0q2sf4q4pUw54EZ1kQRGYgN7JO-4wTE4WWFc2EDgEv0TQxTaCO6vIkAi0uDrLrcpD7DpWmaLjCZmO2v104sci4HrEtl6MMwaqoHyiixxIyBa49M30npR3Wa3QJTZiUjGqM9p-AgReYR/s1600/ODC-7602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm0q2sf4q4pUw54EZ1kQRGYgN7JO-4wTE4WWFc2EDgEv0TQxTaCO6vIkAi0uDrLrcpD7DpWmaLjCZmO2v104sci4HrEtl6MMwaqoHyiixxIyBa49M30npR3Wa3QJTZiUjGqM9p-AgReYR/s320/ODC-7602.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Most of the actors have worked together before. How does knowing your fellow performers affect the rehearsal process?</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Actually...the only actor I've worked with is Bernadette. We've done 5 or 6 shows together. Jacob did one week of Jacques Brel. I've never worked with Babs or Lara...although I know everybody well. But still...there is a level of trust that is inherent. It's easier to get to where we need to get to....because we all trust each other. And will give to each other on stage. We allow each other to make mistakes...without judging. That is very important to actors...so we have the freedom to fully explore. Also...we already all like each other, which is important to create the ensemble.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What was your first impression of the play? Did it change during rehearsal?</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="right: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="tab"><span class="tab"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I know this world. I know these people. My parents were prominent Republicans in the Coachella Valley and lived in Indian Wells Country Club for 28 years. Their friends used to make very disparaging remaks about gay people...and my parents used to hold their tongues. Not because they were embarrassed by me...but didn't want to get "into it." But before my father passed away, they both began standing up for me...and gay people..in their conservative Republican circles.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">
<div style="right: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="right: auto;">
<span class="tab"><span class="tab"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">During rehearsals I realized that Polly (Lyman's wife) just doesn't listen to Lyman. He can say..."I don't want confrontation" (with their daughter)...and immediately Polly's next line is a confrontational line. Polly wears the "pants" in the family in many ways. Lyman tends to back down. That escaped me on first reading...because he seems so patriarchal.</span></span></span></div>
</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><div style="right: auto;">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; right: auto; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79EFwbPx71qULzNF1cNTAmh_IomGpefTAy8jTaAU8YhRp1zsXgM6J5HO63LMLAditQ4gDotOoGPbwlHYoShbY0Fh0E97uBSD608Gqsy77Ca-obODlvVe_6wu8buLDr9dKjVNKlmxS9wDB/s1600/ODC-7726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79EFwbPx71qULzNF1cNTAmh_IomGpefTAy8jTaAU8YhRp1zsXgM6J5HO63LMLAditQ4gDotOoGPbwlHYoShbY0Fh0E97uBSD608Gqsy77Ca-obODlvVe_6wu8buLDr9dKjVNKlmxS9wDB/s200/ODC-7726.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How have your feelings about your character changed?</span></b></span></div>
</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><div style="right: auto;">
<span class="tab"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Lyman can be seen as stoic and diplomatic and reserved. And it is a part of him. But he also has a soft side, especially when it comes to his children. And more specifically his daughter.</span></span></div>
<div style="right: auto;">
<span class="tab"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I think most people would look at Lyman and assume he runs his family...and in part he does. But his wife is the out-spoken, opinionated one who, at parties, takes the lead to make sure that <span class="tab"> </span>the impression of their family is the "correct" one. Image is everything. Polly tends to tell Lyman how to behave and what to say. Lyman tries...but Polly doesn't really listen to him.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZVbvoUoqIJESna8ETApiNmD2JeF1ahhjEclbcj_eXSeoRCE4CKf1i55bpMFCSO3Bzyx4U2gVHXRMJGlayH-xRU0tfdiT8XdmUtotq7l0Eqt6WGhQmOC6CGFljRnx3xLZW4ShEcnzT804/s1600/ODC-7865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZVbvoUoqIJESna8ETApiNmD2JeF1ahhjEclbcj_eXSeoRCE4CKf1i55bpMFCSO3Bzyx4U2gVHXRMJGlayH-xRU0tfdiT8XdmUtotq7l0Eqt6WGhQmOC6CGFljRnx3xLZW4ShEcnzT804/s320/ODC-7865.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="right: auto;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What research have you done for your part?</span></b></span></div>
</span><div style="right: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><div style="right: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Well...thinking (reliving) all of my visits to my parents in the desert...especially Christmas...and remembering their friends. I've been in this world many many times, so much of my research is my memory</span></div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; right: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; right: auto;">
<br />
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">What has been the easiest part of this process?</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Whew...it
hasn't been easy trying to learn this man in a very short period of
time. The easy part has been the fact that I'm working with
friends..and I have the freedom to explore...and make wrong choices.
That is liberating. This is the 5th or 6th project I've done with Don
Toner as director...and that makes it easier, He knows me and my and
work...and I trust his eye and vision.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Are you</b><b> doing anything in th</b></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is play you haven't done before?</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />Yes...playing the father!! It's finally happened. I'm now playing the fathers. That's new to me...and it takes some getting used to!</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; right: auto;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; right: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>We'll have more with Rick and the rest of the cast soon, so check back for more behind-the-scenes interviews with the artistic team of <i>O</i>t<i>her Desert Cities</i>!</b></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="right: auto;">
</div>
</span><div style="right: auto;">
</div>
<div style="right: auto;">
</div>
<div style="right: auto;">
</div>
<div style="right: auto;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="right: auto;">
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; right: auto;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; right: auto;">
</div>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; right: auto;">
</div>
</div>
</span><div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; right: auto;">
</div>
</div>
</span><div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; right: auto;">
</div>
</div>
</span><div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; right: auto;">
</div>
</div>
</span><div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; right: auto;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; right: auto;">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; right: auto;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; right: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: black; right: auto;"><span style="color: black; right: auto;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; right: auto;">
<span style="color: black; right: auto;"><span style="color: black; right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; right: auto;"><span style="color: black; right: auto;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-38241307198783476112012-11-24T16:19:00.000-06:002012-11-24T16:19:15.258-06:00First Work Day in the New Space!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today was our first huge work day and we got a lot done! The theatre is really taking shape and everyone is very excited about our new location. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(Especially the people who found the giant candy store just upstairs...)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgok6Zmil2Ok3-f76HkCHRcDE27RgmVqBw4git6n5EwxJ-FYLpW6bBHGRFXS4nAd33-ZShsK9DONye5_OjLCymPVwlgY-I2V2Y4uO0PyaETIXLoqKZbR1s_W7z5rscqu2dWAq2oO2MFO2l8/s1600/IMG_3013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgok6Zmil2Ok3-f76HkCHRcDE27RgmVqBw4git6n5EwxJ-FYLpW6bBHGRFXS4nAd33-ZShsK9DONye5_OjLCymPVwlgY-I2V2Y4uO0PyaETIXLoqKZbR1s_W7z5rscqu2dWAq2oO2MFO2l8/s400/IMG_3013.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our window display announcing our arrival!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbstZxZqmBKhjuY5pO6lK1kaXeQ0PmYfWUumIZOJV_01jZeK6TcLS6qpJesDhc_agLJRF252q5cPVy7BR3MR_7mfPHArx7161lZrrFeqZhmG5InlBnLHRlMw26ry8KJKVJTndkf_kIwotE/s1600/IMG_3014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbstZxZqmBKhjuY5pO6lK1kaXeQ0PmYfWUumIZOJV_01jZeK6TcLS6qpJesDhc_agLJRF252q5cPVy7BR3MR_7mfPHArx7161lZrrFeqZhmG5InlBnLHRlMw26ry8KJKVJTndkf_kIwotE/s400/IMG_3014.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We built another wall at the front entrance to enclose the space. We'll install double doors leading into the lobby.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglC754NKdT69A74U7hTC6p5O65_C-vJgoiAq7ebjYPagMp1Vr6P2LhBVWCQ8xd6qu_yOLKhhLP9i9GiyRQjgUk5KNWe06vzLFuSemkJZgerj35id_aI2A5qdgxdpk9dCx99ud3hJfNDVto/s1600/IMG_2997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglC754NKdT69A74U7hTC6p5O65_C-vJgoiAq7ebjYPagMp1Vr6P2LhBVWCQ8xd6qu_yOLKhhLP9i9GiyRQjgUk5KNWe06vzLFuSemkJZgerj35id_aI2A5qdgxdpk9dCx99ud3hJfNDVto/s400/IMG_2997.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don testing the masonite layer on our new stage floor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ46maYWKHRCtV-Zmj6K4BBEKJCDbYdrcpxxLIT5s-0habjIFJcu3gJg0Z2NBSTW9BB1kPMbioE2hTl8ICbu3rSVoX7RSZdtqIVlFGx_G5UcurprBKISMzaDefBx5YY8Fbi5aePtznJZh/s1600/IMG_2995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ46maYWKHRCtV-Zmj6K4BBEKJCDbYdrcpxxLIT5s-0habjIFJcu3gJg0Z2NBSTW9BB1kPMbioE2hTl8ICbu3rSVoX7RSZdtqIVlFGx_G5UcurprBKISMzaDefBx5YY8Fbi5aePtznJZh/s400/IMG_2995.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stage is 16" high, 37' wide and 19' 6" long. It's a little bigger than our tent stage and a lot bigger than our Penn Field stage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFs1SXsAgQgv-WUh534No6LHmse3gp1sU3eB5_p4OaBJeEJOm6Rox6-yzIKUznH3oB-Nd9I3DItIoFUfalCQjFyq25UlJj2fM-c8z28IUW_rQaOhVmf_aeBJCwXR2nk-Y5OKiYtyzi-dY_/s1600/IMG_3019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFs1SXsAgQgv-WUh534No6LHmse3gp1sU3eB5_p4OaBJeEJOm6Rox6-yzIKUznH3oB-Nd9I3DItIoFUfalCQjFyq25UlJj2fM-c8z28IUW_rQaOhVmf_aeBJCwXR2nk-Y5OKiYtyzi-dY_/s400/IMG_3019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The risers for the back two rows were installed today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhCSpubPptIVmpiGTVnLNZRiU5dzazJgHth4l0O7yCOPeO_bwsMR8oXfadDXxBGyi-w-2WUDzWkHBnc02w6hm4ob26xQyfH9A8foQA5LS7Rq-AS9ToyA8I28nQjPYlsLsRiqpwXiMnd6g/s1600/IMG_3020.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhCSpubPptIVmpiGTVnLNZRiU5dzazJgHth4l0O7yCOPeO_bwsMR8oXfadDXxBGyi-w-2WUDzWkHBnc02w6hm4ob26xQyfH9A8foQA5LS7Rq-AS9ToyA8I28nQjPYlsLsRiqpwXiMnd6g/s400/IMG_3020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAxGKpEby9-zx6P_x9BtgtmmykKGAihShJTzOmbXarzxivhwLfSfTM7YZbZ0VyRNOnKjnnKIzugxqBjmqrOmLAwI1JOF6dbLncWFl9wk2iaUvCrUHSxwkY1uAcmQx2c6mh_tiPFrJqLMF/s1600/IMG_3021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAxGKpEby9-zx6P_x9BtgtmmykKGAihShJTzOmbXarzxivhwLfSfTM7YZbZ0VyRNOnKjnnKIzugxqBjmqrOmLAwI1JOF6dbLncWFl9wk2iaUvCrUHSxwkY1uAcmQx2c6mh_tiPFrJqLMF/s400/IMG_3021.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly testing the structural integrity of the risers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vPX6F_8p8aphh4x4ElVMXUuvis04y6xhBc9_IB_3ce-jkxfVahlr79CPNrFQ9Hx2_OFihN0h2O-mqSCX1eCYeIZemD7DbGnHiuABcysDTdqNBk4-Oc-UqOlcYaLlEpSFVlUA8FyG5ekG/s1600/IMG_3004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vPX6F_8p8aphh4x4ElVMXUuvis04y6xhBc9_IB_3ce-jkxfVahlr79CPNrFQ9Hx2_OFihN0h2O-mqSCX1eCYeIZemD7DbGnHiuABcysDTdqNBk4-Oc-UqOlcYaLlEpSFVlUA8FyG5ekG/s400/IMG_3004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bernadette led the cleaning backstage. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9o55ZqJMe5_cUmNJVwQVk3bqF9SB8ZnvuNpgvpxJnpgoIn8beiF013RSbtMqOJ5tcc3E_Ry3XN-TODSrCqRv939yMXtPBkHlHm9AQf4ef2Yj7vTsO2h4ENjBwJPANPS7yygWroc9DRnG/s1600/IMG_3005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9o55ZqJMe5_cUmNJVwQVk3bqF9SB8ZnvuNpgvpxJnpgoIn8beiF013RSbtMqOJ5tcc3E_Ry3XN-TODSrCqRv939yMXtPBkHlHm9AQf4ef2Yj7vTsO2h4ENjBwJPANPS7yygWroc9DRnG/s400/IMG_3005.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joey clearing the ladder from our spacious dressing rooms!<br />
Laura, Brian, and Huck took out tons of shelving so quickly we didn't get a picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZylk4vyabLnPai1KVpbR7xWqXP5d-NYhprCsmCLBWAzGXAWNnu-ruZTyNVKFMxFYULR1N0AOa0-PFjS6_RS_PAQ1gCOkOUaWJFBci88BF4Wyw91F4x2oGqljsS5cGDJMnzFEXKQjGMVIQ/s1600/IMG_3008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZylk4vyabLnPai1KVpbR7xWqXP5d-NYhprCsmCLBWAzGXAWNnu-ruZTyNVKFMxFYULR1N0AOa0-PFjS6_RS_PAQ1gCOkOUaWJFBci88BF4Wyw91F4x2oGqljsS5cGDJMnzFEXKQjGMVIQ/s400/IMG_3008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hallway behind our theatre is also a tornado shelter! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAxGKpEby9-zx6P_x9BtgtmmykKGAihShJTzOmbXarzxivhwLfSfTM7YZbZ0VyRNOnKjnnKIzugxqBjmqrOmLAwI1JOF6dbLncWFl9wk2iaUvCrUHSxwkY1uAcmQx2c6mh_tiPFrJqLMF/s1600/IMG_3021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> Thanks to Laura, Patrick, Holly, Barry, Huck, Bernadette, Don, David, Joey, Molly, Eedann, Mike, Rick, and Brian for making our first workday awesome! We'll be back at it tomorrow!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span id="goog_1094945960"></span><span id="goog_1094945961"></span><br />Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-66886192872417828782012-11-16T12:01:00.000-06:002012-11-16T12:01:50.217-06:00First Look at Our New Performance Space!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Last week we signed a lease agreement for a space at Highland Mall. Our new (temporary) home has a large front area that will be used for the stage, seating, and lobby. It also has a large back area for dressing rooms, storage, and scene construction. After a year producing plays in a tent we're very excited to be back indoors!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeqE1bGFTbncDNW4Sj8Pz3SprcORsMUZ3uxPpKJ0sjGvYGZc_xBVAPsJzc61js7UZIIdsaYXpSwNTVGuWvSwaPmI5gmm8IMrhnvGIMTa7ZzowC2VI_fu_Fu0EOxRCuxdqJhqSTPqZrykF/s1600/IMG_2986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeqE1bGFTbncDNW4Sj8Pz3SprcORsMUZ3uxPpKJ0sjGvYGZc_xBVAPsJzc61js7UZIIdsaYXpSwNTVGuWvSwaPmI5gmm8IMrhnvGIMTa7ZzowC2VI_fu_Fu0EOxRCuxdqJhqSTPqZrykF/s400/IMG_2986.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First look at our new home! We're on the lower level, across from the Express.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9q0KnXCxoBhNBHgn27uEoWjNfFKWpwmzpVOYDEuhlo5Xicww9zOwhAJxP5XNdBmj0uN-489SKr2E8zJMm-zKB6A9L4WrWdNvnM7_KnsZYrEEON3Ox_7-nLQDK7vxtNV-2P2cH23izBFe/s1600/IMG_2980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9q0KnXCxoBhNBHgn27uEoWjNfFKWpwmzpVOYDEuhlo5Xicww9zOwhAJxP5XNdBmj0uN-489SKr2E8zJMm-zKB6A9L4WrWdNvnM7_KnsZYrEEON3Ox_7-nLQDK7vxtNV-2P2cH23izBFe/s400/IMG_2980.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don Toner surveys the new Austin Playhouse space at Highland Mall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGcezuACW4Q9_i55ZQPQfOrsjjJjqzmsIhBpP5GQXkTWqwEdCX2xQT0DTRAutoE_PGh3c9TG-nEecY-Xia-jXevWBBghcv9wBslR68utuQi0-mTk1pZSEfzByPclEE904EX3KFt9i-Pow/s1600/IMG_2983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGcezuACW4Q9_i55ZQPQfOrsjjJjqzmsIhBpP5GQXkTWqwEdCX2xQT0DTRAutoE_PGh3c9TG-nEecY-Xia-jXevWBBghcv9wBslR68utuQi0-mTk1pZSEfzByPclEE904EX3KFt9i-Pow/s400/IMG_2983.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The staircase and fountain just outside our front door. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg171LV-YsUeaPbmi8JPzqnjZmq9LZjvAN0JSev4V6Q4ac_ZZdkf0LYf9HoWkZvNJ2u3q9inHep111YwwBoQY0b3k3k2Re6V1-FL665FzvtG0oE9wyBTGXuM3oGNEcsADaMqyaRPPBsMEoP/s1600/IMG_2988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg171LV-YsUeaPbmi8JPzqnjZmq9LZjvAN0JSev4V6Q4ac_ZZdkf0LYf9HoWkZvNJ2u3q9inHep111YwwBoQY0b3k3k2Re6V1-FL665FzvtG0oE9wyBTGXuM3oGNEcsADaMqyaRPPBsMEoP/s400/IMG_2988.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back area is filled with shelves (and very cool rolling ladders). We'll remove half the shelves and use the rest for storage and dressing room dividers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We look forward to seeing you soon! Our first play opens December 13th, so we have a lot to do to get the space ready. We've started the permitting process and will begin construction on risers for seating next week.Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-75896486846703260272012-11-05T16:53:00.001-06:002012-11-06T13:23:38.249-06:00We're Opening the 2012-2013 Season!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtueL7vkbfLhuO_GZ5vqvqxTXlko6urTL_4dhi5IAjYvEmpMRA9Af_inA2RKSo3LLshzE2cqo9fERx-lDgkDXl2jjB4iZs7KwDeuO6SEDpSaAxvwR11ABAZLqVHQchGqay3CHZh4xoZhBT/s1600/ENLARGE_01HIghland_Mall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtueL7vkbfLhuO_GZ5vqvqxTXlko6urTL_4dhi5IAjYvEmpMRA9Af_inA2RKSo3LLshzE2cqo9fERx-lDgkDXl2jjB4iZs7KwDeuO6SEDpSaAxvwR11ABAZLqVHQchGqay3CHZh4xoZhBT/s400/ENLARGE_01HIghland_Mall.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
We've successfully negotiated a deal to open our season in a temporary theatre we'll build at Highland Mall.<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago, as we were faced with further site permitting delays for our new space at Mueller, we asked our subscribers if they would prefer to open the season in a temporary facility in January or if they would prefer to wait until late Spring to open in the new theatre. The response was overwhelming. 97% of the subscribers who responded voted in favor of opening as soon as possible. We listened to you.<br />
<br />
<b>We will open our season on</b> <b>December 13th</b>. We'll announce performance dates and show titles for the first two plays of the season in an e-newsletter as soon as the rights are secured and Subscribers can begin making their reservations at that time. Subscription packets are being prepared as quickly as possible. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3aw0GusJbV7CqKoVy8eKfLlAgpAepnRvypOm32Z5qYk0Qk5SCmaBdyZuROc56DJpQS1IrroWuajVHDKOt_ve-IEV7OkncV8PYFbAs4Pptg1ubsub60yhAuwyASaQju3yJRq7lHdGXgtz/s1600/highland+fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3aw0GusJbV7CqKoVy8eKfLlAgpAepnRvypOm32Z5qYk0Qk5SCmaBdyZuROc56DJpQS1IrroWuajVHDKOt_ve-IEV7OkncV8PYFbAs4Pptg1ubsub60yhAuwyASaQju3yJRq7lHdGXgtz/s400/highland+fountain.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
While Austin Community College has long-term plans to transform the location, right now it is still a functioning mall. All the big department stores are gone, but many of the national stores, the food court, and local stores are still operating. The Highland Mall location also comes with ample parking, plenty of restrooms, and great climate control! <br />
<br />
We want to thank Austin Community College and the management at Highland Mall for facilitating an arrangement that will benefit Austin Playhouse and the Austin community. <br />
<br />
<br />Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-47730920831490519912012-10-26T12:14:00.000-05:002012-10-26T12:14:12.538-05:00 Artspace Market Survey Launches October 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2OAL-TQAWnzJcn6_n1OxuI0rjQ71uO5karJY_m4DMglfz0WQlKF2_L9fmpiltTJku78uuJEkYGACWM5050jyIHe4AT61niwqURe_IYbGvl2SI9THzyZBAuyMmoXgG8eM1oUamRPyAbMF/s1600/artspace_promo_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2OAL-TQAWnzJcn6_n1OxuI0rjQ71uO5karJY_m4DMglfz0WQlKF2_L9fmpiltTJku78uuJEkYGACWM5050jyIHe4AT61niwqURe_IYbGvl2SI9THzyZBAuyMmoXgG8eM1oUamRPyAbMF/s1600/artspace_promo_lg.jpg" /></a></div>
<h3 align="justify" style="font-size: 8pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Join Us! </span></span></h3>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The City of Austin, Austin Playhouse, and Artspace will launch the <em>Artspace Market Survey of Artists, Arts Organizations, and Creative Sector Businesses</em>
with a public presentation by Artspace staff Stacey Michelson and Teri
Deaver on October 30 at 6:30 p.m. at The Off-Center. The survey will be
available <a href="http://www.artspaceaustinproject.org/"><span style="font-size: small;">onl<span style="font-size: small;">ine</span></span></a>
from October 30 through December 31, 2012. Artists, arts organizations,
and for-profit creative sector businesses are all encouraged to
complete the survey.</span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
purpose of the market survey will be two-fold. The information gathered
will help inform the concept and design decisions for the 4-story,
35-40 unit artist live/work project planned in conjunction with the new
Austin Playhouse at Mueller Town Center. The results of the survey will
also identify Austin's specific creative sector space needs and
requirements, which will be made available to local developers, building
owners, and foundations interested in developing creative spaces. The
City envisions that the survey data will provide valuable information
for the planning of corridors, creative hubs, arts districts, and
incubators.</span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong>Artspace Market Survey Launch</strong></span></span></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><em>When:</em> Tuesday, October 30, 6:30 p.m.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><em>Where:</em> The Off-Center (2211-A Hidalgo St.)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong>Take the survey online Oct. 30 - Dec. 31:</strong> <a href="http://www.artspaceaustinproject.org/">www.artspaceaustinproject.org</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: #012f5e; font-family: Trebuchet MS,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=417013031238167081" name="artspace" shape="rect"><img alt="artspace" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif" title="artspace" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: #012f5e; font-family: Trebuchet MS,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Artspace in Austin</span></div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
In
June 2010, Artspace, a national leader in affordable space development
for artists and arts organizations, was invited to Austin by Austin
Playhouse to discuss their plans for development of a new theater. While
in Austin, Artspace staff toured potential sites for an Austin
Playhouse & Artspace development, conducted a number of focus
groups, and held a public meeting attended by over 100 people. </div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The<a href="http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1101267849223-614/ArtspaceAustinPrefeasibilityReport710.pdf"> <em></em></a><em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=417013031238167081" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Artspace Feasibility Report for Austin, Texas</a></em>,
submitted after Artspace's visit, determined that Austin has the
potential to support multiple Artspace artist live/work developments.
Artspace will develop their first project above the Austin Playhouse
complex at Mueller Town Center, next to the Austin Children's Museum.</div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span><img align="right" alt="Rendering of the Austin Playhouse" border="0" height="144" hspace="10" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.618" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs119/1101267849223/img/618.jpg" vspace="5" width="200" />Mueller
Town Center is a planned 1.2 million square foot mixed-use lifestyle
district in the heart of the Mueller development envisioned to be an
active 24-hour, 365-day mix of commercial, civic, residential,
recreational, and cultural offerings. Designed for the ease of the
pedestrian, one will be able to stroll through the Artspace residences'
art gallery on the rooftop terrace of Austin Playhouse, enjoy dinner or a
drink in the full-service restaurant inside, as well as attend a
performance at one of Austin Playhouse's two theatres.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-74678453214071958252012-10-05T14:00:00.001-05:002012-10-05T14:00:41.392-05:00Friday Update: Fun with Permitting!Before we start any construction, we have to get our permits in place. Anyone who has gone through the indescribable joy of the permitting process knows that this necessary step can sometimes take on a life of its own. But there's good news for us. <br />
<br />
-We've passed the Mueller New Construction Council approval process!<br />
<br />
-We submitted our Site Permit to the City in November of 2011. The site permit process was estimated to take 3 - 6 months (and yes, that means we're at 10 months getting approval...). We've just received word that we passed all the requirements and are just awaiting the final filing of the paperwork.<br />
<br />
-Our Building Permit also passed its final requirements. Paperwork should be complete in November.<br />
<br />
The delays in the City's permitting process have been well reported for the past year. In June the Austin Business Journal reported that the City was hiring more officials to deal with the backlog: <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2012/06/14/council-to-hire-staff-for-permitting.html">http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2012/06/14/council-to-hire-staff-for-permitting.html</a><br />
<br />
So that's it. We are almost permitted! <br />
<br />Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-88266031058064748032012-08-10T11:27:00.000-05:002012-08-10T11:27:01.264-05:00Going, Going, Gone...In two weeks we went from this....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZDBi2Awd2hjhJiuHUIWdrfNaNc_6pDUZ0ZdzQmZlKN7PD3_osiT-a3b7sO0JSMG8ppdtUObK-Bck_PhIiatYS9xRCjIYlNtqEhxrb-h_lJliYzLMfIjsQjxPB5bDj4xYll2x4N9dAx7f/s1600/IMG_2594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZDBi2Awd2hjhJiuHUIWdrfNaNc_6pDUZ0ZdzQmZlKN7PD3_osiT-a3b7sO0JSMG8ppdtUObK-Bck_PhIiatYS9xRCjIYlNtqEhxrb-h_lJliYzLMfIjsQjxPB5bDj4xYll2x4N9dAx7f/s400/IMG_2594.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
to this....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjncVdKYdZN8P76XK5lj-k6lMKRMkB6YYk9Z4J3VTBam4ICGwVgUDZsLK_bSlJTF0wD-rQW8HXTtsTlH17X0dCGK-dew1LoRxJOARyTWJNC33Pn2bBxE3AwUFba5IVhr1tpuz58xQoAbuBP/s1600/IMG_2849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjncVdKYdZN8P76XK5lj-k6lMKRMkB6YYk9Z4J3VTBam4ICGwVgUDZsLK_bSlJTF0wD-rQW8HXTtsTlH17X0dCGK-dew1LoRxJOARyTWJNC33Pn2bBxE3AwUFba5IVhr1tpuz58xQoAbuBP/s400/IMG_2849.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div>
to this....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenXASXrLO_S70LYiIRGlE8NTb438tRVGbaOy7YDTOxaTLoh7BNPJzgaFPA8Jn3PWfAkilBbyG12ARw77ZlPXHGx_RnjsvT93CP6yXljYQVe54ibG4KyUmLGJKmUMRVUXEUZ1ouoBHM3v-/s1600/IMG_2856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenXASXrLO_S70LYiIRGlE8NTb438tRVGbaOy7YDTOxaTLoh7BNPJzgaFPA8Jn3PWfAkilBbyG12ARw77ZlPXHGx_RnjsvT93CP6yXljYQVe54ibG4KyUmLGJKmUMRVUXEUZ1ouoBHM3v-/s400/IMG_2856.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
and finally, to this.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8GH4mAHNTZG1EXQvhJSuFjbR6fqQB-4rqAV5BrtbjD6ZYO6OiTDMlwPXHaQ8Srn8zsIGzWJcs8Qua75TaMFvQzDCzapCzUL7xm-wNQD8YsFKnflOQwptfLWcfRlOoLcYsZd0SFKRoxQW/s1600/IMG_2864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8GH4mAHNTZG1EXQvhJSuFjbR6fqQB-4rqAV5BrtbjD6ZYO6OiTDMlwPXHaQ8Srn8zsIGzWJcs8Qua75TaMFvQzDCzapCzUL7xm-wNQD8YsFKnflOQwptfLWcfRlOoLcYsZd0SFKRoxQW/s400/IMG_2864.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
Huge thanks to Steve Shearer and his crew for managing the bulk of the tent strike!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82YWVkqhTv_awMBE3sxVP4WZiiZ3T4vhTUex9kv07AfbfWJWCYkihYYY1y53HSBhUtRs5Ig_DepSlaUmTytZk4A4blsBGWdG-2C0ondtSNnuVpc-ci32SXVRI7Kh2O5mlRtKN8vKpD0mj/s1600/IMG_2861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82YWVkqhTv_awMBE3sxVP4WZiiZ3T4vhTUex9kv07AfbfWJWCYkihYYY1y53HSBhUtRs5Ig_DepSlaUmTytZk4A4blsBGWdG-2C0ondtSNnuVpc-ci32SXVRI7Kh2O5mlRtKN8vKpD0mj/s400/IMG_2861.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Shearer supervising the removal of the tent cover.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lots of work is already being done on the Austin Children's Museum site. We hope to finally close on our adjacent site and start breaking ground soon!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8GH4mAHNTZG1EXQvhJSuFjbR6fqQB-4rqAV5BrtbjD6ZYO6OiTDMlwPXHaQ8Srn8zsIGzWJcs8Qua75TaMFvQzDCzapCzUL7xm-wNQD8YsFKnflOQwptfLWcfRlOoLcYsZd0SFKRoxQW/s1600/IMG_2864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-88406008307409285222012-07-27T18:30:00.003-05:002020-01-27T11:38:01.055-06:00If We Can Build it Here, We Can Build it Anywhere<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB0LgFlnff71RSih2F7Ni8lu6bklbuXuMBff2f10hc8FrDAOUwf9Y4fNdCtc50hon4Z8zFluSOLrb7UIZDR4Y0n2e3VqX0U7Zd-LShYy4W1Xy8Q2ur41WlxqdhVLPeWlO55q5z2X9BdGM/s1600/IMG_2844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB0LgFlnff71RSih2F7Ni8lu6bklbuXuMBff2f10hc8FrDAOUwf9Y4fNdCtc50hon4Z8zFluSOLrb7UIZDR4Y0n2e3VqX0U7Zd-LShYy4W1Xy8Q2ur41WlxqdhVLPeWlO55q5z2X9BdGM/s400/IMG_2844.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Our 2011-2012 Season came to a close last Sunday. Our temporary home, the tent we built in a field at Mueller, is also closing. On Monday morning a work crew arrived and started removing first the seats, then the risers, then the stage floor, and finally everything else that would let you know that this particular tent had once been a theatre. I was out of town while all this dismantling was taking place. I didn't see the last performance in the tent that was Austin Playhouse's home for its 2011-2012 Season. And I'm heartsick about this. When you've built something and loved it and worked harder to make it succeed than you ever thought you could, you want to see it through to the end. And while I know that this temporary building was never intended to last forever, like any play it had an Opening and a Closing, I'm still a little devastated that I missed the chance to be there at the end.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH3X-HZqus3wnEITgxLdgPEq1th1hqeeCPbUu6vpvzJBgGW5vmhgZkk6E0rO-_uTGY7KG0zVk6ZtMT8IowBHDCFPEQQaJ6O-bTHJlfj3ZwBVEkym2p3m80srFgSdvWOjbWFfhBKfvp_ko/s1600/IMG_2477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH3X-HZqus3wnEITgxLdgPEq1th1hqeeCPbUu6vpvzJBgGW5vmhgZkk6E0rO-_uTGY7KG0zVk6ZtMT8IowBHDCFPEQQaJ6O-bTHJlfj3ZwBVEkym2p3m80srFgSdvWOjbWFfhBKfvp_ko/s400/IMG_2477.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
But I was there at the beginning. When the tent rolled into town on the back of an 18-wheeler on the morning of my dad's birthday, October 18, 2011. And I was there when the first arch was raised into the air. And I was there when we opened our season with <i>The Lion in Winter </i>one month later. And each time we opened a play in the tent it felt more special because each time we had to overcome new hurdles to make it happen and each time every actor, designer, and crew member rose to the occasion.<br />
<br />
So instead of being heartsick about this particular closing, I'm trying to remember everything that I loved about this year and will carry with me forever. And I'm trying to remember every challenge (heating in the winter, cooling in the summer, finicky electricity, rain threatening the sound equipment...) so that I'll be ok with saying goodbye. I'm grateful I had a chance to play on that stage, and I'm grateful I
had the chance to work behind the scenes on each play we produced this
year. And I'm grateful I was there for each Opening Night. These are my memories from those openings. <br />
<br />
<b>1) Opening Night of <i>The Lion in Winter</i>:</b><br />
The rush to get the tent built and the play rehearsed was unprecedented for us. In one month our acting company and friends of the theatre built the entire facility, installed risers and seats, carpeted the floor, built the stage and set, and rehearsed the play. On November 18, 2011 it all came together and Huck Huckaby as Henry and Babs George as Eleanor led the cast through a wonderful opening night. Then, in the last five minutes of the play as (spoiler alert) Henry threatens his sons at swordpoint in a dimly lit wine cellar, the theatre's generator sputtered and the stage was plunged into darkness. A few l.e.d. powered candles were luckily onstage and provided very minimal light. The actors kept going with the scene. After a few tense seconds, our stage manager, Barry Miller, gathered flashlights and lit Henry and Eleanor for their final moments together in the most beautiful spotlight I've ever seen. When Eleanor uttered her line, <i>"</i><span class="st"><i><i>We</i>'re <i>jungle creatures</i>, Henry, and the <i>dark is all around</i> us</i>." the crowd roared.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="st"><b>2) Opening Night of Boeing-Boeing:</b> </span><br />
<span class="st">The play opened in late January. During rehearsal, we only had a small generator running and none of the large industrial heaters were installed. It was dark and it was cold. <i>Boeing-Boeing </i>is a farce. And there is nothing more disconcerting than trying to do fast-paced comedy in a dimly lit theatre while wearing a winter coat and gloves. But on opening it all came together, as it almost always does, and I felt very lucky to be onstage for one of the five shows in our tent.<b><br /></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="st"><b>3) Opening Night of <i>A Room with a View</i></b>: </span><br />
<span class="st">I directed and adapted the play and on Opening Night, received my own ovation. It was more touching to me than I can express and I'm grateful to everyone who was a part of the project and the evening. </span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="st">4) Opening Night of <i>Born Yesterday</i>: </span></b><span class="st"> </span><br />
<span class="st"><i></i>During the preview performance we'd briefly lost power when we over-taxed our electricity during one of the brighter scenes. We thought we'd compensated, but on opening it happened again. This time power was restored in under 30 seconds. Andrea Osborn and Brian Coughlin had paused when the power went down and picked up right where they left off when it came back. The audience applauded and we sailed through another opening. I'm almost sorry we didn't lose power each Opening Night. Almost.</span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span><br />
<b><span class="st">5) Opening Night of <i>Chess</i>:</span></b><br />
<span class="st">When the season began we intended to produce two or three shows in the temporary venue and then move into our permanent home. Very quickly we knew we had to readjust (and readjust and readjust) our timeline. But we never intended to produce a musical in the tent. The original fall-back plan was to take a brief hiatus for the summer and wrap-up the season with <i>Man of La Mancha</i> opening the new building in September. That was not to be. The city agreed to let us stay and finish our season with a short run of <i>Chess</i> with SummerStock Austin. Many, many elements made this our most ambitious project of the season. Musicals always have their own special considerations: large casts, musicians, amplified sound, etc. And the difficulties that can come with each of these elements was magnified in the tent with its small dressing rooms, limited backstage space, and questionable acoustics. But each time a problem presented itself a team of incredible professionals was there to work it out. Opening Night was all the sweeter for the hard, hard work that went in to create it. </span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span><br />
<span class="st">I will miss the tent more than I miss our Penn Field home or any of the theatres I've had to leave over the years, because more than any of the others I helped build everything in our Mueller tent and felt a part of everything that was put on that stage. More of my blood, sweat, and tears went into this season than any other I can recall. I painted more sets than I have since high school. I shivered during rehearsals in the winter, and sweated during run-thrus in the spring. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="st">Our plan is to start construction on a brand-new building that will be one of the anchor tenants of Mueller's new town center. For the past few months this blog has been silent, but the artistic leadership and board of Austin Playhouse has been attending countless meetings, securing financing, and negotiating with banks, and developers, and the city to clear the final hurdles to make our new home a reality. I sincerely hope that very, very soon I will be able to start reporting regularly on all the progress as the new Austin Playhouse rises from the ground at Mueller. But I also hope that I carry into this new building the memory of our 2011-2012 season in the tent. Because I believe it taught me more about this company I'm proud to belong to than the most comfortable season in the most modern new theatre possibly could. Thank you to everyone that was a part of this year.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXaW6vQn2TiP87A1vQAXhCwglII8W1cH3__d-iFUsvzSTwEgwyz_4kmFG4xkbYQBJeJqDkskuUSm1p2Fp5JgEXVYeSlGeJvQggk8e4ckr6-UDLJs65mfG-51NID7OaHsFXvwWqq3022Za/s1600/IMG_2848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXaW6vQn2TiP87A1vQAXhCwglII8W1cH3__d-iFUsvzSTwEgwyz_4kmFG4xkbYQBJeJqDkskuUSm1p2Fp5JgEXVYeSlGeJvQggk8e4ckr6-UDLJs65mfG-51NID7OaHsFXvwWqq3022Za/s400/IMG_2848.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="st">This morning, I arrived back in Austin and went to Mueller to take in what was left of our tent. The exterior sign had already been taken down. I unlocked the door and entered. The empty shell of the tent felt very small as I stood on the dirt floor looking up at the only thing left that would tell you this had once been a theatre: a few lights hanging from the metal beams, their cords dangling. The lights were scheduled to come down today. While inside, I could pace from the front to the back in twenty-five steps. It seemed impossible that a whole season's worth of memories had occurred in this empty space. And then I thought, no matter what happens in the future, this company will be fine. Because if we can build it here, if we can produce the season we just had in a tent in a field, we can do it anywhere. </span><br />
<span class="st"> -Lara Toner, Associate Artistic Director, Austin Playhouse </span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span class="st"><br /></span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-45884505189437123382012-04-03T15:30:00.000-05:002012-04-03T15:30:07.830-05:00A Room with a View: From Page to Stage!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19pseKEOEPRlv7PSayIdKV9se50wqlESZFh3GEw8iStW_iAtHbR_9aNLhUgoKANfCPJMSqcW5FavJkshFYucRdJGS6m9GSBFqUD1l3LsrNuKh7meOIx7ugHAdSjTPCNS1cEd15G1y5vPP/s1600/RoomViewSquare4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19pseKEOEPRlv7PSayIdKV9se50wqlESZFh3GEw8iStW_iAtHbR_9aNLhUgoKANfCPJMSqcW5FavJkshFYucRdJGS6m9GSBFqUD1l3LsrNuKh7meOIx7ugHAdSjTPCNS1cEd15G1y5vPP/s320/RoomViewSquare4.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
The following is a brief account of the journey to
make Forster’s novel a stage play for Austin Playhouse. While I’ve done my best to be fairly
accurate and comprehensive, if you have any questions or comments about the
process, they are always welcome!<br />
-<i>Lara Toner </i><br />
<br />
I was 10 years old when Merchant-Ivory released their beautiful film version
of E.M. Forster's <i>A Room with a View</i>. I did not see it in the theatre,
but sometime in the next year or two, probably when it made it to HBO, I saw
it. For a very, very long time it was my answer to "What is your favorite
movie?" The moment when George waded through a poppy-stained Italian barley
field to grab Lucy and kiss her... Well, for young Lara, that was about as good
as romance could get. <br />
<br />
I read Forster’s novel in high school and loved how he managed to combine
seemingly mundane events with some of the kindest and most accurate commentary
on the human condition: Love one another. Tell the truth. And we’ll get through
this muddle together. His novel added a depth to the story I loved in film.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2005 Austin Playhouse produced Matthew Barber’s stage
adaptation of Elizabeth von Arnim’s novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enchanted
April</i>. The play’s first act is set in England and its second act in Italy. The
play was well received and shortly after working on that production I began
thinking about my favorite Italy/England tale, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Room with a View</i>. I mentioned to my father (Austin Playhouse’s
Artistic Director) that I thought it would work as a play, but that I didn’t
want to talk about it too much until I had a draft. I’m a little superstitious
about these things and I feel that talking too much gets in the way
of actually doing. And then a lot of
time passed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few things did happen during the next few years: I
downloaded a copy of the book, reworked it to remove most of the descriptive
narrative and highlighted all of the dialogue. And that was about it. Part of
the frustration was that I couldn’t see our current space at Penn Field working
for the play. At the other side of the process I see that this was more my
limitation than the space’s.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOx_NQQhTmUumQ5TsHJuJKSU6fLUhDYJJ-29AeEmLDqB-a1VdBSp76GVHdhfP9EU5aNPdr71OEPFha35yraI33UCMm2V_jk9m8o8t7Uvhn5CCgGCAlKDxdgdvP_qBe2vPe2Pn74w4xrdez/s1600/IMG_1654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOx_NQQhTmUumQ5TsHJuJKSU6fLUhDYJJ-29AeEmLDqB-a1VdBSp76GVHdhfP9EU5aNPdr71OEPFha35yraI33UCMm2V_jk9m8o8t7Uvhn5CCgGCAlKDxdgdvP_qBe2vPe2Pn74w4xrdez/s320/IMG_1654.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ensemble. Our Lucy plays the violin instead of the piano! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In 2010 it began to look very promising that the Playhouse
would be in our new home for our 2011-2012 Season. I began working in earnest.
The first draft was mainly an edited version of the novel in play format. I
kept in large swathes of descriptive language to describe
action/characters/scene settings. I formatted the dialogue and basically
determined which characters and scenes would be included. Then I went back through and
cleaned it up a bit. This was the draft I turned in when the Playhouse company
was nominating plays for our 2011-2012 Season. It was very, very rough. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The season selection process at the Playhouse starts with
company members nominating plays. The artistic director narrows them down to a
list that’s presented to our “early-bird” subscribers and they get to vote on
plays when they purchase season tickets for the following year. The final
decision is made by the artistic leadership, but the input of the company and
audience is taken strongly into consideration.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For this season <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Man of
La Mancha</i> topped the poll (as we knew it would –big musicals are almost
always the highest vote getters) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Room with a View </i>came in second. Which was a big surprise. And which meant that I
really needed to get busy writing. When we worked out the season we placed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Room</i> third. At this point we knew that
we would be in a temporary facility for the first play and possibly the second,
but I was still hoping that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Room</i>
would open in our new theatre. I love our tent and in spite of all the
challenges I’m so glad I had the opportunity to perform in our temporary facility,
but for several reasons I did not want to try to stage Room there. For one
thing, weather is hard to control and Room is a big costume piece with lots of
layers of vintage clothing. Also, several scenes would be much, much easier to
stage in a more formal theatrical setting (the murder in Florence, bathing in
the Sacred Lake…). And finally, I wanted to project Forster’s chapter titles
and a few commentary projections throughout the play. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The process to get us into our new theatre did not move
quickly. The ongoing saga is full of permits and bureaucracy and funding issues
that I’m sure surprise no one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We opened <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lion in
Winter</i> on November 18, 2011 and at that point it was pretty clear that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Room with a View</i> would be done in the
temporary facility. I made the final decision to cut a couple smaller
characters and to try to double-cast two other roles. Our backstage space is
limited in the tent! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Three members of the Playhouse company were pre-cast, and
auditions were held for all the other parts. Out of all the decisions I made
during this process, assembling the first cast to bring the play to life is the
one I’m unequivocally happiest with. They are an incredible group, not only
ridiculously talented and well-suited for their parts, but also smart,
collaborative, supportive, and full of good humor. Many of the best ideas (like
how to stage the Sacred Lake scene) came from the actors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2fIPK0S45JuoRuHrInqOQCuEClkrLzTGYmfi1nSww_e1wgTTN1ukOvJqzP2v_b7WPo_bgqizopv9yPu8_3P4V5N9_G58U-oFFOGjERr3W2TacHfLqw-q88gBhz2IDk286ZTO6nMI6T72/s1600/IMG_1370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2fIPK0S45JuoRuHrInqOQCuEClkrLzTGYmfi1nSww_e1wgTTN1ukOvJqzP2v_b7WPo_bgqizopv9yPu8_3P4V5N9_G58U-oFFOGjERr3W2TacHfLqw-q88gBhz2IDk286ZTO6nMI6T72/s320/IMG_1370.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Lucy and George, Claire Ludwig and Joey Melcher.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just before our cast was assembled, the play was read again by Don Toner and Cyndi Williams. Cyndi is an acting company member, a friend, and a fantastic playwright. And she had the incredible advantage of never having seen the film or read the book. Her reaction to the play was incredibly helpful because she didn't carry any bias from the other works. Once the cast was assembled we began a series of read-thrus.
I’d deliver a new draft a couple days before, we’d read it, then I’d go away
and try to make it better for the next time. For me, the writing process was a
hybrid writing/editing process. I wanted to preserve as much of Forster’s
delicious dialogue as possible. And where the words were mine, I wanted them to
blend seamlessly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once we started staging the play, several challenges
presented themselves. Originally I’d envisioned the play in two halves: Italy
and England. After the first read-thru it was clear that the Italy portion only
took up about one third of the stage time. In fact, the play naturally fell
into a three-act structure. Because it was being performed in the tent there
were some concerns about taking two intermissions. I began looking for a
different act break and eventually settled on the spot where Lucy finds out the
Emersons will be her neighbors in England. We worked with this act break
throughout the rehearsal process, but it always felt a bit disjointed and
randomly placed. The Tuesday before we opened we ran the play with the two
breaks, where the play wanted them to be. It worked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zJ2uAOd01bRuNnlUf3npYauOdQuXoU1R1Jd3N-TNGYWHJXs8o3wCas7IPwo32dKmcWHJvhuNH8PzYk7-JlxJgvcXYwzfT9yFOewHlt1A5UIp6lK3TNCgjIRlMWR_ndU3-jDa3Z34Ua8H/s1600/room2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zJ2uAOd01bRuNnlUf3npYauOdQuXoU1R1Jd3N-TNGYWHJXs8o3wCas7IPwo32dKmcWHJvhuNH8PzYk7-JlxJgvcXYwzfT9yFOewHlt1A5UIp6lK3TNCgjIRlMWR_ndU3-jDa3Z34Ua8H/s200/room2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned projections!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKgwsvNOj6yzUO66u6Z5DcfReo8zgcIL_p8x7RyQHcfacAbUIzn8Ekl8Mh1wV3JLH3nu-xq4P5RmXl4T2Ur0EQYw7TETt-KtMMIVP6WPp5aDoCKualqCYJXLXYr-sd7VeboKbAnUl-5F_c/s1600/commentary1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKgwsvNOj6yzUO66u6Z5DcfReo8zgcIL_p8x7RyQHcfacAbUIzn8Ekl8Mh1wV3JLH3nu-xq4P5RmXl4T2Ur0EQYw7TETt-KtMMIVP6WPp5aDoCKualqCYJXLXYr-sd7VeboKbAnUl-5F_c/s200/commentary1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our biggest technical challenge was the projections. I envisioned
simple projections using Forster’s chapter titles to set the scene as well as
commentary projections to occasionally incorporate Forster’s comic narrative
voice. The Friday before we opened we tested them out and it quickly became apparent
that there was no way to make them work in the tent. During Sunday matinees you
can’t see the stage lights until curtain call as it is. And most evenings it’s
not completely dark till half an hour into the show. I talked with the cast and
proposed having the ensemble speak the projections. We eventually lost all the
commentary projections and about a third of the scene settings. As it turns
out, having the ensemble lead the audience through the narrative is probably
more of a natural fit than projections would have been. Many other small
moments transformed throughout this process. The very, very nicest thing about
working on a new piece is the flexibility to make changes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I could not be more grateful to work with this ensemble of
actors and designers. This has been an incredibly challenging and rewarding experience. Thank
you for joining us on this adventure! </div>Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-79050822995086612582012-04-02T16:06:00.000-05:002020-01-27T11:38:00.960-06:00The first groundbreaking (technically true....)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EpSm6JZP7wiH7-G0NSdICfK6SNrgCxcWhkF7LCCI3SEf8EwISrnNto_CpEVfolvwwcjZAHcdb-dDcIwvhLzuWu9fUrDlun1SDgcNKg8uY2j9dRnLJV_TGgxrVPRnjzU_lKsfDTlnSTqM/s1600/IMG_2733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EpSm6JZP7wiH7-G0NSdICfK6SNrgCxcWhkF7LCCI3SEf8EwISrnNto_CpEVfolvwwcjZAHcdb-dDcIwvhLzuWu9fUrDlun1SDgcNKg8uY2j9dRnLJV_TGgxrVPRnjzU_lKsfDTlnSTqM/s400/IMG_2733.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While we haven't yet "broken ground" in the "construction is imminent" sense, we were treated to some groundbreaking activity at our building site! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The picture above shows the rig that was boring 50-foot holes at our building site to collect soil samples. The samples will determine exactly what kind of foundation we need. It's a small first step, but it was exciting to see any kind of activity starting. Stay tuned for more! </div>Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417013031238167081.post-18303556247028558732012-02-08T12:37:00.001-06:002020-01-27T11:38:00.344-06:00Bye, Bye, Generator!<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCj3mR7ZKI43kQZoPbyWvu309PWSe8D8nSD3719lYSqG88RDh-1tQFJ4ejSlyHkAsDSsY8sOTsRhvlYviI3ZGnkkXJUU47Q42jiYW38OA10u1Psz7xV7pkq_Nl4MdXAb9ca2esrTv-HJz/s1600/jackhammer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCj3mR7ZKI43kQZoPbyWvu309PWSe8D8nSD3719lYSqG88RDh-1tQFJ4ejSlyHkAsDSsY8sOTsRhvlYviI3ZGnkkXJUU47Q42jiYW38OA10u1Psz7xV7pkq_Nl4MdXAb9ca2esrTv-HJz/s400/jackhammer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
That's our Artistic Director, Don Toner, wielding a jackhammer to create a trench for underground electric cable to power our temporary facility. (How many Artistic Directors do you know that work jackhammers that well?)<br />
Currently all our power comes from a generator, which works great until it runs out of gas in the middle of a show (opening night of <i>The Lion in Winter</i>, thank goodness for flashlights). It was always our plan to have electric installed in the temporary facility, but the initial bid to make it happen was way beyond our means and we stuck with generator power to get us through <i>Lion</i>. After that production we accepted new bids. Huge thanks to Jerry Brinkley (that's him operating the backhoe) for getting our little tent fully powered!<br />
We expect to switch off the generator in about a week.Austin Playhousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095516506373042139noreply@blogger.com0