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10-2010 The Lab Report, volume 04, issue 05 Todd Ristau Hollins University, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Ristau, Todd, "The Lab Report, volume 04, issue 05" (2010). Lab Reports. 40. https://digitalcommons.hollins.edu/labreports/40

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Playwriting News from the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University Volume 04, Issue 05 (October, 2010)

12 Stations of the Cross by Kenley Smith Kenley Smith graduated this serves as a catalyst and Cheryl told us, “because the year and his thesis play, The Bobby’s brother is executed dialogue between a director, Famous Bobby Pence (a trilogy after confessing to the deed. actor and playwright is very full length plays), will be Bobby isn’t sure himself what satisfying. I’m incredibly produced in its entirety at happened that night, and impressed by the strength and Studio Roanoke. The first play, suspects his brother may have diversity of the writing in the Devil Sedan, closed in June, died for a crime he actually Hollins playwriting program.” and the second play, 12 committed himself. In this Inside this issue: Stations of the Cross runs second play, Bobby takes a October 27 through November small role in a passion play to Guest Profile: 2 Tanya Saracho 7th. The third, The New begin his path to redemption. Testament, will be directed by When that part becomes the playwright himself in something else entirely, he is Best of No Shame 3 February. forced to walk his own Via Dolorosa and confronts his dark Stations is directed by Cheryl past -- and his future. Snodgrass, an accomplished The Poe Plays, by 3 Sean Engard director based in Chicago and Cheryl has a long history of frequent guest of the directing new plays, including Playwright’s Lab. world premiers Rebecca Gilman From the Director: Update 4 and Jeff Goode. Last season she on the New Works “Kenley’s play is a compelling directed Rosalee Was Here, by Initiative story with rich characters and Maura Campbell, and will return complex relationships. I was in June, 2011 to direct Frogger, Cheryl’s participation in this and very moved by the story,” says a new play written by MFA past productions were made Cheryl of the play. playwright Adam Hahn. possible by funding from the Next Month: New Works Initiative fund. In the trilogy, a tragic event “I prefer working on new plays,”  Krum Fits In, by Darlene Fedele Breadcrumb Sins by Neeley Gossett at Manhattan Repertory Theatre  Student Spotlight: Scott participants. MRT runs words so beautifully crafted and Ramsburg seasonal play festivals, with a world so carefully created.” produces plays by their  Guest Profile: Jonathan Shows in the festival have very company members as well as Price returning festival artists. small budgets. Neeley traveled to New York to help the director  Jeff Goode Launches Created in 2005 by Ken Wolf, realize her work within the limits Resident Playwright Program at SkyPilot (Artistic Director) and Jennifer of their resources. Set, props and Theatre Pierro (Director of Productions), costumes were minimal, but Manhattan Repertory Theatre reflected the beauty of the text.  KONG: A Goddamn has produced over 500 plays, Samantha worked with three Thirty-Foot Gorilla, by and over 2500 theatre artists Adam Hahn have participated thus far. other Hollins playwrights earlier this year when she directed their  From the Director: Samantha Wellen, Neely’s short pieces as part of the NaPlaWriMo (National Breadcrumb Sins, written by director, is fast carving out a Leading Ladies showcase at Playwriting Month) MFA playwright Neeley Gossett, name for herself as a TheatreLab in Manhattan. All contents © Playwright’s Lab at was produced last month in developer of new plays. “It is not hard to see that this is Hollins University, 2010 New York City as part of the All rights reserved. Manhattan Repertory Theatre’s “I fell in love with the one of the best playwriting Fall Playfest 2010. Breadcrumb Sins and programs out there. I would be everything about Neeley's very happy to direct more of their Manhattan Repertory Theatre writing,” Wellen said of the work in the future,” Wellen said. produces original new plays experience. “Neeley Gossett is with little or no cost to the a very talented playwright with www.manhattanrep.com The Lab Report

Playwriting News from the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University Page 2

Guest Profile: Tanya Saracho, Playwright and Artistic Director Cinderella by Roald Dahl. I was they champion new work and a ham. I could do some voices, What I realized is that first night they kind of look down on big, so it seemed natural. I didn’t in Chicago I’ve been tracking for established things. know what I was reading, but I twelve years in all my work. So, could do the voices and the next complicating the image of Latina Come! Move to Chicago! thing I knew I was on the bus on women, I think it was from that the weekend at a tournament. I night, the fact that she didn’t How did you connect with didn’t know what I was reading think that I was Latina right Steppenwolf? but I could do the voices. Which away and the fact that there later on, voices and accents were “other” types of Mexicans. They connected with me. I kept became very important because I’ve been tracking that. And I doing my stuff in the margins it’s how I eat now. I do have a feeling I’ve been tracking and Martha Lavey, the Artistic voiceovers, that’s how I make a that forever. Director of Steppenwolf—she big chunk of my living. goes to everything. So, she kept But then, Chicago became a coming to see stuff. That’s one. Why Chicago and not New York really good town for new work. As an actor, I also act in plays or Los Angeles? and I was in a play at the I did start a theatre company. Goodman, the dramaturg I kept going to New York to see Not Steppenwolf, it doesn’t have happened to be the literary Tanya Saracho was born in my friends starve and live in that budget or anything, but manager of the Goodman. One Sinaloa, México and is a resident shoe boxes. And I like to eat. I Teatro Luna, half of the Latinas of my cast mates, my friend, was playwright at Chicago Dramatists can’t be starving and can’t be that I started working with had like, “Tanya, tell him you write and Teatro Vista, a Goodman like walking everywhere. And, I never done theatre. Because in plays!” I didn’t want to be Theater Fellow at the Ellen Stone like to drive. So, I was real our culture they tell us that pushy, so I was like, “No, no, no, Belic Institute for the Study of stressed out on New York and actresses are prostitutes or it will find me when it finds me.” Women and Gender, an Artistic somebody had some kind of loose women. They had never And she’s like, “Hey, Rick! Associate with About Face book on Steppenwolf—you know, gotten training but they’ve Tanya writes plays!” Theater and the Co-Founder and the Ensemble and John always had this dream and so former Artistic Director of Teatro Malkovich. And I was, like, we formed this sisterhood where So, he was like, “OK. Bring it Luna. Saracho is a recipient of “Wait. I could go to this Chicago we were telling our stories and tomorrow.” the Ofner Prize given by the city and start my own company? there was a freedom in that. We Goodman Theatre as well as a And then be in the movies and just started playing. We hadn’t So, I brought it the next day and 3Arts Artists Award. Tanya is also be famous like John Malkovich?” studied interview based he read it and then he was like, an actor and a voice over talent. performance, but we invented it “We need to talk.” So, I seriously arrived in Chicago for ourselves. We got together Tanya visited Hollins as one of with two bags and I found this and it just became this really And he told me he wanted to our guest speakers in July. While apartment that weekend and beautiful thing and I really don’t give me the Ofner Prize. It at Hollins she met with students twelve years later I’m still in that think it could have happened in happened that fast. So then, individually, performed at No apartment. I’ve lived three New York. It would have been you know, they announce it. Shame, led a writing workshop lifetimes in that apartment. But, too Caribbean. It couldn’t They do press releases. Tanya and gave a public talk on her life the night I moved in...two girls happen in LA, it would have Saracho, Ofner Prize! And then in the theatre. Here are some of who are upstairs, they came to been too Chicano. Chicago is Steppenwolf is like, “Well, who is the answers to questions our welcome us and they gave us perfect because a quarter of the this Tanya Saracho? We want to students put to her. the lay of the land. They were population is Latino and people take a meeting with you.” explaining, “Over there is a go see new work. People go see How did you get into theatre? Jewish family and over there’s anything. And they will give you Any advice? some black people that live over a second and third try. I’ve had to answer this a lot this there, but they’re OK, just don’t Friends are a mafia, you have to year. Because of my accent. It’s walk over there at night. And And in Chicago we were able to have a mafia. You have to have such a circle. I moved to Texas in down the street there are some live in the margins a little bit. a community that nurtures you ‘89, and I had a big accent. Big, Mexicans. Oh, wait...none of you But we would sell out and have and supports you and cheers thick accent that I’ve been trying are Mexican, right?” to turn people away. People in you on and yes, at times, checks to get rid of all my life. It was Chicago go see theatre. And you and keeps you honest. Start junior high when I moved to Texas And I had never heard the word people in Chicago see new a writing group. With Teatro and there were posters in the Mexican like that. Mexican. theatre. I guess, Chicago is a Luna I formed this artistic circle hallway saying “Speech and great place to grow. It is good, that was ready to nurture pages debate.” But, I was like, oh, they I said, “I am Mexican.” fertile ground. The critics are and new concepts. It was a great will rid me of my accent. It’s like really...I don’t know of any other place to grow as an artist who speech therapy, I thought. So, I And she said, “Oh, no, the other city where the critics are so devised work. showed up and they handed me kind of Mexican.” supportive of new work. In fact, www.tanyasaracho.com The Lab Report

Playwriting News from the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University Page 3

Best of No Shame short original performance October’s BONS featured the work pieces. During the summer it is of several of our student an important experiential playwrights, in addition to a variety learning lab for our students to of local writers and performers. “learn by doing” by getting their work up in front of a live MFA playwrights Darlene Fedele, Adam Hahn, Clinton Johnston, audience. The rules are simple: pieces must be original, under Samantha Macher, and Chad five minutes, and not break Runyon all had pieces performed in the show. anything (including the law). The result is eclectic, exciting, Offerings from our students and often outrageous. included puppetry, a musical with Twice each year 25 pieces that piano accompaniment, as well as monologues about love, civil rights, got the strongest audience reactions over the last six and King Kong. months are performed in a Best of No Shame accomplished No Shame Theatre is a weekly showcase called Best of No its mission, to prove that at this late-night venue for the Shame (BONS) in front of venue anything can happen...and packed, enthusiastic houses. production and presentation of usually does! www.noshame.org

The Poe Plays: The Selected Dissected Works of Edgar Allan Poe by Sean Engard

Festival 2010. STAGEStheatre is Fullerton’s The festival is a month long oldest storefront theatre and celebration of fantasy, horror since 1992 their mission has Sean Engard is an accomplished and science fiction which been to present a broad spec- actor, director, poet, and just included over 120 events at trum of the very best of contem- completed his second summer eight different venues. porary and classic plays that session as part of the speak to audiences of all back- Playwright’s Lab. He’s also a Engard wrote more than half of grounds. A significant part of graduate of the South Coast the eight short adaptations their work is to provide an arena Repertory: Professional selected for the production, for new works and to foster the Conservatory and an Orange which was directed by David development of those works in a Coast College alumnus. Chorley. These new plays put supportive and inspiring work- an inventive spin on the classic place. Sean recently collaborated with tales. The Raven is the name a group of southern California of a space shuttle, The Tell playwrights to adapt several of Tale Heart is told from two (Dramatist's Guild of America) and Edgar Allen Poe’s most macabre different perspectives and the OCPA (Orange County short stories and poems into a other shorts include same sex Playwrights Alliance). His play creatively creepy stage play that couples, interpretive dance, House of Atreus will be produced is perfectly suited for the projections on a screen, and next month at his alma mater, Halloween season and substituting weed for wine. Orange Coast College Drama Lab. presented as part of the Engard is slated to direct this Sean is a member of the DGA production himself. Fullerton Shadows Theatre http://www.stagesoc.org/ Playwright’s Lab at Learn the craft of writing dramatic works and study the Hollins University collaborative art of theatre during our six-week Todd Ristau, Director intensive schedule—and earn an M.F.A. in playwriting in Graduate Program in Playwriting just a few summers. You’ll work closely with such Hollins University PO Box 9602 guest artists as Ruth Margraff, Naomi Wallace, and Roanoke, VA 24020-1602 Mac Wellman and form professional relationships that Phone: 540.362.6386 can lead to reading and production opportunities Fax: 540.362.6465 before graduation—a potent formula few other E-mail: [email protected] programs offer.

For application materials, please call (540) 362-6326 or visit on the web at www.hollins.edu/grad/playwriting Just what you need. for more information. More Drama.

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From the Director: The New Works Initiative, Making Student Productions Possible The Playwright’s Lab at Hollins Obviously, as responsible theatres. It has made it University is working with arts stewards of our program’s possible for our student organizations across the country financial resources—which writers to work with guest to find ways to assist our includes student tuition—our professional directors and students in getting their work in budget must remain dedicated provided support to for them front of live audiences at to supporting our academics. to work as actors, legitimate theatres. However, The Playwright's Lab dramaturgs, and designers feels it is an important part of on plays by important guest Our students have had readings our mission to sponsor our writers associated with the and productions in major student writers when program like Lucy Thurber, theatre centers like Los Angeles, opportunities to realize their Jeff Goode, and W. David Washington DC, and Manhattan, work on stage arise. That’s why Hancock. as well as smaller regional we have established a separate theatres in places like here in fund for the sole purpose of To make your tax-deductible Roanoke, VA and Burlington, VT. offsetting costs associated with contribution to this important fund, go on line to: In many cases the biggest the production and presentation barrier to producing new work is of plays by or involving our www.hollins.edu/giveonline finding adequate funding—not students. Be sure to click on "other" only for production costs, but for The New Works Initiative was allowing the playwright to travel and designate the gift as created in 2008 and has already to a city where their work is being for the New Works helped provide production Initiative. being done and to participate in assistance and travel costs for rehearsals as an active dozens of student readings and THANK YOU!!! collaborator. productions in legitimate Todd Ristau, Director