Mira Hirsch Or Faye Allen (404) 522-0911
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~GES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mira Hirsch or Faye Allen (404) 522-0911 Legendary Theatre Artist Joseph Chaikin continues collaboration with Atlanta's 7 Stages as ANGEL WORKS opens March 19th ANGEL WORKS, three short plays featuring heavenly creatures, reunites legendary actor/director Joseph Chaikin with Atlanta's 7 Stages. Chaikin will direct the ANGEL WORKS series which includes: The War in Heaven by Joseph Chaikin and Sam Shepard, featuring Del Hamilton; The Sandbox by Edward Albee; and a new work being developed by Chaikin and the ANGEL WORKS ensemble. This marks Chaikin's third residency at 7 Stages, a union that will likely continue for years to come, giving Atlanta audiences the rare opportunity to experience a number of works involving one of America's most gifted and influential theatre artists. Says 7 Stages Artistic Director Del Hamilton, "I think Joe will be returning here often. He likes Atlanta very much, and enjoys the artistic climate at 7 Stages." ANGEL WORKS opens Friday, March 19 and runs through April 18 with previews March 17 and 18. Performance times are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets are $8- 14 and may be reserved by calling #(404) 523-7647. 7 Stages is located at 1105 Euclid Avenue in Little Five Points. Highly-acclaimed, Obie-award-winning theatre artist Joseph Chaikin is best known for founding and directing New York's celebrated, experimental Open Theatre. In 1984, Chaikin suffered a stroke which left him with aphasia - an impairment of the ability to use and comprehend language. However, this condition has not impaired Chaikin's ability to direct spellbinding theatre, as Atlanta witnessed last spring, when he directed 7 Stages' critical and popular hit, Waiting for Godot. This riveting production broke box office records at 7 Stages, and was a tremendous success at the Samuel Beckett Festival in The Hague, The Netherlands. (More) 1105 Euclid Avenue Atlanta, GA 30307 USA Admin.: 404.522.0911 Box Office: 523.7647 Fax: 522.0913 CHAIKIN AT 7 STAGES, page 2 Waiting for Godot featured Del Hamilton as the thoughtful tramp Vladimir in a performance enhanced by a strong actor-director relationship. That· exciting artistic union will reoccur as Chaikin directs Hamilton in The War in Heaven, a play which, until this time, has been exclusively performed by Chaikin himself. This will be Chaikin's first experience directine- the lyrical monologue about a lost Angel being held captive on earth. Popular Atlanta musician Klimchak will compose and perform the play's live percussive score. While Chaikin and Sam Shepard (the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and well-known Hollywood actor) were writing The War in Heaven, the two friends and long-time collaborators produced a wealth of material that was not included in their final script. This writing, which also incorporates themes of angels and m i.splaced persons, provides the launching point for a new company-developed work being created specifically for 7 Stages' ANGEL WORKS project. For the first time since his stroke, Chaikin will workshop and direct an ensemble play - a form of theatre which he helped define and perfect through a decade of work with the Open Theater. The casts of The War in Heaven and The Sandbox will comprise the ensemble for this yet-to-be-titled piece. The Sandbox, Edward Albee's absurd classic about an old woman awaiting the Angel of Death receives a rare professional production under Chaikin's direction. Don Finney (Estragon in Waiting for Godot) plays whiney Daddy, while Jill Jane Clements portrays the practical Mommy. Minette Meyer is Grandma, Charles Orange is The Young Man, and violinist Chip Epsten portrays The Musician in this hilarious drama. *** JOSEPH CHAIKIN Joseph Chaikin, director of ANGEL WORKS, is one of the icons of the American theatre, a man who has made, and continues to make, a tremedous impact on 20th century theatre. He has won six Obie (off-Broadway) awards, including the first Lifetime Achievement award; has two honorary PhD's; has been given two Guggenheim fellowships; and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Lifetime Contribution Award. In April of 1992, Chaikin directed 7 Stages' highly-acclaimed production of Beckett's Waiting for Godot. More recently, in November of 1992, he directed another Beckett play- Texts- at New York's Public Theatre. The production, wHich featured actor/new vaudevillian Bill Irwin, was lauded by critics as one of the most exciting plays of the entire New York theatre season. Chaikin began his professional career as an actor with the Living Theatre and soon after, in 1963, founded the Open Theater. When his work earned him the Lifetime Achievement Obie Award in 1977, the judges called him "the only logical choice." He has directed both new and classic plays at major theatres throughout the country. Chaikin has also received acclaim as an actor for his performances in Man is Man with the Living Theatre, Woyzeck at the Public Theater and Tongues and Savage/Love (written by Chaikin and Sam Shepard) at both the Public Theater and LA's Mark Taper Forum. He has performed Beckett's Texts in London, Paris and New York. In 1984, Chaikin suffered a stroke which left him aphasic. His recovery process . has been the source of inspiration for several theatrical pieces, including The Traveler by Jean-Calude van Itallie and Night Sky by Susan Yankowitz, which is currently in production at 7 Stages through the end of February. Since 1984, in addition to his work as a director, Chaikin has continued acting, giving radio performances of The War in Heaven and Is This Real? (a piece about aphasia), and stage performances of Struck Dumb and The War in Heaven at various theatres throughout the world. §j{AGES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mira Hirsch or Faye Allen at #522-0911 PULL DATE: APRIL 18, 1993 Public Service Announcement ** 30 SECONDS 7 STAGES PRESENTS ANGEL WORKS, THREE SHORT PLAYS FEATURING HEAVENLY CREATURES. LEGENDARY NEW YORK THEATRE ARTIST JOSEPH CHAIKIN DIRECTS THE ETHEREAL PLAYS WHICH INCLUDE EDWARD ALBEE'S ABSURD COMEDY THE SANDBOX, AND THE JOSEPH CHAIKIN I SAM SHEPARD MONOLOGUE THE WAR IN HEAVEN, FEATURING DEL HAMILTON. MUSIC, HUMOR, POETRY AND DRAMA MAKE ANGEL WORKS A HEAVENLY EVENING OF THEATRE. ANGEL WORKS RUNS MARCH 17th THROUGH APRIL 18th AT 7 STAGES IN LITTLE FIVE POINTS. FOR RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION, CALL 523-7647. THAT'S #523-7647. ** 20 SECONDS 7 STAGES PRESENTS ANGEL WORKS, THREE SHORT PLAYS FEATURING HEAVENLY CREATURES. DIRECTED BY LEGENDARY THEATRE ARTIST JOSEPH CHAIKIN, ANGEL WORKS INCLUDES EDWARD ALBEE'S THE SANDBOX AND THE WAR IN HEAVEN. AN ANGEL'S MONOLOGUE. ANGEL WORKS RUNS MARCH 17th THROUGH APRIL 18th AT 7 STAGES IN LITTLE FIVE POINTS. FOR RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION, CALL #523-7647. THAT'S #523-7647. ** 10 SECONDS 7 STAGES PRESENTS ANGEL WORKS, THREE SHORT PLAYS FEATURING HEAVENLY CREATURES. ANGEL WORKS RUNS MARCH 17TH THROUGH APRIL 18TH AT 7 STAGES IN LITTLE FIVE POINTS. FOR RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION, CALL #523-7647. THAT'S 523-7647. 1105 Euclid Avenue Atlant:-., GA J0307USA Admin.: 404.522.0911 Dox Office: 523.7647 Fax: 522.0913 7 Stages presents Angel Works directed by Joseph Chakin The Sandbox by Edward Albee Grandrna......... ........ Minnette Meyer Mommy................... Jill Jane Clements Daddy.................................. Don Finney Musician ............................ Chip Epsten Young Man .................. Charles Orange Orginal Music Composed by Chip Epsten Angel Fragments Performed and Created by The Ensemble Based on letters & Texts; 1972-1984 by Joseph Chakin and Sam Shepard Dramaturg Walter Bilderback The War in Heaven By Joseph Chakin and Sam Shepard Angel. ................................ Del Hamilton Musician ................................... Kllinchak Orginal Music Composed by Choreography Klimchak linda Caldwell Set Design lighting Design Costume Design linda Burgess Eric Jennings Joanna Schmink Production Team Production Manager............... Faye Allen Technical Director...... ~ ...... Unda Burgess Stage Manger...................... Ronald Dean Martin Production Assistant.... ... Cleteus D. Smith February 19, 1993- Friday I. "War in Heaven" - "War in Heaven"- Joseph Chaikin: "Keep simple - clear." -This is very process. Constantly experimenting. Constantly trying new things untill it feels right - untill it grouves - untill it hits the mark - you just feel it. It may not happen this rehearsal or the next one, but you just need to have an open mind and willingness to try - and the rest will follow. -Chemical substance that ignites our brain cells. -The costumes are very important to Joe. Del Hamilton (Angel) would like something comfortable. No wings or halo. Maybe an all white suit and a long white coat, maybe a duster. Angel bussiness wear. Klimchak (Musician) would like comfortable clothing as well. Klimchak suggested that he wear no shirt or just a undershirt since he has to place musical instruments near his body. "I'm not sure now how I fit where I fit exactly I know there were those above me and those below but I'm not sure now where I fit ... " The wonder of being lost BEIWEEN both worlds - Heaven and Earth. Tibeten Monks. "Majjhima- patipada" =between or the middle path. -Klimchak takes ordinary household items and plays them musically. He keeps playing with these items - exploring - hitting - rubbing - thumping - untill it's right. I would never had thought that some of these sounds would be coming out of these items. -Words and music both work so close. One influcing the other. Certain sounds for certain things. I close my eyes and I picture the sounds. -Regarding the visibility of the instruments. ((Not obscurring completely and not revealing completely. Not exactly hiding but not putting to much focus on them as well." -Research the film, "Wings of Desire." - ((Sometimes it's true it is grief and grieving and grief both changing ..