This sunday, we will be showcasing four new plays in an effort to raise awareness of autism and raise some money for disability and the arts charities (specifically, Touching Humanity Inc).
While the plays have been chosen quite a while ago, wejust finalized casting all four plays and are so happy with the artists assembled.
The night will feature readings of:
"X-ray Vision at the motel 9" by Ian August, directed by Marielle Duke and featuring Eric Bland and Alex Engquist
"Rain" by Garry Williams, directed by August Schulenburg and featuring Ken Glickfel, Alisha Spielmann, Jane Taylor and Isaiah Tanenbaum
"Prodigal Father" by Isaac Rathbone, directed by Dev Bondarin and featruing John Greenleaf and John Gardner
"Walk into the Sea" by Elaine Romero, directed by Jerry Ruiz and featuring Sandra Delgado and Teddy Canez
"Teasers and Pleasers" the first installment of our "Autism Initiative" series, will be taking place in Penthouse 1 of Shetler Studios (244 w54th st) at 7:30 pm on 10/24/10. Tickets will be 18 dollars and can be reserved by emailing RSVPadaptive@gmail.com or by calling 845 667 0757
We hope to see you there!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
culture, passion, and science- a look into the mind of Elaine Romero
Meet playwright Elaine Romero, whose piece WALK IN TO THE SEA is being featured in our upcoming fundraiser (directed by Jerry Ruiz)
1)It appears that culture and heritage play a really important part in a lot of your plays. How does your own culture influence your writing and characters?
I just write what's in my gut and sometimes the plays dance with, or around, cultural themes. I do enjoy including Latino characters. I see them in my head. It's my community. I noticed early on that if I did not specify Latino characters that Latino characters were not cast when I wrote, "can be played by actors of any race." Just never. I found that discouraging. I realized I had to carve out a place in some of my work. Indeed, the culture influences how I see space and time. There's a sense that there is a very thin veil between this world and the next.
2)You seem to be in a different state each time I speak with you, is there a place that you consider your artistic home? Similarly, do you have a favorite place to write?
I currently live in Chicago, so that is my new artistic home. I have used Arizona as a home base for a long time, and I'll always return there to write. I have a long term relationship with a regional theatre there that has always served as a home for me. Super cozy there. They still love me and I still love them. My reality is that I have multiple artistic homes, companies I return to, again and again, who produce my work. I have homes in Denver, Dallas, Florida, and New York. They are all my homes.
3)Your characters have a way of making us believe and completely buy into their passions and ideas about life. Did a lot of research go into creating these characters for you? Specifically Karl and his theories on Viruses.
I did tons of research. Karl's theory is, actually, the theory of a good friend of mine. Over a ten year period, I was intrigued by how he applied his theory to social issues, politics, and himself. I became interested in the idea of a scientist who applied his theory to his personal life and it failed. I'm interested in our various identities and who we are if they fail us. I'm interested in Karl because he takes comfort in science. He does not know who he is without it. I'm interested in blind passion. I'm interested in obsession. It's something I deeply understand. I understand singular focus and blurring out the rest of the world. WALK INTO THE SEA is a product of that understanding.
4)What made you decide to apply for this festival? Do you have any personal connections to Autism that you would feel comfortable sharing?
I wanted to have WALK INTO THE SEA included in an event that was specifically about Autism. Frankly, I wanted to see the response to my play from those even closer to Autism. My best friend is a special ed teacher. I talked to her a lot while I was writing the play. She specializes in Autism. We talk a lot on the phone. I learned a lot about it from her. Other friends have kids who have Autism. It's been a path of learning. It continues to draw me in. As a writer, I love people. All people. As a writer, I want to understand them. Perhaps, writing a play is an attempt to crack a nut, solve a mystery.
5) What was the moment that made you decide to be a playwright?
I'm pretty certain that it started before I became conscious of it. I used to read plays aloud to myself as a kid. I always loved playing all the parts. As a writer, I found myself wanting to embody each voice in its entirety without interpretation. I found the craft to be pure. When I wrote my first plays, I was uncertain of the form, but I found myself fighting for each play. Really fighting for it in a way that I had not fought for my other writing. I found myself with the will to write and rewrite. The will to hear my work with other artists. I fell for the collaborative aspect of the theatre. I fell for hearing my work aloud in a room and feeling the response. It's been an ongoing journey of falling in love.
6)What is your favorite piece you have written? Or Favorite experience with a piece?
I've had magical experiences with my plays. Literally, ideas that have come out of the ethers. When I wrote BEFORE DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP, I had the experience of having the name of Willa Cather's novel come to mind. It was completely out of the blue. When I read the book, I realized I needed to do a Latina revisionist version of that time period from the point of view of a priest she lambasted in the novel. Within minutes of discovering his true identity, I ended up with an invitation to stay in his home with his descendants. That entire experience was magical for me. In many ways, it's that play I find myself returning to as a favorite. I wanted to capture that moment in time when the U.S. took over northern Mexico, but I wanted to find a personal vehicle to tell it. I found that vehicle in Padre Martinez.
7)If you were trapped on a deserted island with only one play to read, what would it be? Feel free to cast it as well (we can kidnap some actors onto this island)!
It would lend itself to A TEMPEST. I'd cast it with members of my cerebral ensemble because they'd keep me writing.
1)It appears that culture and heritage play a really important part in a lot of your plays. How does your own culture influence your writing and characters?
I just write what's in my gut and sometimes the plays dance with, or around, cultural themes. I do enjoy including Latino characters. I see them in my head. It's my community. I noticed early on that if I did not specify Latino characters that Latino characters were not cast when I wrote, "can be played by actors of any race." Just never. I found that discouraging. I realized I had to carve out a place in some of my work. Indeed, the culture influences how I see space and time. There's a sense that there is a very thin veil between this world and the next.
2)You seem to be in a different state each time I speak with you, is there a place that you consider your artistic home? Similarly, do you have a favorite place to write?
I currently live in Chicago, so that is my new artistic home. I have used Arizona as a home base for a long time, and I'll always return there to write. I have a long term relationship with a regional theatre there that has always served as a home for me. Super cozy there. They still love me and I still love them. My reality is that I have multiple artistic homes, companies I return to, again and again, who produce my work. I have homes in Denver, Dallas, Florida, and New York. They are all my homes.
3)Your characters have a way of making us believe and completely buy into their passions and ideas about life. Did a lot of research go into creating these characters for you? Specifically Karl and his theories on Viruses.
I did tons of research. Karl's theory is, actually, the theory of a good friend of mine. Over a ten year period, I was intrigued by how he applied his theory to social issues, politics, and himself. I became interested in the idea of a scientist who applied his theory to his personal life and it failed. I'm interested in our various identities and who we are if they fail us. I'm interested in Karl because he takes comfort in science. He does not know who he is without it. I'm interested in blind passion. I'm interested in obsession. It's something I deeply understand. I understand singular focus and blurring out the rest of the world. WALK INTO THE SEA is a product of that understanding.
4)What made you decide to apply for this festival? Do you have any personal connections to Autism that you would feel comfortable sharing?
I wanted to have WALK INTO THE SEA included in an event that was specifically about Autism. Frankly, I wanted to see the response to my play from those even closer to Autism. My best friend is a special ed teacher. I talked to her a lot while I was writing the play. She specializes in Autism. We talk a lot on the phone. I learned a lot about it from her. Other friends have kids who have Autism. It's been a path of learning. It continues to draw me in. As a writer, I love people. All people. As a writer, I want to understand them. Perhaps, writing a play is an attempt to crack a nut, solve a mystery.
5) What was the moment that made you decide to be a playwright?
I'm pretty certain that it started before I became conscious of it. I used to read plays aloud to myself as a kid. I always loved playing all the parts. As a writer, I found myself wanting to embody each voice in its entirety without interpretation. I found the craft to be pure. When I wrote my first plays, I was uncertain of the form, but I found myself fighting for each play. Really fighting for it in a way that I had not fought for my other writing. I found myself with the will to write and rewrite. The will to hear my work with other artists. I fell for the collaborative aspect of the theatre. I fell for hearing my work aloud in a room and feeling the response. It's been an ongoing journey of falling in love.
6)What is your favorite piece you have written? Or Favorite experience with a piece?
I've had magical experiences with my plays. Literally, ideas that have come out of the ethers. When I wrote BEFORE DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP, I had the experience of having the name of Willa Cather's novel come to mind. It was completely out of the blue. When I read the book, I realized I needed to do a Latina revisionist version of that time period from the point of view of a priest she lambasted in the novel. Within minutes of discovering his true identity, I ended up with an invitation to stay in his home with his descendants. That entire experience was magical for me. In many ways, it's that play I find myself returning to as a favorite. I wanted to capture that moment in time when the U.S. took over northern Mexico, but I wanted to find a personal vehicle to tell it. I found that vehicle in Padre Martinez.
7)If you were trapped on a deserted island with only one play to read, what would it be? Feel free to cast it as well (we can kidnap some actors onto this island)!
It would lend itself to A TEMPEST. I'd cast it with members of my cerebral ensemble because they'd keep me writing.
talking fish, motels, and brotherly love or meet Ian August!
A look at playwright Ian August whose play "X-ray Vision at the Motel 9" is being featured in our upcoming fundraiser. X-Ray is being directed by Marielle Duke and features Alex Engquist and Eric Bland.
And now, lets get to know Ian...
1)Within your play, there’s a big theme of being replaced; what it means to be replaced and how we can be. Was this something you thought about at the inception of the project?
I think the idea of "replacement" is inherent in any piece about siblings or sibling rivalry. I know even with siblings of different gender that there is a certain amount of one-upsmanship that goes on between the two. Hank, the older of the two brothers in the play, and the character with autism, understands that idea with a genuine clarity that even Joe, the younger sibling, does not.
2) In the original version of the script, one of your characters was mentally disabled after an accident, how do you feel that the switch from a new disorder to life-long disorder (Autism), affects your characters and their relationship?
One of the things I love about this piece is that Joe, the younger brother, has a seemingly endless patience when it comes to Hank, the character with the disorder. I think changing Hank's affliction to a life-long disorder like autism creates a deeper history between them--a history that speaks of their relationship for years before the story takes place.
3) What made you decide to apply for this festival? Do you have any personal connections to Autism that you would feel comfortable sharing?
A younger cousin of mine suffers from a similar disorder to autism; his condition greatly affects his memory and his social skills. But he is one of the most hard working and persistant young men I know. He is now, at age 21, attending college and living on his own. It's pretty awesome.
4) What was the moment that made you decide to be a playwright?
Oh--that's a tough one. I was a professional actor for several years, toured the country and did some regional productions--but I was becoming dissatisfied with much of the work I was doing. The parts, the scripts, the experiences weren't as gratifying or as fulfilling as they had once been. So eventually, I just stopped complaining and started writing. And thankfully, people have been responding very well to my work. I feel extremely lucky.
5) If you were trapped on a deserted island with only one play to read, what would it be? Feel free to cast it as well (we can kidnap some actors onto this island)!
It would probably be something by John Guare or Peter Schaffer--I love the storytelling devices Shaffer uses in plays like Amadeus or Equus--but Guare is a master of merging form and content. That's not to say that either of the them are the authors of my favorite play--that's reserved for Stoppard's espionage / physics play Hapgood--but if I were stuck on a desert island, I could read House of Blue Leaves or Amadeus forever.
6) Whats up next for you? Any news or projects you want to share with the blog universe?
I just had a production of a new play called Donna Orbits the Moon premiere in Salt Lake City, but I'm eager to have it produced here on the East Coast. I'll also be workshopping a play with the Passage Theater in Trenton, NJ next year--It's a Irish ghost story that takes place in Northern Ireland in the early 80's--called For Mother's Song. And I'm writing a novel tentatively titled "And With Gills." It's a contemporary fairy tale about the residents of a fictional town in Ohio who are all searching for happiness, and turn to the guidance of an enormous, repulsive, one-eyed talking pike. It should be fairly bizarre.
And now, lets get to know Ian...
1)Within your play, there’s a big theme of being replaced; what it means to be replaced and how we can be. Was this something you thought about at the inception of the project?
I think the idea of "replacement" is inherent in any piece about siblings or sibling rivalry. I know even with siblings of different gender that there is a certain amount of one-upsmanship that goes on between the two. Hank, the older of the two brothers in the play, and the character with autism, understands that idea with a genuine clarity that even Joe, the younger sibling, does not.
2) In the original version of the script, one of your characters was mentally disabled after an accident, how do you feel that the switch from a new disorder to life-long disorder (Autism), affects your characters and their relationship?
One of the things I love about this piece is that Joe, the younger brother, has a seemingly endless patience when it comes to Hank, the character with the disorder. I think changing Hank's affliction to a life-long disorder like autism creates a deeper history between them--a history that speaks of their relationship for years before the story takes place.
3) What made you decide to apply for this festival? Do you have any personal connections to Autism that you would feel comfortable sharing?
A younger cousin of mine suffers from a similar disorder to autism; his condition greatly affects his memory and his social skills. But he is one of the most hard working and persistant young men I know. He is now, at age 21, attending college and living on his own. It's pretty awesome.
4) What was the moment that made you decide to be a playwright?
Oh--that's a tough one. I was a professional actor for several years, toured the country and did some regional productions--but I was becoming dissatisfied with much of the work I was doing. The parts, the scripts, the experiences weren't as gratifying or as fulfilling as they had once been. So eventually, I just stopped complaining and started writing. And thankfully, people have been responding very well to my work. I feel extremely lucky.
5) If you were trapped on a deserted island with only one play to read, what would it be? Feel free to cast it as well (we can kidnap some actors onto this island)!
It would probably be something by John Guare or Peter Schaffer--I love the storytelling devices Shaffer uses in plays like Amadeus or Equus--but Guare is a master of merging form and content. That's not to say that either of the them are the authors of my favorite play--that's reserved for Stoppard's espionage / physics play Hapgood--but if I were stuck on a desert island, I could read House of Blue Leaves or Amadeus forever.
6) Whats up next for you? Any news or projects you want to share with the blog universe?
I just had a production of a new play called Donna Orbits the Moon premiere in Salt Lake City, but I'm eager to have it produced here on the East Coast. I'll also be workshopping a play with the Passage Theater in Trenton, NJ next year--It's a Irish ghost story that takes place in Northern Ireland in the early 80's--called For Mother's Song. And I'm writing a novel tentatively titled "And With Gills." It's a contemporary fairy tale about the residents of a fictional town in Ohio who are all searching for happiness, and turn to the guidance of an enormous, repulsive, one-eyed talking pike. It should be fairly bizarre.
Friday, October 8, 2010
"How far did you fall?" an introduction to RAIN playwright Garry Williams
Meet our second playwright, Garry Williams whose play RAIN will be featured in our upcoming "Teasers and Pleasers" night of new works.
1) What made you decide to apply for this festival? Do you have any personal connections to Autism that you would feel comfortable sharing?
A playwright friend, Rich Orloff, told me about the festival and it touched me that a company would devote an evening of plays to autism. I have a first cousin with heart damage and profound mental retardation, and I always admired my aunt and uncle and cousins for making sure that she was loved and included and always knew that she belonged.
2)The character with Autism in your play, Tyler, is nonverbal throughout the play. That’s a really challenging (and yet utterly rewarding) character trait for an actor just walking into the role. What made you decide to go this route?
Much of what goes into my plays is subconscious, I think. Maybe even accidental. I didn't know as I was writing RAIN that Tyler was going to end up being a Christ symbol - an all-loving but completely uncommunicative being. The decision to make him nonverbal wasn't meant to set that up. I was simply moved by the idea of Tyler being an unspeaking - but unconditionally loving - presence in the family and on the stage. The fact that Staff eventually uses him as a Christ symbol was a very happy surprise to me.
3) In your play, there is an amazing juxtaposition set up between Tyler, who has had a disorder for all of his life, and Staff, who recently became handicapped. Did you do a lot of research going into the play on the ways in which people cope with disabilities or the backgrounds of those disabilities at all?
I didn't do a lot of specific research into loss or disability before sitting down to write. This play really came more out of emotion than intellect. My mantra is always "How would that feel?" How would it feel for a man of the outdoors to lose his legs, his independence? For that matter, how would it feel to fall off a barn roof? After the opening night of the first production of the show (at the Alliance Rep in Burbank), a man came up to me and asked, "How far did you fall?" He had fallen forty feet and said that I described the experience and thought processes so clearly that he assumed I had fallen too.
4) Many times in Off Off Broadway theater I feel like we see plays about New Yorkers or situations we face in a big city. However, your characters live in a far away land known as the Midwest. How do you feel the location of your plays effect your characters and their sensibilities?
There is something stark about the part of Indiana that we live in. It looks stark and it feels stark. The summers are too hot, the winters are too cold, and there's very little of what most people would think of as beauty. It's flat and featureless and pretty much wall-to-wall corn and soybeans with a few trees and houses in between. But you learn to see the beauty if you live here. You learn to bundle up when it's cold as hell and run a hose over your head when it's hot as hell. And you go on. Those are the things that forged people like Staff and Mary - living on a part of the planet that humans couldn't live on if they hadn't tamed fire and learned to use tools. It's a no-nonsense environment and it produces no-nonsense people.
Another thing that makes Staff and Mary who they are, I think, is the fact that they farm. Farming is an act of both faith and stubbornness. They plant fields that are too big to water, so if it doesn't rain, they don't have a crop. But they'll do it again the next year, and the next. We live on a farm (though we don't farm ourselves), so I know the feeling of looking out across hundreds of acres of corn that is stunted and withered by heat and drought. And there's nothing you can do. Nothing at all. That's Staff and Mary's life. They chose it and they'll survive it. They're tough people.
5) What was the moment that made you decide to be a playwright?
My wife actually says that writing RAIN was pivotal for me. She read it, looked at me and said, "Well, you're a playwright." As far as a moment that made me want to BE a playwright, I can't really put my finger on one. I remember being young - 10 or 12 maybe - and watching a movie that touched me. I don't even remember what the movie was, but I thought it was a thing of beauty. And I remember thinking that I wanted to be in on creating something of beauty someday.
6) What is your favorite piece you have written? Or Favorite experience with a piece?
RAIN may very well by my favorite piece, along with an unproduced TV pilot called "Tijuana, Ohio." And I would have to say that my favorite moment was the very first production of RAIN at the Alliance. It was beautifully directed, perfectly cast, and brilliantly acted. They found every beat of the play. It was remarkable.
7) If you were trapped on a deserted island with only one play to read, what would it be? Feel free to cast it as well (we can kidnap some actors onto this island)!
Wow. I'm not sure I could settle on one. Maybe DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Or WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Or STREAMERS. And the original Broadway cast of any of those shows would be welcome on my island!
8) What's up next for you after this? Any news to share with the bloggy world?
I have a script with the BBC called LORILEI. It's the true story of the mother of a murdered little boy who didn't want her son's killer executed. In the age of comic book movies, it's not an easy film to get made. And I'm hoping that one of the cable channels will take a chance on "Tijuana, Ohio," a series about a small town facing big city problems. It's about flyover country and what's happening here.
1) What made you decide to apply for this festival? Do you have any personal connections to Autism that you would feel comfortable sharing?
A playwright friend, Rich Orloff, told me about the festival and it touched me that a company would devote an evening of plays to autism. I have a first cousin with heart damage and profound mental retardation, and I always admired my aunt and uncle and cousins for making sure that she was loved and included and always knew that she belonged.
2)The character with Autism in your play, Tyler, is nonverbal throughout the play. That’s a really challenging (and yet utterly rewarding) character trait for an actor just walking into the role. What made you decide to go this route?
Much of what goes into my plays is subconscious, I think. Maybe even accidental. I didn't know as I was writing RAIN that Tyler was going to end up being a Christ symbol - an all-loving but completely uncommunicative being. The decision to make him nonverbal wasn't meant to set that up. I was simply moved by the idea of Tyler being an unspeaking - but unconditionally loving - presence in the family and on the stage. The fact that Staff eventually uses him as a Christ symbol was a very happy surprise to me.
3) In your play, there is an amazing juxtaposition set up between Tyler, who has had a disorder for all of his life, and Staff, who recently became handicapped. Did you do a lot of research going into the play on the ways in which people cope with disabilities or the backgrounds of those disabilities at all?
I didn't do a lot of specific research into loss or disability before sitting down to write. This play really came more out of emotion than intellect. My mantra is always "How would that feel?" How would it feel for a man of the outdoors to lose his legs, his independence? For that matter, how would it feel to fall off a barn roof? After the opening night of the first production of the show (at the Alliance Rep in Burbank), a man came up to me and asked, "How far did you fall?" He had fallen forty feet and said that I described the experience and thought processes so clearly that he assumed I had fallen too.
4) Many times in Off Off Broadway theater I feel like we see plays about New Yorkers or situations we face in a big city. However, your characters live in a far away land known as the Midwest. How do you feel the location of your plays effect your characters and their sensibilities?
There is something stark about the part of Indiana that we live in. It looks stark and it feels stark. The summers are too hot, the winters are too cold, and there's very little of what most people would think of as beauty. It's flat and featureless and pretty much wall-to-wall corn and soybeans with a few trees and houses in between. But you learn to see the beauty if you live here. You learn to bundle up when it's cold as hell and run a hose over your head when it's hot as hell. And you go on. Those are the things that forged people like Staff and Mary - living on a part of the planet that humans couldn't live on if they hadn't tamed fire and learned to use tools. It's a no-nonsense environment and it produces no-nonsense people.
Another thing that makes Staff and Mary who they are, I think, is the fact that they farm. Farming is an act of both faith and stubbornness. They plant fields that are too big to water, so if it doesn't rain, they don't have a crop. But they'll do it again the next year, and the next. We live on a farm (though we don't farm ourselves), so I know the feeling of looking out across hundreds of acres of corn that is stunted and withered by heat and drought. And there's nothing you can do. Nothing at all. That's Staff and Mary's life. They chose it and they'll survive it. They're tough people.
5) What was the moment that made you decide to be a playwright?
My wife actually says that writing RAIN was pivotal for me. She read it, looked at me and said, "Well, you're a playwright." As far as a moment that made me want to BE a playwright, I can't really put my finger on one. I remember being young - 10 or 12 maybe - and watching a movie that touched me. I don't even remember what the movie was, but I thought it was a thing of beauty. And I remember thinking that I wanted to be in on creating something of beauty someday.
6) What is your favorite piece you have written? Or Favorite experience with a piece?
RAIN may very well by my favorite piece, along with an unproduced TV pilot called "Tijuana, Ohio." And I would have to say that my favorite moment was the very first production of RAIN at the Alliance. It was beautifully directed, perfectly cast, and brilliantly acted. They found every beat of the play. It was remarkable.
7) If you were trapped on a deserted island with only one play to read, what would it be? Feel free to cast it as well (we can kidnap some actors onto this island)!
Wow. I'm not sure I could settle on one. Maybe DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Or WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Or STREAMERS. And the original Broadway cast of any of those shows would be welcome on my island!
8) What's up next for you after this? Any news to share with the bloggy world?
I have a script with the BBC called LORILEI. It's the true story of the mother of a murdered little boy who didn't want her son's killer executed. In the age of comic book movies, it's not an easy film to get made. And I'm hoping that one of the cable channels will take a chance on "Tijuana, Ohio," a series about a small town facing big city problems. It's about flyover country and what's happening here.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Meet our artists: Isaac Rathbone
As our new works program is fast approaching, we wanted to give all of you out there in bloggy land a chance to meet all the awesome artists who are donating their creative talent (not to mention time, energy, passion) to this project.
so, over the next two weeks will be posting interviews with playwrights, actors, and directors.
First up, playwright Isaac Rathbone. On October 24th, we will be presenting a reading of his new play, Prodigal Father, being directed by Dev Bondarin. You may remember him from our last fundraiser where he wrote "Hold the Bus", which was directed by Marielle Duke and featured Stephen Alan Wilson and David Nelson. If you can't wait until October 24th to see more of Ike's work, you're in luck! A reading of another new play of his is being featured in Oracle Theater Company's upcoming Truth be Told Series and you can find more info on that here: http://http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118227288234105
and now, the interview:
So, your play Prodigal Father was actually written specifically for our “Autism Initiative” project. What made you want to take part?
It was a very challenging topic to write about a there was a strict deadline. Both of those things are good things for me. They were good motivators to jump right in and write.
Do you have any background or experience dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder?
I don’t, which was another reason I was interested in tackling this project. I have, admittedly, have limited exposure to it. Its why there’s no character on stage with Autism. I wouldn’t know how to write that character yet.
Now in Prodigal Father, they family believes that the grandson’s Autism comes from Ben’s exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. With the constantly increasing number of reported cases of Autism, there are loads of theories (from genetic to environmental) on what actually causes Autism. Why did you choose this as the cause?
I am currently writing a piece on Vietnam and in my research for that I discovered this trend [of linking Autism cases to Agent Orange]. I wanted to tackle that idea while writing this other piece. I am not sure the validity of the theory itself, but it seemed to speak to me.
So what’s up next for you? You mentioned another piece you are working on…
I was commissioned to write a script for Hofstra University based on their campus in the period during the Vietnam War. It will be based mostly on oral histories I am gathering from alumni, activists, professors, and veterans. All of the text will be based on these histories and archived documents. It’s not all completely verbatim though, we are taking some creative license. The story is so big that we need to add focus in order to better serve it.
You tend to write a lot of historical plays, what about that is appealing to you?
That’s actually a relatively new thing for me. But, I really enjoy working on them. The research alone makes the experience well worth it and the play becomes a bonus.
For both this piece with us and your last, Hold the Bus, you focused on some less than savory characters. Was that a conscious focus?
I like the darker sides of characters a big more. I find it more interesting to write about.
Now not only do you write plays, you also work with a company that puts a heavy focus on new
work , Oracle Theater Company. Why new plays?
I think it’s important to provide an outlet for new work. There is something about that process that is so exciting for us. We just want to be involved in that somehow.
Alright, tough question time, what is your favorite play of all time?
Oh, The Dumbwaiter. If I had to be alone on a deserted island with a cast and a script that would be it!
Dream cast?
Michael Caine and…..Ewan McGregor.
Ok, what about a favorite play that you’ve wrote?
There’s Always A Band. Philip Emeott, David Nelson, Jason Little and I went to Cape Cod last winter to develop it. It’s a story about two soldiers stuck in the middle of nowhere with no one but each other. It has yet to be done in New York though, outside of a ten minute version.
Speaking of New York, what’s the strangest thing that has ever happened to you on a New York
subway?
I once saw the three Hanson brothers on the subway. Each one had an age appropriate girlfriend too. So I rode the subway with them for a bit. It was pretty awesome. They were totally lost too and all asking each other where they were going.
so, over the next two weeks will be posting interviews with playwrights, actors, and directors.
First up, playwright Isaac Rathbone. On October 24th, we will be presenting a reading of his new play, Prodigal Father, being directed by Dev Bondarin. You may remember him from our last fundraiser where he wrote "Hold the Bus", which was directed by Marielle Duke and featured Stephen Alan Wilson and David Nelson. If you can't wait until October 24th to see more of Ike's work, you're in luck! A reading of another new play of his is being featured in Oracle Theater Company's upcoming Truth be Told Series and you can find more info on that here: http://http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118227288234105
and now, the interview:
So, your play Prodigal Father was actually written specifically for our “Autism Initiative” project. What made you want to take part?
It was a very challenging topic to write about a there was a strict deadline. Both of those things are good things for me. They were good motivators to jump right in and write.
Do you have any background or experience dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder?
I don’t, which was another reason I was interested in tackling this project. I have, admittedly, have limited exposure to it. Its why there’s no character on stage with Autism. I wouldn’t know how to write that character yet.
Now in Prodigal Father, they family believes that the grandson’s Autism comes from Ben’s exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. With the constantly increasing number of reported cases of Autism, there are loads of theories (from genetic to environmental) on what actually causes Autism. Why did you choose this as the cause?
I am currently writing a piece on Vietnam and in my research for that I discovered this trend [of linking Autism cases to Agent Orange]. I wanted to tackle that idea while writing this other piece. I am not sure the validity of the theory itself, but it seemed to speak to me.
So what’s up next for you? You mentioned another piece you are working on…
I was commissioned to write a script for Hofstra University based on their campus in the period during the Vietnam War. It will be based mostly on oral histories I am gathering from alumni, activists, professors, and veterans. All of the text will be based on these histories and archived documents. It’s not all completely verbatim though, we are taking some creative license. The story is so big that we need to add focus in order to better serve it.
You tend to write a lot of historical plays, what about that is appealing to you?
That’s actually a relatively new thing for me. But, I really enjoy working on them. The research alone makes the experience well worth it and the play becomes a bonus.
For both this piece with us and your last, Hold the Bus, you focused on some less than savory characters. Was that a conscious focus?
I like the darker sides of characters a big more. I find it more interesting to write about.
Now not only do you write plays, you also work with a company that puts a heavy focus on new
work , Oracle Theater Company. Why new plays?
I think it’s important to provide an outlet for new work. There is something about that process that is so exciting for us. We just want to be involved in that somehow.
Alright, tough question time, what is your favorite play of all time?
Oh, The Dumbwaiter. If I had to be alone on a deserted island with a cast and a script that would be it!
Dream cast?
Michael Caine and…..Ewan McGregor.
Ok, what about a favorite play that you’ve wrote?
There’s Always A Band. Philip Emeott, David Nelson, Jason Little and I went to Cape Cod last winter to develop it. It’s a story about two soldiers stuck in the middle of nowhere with no one but each other. It has yet to be done in New York though, outside of a ten minute version.
Speaking of New York, what’s the strangest thing that has ever happened to you on a New York
subway?
I once saw the three Hanson brothers on the subway. Each one had an age appropriate girlfriend too. So I rode the subway with them for a bit. It was pretty awesome. They were totally lost too and all asking each other where they were going.
Friday, September 3, 2010
ever wondered how you could help?
In America today, 1 in 91 people are diagnosed with Autism. Chances are, you know someone with the disorder. If not, you probably know someone with a family member/partner/friend living with Autism.
And alot of times, people want to help,but they don't quite know what to do or say.
This article takes a really interesting look at simple ways you can help out a family with Autism. Some are stronger than others, but wanted to repost none the less (For me personally, I would stress 2 the most.)
1.) Let's start with the easiest: On the way to your weekly or daily trip to the grocery store, ask if there is anything you can pick up for their family.
2.) Learn the facts about autism, but don't give advice.
3.) Take the sibling of the child who has special needs out for a special treat.
4. ) Give the parents or single parent a night out.
5.) Okay, you're not good with kids. But you're organized, and like to help others be the same. Offer to help with housework or organize their office.
6.) Bring over a cooked meal.
7.) Ask your high school child to volunteer their time weekly to play with the child who has autism.
Here's the full artictle which expands upon each of these: http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/seven-easy-ways-help-family-diagnosed-autism-90233234#ixzz0yV4rm51M
And alot of times, people want to help,but they don't quite know what to do or say.
This article takes a really interesting look at simple ways you can help out a family with Autism. Some are stronger than others, but wanted to repost none the less (For me personally, I would stress 2 the most.)
1.) Let's start with the easiest: On the way to your weekly or daily trip to the grocery store, ask if there is anything you can pick up for their family.
2.) Learn the facts about autism, but don't give advice.
3.) Take the sibling of the child who has special needs out for a special treat.
4. ) Give the parents or single parent a night out.
5.) Okay, you're not good with kids. But you're organized, and like to help others be the same. Offer to help with housework or organize their office.
6.) Bring over a cooked meal.
7.) Ask your high school child to volunteer their time weekly to play with the child who has autism.
Here's the full artictle which expands upon each of these: http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/seven-easy-ways-help-family-diagnosed-autism-90233234#ixzz0yV4rm51M
science helping art, what a crazy mixed up world!
So we talk alot about "adapting" pieces, heck its even in our title, but why?
What is different about the brain of someone with Autism?
to put it simply- the way we use our senses
to put it less simply- read the following article (http://autism.about.com/b/2010/08/20/solid-research-on-sensory-dysfunction-in-autism.htm)
A recent study concluded that "The finding -- based on recordings of electrical activity in the brain -- is concrete evidence that children with autism spectrum disorders process information differently than typical children"
and now that we begin to learn the different ways we process things differently, we can update the ways that we adapt our theater productions to help them!
see, science and art do go together sometimes!
What is different about the brain of someone with Autism?
to put it simply- the way we use our senses
to put it less simply- read the following article (http://autism.about.com/b/2010/08/20/solid-research-on-sensory-dysfunction-in-autism.htm)
A recent study concluded that "The finding -- based on recordings of electrical activity in the brain -- is concrete evidence that children with autism spectrum disorders process information differently than typical children"
and now that we begin to learn the different ways we process things differently, we can update the ways that we adapt our theater productions to help them!
see, science and art do go together sometimes!
"work mode" and diagnosis
New ways to diagnose: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-autism-20100902,0,2418054.story?track=rss
It had become the joke around my group of friends that when I talk about Autism, I jump into “work mode.” My posture gets a bit better; I speak with a bit more confidence and while it’s visible to them, but it’s subconscious to me.
Yesterday on the subway ride to school, a colleague and I were sitting down when a very loud family entered the train with their small child. While the parents and the other couple were basically screaming their conversation to each other, the child sat silently. The child occasionally reached out for either parent, but when he did, he didn’t make eye contact with them. A few stops in, he began to get fussy and the mother realized she didn’t have anything to give him. I asked if he liked reading books and gave him the small notebook I had in my purse to play with. As we watched him investigate the floral pattern and turn the pages, the mother began speaking with me. The child was struggling a bit to keep a good grasp on the notebook and while she spoke, I occasionally reached down to return it to him from the subway floor. She was worried, she said, because the school was not working at all on his motor skills and she could tell he was behind. Her two older children didn’t have issues like this.
When he began hitting her leg again for attention, she added another caveat- he wasn’t talking. He wasn’t that old, he was just about to turn three, but both her other children began speaking much earlier. She was getting nervous. He could recognize some pictures, but no words. Immediately, I told her to research PEC’s symbols, which are a picture language which reinforces words. I asked if she had spoken with her doctor and began to explain that if she was concerned about his motor skills developing, perhaps she could seek out an occupational therapist (saying that her school district should cover it if they agree he needs it). Her doctor had apparently told her that nothing can be diagnosed until he is five years old. She asked if this was true and I told her no. I told her to please, please seek a second opinion. Her doctor is a much older man and she is beginning to fear he is not keeping updated on new technologies.
She was confused. She was worried. She didn’t know where to turn. I suggested she get her son screened for Autism. If nothing else, to rule it out. I gave her the name of a few groups that work with children her son’s age in Philly (luckily, a dear friend is a therapist with this population out there) and wrote down again the types of therapies out there and the tools that might help him. As we parted ways, I said goodbye to her and her child and wished them luck.
And now I wonder what will happen to them. Thankfully, I think she is a parent that will fight for her child. She has already taken the biggest step, she is acknowledging that her son might be different and searching for answers.
When I came across this article this morning, I couldn’t help but think about her family again. Autism is being detected, if not diagnosed earlier and earlier. I am constantly amazed by how quickly science can progress and how fervently they are searching for an accurate diagnostic test (even in the 9 years since my godson was born). We are getting closer and closer to being able to easily identify the disorder, but in the meantime, I think being informed in the most important thing one can do.
Ultimately, you know your own child. You are their own best advocate.
New ways to diagnose: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-autism-20100902,0,2418054.story?track=rss
It had become the joke around my group of friends that when I talk about Autism, I jump into “work mode.” My posture gets a bit better; I speak with a bit more confidence and while it’s visible to them, but it’s subconscious to me.
Yesterday on the subway ride to school, a colleague and I were sitting down when a very loud family entered the train with their small child. While the parents and the other couple were basically screaming their conversation to each other, the child sat silently. The child occasionally reached out for either parent, but when he did, he didn’t make eye contact with them. A few stops in, he began to get fussy and the mother realized she didn’t have anything to give him. I asked if he liked reading books and gave him the small notebook I had in my purse to play with. As we watched him investigate the floral pattern and turn the pages, the mother began speaking with me. The child was struggling a bit to keep a good grasp on the notebook and while she spoke, I occasionally reached down to return it to him from the subway floor. She was worried, she said, because the school was not working at all on his motor skills and she could tell he was behind. Her two older children didn’t have issues like this.
When he began hitting her leg again for attention, she added another caveat- he wasn’t talking. He wasn’t that old, he was just about to turn three, but both her other children began speaking much earlier. She was getting nervous. He could recognize some pictures, but no words. Immediately, I told her to research PEC’s symbols, which are a picture language which reinforces words. I asked if she had spoken with her doctor and began to explain that if she was concerned about his motor skills developing, perhaps she could seek out an occupational therapist (saying that her school district should cover it if they agree he needs it). Her doctor had apparently told her that nothing can be diagnosed until he is five years old. She asked if this was true and I told her no. I told her to please, please seek a second opinion. Her doctor is a much older man and she is beginning to fear he is not keeping updated on new technologies.
She was confused. She was worried. She didn’t know where to turn. I suggested she get her son screened for Autism. If nothing else, to rule it out. I gave her the name of a few groups that work with children her son’s age in Philly (luckily, a dear friend is a therapist with this population out there) and wrote down again the types of therapies out there and the tools that might help him. As we parted ways, I said goodbye to her and her child and wished them luck.
And now I wonder what will happen to them. Thankfully, I think she is a parent that will fight for her child. She has already taken the biggest step, she is acknowledging that her son might be different and searching for answers.
When I came across this article this morning, I couldn’t help but think about her family again. Autism is being detected, if not diagnosed earlier and earlier. I am constantly amazed by how quickly science can progress and how fervently they are searching for an accurate diagnostic test (even in the 9 years since my godson was born). We are getting closer and closer to being able to easily identify the disorder, but in the meantime, I think being informed in the most important thing one can do.
Ultimately, you know your own child. You are their own best advocate.
New ways to diagnose: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-autism-20100902,0,2418054.story?track=rss
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
communication and relationships: is this a bad title for a dating guide or a post on Autism? You decide.
ever been at a dinner/party/social gathering and realize you have absolutely NOTHING to add to the conversation you have somehow walked into?
You feel trapped, you feel silly... perhaps you reach for a drink, perhaps you try to tiptoe away without being noticed or perhaps you just run to the fire escape (yes, i live in a city)
ever wonder what it would be like if you had no langauge abilities at all? How does that effect your social development as you grow.
here's an interesting look at just that http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503688&ps=rs
people with Autism not only have " problems understanding an action like reaching for a peanut," he says, "but also a metaphor like reaching for the stars."
How does language play a role in our everyday social interactions? it might be an interesting excercise to spend tomorrow taking everything people say to you literally and devoid of emotional context. how much harder it would be to communicate! How much more effort would need to be exerted and how frustrating it might become!
You feel trapped, you feel silly... perhaps you reach for a drink, perhaps you try to tiptoe away without being noticed or perhaps you just run to the fire escape (yes, i live in a city)
ever wonder what it would be like if you had no langauge abilities at all? How does that effect your social development as you grow.
here's an interesting look at just that http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503688&ps=rs
people with Autism not only have " problems understanding an action like reaching for a peanut," he says, "but also a metaphor like reaching for the stars."
How does language play a role in our everyday social interactions? it might be an interesting excercise to spend tomorrow taking everything people say to you literally and devoid of emotional context. how much harder it would be to communicate! How much more effort would need to be exerted and how frustrating it might become!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Detials, Social Skills, And Einstein
I know, I know, we owe you updates. But this past month has been busy with exciting new things for adaptive arts. Before i get to all that, I wanted to share an article I came across that shares insight into the autistic mind.
I was particularly struck by this quote, “The autistic person’s world is a world of detail. In fact, scientific research shows the normal mind tends to drop out detail, and that can be very, very disastrous..."
For some reason, all i could think of were how many game shows are based on the "normal" minds ability or inability to retain facts? (see, i took a totally important thought and brought it down to modern reality TV. I have failed you all)
read the whole article here though: http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=245950&format=html&autoreload=true
I was particularly struck by this quote, “The autistic person’s world is a world of detail. In fact, scientific research shows the normal mind tends to drop out detail, and that can be very, very disastrous..."
For some reason, all i could think of were how many game shows are based on the "normal" minds ability or inability to retain facts? (see, i took a totally important thought and brought it down to modern reality TV. I have failed you all)
read the whole article here though: http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=245950&format=html&autoreload=true
Monday, April 12, 2010
What is the goal of this production?
This morning, I got into a long discussion with an Artistic Director here in New York over the goal of this production, who want we to come, and how we are marketing it.
The simplest answer is that just like any show, we want anyone and everyone to come!
However, unlike most theater productions we actually mean EVERYONE. We are trying to reach across the traditional theater audience and begun to pull in audience members with disabilities who are often excluded from being able to see theater (because of, mainly in this case, behavioral issues).
Our goal is integrate traditional and non-traditional audiences.
The hope of this show is to create a "safe" theater experience for individuals with Autism. This will be the first non-childrens show adapted for Autistic individuals in the country and we have been hard at work to not only create a cohesive and honest production of this piece, but to also make it accesible for this audience. But we dont feel that any added elements (symbols, smaller audience size, removal of certain design elements) will take anything away from the traditional theater goers experience.
We are focusing on the words in the piece, we are acting(directing,desiging) it with honesty, and we are working fueled by passion. This is how all pieces should be treated.
Our end goal is that our efforts will inspire awareness of Autism (and the challenges it presents to typical outings), discussion about who theater should be for (and whether is should be exclusive at all) in our audience, and perhaps lead other theater artists to think about how they can make their own work more "friendly" to other audiences.
The simplest answer is that just like any show, we want anyone and everyone to come!
However, unlike most theater productions we actually mean EVERYONE. We are trying to reach across the traditional theater audience and begun to pull in audience members with disabilities who are often excluded from being able to see theater (because of, mainly in this case, behavioral issues).
Our goal is integrate traditional and non-traditional audiences.
The hope of this show is to create a "safe" theater experience for individuals with Autism. This will be the first non-childrens show adapted for Autistic individuals in the country and we have been hard at work to not only create a cohesive and honest production of this piece, but to also make it accesible for this audience. But we dont feel that any added elements (symbols, smaller audience size, removal of certain design elements) will take anything away from the traditional theater goers experience.
We are focusing on the words in the piece, we are acting(directing,desiging) it with honesty, and we are working fueled by passion. This is how all pieces should be treated.
Our end goal is that our efforts will inspire awareness of Autism (and the challenges it presents to typical outings), discussion about who theater should be for (and whether is should be exclusive at all) in our audience, and perhaps lead other theater artists to think about how they can make their own work more "friendly" to other audiences.
Less than two weeks
until Good Woman of Setzuan opens...which is all at once wonderful, terrifying, and exciting.
In under 4 months, we have started a company, launched 6 new plays, and are now putting up a full length production involving original composition and live singing.
We have begun to introduce the theater community in new york to the needs of a new community, but now we need your help!
Come support our production!
Where: The First Floor Studio of the 14th st Y
When: April 23rd at 7pm, April 24th at 7pm, and April 25th at 3pm.
Who:
director:Marielle Duke
Featuring: Michael Mraz, Michael Alan Read, Will Schmincke , Collin McConnell, Ugo Anyanwu,Christian Toth, Emily King Brown, Kristin Ciccone, Kate Kertez, Gabby Sherba, Adria Baratta , Shelley Little, Leigh Poulos, and Jerielle Morwitz
How do i reserve tickets?
Well, just email us at rsvpadaptive@gmail.com or give us a call (845) 667 0757.
We hope to see you there!
In under 4 months, we have started a company, launched 6 new plays, and are now putting up a full length production involving original composition and live singing.
We have begun to introduce the theater community in new york to the needs of a new community, but now we need your help!
Come support our production!
Where: The First Floor Studio of the 14th st Y
When: April 23rd at 7pm, April 24th at 7pm, and April 25th at 3pm.
Who:
director:Marielle Duke
Featuring: Michael Mraz, Michael Alan Read, Will Schmincke , Collin McConnell, Ugo Anyanwu,Christian Toth, Emily King Brown, Kristin Ciccone, Kate Kertez, Gabby Sherba, Adria Baratta , Shelley Little, Leigh Poulos, and Jerielle Morwitz
How do i reserve tickets?
Well, just email us at rsvpadaptive@gmail.com or give us a call (845) 667 0757.
We hope to see you there!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Brunch with Brecht: episode 1
Meet our first Adaptive Arts member: Ali Goldaper, Puppet Designer extraordinaire!
M: Hi Ali! So, what drew you to this crazy adventure?
A: The crazy director! I've worked with you in the past and really enjoyed myself. This sounded like a great project and I jump at any opportunity to make puppets.
M: Now unlike last time we collaborated, no one is dead or famous or famous people pretending to be dead people. What have you liked about this show so far?
A: I loved building the puppets. They sort of built themselves. It was a process of what works and what doesnt and how do i make them look basic or easy when they really werent.
M: Now a little birdie told me you named all the puppets, how did that come about and which one is your favorite?
A: They all name themselves a little too, does that sound too hippy? Jack (boy) was the first one i made and my brother and i both looked at him and decided at once that his name was Jack. It just went on from there. I'm the most happy with Grandfather, but i am proud of all of them. Its my first time doing this type [bunraku] puppets and there's only one real place to find instructions on this and its by part. It was a lot of trial and error.
M: So do you have separation anxiety from them now that they are living with us during rehearsals? It sounds like they've become sort of like your kids in a way....
A: That's pretty much true. You know me too well.
M: I'm like that with props I handcraft too, no judgement!
A: The process involved me scooping into their heads and scooping out the clay inside. it felt a little like brain surgery and that was weird.But, i know they have a good home. I'll be ok...
M: Do you have a favorite moment of the play or favorite line?
A: I love the epilogue. I really love it. I feel the same way about it that i do about Puck's in Midsummer, the direct address to the audience. The plea for acceptance or favor. I also love the God scenes. Its funny. These all powerful beings are just as clueless perhaps as the people they are controlling. The gods don't really have control, but people still accept that they do.
M: Scariest thing about this for you besides the brain surgery of course?
A: This is the first real time that I've build puppets. Im hoping they hold up in a way i want them to. Im not sure what adjustments will have to be made as we go. I know you will make some and I will make some and we've talked about some. Its a process.
M: What's next for you?
A: I'm actually props designing Fiddler on the Roof at the John W Engeman Theater in Northport. The show runs April 29th-June 20th.
M: Wow. thats close! Yay overcommitting! We all share that disease!
A: Yay!
And on that note, she fled back to the LIRR train station to go back to work in Northport.
The puppets waved goodbye.
M: Hi Ali! So, what drew you to this crazy adventure?
A: The crazy director! I've worked with you in the past and really enjoyed myself. This sounded like a great project and I jump at any opportunity to make puppets.
M: Now unlike last time we collaborated, no one is dead or famous or famous people pretending to be dead people. What have you liked about this show so far?
A: I loved building the puppets. They sort of built themselves. It was a process of what works and what doesnt and how do i make them look basic or easy when they really werent.
M: Now a little birdie told me you named all the puppets, how did that come about and which one is your favorite?
A: They all name themselves a little too, does that sound too hippy? Jack (boy) was the first one i made and my brother and i both looked at him and decided at once that his name was Jack. It just went on from there. I'm the most happy with Grandfather, but i am proud of all of them. Its my first time doing this type [bunraku] puppets and there's only one real place to find instructions on this and its by part. It was a lot of trial and error.
M: So do you have separation anxiety from them now that they are living with us during rehearsals? It sounds like they've become sort of like your kids in a way....
A: That's pretty much true. You know me too well.
M: I'm like that with props I handcraft too, no judgement!
A: The process involved me scooping into their heads and scooping out the clay inside. it felt a little like brain surgery and that was weird.But, i know they have a good home. I'll be ok...
M: Do you have a favorite moment of the play or favorite line?
A: I love the epilogue. I really love it. I feel the same way about it that i do about Puck's in Midsummer, the direct address to the audience. The plea for acceptance or favor. I also love the God scenes. Its funny. These all powerful beings are just as clueless perhaps as the people they are controlling. The gods don't really have control, but people still accept that they do.
M: Scariest thing about this for you besides the brain surgery of course?
A: This is the first real time that I've build puppets. Im hoping they hold up in a way i want them to. Im not sure what adjustments will have to be made as we go. I know you will make some and I will make some and we've talked about some. Its a process.
M: What's next for you?
A: I'm actually props designing Fiddler on the Roof at the John W Engeman Theater in Northport. The show runs April 29th-June 20th.
M: Wow. thats close! Yay overcommitting! We all share that disease!
A: Yay!
And on that note, she fled back to the LIRR train station to go back to work in Northport.
The puppets waved goodbye.
mixed community
Well bloggy world,
Adaptive Arts can say with smiling faces that we made it through our first fundraiser! Now we can breathe (and blog) again.
we were so overjoyed to see the outpouring of support from the indie theater community as well as the educational community in new york.
It makes one wonder why these two groups don't mix more. If we get theater into the schools in some form, any form, not only are we helping to create the next generation of theater practitioners, but theater audiences. If we get educators, principals, administration to the theater, they can see its relevance and influence. If we get students to to the theater we can get them inspired.
we are all about the intermingling of communities. for our productions it happens to be individuals with disabilities and your "average" theatergoer, but just think of the possibilities! A big question in the indie theater world is how to bring in new audiences and we think the educational community in new york might be a great start...
Adaptive Arts can say with smiling faces that we made it through our first fundraiser! Now we can breathe (and blog) again.
we were so overjoyed to see the outpouring of support from the indie theater community as well as the educational community in new york.
It makes one wonder why these two groups don't mix more. If we get theater into the schools in some form, any form, not only are we helping to create the next generation of theater practitioners, but theater audiences. If we get educators, principals, administration to the theater, they can see its relevance and influence. If we get students to to the theater we can get them inspired.
we are all about the intermingling of communities. for our productions it happens to be individuals with disabilities and your "average" theatergoer, but just think of the possibilities! A big question in the indie theater world is how to bring in new audiences and we think the educational community in new york might be a great start...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Fundraiser!
Recently, Adaptive Arts gave playwrights across the theater community a challenge: address the main theme of Good Woman of Setzuan, is goodness possible in an unjust world?
This will be a night featuring aliens, bees, waxing salons, satan, murder, video games and tea parties and might even make you rethink your own morality!
Playwrights: Christian Toth, Corey Ann Haydu, Isaac Rathbone, Janet Zarecor, Kat Funkhouser and Michael Bradley.
Direcotrs: Christopher Thomasson,Christian Toth, Marielle Duke, Philip Emeott, August Schulenburg and Michael Criscuolo.
This fundraiser will be an exciting night of theater and a chance to suport the new work of some talented playwrights and a company with a unique, new mission.
The event will taken place in Penthouse 1 at Shetler Studios on Saturday, March 6th at 8pm. There will be refreshments there as well :)
Tickets will be $15 dollars and you can reserve tickets for the event by emailing RSVPadaptive@gmail.com or by calling (845) 667 0757.
A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Autism Speaks, the "nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families."
This will be a night featuring aliens, bees, waxing salons, satan, murder, video games and tea parties and might even make you rethink your own morality!
Playwrights: Christian Toth, Corey Ann Haydu, Isaac Rathbone, Janet Zarecor, Kat Funkhouser and Michael Bradley.
Direcotrs: Christopher Thomasson,Christian Toth, Marielle Duke, Philip Emeott, August Schulenburg and Michael Criscuolo.
This fundraiser will be an exciting night of theater and a chance to suport the new work of some talented playwrights and a company with a unique, new mission.
The event will taken place in Penthouse 1 at Shetler Studios on Saturday, March 6th at 8pm. There will be refreshments there as well :)
Tickets will be $15 dollars and you can reserve tickets for the event by emailing RSVPadaptive@gmail.com or by calling (845) 667 0757.
A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Autism Speaks, the "nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families."
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Children's Shows versus Shows for Children
A question that seems to be recurring when discussing our upcoming production is whether or not Good Woman of Setzuan is an appropriate show to present to an audience filled partly with children.
I, personally, have always believed it to be appropriate thematically. At its heart, it is a play that asks “how do we achieve goodness?” It questions if we can be successful human beings and at the same time remain good people. This query is nothing new. It is a question that has been passed down to the ages and, often, is found within many children’s stories and fables. In fact, this is one of Brecht's two self-proclaimed Parable Plays (the other being The Caucasian Chalk Circle)
As parents, teachers, and leaders in the community, we preach morality. We try to teach children early on to respect each other and themselves, to grow into law abiding citizens. When they are young, much of this learning comes from the people they are exposed to and the literature they read. The texts most often presented and referenced are fairy tales and religious doctrine, predominantly the Bible (within the Judeo-Christian religion).
So I suppose the question becomes does The Good Woman of Setzuan present to these children anything more “risqué” or “adult” than they have already been exposed to?
In Good Woman, our protagonist, our lead, happens to be a prostitute. Shen Te is poor in a poor society and prostitution (perhaps the oldest career choice) becomes her only option, an option she wishes to move beyond if given opportunity. However, her career is just one facet of her being. She is the only person in the city willing to give shelter to the Gods and thus, is deemed the first “good person” they come across. Even with the little she has, she gives to others, leading to her financial ruin. Each morning she gives rice to the poor, she provides shelter to those in need, she loves unconditionally, and even is willing to give up everything for the person she loves. Aren’t these aspects of her that we should focus on?
Beyond that, prostitution is nothing new. From an early age, children are faced with sexuality (as much as conservatives may argue otherwise). It is prevalent in our culture; movies, television, magazines. Even in those “child friendly” outlets; Freud had a field day with the sexual undertones in many fairy tales and the bible itself is riddled with references to prostitution! (Also, let us not forget that in most public schools, sex education begins as early as 4th grade.)
Good Woman deals with interpersonal relationships, it deals with notions of morality and, presented onstage, is only one instance of mild violence (a barber hitting a beggar once in a slapstick fashion) and no portrayals of physical romance (even so much as a kiss is missing). Children see more than this in the video games they play on a daily basis! Beyond that, perhaps our must trusted guides of morality, fairy tales are full of much more disturbing ideas and images: “Even those who know that Snow White’s stepmother arranges the murder of her stepdaughter, that doves peck out the eyes of Cinderella’s stepsisters, that Briar Rose’s suitors bleed to death on the hedge surrounding her castle, or that mad rage drives Rumplestiltskin to tear himself in two will find themselves hardly prepared for the graphic descriptions of murder, mutilation, cannibalism, infanticide, and incest that fill the pages of these bedtime stories for children” (Rohrich)
Why is all this appropriate for children and yet simply the mention of prostitution throws people into alarm?
I propose giving our children credit to see past a career choice and to appreciate the story as a whole. Let the children and audience see, as the Gods do in the play, that Shen Te is a good woman as a whole and that is what matters.
Let us begin to give our children a little credit to make informed decisions about people and maybe they will surprise you.
I, personally, have always believed it to be appropriate thematically. At its heart, it is a play that asks “how do we achieve goodness?” It questions if we can be successful human beings and at the same time remain good people. This query is nothing new. It is a question that has been passed down to the ages and, often, is found within many children’s stories and fables. In fact, this is one of Brecht's two self-proclaimed Parable Plays (the other being The Caucasian Chalk Circle)
As parents, teachers, and leaders in the community, we preach morality. We try to teach children early on to respect each other and themselves, to grow into law abiding citizens. When they are young, much of this learning comes from the people they are exposed to and the literature they read. The texts most often presented and referenced are fairy tales and religious doctrine, predominantly the Bible (within the Judeo-Christian religion).
So I suppose the question becomes does The Good Woman of Setzuan present to these children anything more “risqué” or “adult” than they have already been exposed to?
In Good Woman, our protagonist, our lead, happens to be a prostitute. Shen Te is poor in a poor society and prostitution (perhaps the oldest career choice) becomes her only option, an option she wishes to move beyond if given opportunity. However, her career is just one facet of her being. She is the only person in the city willing to give shelter to the Gods and thus, is deemed the first “good person” they come across. Even with the little she has, she gives to others, leading to her financial ruin. Each morning she gives rice to the poor, she provides shelter to those in need, she loves unconditionally, and even is willing to give up everything for the person she loves. Aren’t these aspects of her that we should focus on?
Beyond that, prostitution is nothing new. From an early age, children are faced with sexuality (as much as conservatives may argue otherwise). It is prevalent in our culture; movies, television, magazines. Even in those “child friendly” outlets; Freud had a field day with the sexual undertones in many fairy tales and the bible itself is riddled with references to prostitution! (Also, let us not forget that in most public schools, sex education begins as early as 4th grade.)
Good Woman deals with interpersonal relationships, it deals with notions of morality and, presented onstage, is only one instance of mild violence (a barber hitting a beggar once in a slapstick fashion) and no portrayals of physical romance (even so much as a kiss is missing). Children see more than this in the video games they play on a daily basis! Beyond that, perhaps our must trusted guides of morality, fairy tales are full of much more disturbing ideas and images: “Even those who know that Snow White’s stepmother arranges the murder of her stepdaughter, that doves peck out the eyes of Cinderella’s stepsisters, that Briar Rose’s suitors bleed to death on the hedge surrounding her castle, or that mad rage drives Rumplestiltskin to tear himself in two will find themselves hardly prepared for the graphic descriptions of murder, mutilation, cannibalism, infanticide, and incest that fill the pages of these bedtime stories for children” (Rohrich)
Why is all this appropriate for children and yet simply the mention of prostitution throws people into alarm?
I propose giving our children credit to see past a career choice and to appreciate the story as a whole. Let the children and audience see, as the Gods do in the play, that Shen Te is a good woman as a whole and that is what matters.
Let us begin to give our children a little credit to make informed decisions about people and maybe they will surprise you.
Monday, January 18, 2010
venturing out into the world as an autistic individual
So at the start of this project ( this theatrical adventure), i was instructed to lean towards the personal and anecdotal when discussing my connection to autism and the origins of this project. Up till now though, I have held back from that.
This past week, I have had to face many of the tougher aspects of raising and caring for autistic children head on and because of this, feel the desire to speak out. So, this post will focus on autism and not on theater, on the individuals we are trying to help and not our upcoming productions.
It is not only theaters that tend to be unfriendly towards autistic individuals, although that has become our particular focus. The basics, the day to day events that are challenging are things that non autistic individuals wouldn't give a second thought. For some people on the lower end of the spectrum, even leaving the house becomes a challenge: getting up and ready in the morning (the simple tasks of washing your face, brushing your teeth and throwing on clothes) can take hours and include fights, screams and confusion.
Things that we take for granted, simple things, eating out at a restaurant, going to see a movie, become near impossible and daunting tasks.
I was inspired to this post by an article I came across on a different blog (www.aspieteacher.com/2010/010going-out/) , reaching out for tips on how to easily conquer the difficult task of eating at a restaurant with sensory issues and looking to see what problems others have encountered.
Story time. When I was perhaps 17 years old, I ventured out to a local food chain in florida with my aunt. This was not a particularly classy establishment, some chilis-esque restaurant indigenous to the south, and so we saw no issue taking my severely autistic cousin who was four years old at the time. Joely was placed in a high chair along the aisle outside of our table while my aunt and i sat opposite each other. Now Joel was overstimulated by the noise, the people, all the new things around him and began to flail his arms just as the waiter walked by. Inevitably, like a bad comedy sketch, Joel proceeded to accidentally smack the (attractive) waiter in the ass. The waiter shot us a dirty look, assuming it was my aunt or I, but continued to the kitchen. On his return trip, Joel hit him again and my aunt and i could do nothing but laugh and avert our eyes. Now, Joel has no concept of what had happened or why the waiter was suddenly angry or why we were incredibly amused or why everyone at the nearby tables were suddenly staring, but we proceeded to get a "talking to" and the waiter got a very nice tip at the end of the day for surviving our visit. To my recollection, we have not been back since.
A few weeks before this trip out into the world beyond my aunt's house, she had tried to make a similar trek with my grandfather, well into his 80s. At a different restaurant, Joelly began to fuss while waiting for a table and shrieked. Being nonverbal at the time, this was his only means of communication. When one man rudely yelled at my family and told them to teach their son some manners my grandfather apparently threatened violence (regrettably i was not around for this night) towards the much younger and much more in fit attacker. I was left only with the amusing image of my old grandfather shaking his dragon engraved cane at this young man until he finally left them alone.
When things like this are a daily occurrence, one learns to just laugh.
I am reminded of an article i read in time magazine a few months ago providing tips on travelling with an autistic child that was actually remarkably insightful, more so then most articles i come across. found here: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1893554,00.html
A year or so ago, while visiting my aunt, we decided to make a trip out to disney world (something you need at least two adults for when all three kids are involved). About an hour into wandering the park, in the rain i might add, we noticed blood coming out of Joel's mouth. He was losing his first tooth. He had no idea what was happening. The only nearby bathroom we could find was inside a themed restaurant that includes all of the disney characters walking around, usually a huge attraction for kids. My aunt and I were forced to drag a scared, screaming Joel past mickey, minnie and pluto, all who were saying hi and trying to hug him (only confusing him more) through the dining area, filled with patron who were now staring at us in sheer terror. When we arrived at the bathroom I had to pin Joels arms behind him so he would not reach into his mouth while my aunt carefully grabbed his tooth and tried to pull it out. One poor soul emerged from within the bathroom stall so see us pulling at and restraining a screaming, bleeding child. Luckily, once we explained ourselves she no longer felt compelled to run off in search of police. After a few minutes, Joelly had lost his first tooth. We left the bathroom, back through the eerily quiet restaurant and returned to the rides, the lines, and the typical disney world events.
It is days like that that made me want to create a theater like this. To create a place where autistic individuals and their families can come to enjoy a day out, enjoy a cultural event without worrying about judgement or behavioral problems, without worrying about anything. Because everyone deserves that and so many of us take it for granted.
Here is my inspiration:
What's yours?
- Marielle
This past week, I have had to face many of the tougher aspects of raising and caring for autistic children head on and because of this, feel the desire to speak out. So, this post will focus on autism and not on theater, on the individuals we are trying to help and not our upcoming productions.
It is not only theaters that tend to be unfriendly towards autistic individuals, although that has become our particular focus. The basics, the day to day events that are challenging are things that non autistic individuals wouldn't give a second thought. For some people on the lower end of the spectrum, even leaving the house becomes a challenge: getting up and ready in the morning (the simple tasks of washing your face, brushing your teeth and throwing on clothes) can take hours and include fights, screams and confusion.
Things that we take for granted, simple things, eating out at a restaurant, going to see a movie, become near impossible and daunting tasks.
I was inspired to this post by an article I came across on a different blog (www.aspieteacher.com/2010/010going-out/) , reaching out for tips on how to easily conquer the difficult task of eating at a restaurant with sensory issues and looking to see what problems others have encountered.
Story time. When I was perhaps 17 years old, I ventured out to a local food chain in florida with my aunt. This was not a particularly classy establishment, some chilis-esque restaurant indigenous to the south, and so we saw no issue taking my severely autistic cousin who was four years old at the time. Joely was placed in a high chair along the aisle outside of our table while my aunt and i sat opposite each other. Now Joel was overstimulated by the noise, the people, all the new things around him and began to flail his arms just as the waiter walked by. Inevitably, like a bad comedy sketch, Joel proceeded to accidentally smack the (attractive) waiter in the ass. The waiter shot us a dirty look, assuming it was my aunt or I, but continued to the kitchen. On his return trip, Joel hit him again and my aunt and i could do nothing but laugh and avert our eyes. Now, Joel has no concept of what had happened or why the waiter was suddenly angry or why we were incredibly amused or why everyone at the nearby tables were suddenly staring, but we proceeded to get a "talking to" and the waiter got a very nice tip at the end of the day for surviving our visit. To my recollection, we have not been back since.
A few weeks before this trip out into the world beyond my aunt's house, she had tried to make a similar trek with my grandfather, well into his 80s. At a different restaurant, Joelly began to fuss while waiting for a table and shrieked. Being nonverbal at the time, this was his only means of communication. When one man rudely yelled at my family and told them to teach their son some manners my grandfather apparently threatened violence (regrettably i was not around for this night) towards the much younger and much more in fit attacker. I was left only with the amusing image of my old grandfather shaking his dragon engraved cane at this young man until he finally left them alone.
When things like this are a daily occurrence, one learns to just laugh.
I am reminded of an article i read in time magazine a few months ago providing tips on travelling with an autistic child that was actually remarkably insightful, more so then most articles i come across. found here: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1893554,00.html
A year or so ago, while visiting my aunt, we decided to make a trip out to disney world (something you need at least two adults for when all three kids are involved). About an hour into wandering the park, in the rain i might add, we noticed blood coming out of Joel's mouth. He was losing his first tooth. He had no idea what was happening. The only nearby bathroom we could find was inside a themed restaurant that includes all of the disney characters walking around, usually a huge attraction for kids. My aunt and I were forced to drag a scared, screaming Joel past mickey, minnie and pluto, all who were saying hi and trying to hug him (only confusing him more) through the dining area, filled with patron who were now staring at us in sheer terror. When we arrived at the bathroom I had to pin Joels arms behind him so he would not reach into his mouth while my aunt carefully grabbed his tooth and tried to pull it out. One poor soul emerged from within the bathroom stall so see us pulling at and restraining a screaming, bleeding child. Luckily, once we explained ourselves she no longer felt compelled to run off in search of police. After a few minutes, Joelly had lost his first tooth. We left the bathroom, back through the eerily quiet restaurant and returned to the rides, the lines, and the typical disney world events.
It is days like that that made me want to create a theater like this. To create a place where autistic individuals and their families can come to enjoy a day out, enjoy a cultural event without worrying about judgement or behavioral problems, without worrying about anything. Because everyone deserves that and so many of us take it for granted.
Here is my inspiration:
What's yours?
- Marielle
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Good and evil....
Hello bloggy world,
Adaptive Arts is hard at work planning its first fundraiser (taking place this march, details to follow), but we need your help.
At the fundraiser, we will be presenting readings of 4-6 new, 10 minute plays centered around the main theme of "Good Woman of Setzuan," the question of whether it is possible to be good in an imperfect world.
So, we are curious to hear your thoughts on good and evil. Can goodness truly exist?
Please send all submissions/questions to adaptivearts@gmail.com by february 3rd at midnight.
Some interesting food for thought on good and evil (and man's role within it):
" The first story of division comes from ancient Persia: the god of time, having created the universe, sees harmony all around him, but feels that there is still something very important missing- a companion with whom to share all this beauty. For a thousand years, he prays for a son. The story does not say to whom he prays, given that he is omnipotent, the sole, sumpreme lord: nevertheless, he prays and, finally, he becomes pregnant.
When he realizes he has achieved his heart's desire, the god of time is filled with remorse, suddently conscious of how fragile the balanceof things is. But it is too late and the child is already on his way. All he acheives by his lamentations is to cause the son he is carrying in his belly to divide into two.
The legend recounts that just as Good (Ormuzd) is born out of the god of time's prayers, so Evil (Ahriman) is born out of his remorse- twin brothers. The concerned father arranges everything so that Ormuzd will emerge first from him belly, to take charge of his brother and to prevent Ahriman from throwing the universe into confusion. However, Evil- being very intelligent and resourceful- manages to push Ormuzd aside at the moment of their birth, and thus is the first to see the light of the stars. Distraught, the god of time resolves to forge alliances on Ormuzd's behalf: he brings into being the human race so that they can fight alongside Ormuzd and stop Ahriman taking control of everything.
In the persian legend, the human race is born to be the ally of Good and, according to tradition, Good will triumph in the end. However, many centuries later, another story about division emerges, this time presenting the opposite view: man as the instrument of Evil.
I imagine that most people will know which story I mean. A man and a woman are in the Garden of Eden, enjoying every imaginable delight. But one in thing is forbidden: the couple can never know the meaning of Good and Evil. The Lord God says (gensis 2:17); 'But of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shall not eat of it...'
And one fine day the serpent appears, swearing that knowledge is more important than paradise itself and that they should possess that knowledge. The woman refuses, saying that God has threatened her with death, but the serpent assures her that nothing of the kind will happen but quite the contrary, for on the day when they learn what Good and Evil are they will become God's equals.
Convinced, Eve eats of the forbidden fruit and gives some of it to Adam. From this moment on, the original balance of Paradise is destroyed, and the pair are driven out of paradise and cursed. Yet there remains some engimatic words spoken by God and which confirm what the seprent said: 'Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know Good and Evil...'
Here, too (as with the god of time who prays for something even though he himself is the lord of the universe), the Bible fails to explain to whome the one God is speaking, and-assuming he is unique- why he should use the expression 'one of us'
Whatever the answer, it is clear that from its very inception the human race has been condemned to exist within the eternal division, always moving between those two opposing poles. So here we are, afflicted by the same doubts as out ancestors."- Paulo Coelho
Adaptive Arts is hard at work planning its first fundraiser (taking place this march, details to follow), but we need your help.
At the fundraiser, we will be presenting readings of 4-6 new, 10 minute plays centered around the main theme of "Good Woman of Setzuan," the question of whether it is possible to be good in an imperfect world.
So, we are curious to hear your thoughts on good and evil. Can goodness truly exist?
Please send all submissions/questions to adaptivearts@gmail.com by february 3rd at midnight.
Some interesting food for thought on good and evil (and man's role within it):
" The first story of division comes from ancient Persia: the god of time, having created the universe, sees harmony all around him, but feels that there is still something very important missing- a companion with whom to share all this beauty. For a thousand years, he prays for a son. The story does not say to whom he prays, given that he is omnipotent, the sole, sumpreme lord: nevertheless, he prays and, finally, he becomes pregnant.
When he realizes he has achieved his heart's desire, the god of time is filled with remorse, suddently conscious of how fragile the balanceof things is. But it is too late and the child is already on his way. All he acheives by his lamentations is to cause the son he is carrying in his belly to divide into two.
The legend recounts that just as Good (Ormuzd) is born out of the god of time's prayers, so Evil (Ahriman) is born out of his remorse- twin brothers. The concerned father arranges everything so that Ormuzd will emerge first from him belly, to take charge of his brother and to prevent Ahriman from throwing the universe into confusion. However, Evil- being very intelligent and resourceful- manages to push Ormuzd aside at the moment of their birth, and thus is the first to see the light of the stars. Distraught, the god of time resolves to forge alliances on Ormuzd's behalf: he brings into being the human race so that they can fight alongside Ormuzd and stop Ahriman taking control of everything.
In the persian legend, the human race is born to be the ally of Good and, according to tradition, Good will triumph in the end. However, many centuries later, another story about division emerges, this time presenting the opposite view: man as the instrument of Evil.
I imagine that most people will know which story I mean. A man and a woman are in the Garden of Eden, enjoying every imaginable delight. But one in thing is forbidden: the couple can never know the meaning of Good and Evil. The Lord God says (gensis 2:17); 'But of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shall not eat of it...'
And one fine day the serpent appears, swearing that knowledge is more important than paradise itself and that they should possess that knowledge. The woman refuses, saying that God has threatened her with death, but the serpent assures her that nothing of the kind will happen but quite the contrary, for on the day when they learn what Good and Evil are they will become God's equals.
Convinced, Eve eats of the forbidden fruit and gives some of it to Adam. From this moment on, the original balance of Paradise is destroyed, and the pair are driven out of paradise and cursed. Yet there remains some engimatic words spoken by God and which confirm what the seprent said: 'Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know Good and Evil...'
Here, too (as with the god of time who prays for something even though he himself is the lord of the universe), the Bible fails to explain to whome the one God is speaking, and-assuming he is unique- why he should use the expression 'one of us'
Whatever the answer, it is clear that from its very inception the human race has been condemned to exist within the eternal division, always moving between those two opposing poles. So here we are, afflicted by the same doubts as out ancestors."- Paulo Coelho
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