UPCOMING: CONCRETE TEMPLE THEATRE'S Hudson to China

Go see this play! Hudson to China is up and at it again, this time at Dixon Place, on December 15th, at 7.30 and 9:30 pm:

Puppet Blok at Dixon Place

presents

Concrete Temple Theatre's

Hudson to China


Wednesday, December 15th

at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM

(running time 60 minutes)

For tickets and additional info:

http://www.dixonplace.org/puppetblok/puppet_blok/index.html

tickets: $12

Dixon Place: 161A Chrystie Street, Btwn Rivington & Delancey

F to 2nd Ave, 6 to Bleecker, JZ to Bowery, M to Essex

Hudson to China

is a spectacle with projections, puppetry, theatre, and live-music. It parallels three different beings seeking a way to China: the Statue of Henry Hudson that stands in the Bronx; a young man, Harry, who dreams of success by literally conquering what he fears: China & its economy; and Hua, a Chinese immigrant, who longs for home.  On the journey the voyagers and we, the audience, lose our way, finding it just to lose it again, echoing Henry Hudson's voyages and our own lives, searching for the mythical Orient

 Co-created by Renee Philippi and Carlo Adinolfi

Original music: Bob Goldberg

Stage Manager, Assistant Director, Lighting Designer: Casey McLain

Performers: Carlo Adinolfi, Bob Goldberg, Akiko Hiroshima, and Jordan Swisher.

www.ConcreteTempleTheatre.com

Support for Hudson to China comes from: a commission by the Hudson Opera House with funds from the

New York State Council for the Arts as well as Concrete Temple Theatre's support from NYSCA and

New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in addition to a Jim Henson Foundation Project Grant.
 

August Open Rehearsal Pictures

Charley Parden sent along these photos, images from our August 22nd open rehearsal of TEXT/PLAY/ORCHESTER outside of the Goddamn Cobras Annex. In 'em, we are testing/working/rebuilding our technologies/movements and exploring the silence in the piece (it's dark in places, and it gets a little lulling.) The result, of course, is a kind of party--our player set around chatting, while we worked to get the technology up and working. When we did text--the motion of the player was executed without the knowledge of those around them, resulting in some kind of craziness (thanks be to Charley for documenting the caboodle.)


Here's it happening:

BABYSKINGLOVE's THE DINNER FAMINE

Go see this show by our friends BabySkinGlove:

 

It's a fantastic show; an amazing time; a delight; a very fun evening!

UNTITLED TRAVELOGUE PROJECT.

We're headed to Washington, Oregon, and California December 22-January 1st to a) see family and friends, b) connect with some artist in that regions regarding future projects and c) make some experimental theatre.  

Enter our untitled travelogue project: a theatre/film experiment in remote location (hidden spaces) and text.  The project will following a set 2 person scene, 2 minute scene, that is played out over a series of 15 remote locations down the West Coast.  Each showing will feature a constant player (Amy) and an unknown, who is new the play, and thus experiencing the work as both a participant and a spectator.

Our remote locations, which are currently carefully hunted and curated by Eric,  are designed to amplify the themes of the 2 minute text: islotation, alienation, and environment.  

The project is still very much in infant stages, and of course, we are wild about the challenges: weather, cold, located our players, transpertaions, and creating vast theatrical space on a dime (we are hoping the words do a lot.  Of course, every scene and 'playing' is documented; so we'll be posting the video as soon as the project is complete....

BACK, and with news....

 So after about a month hiatus, we are up and live again, with exciting news: we'll be re-mounting PINEAPPLE LUST, fully-realized at the March 2011 Goddamn Cobras Supper Club.  The theme of this Brooklyn-based gathering of foodies is "Food and the Future" and our 15 minute space-fruit intercourse section will serve as kind of a performance-dessert.  Watch for rehearsal pictures and video, drawings, music, and lengthy discussion of new design ideas.

Just a treat:

NEW VIDEO!

We assembled this video from earlier work, late this summer, some workshops we did with Jason Gray Platt.  Enjoy!

VIVE CONCRETE TEMPLE, again!

Just wanted to alert fans about an amazing upcoming show: HUDSON TO CHINA, by Concrete Temple Theatre.  Info on the Dixon Place PuppetBlok Page!

GOS Wrap Up!

All our thanks to those who came out to celebrate the Performances Artists of North Brooklyn! Sunday night was a complete success and we felt privileged to work with and produce the work so many spirited talents! Some choice photos from talented Goddamn Cobras photographer Danny Ghatis below:

BabySkinGlove 

Myself, Amy Rose Marsh (ARM)

Greenpoint-based ZEBROS present music for the end of the world.

The table at the front.

 The Walmartz

Aztec Economy performs THE KANSAS BOOK OF THE DEAD.

Art Enthusiasts.

The Gossip Factory.

ARM AND EL BEAU w/ Kristina Wilson, present PINEAPPLE LUST

Two of the ZEBROS, in action.

Rich Awn, of Green Air Radio & MomBucha

Charley Parden, with BabySkinGlove

A bonus, too: this video from Williamsburg's own THE GOSSIP FACTORY:

A very special thank you to Joann Kim, Katie Henner, Hugh McMullan, Jason Jeunnette, and Griffin Thomas and The Lutheran Church of the Messiah for giving us space, energy, and time.  Thank you!

And on to the next....

Very quickly comes up this: The Greenpoint Open Studios Performance Gallery. Official Information:

Greenpoint performance and literary group Boomslang bring together the neighborhood’s most engaging performers to celebrate all artists participating in Greenpoint Open Studios. The show will include performances by Arm and el Beau, The Aztec Economy, BabySkinGlove, Zebros, Swetha Regunathan & Kyle Warren, Jason Gray Platt, The Gossip Factory, and others. Hosted by Greenpoint’s own Rich Awn of Green Air Radio.

Greenpoint Open Studios is a weekend long event celebrating a burgeoning art scene in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It is a collaborative effort between artists, organizations, businesses and volunteers to build a creative platform in which all members of the community can foster and contribute to a support system that encourages the sharing of ideas and relationships. As artist studios and exhibition spaces continue to emerge in the neighborhood we hope to facilitate the growth of a thriving art community.

The event will be held at Greenpoint's Lutheran Church of Messiah 129 Russell Street, Brooklyn NY, 11222 on Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM.  Please note there is a $5 Suggested Donation for this event.

Of course you can also just find information here.

IN/OUT Re-cap

Have you seen these? Some incredible photos from last Saturday's performance at the IN/OUT Festival (thanks to Philippe Lesaux for some gorgeous work on the camera):

IN/OUT TICKETS now up.

So two pieces of news:

1) Tickets are finally ONSALE for the IN/OUT Festival.  We're performing at 11.30 at night so come and be dedicated!

2)  The line up of Performers is finally announced.  They are (with detailed information to follow);

Anne Yoder

Jason Gray Platt

Charley Parden

Damon Pelletier

Katie Henner

Nick Leavens

Joshua Cole

Bailey Nolan

Hugh McMullan

More on these artists very soon.

 

IN/OUT Fest Schedule Set!

YES!  We are up on the website--The performance is taking place Friday, the 17th at 7pm.  Also on the docket, some damn AMAZING artists, including:

Jeff Thompson and Angeles Cossio	Smyth (Florida)
Island Dweller (Toronto)	Peter Kirn (NYC)
	Philip White
Tim Feeney, Ernst Karel, Kevin Ernste, and Jed Speare
Rosa Menkman	Protofuse (France)
Ostracon	makingthenoise (Boston)

Really good people.  Incredible, Incredible digi-artists! I mean, look at this awesomeness:


CV Gate Control - Drum Triggers - In/Out Fest 2010 from Jred Smyth on Vimeo.

OPEN REHEARSAL TOMORROW

So in preparation for the exciting In/Out Festival (that’s Digital Performance!) we’ve been script writing, talking, re-working, script writing re-working, figuring out what we all want it to mean, if anything. Eric and I have settled on playing with Callwave, which is a “visual voicemail” provider, and I guess that just means that it emails you when someone calls, so you’ve a punctuated point of reference. However, when you register with Callwave, you also get a ‘phone page’ which give you the ability to text out to a list on contacts. For our purposes, the interface is something incredible convenient, as the contact and text boxes are right next to each other, meaning that we really can function like cut-and-paste D.J.s.

Tomorrow, the 21st, we’ll be holding an open rehearsal in the backyard of the Goddamn Cobras Annex, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It’s my (Amy’s) birthday mid-next week, so the version of the play presented here will be nothing like what’s up at In/Out: more like a party game involving sparklers and Barbies. Expect Photos and Videos up soon.

While we rehearse and get ready post, perhaps consider donating to In/Out?

Workin' with Jason Gray Platt

Hey something's in the works with this guy.  Over the next few days/weeks will be workshoppin' some shorts as mini-experiments, just to see where we can go. 

We will be at SPACE ON WHITE.  Though our process isn't open this time around, but we should be plotting performances soon.

Featuring the work of some Sister Sylvester members.... aka cool kids.

SISTER SLYVESTER's PLAY AMERICA.

We'd like to do our part to give a high five to our creative friends with Sister Sylvester, whose well-titled PLAY AMERICA is going to be running in an old Catholic Convent in Greenpoint, Brooklyn very soon.

In a town full of Fringe fare and summer fest, don't you want to go to a show that encourages you to drink and dance?

MONDAY NIGHT SPECIAL.

Coyote Pursues from Vanessa Carr on Vimeo.

Again, St. Ann's brings us some lovely puppets... kind of awesome, this one.

IN/OUT on Facebook.

The IN/OUT Festival is now on Facebook.  If you do that sort of thing, you should like this group (awesome, they are!)

VIVE CONCRETE TEMPLE!

Our amazing puppet-theatre creatin' friends at Concrete Temple Theatre are remounting one of the most visually stunning shows, early in September, at the Secret Theatre, Long Island City.  Go see this (all info below) and then go see our hot In/Out Festival Presentation the following week.  Totally different pieces on a similar topic: technology versus the imagination:

Concrete Temple Theatre

presents

Bird Machine

Limited Engagement!

OPENS Thursday, September 9th at 7PM

Closes Saturday, September 11^th.

PERFORMANCES

Thursday, September 9^th;

Friday, September 10^th, 

Saturday, September 11^th

at 7 PM & 9 PM

at The Secret Theatre, 44-02 23^rd Street, #104, Long Island City, NY

New York-based multi-disciplinary theatre ensemble Concrete Temple Theatre proudly presents its multimedia, puppetry-driven allegory: Bird Machine. Developed through workshops and support from The Jerome Foundation, The Jim Henson Foundation, St. Ann’s Puppet Lab, Workspace for Choreographers, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project Commission, DCA, NYSCA, and chashama, this critically-acclaimed encore presentation will be staged as a limited 6-show run in early September.

Using a visceral mixture of object art, choreography, and puppets -- from the creation of the play's whimsical environment/landscape, to enchanting rod puppets birds, to imaginative shadow sequences and projections -- Bird Machine is a play about technology, a contemporary fable that explores the desire to live beyond human limitations. Part one reveals: Leo, the dreamer, obsessed with flying; Vince, the realist, trying to control his world through miniaturization; and their Emperor, who destroys Leo and his flying machine, out of fear that others will use the technology to destroy the city walls.  In part two, Vince vindicates Leo’s murder by turning his miniature garden into a larger-than-life garden, to lure and trap the Emperor. 

Audiences of Bird Machine will experience two distinctive worlds and technologies. The beginning of piece depicts a world that is pastoral, with mechanics that are primitive and simple: a bird flaps across stage then soars overhead.  As Vince dreams, his desk transforms into the city of the Emperor and the People.  Part two is a puppet-driven environment--however, projections, shadows and multimedia are used to introduce the invasion of contemporary technology in Vince and Leo’s world. 

Bird Machine is a co-creation of veteran theatre creators and Concrete Temple co-heads Renee Philippi and Carlo Adinolfi. Carlo Adinolfi designs sets & puppets; Renee Philippi directs. David Pinkard is composer and sound designer for the through-composed piece. Renée Molina designs lights. Casey McLain is stage manager. Cast includes: Carlo Adinolfi, Brian Carson, Ayako Dean, Christopher Hurt**, Sook Kim, Zdenko Slobodnik, and Stacey Weingarten.

Bird Machine runs for a strictly limited engagement, opening Thursday, September 9th at 7 PM and closing Saturday, September 11th. PERFORMANCES are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 PM & 9 PM, at The Secret Theatre, 44-02 23^rd Street, #104, Long Island City, NY.  The show is appropriate for all ages. Tickets are $18; $12 for students w/valid id. Purchase tix online: http://www.secrettheatre.com or at box office.  For info:  www.ConcreteTempleTheatre.com, 212/598-9135. Closest subways: 7 to 45^th Rd/Courthouse or E,V, & G to 23^rd St./Ely.  Close to N, W, & R trains at Queensboro Plaza.

**Appearing Courtesy of Actors’ Equity.

IN/OUT Festival

The line up is now posted for September's In/Out Festival.  It's awesome.

LA VOIX HUMAINE photos.

Up now: production photos from El Beau's THE HUMAN VOICE, from the 2010 Undergroundzero festival at PS 122, NYC:

The performance was directed by Shoni Currier, starring Kristina Wilson.  All photos by Serge Cashman.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! UNDERGROUND ZERO FESTIVAL!

We've reported that Eric has an opera of sorts featured in the 2010 undergroundzero Festival at PS 122. He's the Scenic Designer. What is the Underground Zero Festival, you ask?  "undergroundzero offers a unique flying repertory of innovative work by renowned local and international theater makers. Artists bring a production of their choice to this summer laboratory where risk-taking is encouraged and expected," says the website.

Here's the complete line up courtesy of our friends at CULTUREBOT. (of course, you could just visit the PS122 website as well.)

Have you seen: THE SAMUEL FRENCH OFF OFF BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL

THE SAMUEL FRENCH OFF OFF BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL <----Have you seen this?

Amy Rose helps coordinate a playwrighting festival every year and it begin in but a week, on Tuesday. Forty plays in 5 days, with a 6 day full of the Top 12-14. And the work is amazing--the playwrights.

Visit the site and buy some tickets, please.

IN/OUT FESTIVAL!

Breaking news, eh:

Arm and El Beau will be making a big piece for the technologically hip 2010 In/Out Festival in NYC -- September 17 and 18 at the Tank.  Very exciting. 

The play or piece or creation or something will be a performance orchestra, in which 15 performers recieve a slaughtering of directions through their cell phones.  No rehearsal involved, just the curation of moment and speech over time using text messages to dictate.

Check back for more about the process--Arm is currently completing the script and El Beau's drawing all over the place--images and text posted soon.

More soon....

In Case You Missed It:

ARM was actively performing in a BOS cab piece with fellow BOOMSLANG and legendary GODDAMN COBRAS cohort Charley Parden at the helm.  Here's some choice photos of the piece, with video to follow soon:

Bailey Nolan Introduces.

Waiting to deliver a passage of text.

The author in the spotlight.  (All photos courtesy of Elizabeth Nolan Brown.)