Wed, May 27, 2020
On March 12, 2020, the American theatre community began to close, but creativity and theatrical presentation didn't stop. These five performers quickly saw an opportunity to produce, to fundraise, and to use digital and performative platforms to cultivate empathy and art. Telly Leung, Kathryn Gallagher, Eden Espinosa, George Salazar, and Peter Michael Marino, each with their own voice, their own platforms, and their own coping mechanisms rose to the occasion to make us all feel a little bit closer to the stage, even if it meant using a phone or computer to get there. As we continue on this unforeseen journey, we are grateful for these artists and all those out there creating in quarantine. We see you.
Thu, Jul 9, 2020
When five Artistic Directors across the country (four in their inaugural term) were faced with the closure of their stages, they quickly banded together to produce an opportunity to keep theatre and art alive through a micro-commission program that would become Play at Home. This growing program, now with over 100 plays, 100 playwrights, and $50,000 paid directly to those playwrights, allows us, the audience, to create the work from home. Whether you're reading these plays as a family quarantining together, via video conference, or by yourself on a quiet afternoon, this is an opportunity to spark your love of theatre. Follow Stephanie Ybarra (Artistic Director, Baltimore Center Stage), Maria Manuela Goyanes (Artistic Director, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company), Jacob G. Padrón (Artistic Director, Long Wharf Theatre), Hana S. Sharif (Artistic Director, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), and Oskar Eustis (Artistic Director, The Public Theater) as they share the story of creating this innovative project that continues to expand with other theatre companies across the country and inspires us all to hold on to the analog and digital ways of creating theatre in this uncertain time.
Mon, Dec 21, 2020
Creating your own show that showcases the work of others is inspiring. And in a year where options are limited, Mykal Kilgore and Vasthy Mompoint created their own opportunities to make space for others to flourish. Broadway veteran Vasthy Mompoint's "Vasthy's Friends" is a platform dedicated to providing interactive children's theatrical entertainment while featuring inclusive performances and topics. Mykal Kilgore's "Singer's Comprehension" explores the singer's journey through interviews with Mykal as his friends and colleagues offer us a glimpse into navigating their career, developing their technique, and understanding this business. The shared joy and unrelenting creativity of these two artists gives us all hope and motivation to put power to pen and screen.
Mon, Dec 21, 2020
With the fall approaching, the faculty at the M.F.A. program at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco quickly create avenues for virtual learning and performance so their students would find a balance between in person and digital training for the semester. Director of the Conservatory Peter J. Kuo, Theatre Director/Artist Shannon R. Davis, and M.F.A candidates Makena Miller and Wesley Guimarães share their journey through the return to the fall semester. As they explore several productions including Madhuri Shekar's In Love and Warcraft and Larissa Fasthorse's The Thanksgiving Play, they demonstrate that theatre education is alive and well this year.
Mon, Dec 21, 2020
"Just because theatre is suffering right now, storytelling doesn't stop." After a full semester of hybrid learning, the students and professors at SUNY New Paltz press on to tell important stories, even in their digital and socially distant landscape. Dr. Martine Kei Green-Rogers and junior Dom Torrez collaborated on SUNY's first digital reading of the semester, "Cadillac Crew." Department Chair Ken Goldstein and sophomore Natasha D'Amico-Rainbeau developed the set design for a safety-driven, in person reading of "Waiting for Lefty" as if it were going to be fully produced. As students and professors alike are forced to adapt to an ever-changing environment, these relentless creators inspire us all to continue sharing stories.