Bruce Barton

Hamlet
Written by William Shakespeare
Conceived & Directed by George K. Wells
Produced by Hudson Warehouse in association with Susane Lee

Nomination: Bruce Barton - Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role

About Hudson Warehouse
Hudson Warehouse's mission is to provide quality, exciting, innovative, and affordable classical theater to the community. Those unable to pay are still welcome. The Warehouse believes theater is a "ware" and essential for daily life. To this end, through our partnership with Goddard Riverside, the New York City's Department of Parks and Recreation, and the New York City Department of Corrections, our audience is a vast community of people who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to experience quality live theater. Hudson Warehouse believes everyone deserves to have the theater experience, because theater is so essential to what makes us human.

Photos by Susane Lee

About Hamlet
An adaptation of Hamlet conceived and directed by Hudson Warehouse Associate Artistic Director George K. Wells. Wells also appeared in the title role. Wells devised the gravedigger scene, originally written as a two character scene, essentially as a monologue for the gravedigger (played by Bruce Barton,) who has assorted skulls in his graveyard. These skulls do respond to him, but purely in his head.

What first attracted you to this version of Hamlet?

Bruce: I'm one of the Artists in Residence with Hudson Warehouse, so any chance to appear in one of their summer season productions is an experience I know I'm going to enjoy, as the productions invariably are cast with those who I've enjoyed working with in the company previously and newcomers bringing their own new energy to the group. With Hamlet I knew many of the cast going in. And Hudson Warehouse does classical theater so I always know going in that the material will be great.

Susane: George Wells’s adaptation was inspired. He explored Hamlet’s motives and relationships, with Ophelia and Horatio in particular, in a truly innovative way. His staging of Hamlet’s soliloquies, the most famous as a dialogue between Ophelia and Hamlet, was gripping and brought a much deeper layer to their relationship. And the emotional, passionate relationship between Hamlet and Horatio made so much sense within the text. And added another layer to the emotional heartbreak in the story.

What was your favorite part of working on this production? 

Bruce: Getting to be in Hamlet, for one. And getting to play two contrasting roles is always fun.

Susane: Watching the production evolve through the rehearsal process. Wells’ Hamlet was so raw and invigorating. I have seen many productions of Hamlet in my life, but his adaptation was the most innovative and really grabbed me. We had a terrific cast and production team that fully embraced this adaptation and the audience response was so gratifying because it was such an innovative adaptation.

What was the most challenging aspect of this experience for you? 


Bruce: Well, doing something, anything in Hamlet is challenging because you have the challenge of honoring the material and also finding a way to put your own take on the role while staying true the particular production you're in.

Susane: There were several technical elements including sound cues throughout the production. It was essential that the sound and music cues move in and out of the dialogue. Getting these two elements aligned was a challenge. It was a thrill when it all came together.





What did you want the audience to walk away with after watching this production?

Susane: A deeper sense of Hamlet’s struggle and all the emotional turmoil brought on by the loss of a parent, only elevated by the message from ghost of his father. It was so gratifying when parents told us afterwards that their children wanted to immediately go to Barnes and Noble and purchase the book!

What is the best thing about working with this company of artists?

Bruce: Being an Artist in Residence with a company whose work you respect means you have a home. A place where people whose artistic vision you respect provide an environment where you can work on great material with talented people and can feel safe to take chances and be supported. Hudson Warehouse has provided me with that so the experiences are both challenging and fun.

Susane: Bruce Barton has been an actor in New York City for the past 35 years and been an Artist in Residence of Hudson Warehouse for the past 7 years. He is an incredibly humble and modest man. This nomination really honors a man who really deserves to be recognized. He is a strong and versatile actor, someone who is memorable in all his roles, a beloved member of our company, and we couldn't be more proud or happier for him.

What was the funniest part of this production?

Susane: Bruce Barton’s gravedigger was hilarious, incredibly quirky, and conceptually inspired. Bruce has great comedic timing and delivery and gave us a gravedigger no one had seen before -- and blew everyone away!

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Bruce: It's very special to be nominated by audience members who've seen the show and don't necessarily know you personally but have enjoyed/appreciated your work. It's also meaningful because it reflects well on the company. Since all performances are the product of the ensemble effort, it's a tribute to the whole company's work, so as an Artist in Residence with Hudson Warehouse I'm glad to reflect that.

Susane: Independent Theater in New York is entirely motivated by the love of the work. The desperate need to get an idea, a vision and a story out there. To have our Bruce Barton nominated is so satisfying after all the energy that goes into creating Off-Off-Broadway theater. We are so proud of this recognition because outdoor theater is definitely a labor of love. It is so hard to put up a full fledged production, outdoors, only to take it down after each show. We do this for 48 shows over the summer, for three very different shows, over three months. It's so much work to put up and take down a show every night, not counting the heat and elements. But we do it because theater matters and we work incredibly hard to make our outdoor theater experience exciting and memorable for our audience. It is such an honor to be recognized by the NYIT Awards. We are thrilled and grateful.

Much Ado About Nothing

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Nicholas Martin-Smith
Produced by Hudson Warehouse


Nominations: Outstanding Revival of a Play; Emily Rose Parman for Outstanding Costume Design

Benedick (Greg Horton), Claudio (George K. Wells), Don Pedro (Paul Singleton), Balthasar (Nate Mattingly) Photo by Susane Lee

About the Company: Hudson Warehouse's mission is to provide quality, exciting, innovative, and affordable classical theater to the community. The Warehouse believes theater is a "ware" and essential for daily life. To this end, the Warehouse doesn't sell tickets, but has a "pay what you can" policy because the arts should be affordable to everyone. Those unable to pay are still welcome because the Warehouse believes everyone deserves to have the theater experience, because theater is so essential to what makes us human.

About the Production: A peace treaty is signed and the war between Prince Pedro and his brother Don John is over. Well-deserved R & R on the estate of Don Leonato brings with it: Friendship, Love, Conspiracy and Betrayal. For “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”

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What attracted you to this project?

Susane:  Benedick and Beatrice is usually cast with younger actors, but Nicholas Martin-Smith, the director, and I felt the story would be more profound and meaningful if the actors cast in the title roles were older. When you're older and haven't found your match, then love is even more hard-won. Greg Horton and Roxann Kraemer, two very fine actors, were the perfect match for this production. Once they were on board, we knew this production would be special.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

Susane: Getting to work with Greg Horton and Roxann Kraemer was a special treat. The fact that they are a couple in real life made their chemistry true and sizzling -- and it was also special because this was a play that they had wanted to do for a long time. They came to us with the play, letting us know it was on their bucket list. So to be able to fulfill one of their long-cherished wishes made us at Hudson Warehouse immensely happy.

Emily: Working with our leading actors, Roxann Kraemer and Greg Horton, is always a delight. The late 1930's/early 1940's is a period that is particularly close to my heart.

What was the most challenging part of working on this production?

Emily: Recreating period Military Uniforms on a budget.

What did you hope the audience would take away from this production?

Susane: To appreciate what we do. While we are an outdoor theater production, we hope people can see how much care we take in putting on the biggest, most exciting and engaging show possible. This includes having furniture on the north patio, many props, gorgeous costumes, incredibly talented actors and a dedicated backstage crew. It takes a special kind of person to do outdoor theater and we want our audiences to be WOWED by what we can put out there, in a public park, a production that can rival any indoor production.

Beatrice, played by Roxann Kraemer, Benedick, played by Greg Horton

What was the strangest thing that happened during the production?

Susane: Greg Horton, who played Benedick, eats cake during one scene. We perform outdoors and very quickly, the wildlife in the park was aware that delicious vanilla cake was on the premises. Although we covered his cake onstage, birds still dive bombed the stage during the performance, catching crumbs that fell to the ground. It actually made the scene very amusing and real.

What was it like working with this group of artists?

Susane: Everyone involved in Much Ado About Nothing spent their heart and soul into the production, and it showed. The entire cast and crew was a splendid delight to work with and our audiences were fabulous! Emily, who is our resident costume designer, outdoes herself in every show. From the handsome uniforms, to the women's dresses, to Hero's wedding dress -- the costumes were a treat for the eyes and perfectly set the scene in Italy. A truly rewarding and spectacular experience for all!

 
Emily: Since Costumes are our main design element, I always feel an extraordinary sence of contribution to the final product. On our stage, the costumes truly create the world of the show.

Check out Hudson Warehouse on Twitter & Instageram @HudsonWarehouse


 

She Stoops To Conquer

Written by Oliver Goldsmith
Directed by Ian Harkins
Produced by Hudson Warehouse

Nominated for: Outstanding Costume Design, Emily Rose Parman; and Outstanding Director, Ian Harkins
 

 
About the Production
By presenting classic theatrical works, Hudson Warehouse’s goal is to “educate the novice and enthrall the well-versed.” In Oliver Goldsmith’s comedy of manners, She Stoops to Conquer the clever main character takes on the persona of a working-class maid in order to win over her anxious, but dashing suitor. This entertaining production delighted audiences 

Assistant Artistic Director Susane Lee and nominees Emily Rose Parman and Ian Harkins talk about the joys and challenges of producing a period piece in an outdoor park to modern audiences.


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What attracted you to this production?

Ian: The play is landmark in the history of British comedy and British theatre, yet is not as renowned as it deserves to be. As a student of history and comedic theatre, I loved the challenge of mounting a production that could showcase the piece, the writing, and the history while giving audience's a laugh or two along the way.

Susane: As a classical company, we don't limit ourselves to Shakespeare only. We have produced Chekhov, Euripides, Aphra Behn, Rostand, and Wilde. She Stoops to Conquer had been on our radar for many years. We all loved this play and we felt the time was right to take on an 18th English comedy.

What did you want audiences to come away with after watching She Stoops to Conquer?

Susane: Delight! Appreciation! We want our audience to see how amazing and high end our productions are, with strong actors, outstanding costumes, delivered in a beautiful outdoor setting. We don't charge for our productions. We want our audience to realize how much our theater company is a part of the community and how much art we contribute to the Upper West Side.

What was your favorite part of this production?

Emily: At Hudson Warehouse it's really rare that we present a show in its original intended period. This was a perfect place to break that rule because the 18th century fashions looked so lovely against the marble monument and natural setting.

Susane: The play still holds up and is as funny as ever. We were lucky to get some of our company members in the show, as well as some actors who have worked with us for many years and had strong comedy flair. The chemistry between the actors was very strong and the costumes by Emily Parman added real visual candy and delight. It was a very beautiful show and quick witted show. It was a real audience pleaser!

Ian: What a tremendous cast and crew team I had around me. A director can only be as good the team surrounding him. And it is due to them and their hard work that this play had so much success.

What was the most challenging part of this production?

Susane: We brought an English Country parlour onto the patio, outside, in a public park, every performance. This included love seats, tables, chairs, arm chairs, and even a fireplace.

Ian: Bringing to life a nearly 250-year-old play for audiences who might not be familiar with the history, let alone the text. To make the show accessible, we had to be meticulously detailed and justified in our choices, always in support of the story.

Emily: The heat! Outdoor theatre of course presents a myriad of challenges, but putting actors in full period dress in 90 degree heat is never fun for anyone. It was very important to me that we make the actors as comfortable as possible, even with the additions of corseting and 3 piece velvet suits.

What was the oddest part of working on this production?

Ian: Performing the show outdoors in Riverside Park's Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. After rehearsing indoors, we had a week to transfer everything to the outdoors space, reblock, mic everyone, and figure out how transport all of our 18th-century set pieces and props to and from the space each rehearsal and performance. Also, acquiring or creating enough pieces that conjure a late 18th-century English salon on a large monument plaza was quite the challenge.

Susane: We have never before produced a play costumed and set in the period in which it was written. This meant period clothes, white powered wigs, period instruments, all the way down to the Gloucestershire accents.

What was it like working with Hudson Warehouse?

Emily: Hudson Warehouse makes every effort to provide a theatrical home for its artists. It is one of the most caring and supportive environments I have ever had the privilege of working in.

Ian: To participate in such a cohesive team of people is such a privilege, and I wish for anyone in a creative field that they find the same experience and joy in teaming up with such industrious, supportive and imaginative people whom they can hold on to and continue to work with in the future.

What was it like working with Emily and Ian?

Susane: Emily Parman is the most talented costume designer in the Off-Off-Broadway community. After years and years of spectacular work, she deserves this nomination. Her costumes for our productions are breathtaking in their scope, uniqueness, and helps tell the story.

Ian Harkins did an amazing job and assembled a talented staff around him, from his dialect coach, movement consultant, as well as a stellar fight director, Jared Kirby, who helped make this a strong production.

We are thrilled for both of these incredible artists.

You can follow these artists on Twitter
Hudson Warehouse - @hudsonwarehouse
Emily - @erosepardesign 
Ian - @IanSnarkins