It Awards Manifesto: We Are All in This Together

The atmosphere of 2017 has been challenging, to say the least, with the word "divided" used as a near constant drumbeat. The New York It Awards wishes to stand as a bulwark against this negativity and malaise. As an advocacy organization dedicated to celebrating indie theater, we reiterate our dedication to this art form. Theater is always vital to culture as a way to communicate and express what it means to be human. Art reflects and reveals aspects of life and humanity. We gain relief, release, and respite from art as well as catharsis in living through the events we see on stage, hopefully gaining some level of understanding about our own lives and those of people and perspectives we may have not encountered before. As human beings, we are drawn to story, and as artists we share our stories in a manner of daring and vulnerability. 

 

Art is an act of love.

As artists, we let our audiences know "you are not alone". And in this time of challenge and rancor, where our society increasingly feels unmoored, more than ever it is important to remember you are not alone. We are all in this together. Over the coming months, the It Awards will engage in initiatives to remind you of these simple truths and that you are part of a valuable community across all the disciplines of theater, including its audience:

 

• We will be sharing our stories of what theater means to us and why it is important
• We will be sharing stories from artists across NY indie theater answering those same questions
• We will invite you to share your stories on our Facebook page and our blogs' comments section

 

We are excited to take up the gauntlet of positive, loving action toward ourselves, each other, and our community. Please join us.

Why the hell do I love theatre so much?

This is an excerpt from the keynote speech given by Jacob Coakley, an Editor at Stage Directions, at the Texas Nonprofit Theatres' Annual Conference in 2010

"So why the hell do I love theatre so much? And how can I make you excited about theatre?...

Because when you’re onstage, everyone’s gonna love you.

Because theatre is still the best connection to whatever it is that makes us the best people we can be.

Because it’s open to anyone, anywhere, regardless of money, or where you come from, or anything else. If you want in, theatre wants you.

Because theatre has always given me more than I’ve given it. No matter what I’m doing for a show, or how much I’ve ever done for a show, I’ve always gotten more out of it than I’ve put in. And I’ve put in a lot. A lot. But somehow, I always walk off a production feeling as if I’M the one who got everything. How does this happen? It’s alchemy, it’s magic. It’s theatre.

So with all of this, how can you NOT be excited for theatre? How could you not love putting your heart and soul out there for this art form again, and again, and again?

Theatre is the most thrilling and rewarding of human endeavors. I’m honored to be a part of it, I’m honored I get to spend my time thinking about it, attending it, making it. And I’m honored you invited me here to share that passion with you. Thank you very much."

Read the entire speech.

"The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life and the social situation."
                                   ~ Stella Adler

“An actor must never be afraid to make a fool of himself.” 

                           ~ Harvey Cocks

Love the art

“Love art in yourself, and not yourself in art.”
       ~ Konstantin Stanislavski
          My Life In Art

Why do we love theatre so much?

Broadway World asked its readers "Why do we love theatre so much?"

Read their answers...


Tazber said:

The first four notes of Gypsy

Because no one ever says what they mean in a Chekhov play

Because when Jennifer Holliday told me she wasn't going I knew she meant it

The first 15 seconds of A Chorus Line

Because there is no more emotionally shattering song than Could I Leave You....

....Except Another Winter in a Summer Town

Because seeing a Pirandello play is way more trippy than getting high

Because there really is no day but today

Because now I know people love you and tell you lies

Because of the way Bob Fosse moved

Because Yul Brynner really was Something Wonderful

Because who else but Patti could ever be Patti

Because Richard Kiley dared to dream the impossible dream

Because One Day More still stops my heart every time

Because when I was very young it taught me that I needed to find my very own corner of the sky

Because Mrs. Lovett still gives me nightmares

Because A New Brain helped me to go on when I thought I couldn't

Because Tom Stoppard doesn't worry whether or not people understand his work

"Ragtime" 

LOVE on the Boards

We dedicated February to our favorite valentine, Indie Theatre, and all the ways that we love it.

There is a great article written by Bill McMahon about how Karen Sternberg and David Ian Lee met and fell in love while working Off-Off-Broadway.

Do you have a love story? Did you meet your special someone while hanging out backstage or in a rehearsal room?

We want to hear about it.

Or share a link to a photo of you and your honey.

How Do I Love OOB?

by Shay Gines

How do I love OOB? Let me count the ways.           
I love OOB to the depth and borough and house size         
My soul is well met with kinship and allies       
For the vision and drive of the muse’s grace.           
I love OOB for miracles conjured in cabarets and cafes       
Most intimate, be it illuminated by Fresnel or candlelight.       
I love OOB gratefully, as the lost granted insight;       
I love OOB joyously, as a production given a critic's praise.
I love with a passion of my enthralled youth       
In my old daydreams, and with grad school faith.       
I love OOB with a love of an audience amused                       
With comedy of threes, -- I love OOB with Uta like breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if Dionysus choose,   
I shall but love OOB for a life exceedingly blessed.               

Special thanks to Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Happy Valentines Day!

I Love OOB Because....

We asked artists working Off-Off-Broadway to tell us why they love their community. Here are some of their answers:

"The community. People who like to play together and support one other's creative efforts. It makes me happy." ~Al Pearsall

"I love that both off and off off productions can, in some respects, take more risks. They can present new material or find innovative ways to present 'classics.'"  ~Jenny Herdman Lando

"Risks that pay off!"  ~Tamara Rose

"I Love Off Off Broadway, especially when my Son's show is on stage !!!!!"  ~ Paul Jerabek

"More diverse voices."  ~ Shawn Harris

"It gives a chance for new works.. As Broadway moves towards producing movies that sold well as films..."  ~ Richard Cameron

"I like the 'anything goes' vibe, which makes finding more diverse POVs/artists easier." 
~ CrossroadsPlays ‏@XroadsTheatre

"Creativity, passion, energy" ~ Arthur Reel

We want to hear from you. Why do you love Off-Off-Broadway.