Honors Students

Produced by Tavine Productions
Written by Rae Mariah MacCarthy
Directed by Leta Tremblay

Nominations: Outstanding Lighting Design - Cha See; Outstanding Sound Design - Jeanne Travis

About Honors Students
Kora and Minnie are best friends. And honors students. (Duh.) They are as smart as they are mischievous. And yes they are plotting a scheme involving a lot of money and a little blood. But when their volatile relationship is threatened by Minnie's friendship with awkward YouTube sensation Megan, all bets are off. In the tradition of Heathers and The Virgin Suicides, Honors Students asks one question: Who will survive?

Photos by Stephen Shadrach

The nominees and producer Hope Chavez answer questions about their experience of creating this production.

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What first attracted you to Honors Students?

Hope: We were drawn to Mariah's play Honors Students because it puts the ambiguities of female friendships and the extremes of being a teenage woman front and center.

Cha: The idea of being nostalgic going back to my high school days. How it can a tool to mold the shape of your body and mind.

Jeanne: Mariah MacCarthy! I have been a HUGE fan of Mariah 's work for years! She's so cool and her work is so important for women.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

Hope: This production process was transparent and joyful in so many ways, and we think that is no accident when you put a mostly queer, femme, and POC team together. The team was able to be authentically and safely themselves which made the work shine even more!

Cha: The collaboration with sounds, sets and direction.

Jeanne: The design team was a blast! It was an all-girl-badass line up of amazing designers. It was a dream team and we had a million inside jokes after it was all said and done.

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

Hope: 100% the fake blood. We had to create danger and chaos onstage that literally made the audience squirm in there seats—on a shoestring budget. Our magical team pulled it together, though! We heard the gasps every night.

Cha: The dimensions of the space. It was very challenging doing the math and dealing with colorful backdrops and are arranged diagonally.

Jeanne: The most challenging part of the show was not wanting to leave tech! The acting was so good. The dance montages were challenging but they were so much fun we could have watched them over and over again. I still re-play the last min. of the show in my mind sometimes and my eyes get teary!

What was the funniest part about this process for you?

Cha: When the collaborators are fun and focused- half of my job is done. Everyone came in the room with openness and smart ideas.

Jeanne: Haha. We had an inside joke from a line in the show. One of the main characters says "you're so basic" a lot. So, we hashtagged #basic to everything. EVERYTHING. Even in conversation. And the whole company ran with it. If someone ate a carrot on break, we would say. OMG, gurl, that's so basic. That carrot is like so basic right now. (We're weird!! haha). :D

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching Honors Students?

Rae Mariah MacCarthy: If you find yourself judging these characters, ask yourself why. Ask yourself what your judgment is protecting you from. What would you have to give up in order not to judge them? What might you learn about yourself by relinquishing that judgment?

Did you gain any insight or learn anything new while working on this production?

Cha: It brought me back to my experiences when I was in high school in the Philippines. It was very different but at the same time it was also very similar. The struggles, the awkwardness... 

Jeanne: I met a lot of really awesome new people that I have huge design crushes on now. We're so lucky to have a community of folks that are so freaking talented.

What was it like working with this company of artists?

Hope: Cha and Jeanne are actually the perfect example of brilliance and flexibility in a production process. There was so much we dreamed for with this play and such a finite amount of resources with which to make it all possible. Jeanne and Cha worked with a spirit of abundance and not scarcity, putting the playwright’s vision front and center, and doing it joyfully along the way. They remained always curious about what was possible and highly collaborative in designing their elements of the work. Without them, the world of this play would not be possible.

Cha: They trust me. They're open for discussions - all agreements and disagreements are healthy because we all have the same end goal- to bring out what it means to be a woman or more like being a teenager in high school.

Jeanne: The producers put their hearts, souls and guts into making this show. There were a lot of risks but no one backed down to the challenges. I owe this IT nom to our fearless director, Leta Tremblay!

What does this nomination mean to you?

Hope: This nomination is a validation that work by, for, and with QPOC communities matters and stands up to the rigor of “mainstream” theater. We believe this production centered equity, justice, and access at every point (did you hear about our land acknowledgment practice and gender pronouns in the programs?) while also bringing rigor and artistry to the production. We thank all the voters for seeing us and supporting this gem of a story.

Cha: I feel that I have won already. Showing my artwork (lighting design) is very vulnerable in my opinion. Showing it is one thing and being recognized is another. It makes me feel like I am seen.

Jeanne: I'm so honored. If it wasn't for the ITs so many artists would feel "without a home". I cannot help but feel incredible appreciation for all involved. It's always a humbling experience. Thank you!

Freelance Money Talk, and Nothing But Love

By Kia Rogers

Freelance was not new to me, but the landscape of NYC, navigating theatre jobs was and is still challenging.

As a female designer, I do feel like I have to dress the part, carry myself in a way appropriate to each situation. For instance, when negotiating for fees, I always ask myself “what would my male colleague ask for?” Yes, this is the world we live in. Not, “what am I worth, what amazing talent do I bring to the table....” Would I like this to change? Absolutely. How do I think it will change? By us talking about it, sharing fee information and fee regulation. Don’t feel shame! Talking about money is difficult since we live in a society that often perpetuates secrets and the fear of knowledge. How many of you have taken a freelance job (or any job) and been told not to discuss what you are being paid? Reasons I have been given over the years to keep my salary private:
#1 - Not everyone is getting the same amount, we don’t want them to feel bad
#2 - You are the only one on “contract”
#3 - Actors Equity only allows us to pay folks “this amount” but we’ll just give you two checks to make up the difference.

Dirty Little Secrets
I gave myself this rule: Don’t work on a show that doesn’t pay everyone equally. How do I know about the fees? I ask, politely, but I ask. I understand that there are productions out there that want to produce, and do so on a shoe-string budget. Produce! Love your work, your company, this is your art. I say this with all heart, I don’t want to come across as wagging my finger at anyone, just know that I am not the designer for you. A while back, I stopped taking gigs that paid under what I could afford to take on. (Here is the golden nugget I want to share with all freelancers) Yes. I said “afford to take on”, my monthly budget is ~$2800, that includes rent, utilities, phone and internet, groceries, health insurance (thanks Obama!), Metrocard and basic living expenses. This is my choice, to live by myself, pay all the bills, by myself. Simple math folks, I don’t have a trust fund, my jobs don’t pay into a retirement fund, or my health insurance. Getting paid with 1099s means as freelance, I have to save from every check or risk owing thousands at the end of the year. I look for work to clear about $800 a week, which keeps me in the black. Do I get $800 a week from designing? Sometimes, but not on the showcase code, and rarely with Off-Off Broadway shows. How do I survive? I pick and choose the jobs based on many considerations:
#1 - Do I love working with these artists?
#2 - Do I love this script?
#3 - Is there life for this project/with this company/with these artists after this production?
#4 - Do I want to develop a relationship with these new artists?
#5 - Does the budget allow for equal pay for everyone involved?
#6 - Do I have the monetary cushion to take this on?
#7 - How much time is needed for this project?

It’s freelance, I make all the choices, do I make bad choices? Ha! I don’t like to say “bad choices”, a choice always leads to growth, so no, I never make “bad choices”! I love my life, my choices and this theatre community.

There were many folks along the way who shaped my theatre passion, pointed me in the right direction, and I am so grateful to all of them. I took the lessons they taught me, and made them my own.

Special thanks to Flux Theatre Ensemble and Rising Phoenix Rep, where I am supported artistically, valued as a creative partner/member and always striving for equality. Thanks to New York Innovative Theatre Awards for supporting this blog, asking me to share, and always bringing down the house with their awards parties!!!...you folks have made a vibrant, loving, hard-working and amazing community I am proud to support and be a part of.

Kia Rogers - Lighting Designer - Off Broadway: Angeles/Almas at BAM Fisher, Made In Heaven at The SoHo Playhouse, Passage through Light and Shadows at Theatre at St. Clement’s, Pressing Empty at Danspace, Sistas The Musical at St. Luke’s. Regional: Thieves by Charlotte Miller in LA. Selkie by Sarah Shaefer in San Francisco. International credits: Associate Lighting Designer for Slutforart/98.6 in Gothenburg, Sweden with Muna Tseng. Tours: The God Box Project with Mary Lou Quinlan, Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca and Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana. Awards: Outstanding Lighting Design for Jane The Plain with the New York Innovative Theatre Awards 2014. Kia has been a creative partner with Flux Theatre Ensemble based in New York City since 2010 - http://www.krogersld.com/.

Lessons from Both Sides of the Tech Table

Contributed by Morgan Zipf-Meister

 As an actor/lighting designer, I feel like I spend an inordinate amount of time in Tech and/or preparing for Tech.  Some people thrive during that caffeine fueled stretch of time; it fills others with existential dread.  Depending on my role in any given production I've had both of those reactions.  But now with 15 years of Indie Theater under my belt, I’ve learned to appreciate and respect the Tech process.  As both a performer and technician, this is my arsenal of thoughts that stay with me from load-in until final dress and help get me through unscathed (along with my wrench and a roll of gaff tape.) 

Bonedive Scrounger  Photo by Ken Stein

Theater is not an exact science
No matter how well prepared you are going in, no matter if you've accounted for every detail, things will change during Tech.  Doesn't matter whether you’re an actor, a designer, director, or stage manager - something you thought was going to work one way will need to be changed entirely.  So just be ok with that.  Be flexible and . . .

You'll probably like your new choice more than what you planned
Some of my favorite moments from shows that I've worked on have been the result of changes that happened when planned moments crashed and burned.  Creative, elegant, and simple solutions will often present themselves in times when it feels like the walls are closing in and you've get minutes to make it out alive.  Don't be afraid of that.  That being said . . .    
Panic is your enemy

Execution Day  Photo by Ken Meister

Yes, opening night may be in a few hours and the paint is still wet and q's are still being written and that one cast member STILL doesn't know their lines.  Maybe all of your scenes are with that person.  Christ, maybe you are that person.  But panic doesn't help anyone.  Energy spent panicking is better spent actually working on the things you're worried about. So, pull yourself together, make a plan, and execute what you can with calm and grace.  But no matter what . . .

 
There will come a time when you want to punch another member of your team in the face
That's normal, but don't do it.  It won't accomplish anything.  Everyone is stressed out and running on fumes.  And honestly the worker's comp paperwork takes a long time and I'm sure you have other things you could be working on.

Seriously, you have to eat
Coffee and cigarettes are not food.  I don't care how much work is left.  Taking a break to eat a real meal is always worth it, because humans need food for life.  Fact. 

Bake for people... or something
I bake.  That's my thing.  It's not my job to do that - but there are lots of little tasks during tech that aren't any one's person job.  If you're going to the deli - see if anyone wants anything.  If you find yourself with a few extra moments - pick up a paintbrush or fold programs. These little acts of kindness benefit the show.   Because . . .

  Greencard Wedding  Photos by Kacey Stamats

It isn't all about you
Every show you work on, a specific group of artists were brought together because of what they bring to the table.  Tech is about the PRODUCTION, which is bigger than any one element.  So yes, bring up your concerns - if you're an actor who is uncomfortable in your costume, or a director who hates the gel color, don't sit on that information.  But also give your teammates the benefit of the doubt.  Something that isn't working for you could be a very key element in another way you're unaware of.  Work together to solve problems, and remember the whole is more than a sum of its parts.

It is possible to have fun
For me, there is nothing like seeing a moment come together during Tech, no matter what side of the table I'm on. It might just be the lack of sleep, but people drop their walls.  You get to know them as artists, and friends.  The thrill of watching many visions come together to tell one singular story, that's why I do theater.  What's more fun than that?  And lastly . . .

The Temple  Photo by Michael Markham

No matter what goes wrong, it could always be worse
I've been locked out of the theater when I'm supposed to be hanging lights.  I've written entire shows only to come in the next day to find that nothing actually recorded.  I've had to leave the state to deal with family issues.  I was stage managing a show during the 2003 blackout - and the entire cast was on route to the theater for final dress when the city lost power.  And even so, I will never be naive enough to believe I've seen the worst that can happen during Tech.  Because let's face it -this shit is unpredictable. 

After all, Theater is not an exact science.  


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Morgan Zipf-Meister is an actress, director, IT Award nominated lighting designer, and general theater mensch depending on the day of the week. She is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but has found an artistic home in the New York Indie Theater scene. Over the years she has worked with companies such as Dreamscape, Piper McKenzie, Old Kent Road, Gemini Collisonworks, Boomerang, and Theatre of the Expendable among others.  Recent projects include directing and acting in 'Greencard Wedding' in the Detroit Fringe and at Dixon Place, as well as performing as the resident villain of Mildred Springs in It's Getting Tired Mildred, a monthly soap opera for the stage at the Brick Theater.  www.morganzipfmeister.com

 

NYIT April: Women in Theater

We at NYIT are thrilled to present this month's theme, Women in Theater. We want to celebrate artists who are consistently making theater in NY. We have an eclectic array of amazing women who will be writing about their art on this blog, just a small sample of those on stage and behind the scenes who put their skills to work in making innovative, creative theater year-round.

In asking the people you'll be reading this month, our approach was to encourage contributors to speak about their art and chosen disciplines in a way that was meaningful to them. I often feel grateful for the great number of wonderfully talented people I know in this city who are passionate and dedicated to their work, and this is an opportunity for you to hear from some of those artists. I'm excited for them and for you.


Ken Simon
NYIT Communications Manager