What was your favorite OOB production that you saw this season?

We have a very eclectic and dynamic and somewhat opinionated group of nominees this year and we wanted to get to know them a little better so we asked them to answer a few questions about their work. 

Here are their answers to question #2:

What was your favorite OOB production that you saw this season?

“It would have to be BrainExplode, as part of The Brick's third annual Game Play festival, which is where Theater of the Arcade originated the year before. (Full disclosure: I'm totally associate director at The Brick.) Sneaky Snake's BrainExplode - written by a collaborative group of writers, directed by Paige Blansfield, and starring a trio of superlative indie performers, headlined by Stephen Heskett (full disclosure: also a star of Theater of the Arcade!) - was a live, interactive narrative game in which select audience members determined the action and unveiled one of many possible endings by verbally guiding Stephen's character through a series of character-resonant puzzles that combined to tell a larger story. It was wildly inventive, it played with the traditional audience contract in unique ways, and - perhaps most crucially - it didn't settle for foregrounding its own formal flash, but made a point of telling an authentic, emotional story within the particular confines of the world it created. I'm very excited to see how the show - and the group - develops next.”  

– Jeff Lewonczyk, Outstanding Original Full-Length Script nominee for Theater of the Arcade, Piper McKenzie & The Fifth Wall in association with The Brick Theater

“I don’t know how many off’s they have on their Broadway, but I’m still shaking over Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More. But you couldn’t get more Off-Broadway than Travis Chamberlain’s take on Tennessee Williams’ Green Eyes. Sitting in a cramped hotel room with Erin Markey breathing down my neck for forty minutes was like checking into a by-the-hour no-tell motel with a sex-starved Bengal tiger.” 

– Clay McLeod Chapman, Outstanding Short Script nominee for both Diary DebrisSixteen Again which was part of the Pumpkin Pie Show, Horse Trade Theatre Group

“My favorite OOB show this season was The Changing Room.  It was a gorgeously directed and acted piece. .” 

- Jill Bianchini, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role nominee for Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio

“The Tremendous Tremendous” 

- Deanna McGovern, Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role nominee for An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company

“It's a toss up between our productions of Reefer Madness and The Drowsy Chaperone.”  

- Heather Siobhan Curran, Artistic Director for The Gallery Players, which is nominated for Outstanding Production of a Musical for both Reefer Madness and The Drowsy Chaperone

“The Drowsy Chaperone!!” 

- Robert Anthony Jones, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“10 For The Tatas - original theatre works that hosted new and award winning talent. All the artists collaborated for a great cause.” 

- Belle Caplis, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role nominee for Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio

“Whatever the Neo-Futurists touch is gold. Look for The Complete and Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O'Neill to sweep the IT Awards next year.” 

- Matt Wilson, Outstanding Original Full-Length Script nominee for Play America (Life is Short, Wear Your Party Pants), Sister Sylvester

“Fabulous Darshan at the WorkShop Theater Company.  It had a cast of 4 men that blew me away and the story dealt with the trials and tribulations of being gay in NYC during the epidemic, and the friendships that nurtured them.  It made me laugh - it made me cry - and I left the theater feeling emotionally super charged.  It was the best piece of theater I've seen in a long time.” 

- Kelly Anne Burns, Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role nominee for The Navigator, Workshop Theater Company

“The Tremendous Tremendous was so warm and effective.” 

– Matt Brogan, Outstanding Set Design nominee for Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio

“This season? I would say BrainExplode! at the recent Game Play festival at the Brick.  Richard Lovejoy and Sneaky Snake Productions put together something truly unique there and it was executed in such a fun way.  And Stephen Heskett, who was also in Theater of the Arcade, was totally great in it.  Also the Assembly Theater's piece Home/Sick was amazing.” 

– Kent Meister, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for Theater of the Arcade, Piper McKenzie & The Fifth Wall in association with The Brick Theater

“I admired The Human Comedy a lot.”

– Han Friedrichs, Outstanding Director nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“I don't know if Sleep No More qualifies as Off-Off, but it blew me away.” 

– M.L. Dogg, Outstanding Sound Design nominee for The Land Whale Murders, Shelby Company

“Although that's a very difficult question to answer, I'd have to say m3, A NoSpace Odissey. Never has a play without words spoken to me so much, and the off-beat style of the piece along with the performance really defined diversity." 

– Nick Paglino, Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role nominee for An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company

“Goodbar by Waterwell was my favorite. It was extremely innovative and nothing like I had ever seen.” 

– Jenny Lee Mitchell, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for Radio Purgatory, Theater THE

“My favorite production was Collaboration Town's The Play About My Dad by Boo Killebrew. Boo's script was so honest, touching and beautiful. And each actor's portrayals of the people in Boo's life were heartbreaking, engaging and absolutely hilarious. Director Lee Sunday Evans had such a light hand, allowing for the play and the actors to speak so honestly. The way this play dealt with Katrina too was with the perfect blend of humor, homage and heartbreak. Such a perfect production."  

– Jennifer Conley Darling, Artistic Director for terraNOVA Collective and the soloNOVA Arts Festival which is nominated for Outstanding Performance Art Production for Woman of Leisure and Panic

“Radio Purgatory” 

– Aldo Perez, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Sound Design and Outstanding Original Music for Radio Purgatory, Theater THE

“Halfrican American by Rob King at The P.I.T.” 

– Elaine Del Valle, Outstanding Solo Performance nominee for Brownsville Bred, Del Valle Productions, Inc.

“The Ninja Cherry Orchard” 

– Frank Padellaro, Outstanding Original Music nominee for Theater of the Arcade, Piper McKenzie & The Fifth Wall in association with The Brick Theater

“Working as much as I do, I don’t get to see a lot of other productions, so The Drowsy Chaperone was my favorite” 

– Ryan Moller, Outstanding Costume Design nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“This one is surprisingly easy... I saw Nat Cassidy's one man show in the HPLovecraft Things From the Doorstep evening and I loved it (Yay!  He's nominated!  WOOT!).  I so rarely get swept up on a ride and he totally got me!  I was quite literally about two thirds of the way in when I realized what had happened.  Fantastic.  I can imagine it to be a ‘love it’ or ‘hate it’ experience for most people... I'm in the LOVED IT camp.” 

– Heather Cunningham, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role for Benefactors, Retro Productions

AND, when asked which OOB artist he would most like to work with (that he hasn't already), Clay McLeod Chapman responded, “I’d go another round with the green-eyed tiger. Or die trying.”

Tell us about your favorite OOB production this season?

2011 New York Innovative Theatre Awards Ceremony

2011 New York

Innovative Theatre Awards

  

HOSTED BY HARRISON GREENBAUM 

Monday, September 19, 2011

begins at 7:00 pm

Cooper Union's Great Hall,  

located at 51 Astor Place

Tickets are on sale now for $25

(cash and checks only at the door)

Don't miss all the excitement, the entertainment and the chance to celebrate OOB's 2010-2011 season with your fellow artists.

Getting to Know the Nominees

We have a very eclectic and dynamic and somewhat opinionated group of nominees this year and we wanted to get to know them a little better so we asked them to answer a few questions about their work. 

Here are their answers to question #1:
Why do you work Off-Off-Broadway?

“It’s always nice to see the whites of our audience’s eyes. These off-off-off-off-off closet spaces necessitate a more personal, intimate dynamic between the performer onstage and the folks watching it... which I think enhances the theatrical experience a hell of a lot more than when I’m sitting in a 500 seat theater. When I’m in the front row of an OOB show, I want the sweat from the performer’s brow to drip into my lap.”

– Clay McLeod Chapman, Outstanding Short Script nominee for both Diary Debris and Sixteen Again which was part of the Pumpkin Pie Show, Horse Trade Theatre Group

“I work OOB because I love the theatre.  I love the actors.  I love the collaboration, the rehearsals, the smell of the theatre, the butterflies... I love it all.”

- Jill Bianchini, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role nominee for Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio

“It's accessible and affordable and you get to meet some truly generous and spirited people. It's easier to get something off the ground and make your voice heard.”

- Isaac Oliver, Outstanding Short Script nominee for Come Here, which was a part of The Spring Fling, F*It Club

“This was my first chance to be a part of the OOB experience. The chance to do astounding theatre in such an intimate setting was a huge draw. It is a wonderful thing to be able to bring new and exciting ideas to an audience... to be able to really dive into and explore your craft.” 

- Craig E. Treubert, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“The Off-Off-Broadway projects I have been able to work on have provided me with the consistent thrill of jumping into a new work, because they are usually innovative projects that have never been introduced to a New York audience before.  Being able to tackle something new is always rewarding and being able to connect with your audience during and after a show is also accessible through Off-Off-Broadway work. The artists I have met along the way have shaped my experiences by creating a sense of community and true collaboration from multiple aspects on and off stage.” 

- Deanna McGovern, Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role nominee for An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company

“Freedom to program and re-imagine both revivals and new works and to give opportunities to many theater artists.  I love it when I hear people say ‘How are they going to do that?’”  

- Heather Siobhan Curran, Artistic Director for The Gallery Players, which is nominated for Outstanding Production of a Musical for both Reefer Madness and The Drowsy Chaperone

“I enjoy working in town, as I'm sure we all do.  Regional work takes me out of town quite a bit, so it's nice to stay put for awhile.” 

- Robert Anthony Jones, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“I want to be a part of original theatre in New York City and help tear down the boundaries set by categorizing theatre into classes set by the size of an audience.” 

- Belle Caplis, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role nominee for Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio

“Working Off-Off-Broadway in strange, often surreal locations contextualizes each Sister Sylvester play as a singular event to be taken on its own terms. This allows us to create work with wholly unique dramaturgical rules and narrative structures, which evolve out of the specific combination of texts, environments, and artists that are realizing the piece.”

- Matt Wilson, Outstanding Original Full-Length Script nominee for Play America (Life is Short, Wear Your Party Pants), Sister Sylvester

“Working in Off-Off-Broadway gives artists the chance to explore a range of new works with great possibilities.  It provides the opportunity to really delve into the creative spirit, and find shows that the all types of audiences will enjoy.  The people working in OOB are more often than not, doing it for their love of theater, and not for the paycheck, which I find really influences the passion aspect of the productions.”

- Kelly Anne Burns, Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role nominee for The Navigator, Workshop Theater Company

“I work Off-Off-Broadway primarily because as an actor with few credits, it is one of the best places to cut your teeth and do some really quality work. It's also a place where (if we're all doing our jobs) you are not only able to take risks but are encouraged to do so. It's a place that fosters innovation, free from the pressures that can squelch that type of creativity in larger productions.”

– Ian Bell, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio

“I have a full-time day job (that I actually like) so working OOB is manageable, as a designer, to do in spare time. Although sometimes it feels like more work!”

– Matt Brogan, Outstanding Set Design nominee for Balm in Gilead, T. Schreiber Studio

“I started working in Off-Off-Broadway because it just seemed like the natural thing to do.  I've always been interested in work that's off the beaten path, stuff that you can't just see anywhere. Fortunately I've landed in a community of other artists who feel the same way.”

– Kent Meister, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for Theater of the Arcade, Piper McKenzie & The Fifth Wall in association with The Brick Theater

“I work Off-Off-Broadway because it’s a way of working within the city and having the opportunity to have people hear about it and hopefully have it seen.” 

– Han Friedrichs, Outstanding Director nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“The stakes in Off-Off are much lower than the other levels of theatre, so people are willing to take bigger risks and do something different.  Some of the most interesting work is in the Off-Off world.  And the community is filled with people who are doing it for the love of the process and the shows, not for the dollar, so there's a great enthusiasm that is hard to find elsewhere in New York theatre.” 

– M.L. Dogg, Outstanding Sound Design nominee for The Land Whale Murders, Shelby Company

“It allows me the opportunity to create new work with the people that I love to interact with outside of the theater, but also to take an unorthodox approach to the way we create theater and bond with an audience. Working 'outside of the box' places the audience in a similar situation that the actors are in, so we take the journey together." 

– Nick Paglino, Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role nominee for An Impending Rupture of the Belly, Godlight Theatre Company

“Pure creative freedom is only possible Off-Off-Broadway.  Without the enormous financial obligations of large commercial theater, the focus can be on the work.” 

– Jeff Pagliano, Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role nominee for Fracturing, Sweeter Theater Productions

“Working Off-Off-Broadway gave me access to an amazing group of artists both onstage and offstage. Honestly, I feel privileged to have worked with these people and can’t wait for my next chance. I also value the opportunity to work in New York since so much of my work is at regional theaters, away from friends and family. As I write this, I’m headed to Florida to do a production of “Meet Me in St. Louis” at Show Palace Dinner Theater.” 

– Dawn Trautman, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“I make my work Off-Off Broadway because it is where the most innovative and edgy theatre makers are creating their work. I want to add to that conversation with my work.” 

– Jenny Lee Mitchell, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for Radio Purgatory, Theater THE

"OOB takes changes and encourages development. It’s less about commercial success (please) then it is about a writer writing a play from his soul. Even if few get to see it." 

- Eddie Antar, Outstanding Original Full-Length Script nominee for The Navigator, WorkShop Theater Company

“I work in Off-Off because it allows for more freedom of expression. There are no restrictions as to content or which artists can be involved. It feels like one of the pure forms of theater offered in NYC.” 

– Jennifer Conley Darling, Artistic Director for terraNOVA Collective and the soloNOVA Arts Festival which is nominated for Outstanding Performance Art Production for Woman of Leisure and Panic

“There's more creative freedom possible off-off. No one's in this for the money. There are far more scheduling problems than you'll find on bigger budgeted shows because of that, but the people who are willing to put up with three hours of rehearsal after an eight hour day job tend to just be doing the work because they love the work. Therefore, most people are willing to try more inventive work.” 

– Donya K. Washington, Outstanding Ensemble nominee for (oh my god I am so) THIRST(y), Little Lord (a theater company)

“After winning a couple of festivals, I knew that I just had to keep doing my show.  The only place that I could make this happen affordably was OOB. Not only is it affordable for me as a producer but it is also affordable for my audience. I was able to build my audience, some of which were new theater goers.” 

– Elaine Del Valle, Outstanding Solo Performance nominee for Brownsville Bred, Del Valle Productions, Inc.

“Does best Flintstonian bird imitation* “GROK – It’s a living.” 

– Frank Padellaro, Outstanding Original Music nominee for Theater of the Arcade, Piper McKenzie & The Fifth Wall in association with The Brick Theater

“Well... I happen to be a producer so there are practical answers to this question such as money, time, etc... but... the more I do it, the more I realize how much I love this community.  As large as it is it has grown smaller of the past few years, largely due to the IT Awards.  I also love being able to do the things that I want to do... that's pretty special.”

– Heather Cunningham, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role for Benefactors, Retro Productions

“I see it as a step to working on Broadway. These are my colleagues who will move onto bigger and better things, and want to be apart of their journey and have them a part of mine.”

– Ryan Moller, Outstanding Costume Design nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, The Gallery Players

“I work Off-Off-Broadway because... why would I work with Broadway? Broadway is that pure-bred dog that is mentally disabled from being inbred and having its hair dyed too many times. It lives its life on a very short, very expensive leash. It’s unionized and sterilized and neutered. Off-Off-Broadway is that dog that is actually a mutt of creativity, part wolf in fact, that has a mind as sharp as its teeth and has hair as wild as its imagination. It has no leash. It does what it wants, wherever it can. It has the freedom to collaborate and procreate with whomever (or whatever) it chooses.”

– Kae Burke, Outstanding Costume Design and Outstanding Innovative Design nominee for Circus of Circus, The House of Yes

“I love working on new and unusual projects, and having the time and opportunity to experiment.  So many great projects and ideas come out of the Off-Off-Broadway world.”

– Quentin Chiappetta, Outstanding Sound Design nominee for the Navigator, Workshop Theater Company

“That’s the only forum that can tolerate my visions...so far”

– Aldo Perez, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Sound Design and Outstanding Original Music nominee for Radio Purgatory, Theater THE

 

Hurricane Preparedness for the average Indie Theatre Artist

Contributed by Shay Gines

I would like to give some tips for preparing for the Hurricane.  I usually send out preparedness advice only to friends, but someone said that I should post it on our blog and so... I am.

"Shay, what qualifies you to give any tips for hurricane preparedness?" You may be asking yourself. And that my friend is a fair question.

The real answer is nothing. I am not an expert. However, for six years I worked for a national disaster preparedness organization and while I was only the office manager and certainly do NOT have any degrees or credentials in disaster preparations, I was instrumental in creating a number of preparedness guides and did tons of research. And you know, I picked up a few things. So this is what I've learned, take it for what it is worth.

First off, the hurricane will probably not be as scary as the news makes it out to be and for most of us will more likely be an interesting and exciting day that will end up in stories and plays for the next couple of seasons. However, it currently looks like it will hit NYC as a category 2 hurricane, which is stronger than was originally thought, so you do need to be cautious.

There will probably be some power outages and depending on the extent of the outages, it could take several hours to get it back up.

The MTA has already said that it will be halting all service and expects that there will be some damage due to flooding. So... it may be some time before it is all up and running again.

The real danger is from flying objects (such as lawn furniture or wind chimes) that the wind picks up and whips around. So of course you should stay indoors.


For those folks outside of the evacuation zones, here are some preparations that you can make:

• Have a working flashlight and batteries. You might also want to buy an extra candle or two.
• Charge your cell phone and any spare batteries in advance. Same thing for laptops.
• Back up any important data in advance and turn off desktop computers during the brunt of the storm.
• Make sure you have some clean water available (fill a pitcher before you go to bed Saturday).
• Make sure you have 3 days worth of snacks and food that can be prepared without the use of electricity. (also take a look in your refrigerator and think about perishable items should the power go out)
  
• After the 2003 blackout you couldn't use any of the ATMs or buy things from stores that used electronic cash registers so get some extra cash in advance, including some small bills.
• Bring in any objects on your stoop, balcony or fire escape - this includes window air-conditioners.
• If you have a car, park it on the highest ground you can find and away from trees.
• Make sure someone knows where you will be.
• If you have theatre tickets, call the theatre in advance and find out if they are planning to provide refunds or a rain date.

Here are some tips from people who actually do have degrees and credentials at the Red Cross. 

You can track the storm on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website and they provide news about the storm without all the hype.

And here is a pretty funny article to help keep it all in perspective: Brooklyn's Guide to Hurricane Preparedness by Choire Sicha.

Be safe!

How do you feel about comps?

Contributed by Shay Gines

I wanted to talk about something that is a little bit controversial in the OOB community - Comp Tickets. My friend Jason Bowcutt and I have had an ongoing debate about comps to Indie shows.

There are a lot of indie shows that we want to see. We don't always have the time or the money to attend all of the amazing stuff that happening in this community. 

JASON'S TAKE:

It is important for us to see as much of the work as we can. If we don't have the money, it is more important to see the work than it is to pay for the ticket. So it is completely acceptable to take advantage of industry and Equity comps. 

MY TAKE:

As someone who has been a producer, I know how much every dollar means. When I reviewed shows I had no problem accepting the comps because I felt I was doing a service for the production by providing publicity and critique. The same is true if I helped paint the set or helped out at the box office, etc. However, if I am just going to see the production for myself, I feel uncomfortable asking for comps. Moreover, I feel that so much work goes into getting these shows up on their feet, that they have earned my $20. 

Of course there are a lot of shows that I miss because I'm short on cash.

So, what are your thoughts? Which is more important seeing the show, or paying for the ticket? Do you have a personal code when it comes to accepting comps?

Why Indie Theatre?: Pete Boisvert

 In celebration of Indie Theatre Week (July 23 - August 1, 2011),
we asked members of the OOB community to answer this question, "Why Indie Theatre?"

 

Artistic Autonomy

The quality that drew me to self-producing and indie theatre in the first place is the level of freedom and control it provides for the artist. You don’t need to ask anyone’s permission in order to see your creation realized; all you need is an artistic vision and the drive to see it executed. This free rein results in a body of work created in the indie theatre world that is remarkable diverse, exciting and unconventional.

Creativity and Innovation

Certainly self-producing has its restrictions and limitations. We typically have to work with a tiny budget, limited space options and less resources in general than a commercial production. All of the troubles and difficulties that crop up in production must be tackled by you and your company, but there is no limit to what you can accomplish outside of your own abilities and strengths. Indie theatre is fundamentally about working with the essentials. If our resources are limited, that forces us to develop inventive and innovative solutions to solve the problems we encounter.

Intimacy with the Audience

One of the greatest artistic aspects of theatre is the fluid nature of the art. The audience is reacting to a performance as it is being created, and their response will in turn shape the actors performance. This relationship is heightened in an indie theatre production by nature of the small spaces we work in. With an upper limit of 99 seats (and many spaces run much smaller than that), there is an inherent intimacy between the performers and their audience that can be intensely rewarding (and that is much harder to pull off in a cavernous Broadway house).

                                     

The Community

I have found the artists and producers that work in the indie theatre world to be some of the most talented, motivated and energized people I’ve ever encountered. In my dozen years working in the indie theatre scene in New York, our community has been endlessly helpful and supportive. Whether it’s searching for a specific and rare prop, looking for that perfect actor to cast in a hard to fit role, or simply rallying folks to attend an undersold performance, the community has been there for us again and again. The IT Awards are a great example of the way this works: created by individuals in the community to celebrate the work of their peers and judged by the larger indie community as well as the audiences drawn to indie theatre.

 ___________________________________________

Pete Boisvert founded Nosedive Productions with James Comtois in 1999. He has directed over two dozen productions with Nosedive, including Infectious Opportunity, The Adventures of Nervous-Boy (a penny dreadful) and The Blood Brother presents… horror series. Outside of Nosedive, Pete has directed the premiere productions of Temar Underwood’s The Brokenhearteds and Katharine Clark’s The B Side. A graduate of Ithaca College, he has trained with Anne Bogart's SITI Company in both Saratoga Springs and New York City and with the Vampire Cowboys' Rabid Vamps Fight Studio. He is currently rehearsing for remount production of Infectious Opportunity, to be performed in the NY Fringe Festival this August.