No. 11 Productions

An Actor Prepares [for Medea]

2010-01-29T23:18:00.008-05:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

Medea is a role actresses wait their entire careers for. I am playing her at 23. It is quite the undertaking.

I have no equal parallel in my own life to what Medea goes through. But I have experienced the emotions - loss and love, hate and hope, anger and ardor. What makes her human is that she lives always between these contrasts and that is where I will find her.

The beauty of the way we are working on this project is that I do not need to recall sad memories to play this character truthfully. I need only to rely on the intricate text, to push it, analyze it, live in the sound of the words and the emotions will come.

We are using an approach, a system, very new to me on this production. I am like a recent convert to this way of working. It inspires and excites me and I have put all of my stock in it. But I also go through moments of doubt and frustration. I just have to trust it.

It is first and foremost about the text. Everything - character, emotions, honesty - will come from the form. Ryan Emmons, our fearless director, had me read Peter Hall’s Shakespeare’s Advice to the Players.

"First comes the form and second comes the feeling."
"Here is the paradox: by hiding the feeling you reveal it, by not indulging it, you express it. This is the contradiction of all great acting."
"Shakespeare’s text is a complex score that demands to be read as a piece of music, learned like the steps of a dance, or practiced like the strokes of a duel."

Shakespeare may not have written Medea, but we are working with a finely crafted, rhetorical, verse play. Sir Peter has made me hyper-attuned to the sound of words. I dig at the script searching for antithesis, monosyllabic lines, onomatopoeia, and repeated sounds. To this I add the wisdom of Michael Chekhov (I’m currently reading his Lessons for the Professional Actor)

"Whatever we are going to experience on the stage - even if it is terribly heavy and uneasy - the impressions that it is terribly heavy must be given, but how it is produced must be artistically light and easy always."

For me, at this moment, Medea is not a woman who kills her children. She is a woman in pain. She must sing though she only talks, dance though she only walks.

My mind is very full of ideas at the moment. It is excitingly overwhelming.

Written by Julie Congress

Medea Cast List

2010-01-21T14:07:00.005-05:00

I am thrilled to officially announce the full cast for No.11 Productions’ MEDEA!

Medea Cast List (Alphabetical)

JASON - Willy Appelman

MEDEA - Julie Congress

CHORUS - Laura DellaVilla

TUTOR - Mark Ferguson

CREON - David Henry Gerson

CHORUS - Haley Greenstein

CHORUS - Debbie Habib

CHORUS - Sara Kliger

CHORUS - Nina Meijers

AEGEUS - Roger Mulligan

CHORUS - Alison Novelli

MESSENGER - Sam Parrott

NURSE - Vanessa Wingerwrath

LIGHTING DESIGN by Maura Cordial

MUSIC/MUSICAL DIRECTION by Rebecca Greenstein

CHOREOGRAPHY by Ava Conaval

PUPPETRY by Jen Neads

COSTUMES by Brooke Cohen

SOUND DESIGN by Mitchell Conway

ACTING/VOCAL COACHING by Liz Coley

DIRECTED by Ryan Emmons

The Benefits of Starting Out

2010-01-07T08:02:00.001-05:00

It’s easy to think, as you watch the group of singers you’re working with huddle around a microphone that you have jammed into a roll of paper towels because you lack a microphone stand, what are we doing? If you fin yourself looking at that shoved in microphone or building all of your props out of cardboard, don’t doubt yourself…applaud. Think “wow, this was a way better idea than using that beer glass on a pile of chairs.” Whether recording a song or rehearsing a play, if you are just starting out, you’re probably working in somebody’s apartment, your neighbors hate you, and you rehearse after an eight hour work day. These conditions are less than ideal, but at the end of the day, no one is going to see your apartment, they will see your work on a stage, they will assume you had a long rehearsal period in a large studio with a full day of technical rehearsal…this is part of the magic of indie theatre.

So as you tie up your bed sheets to make yet another set of costumes, I wanted to take a moment to mention some of the positives of creating theatre as a new company:

· No one is working on a project because of all the money they are going to make, people are working with you because they want to create art and believe that your company can facilitate that.

· You don’t have to follow any rules…but it’s a good idea to make some up.

· No matter how ridiculous your choices are, people will read them as gutsy because you’re just starting out – so the theatre you make can be way out there.

· You can drink wine at rehearsals (not recommended for every rehearsal).

· More established artists are super enthusiastic and encouraging about your work…grass roots are trendy right now.

· You have the gift of time, if you want to spend 5 months on 1 project…that’s possible.

· You’re not cornered into a niche, you can keep exploring different genres and mediums.

· You can choose the work you do, it’s always better if you are passionate and have something to say about the play you are working on.

· If you have a flop, it won’t destroy you…your audience base isn’t that big anyway.

Those are just a few thoughts…there may be more, but I’m young and have crazy ideas and lots of time…so you’ll have wait. Be adventurous and let us know when you are…we’ll come check it out.

Written By Ryan Emmons

Acting

2009-12-30T14:40:00.014-05:00

There are countless books on acting. Everyone has their own theories and systems. But how does the 21st Century, Indie Theatre actor tackle a role? Here's what some of the working actors we most respect had to say when we asked them the question:

How do you prepare for a role?

Daniel Talbott: "I wish I was better at answering this question but the thing I find most helpful for me to begin working on a play is to try to read it as many times as I can and ask as many questions as possible before going into rehearsal. I try to figure out as much as I can about the world of the play, the other characters in it, and the given circumstances for all of us based on what’s written. I try to be as full and inspired as possible and have ideas and choices and questions to bring to the table on the first day, and at the same time always try to make sure I haven’t made anything truly concrete yet cause I don’t think the work can really happen without everyone else in the room. You may come up with the most brilliant physical characterization in the history of theatre but if it has nothing to do with what the rest of the cast and the director and playwright and designers are trying to work on in telling the story of the play it really doesn’t matter. I read somewhere once that great acting is like walking a tightrope or plate spinning. I guess I try to know as much as I can and be in the best shape possible—spiritually, emotionally, physically—as an artist to try to start learning how to walk that specific rope or spin the particular plates that the play I’m working on requires. For me all the preparation you do on the outside is about making it possible to come to the rehearsal room excited, open, positive; with ideas, choices, and confidence to be able to be a brave and risk-taking part of the ensemble, because for me there’s no play and no theatre without the other folks in the room." http://www.risingphoenixrep.org/

Daniella Rabbani: "I start with the text which is great when you're working with a good writer and a little tricky when you're not. But judging the writing is not my job, so before anything, I trust the writer, director, other actors, and myself. Which sounds a lot easier said than done. So when I read the text, I'm looking for clues about the character and the given circumstance which informs my physical choices. Where I hold tension, weight or energy. I try to improvise in that new body in rehearsal and then get off book as soon as possible. Walk down the street speaking my lines, dream about moments that could be better, and generally obsessing." http://www.daniellarabbani.com/

Michael Criscuolo: "First, I read the play once, maybe twice, to determine the story, where my character fits into it, and to get a sense of the relationships between my character and all the others."

"Then I start going through all of my character's scenes one by one to figure out what my character wants (i.e. their intention) and how they're going to get it (i.e. their activity). Those two things are my anchors throughout rehearsals. If I run into trouble at any point, I re-examine/tighten/clarify the ol' intention-and-activity game plan, and that usually takes care of things."

"I'm also a fan of what others might call more "external" facets of acting: characterization conveyed through voice, body language, appearance, etc., and how one's intention influences those things and vice versa. Often times if I get stuck or want to figure out a new way to develop a character, I imagine how another actor might play my role. For instance, I just finished playing Lopakhin in The Ninja Cherry Orchard at The Brick Theater. This is a character who's gone from being a peasant to a wealthy merchant. I had no idea what that meant in terms of actualizing the role in a flesh-and-blood way, but I remembered that Brian Dennehy had once played this part for Peter Brook. So I started thinking about how he would do it. Well, for one thing Dennehy wouldn't put on any airs. Everything would be very straightforward with no frills, because he's a very salt-of-the-earth type of guy. And once I started thinking about Lopakhin that way, it became much easier to figure out how he would pursue his intention and react to certain other things in the play."

Adam Lerman: "Every character is different, and often the way that I approach the role tends to work alongside how the director is approaching the play. That may sound obvious, but if we're mining the text at the top of the process, then the dramaturgical work will come in first. Sometimes the director and I will talk about other actors or characters as references, but sometimes the characters come from notions in the text, or physical work, exercises, etc... Sometimes the character will remind me of someone in my own life, and I'll blend that person(s) with myself and other sources. The possibilities are endless."

"One of the challenges I battle with the most is avoiding my go-to tricks and old habits. People-watching tends to alleviate those issues, because in impersonating other bodies outside my own, I find I immediately depart from my natural muscular patterns (which can make for some uncomfortable and awkward postures and walks). And additionally, once the text has really been analyzed and the intentions are evident, the clarity of the character starts to really shine through, my obligation is to use those mental, emotional and physical tools to just honor those things." http://www.thisisadamlerman.com/

Medea Performance Schedule

2009-12-30T13:58:00.003-05:00

Medea

Presented as part of FRIGID New York

The Kraine Theater
85 East 4th Street
New York, NY 10003

Wed 2/24 at 6:00 PM
Sat 2/27 at 7:00 PM
Mon 3/01 at 7:30 PM
Thu 3/04 at 9:00 PM
Sat 3/06 at 1:00 PM

Medea Trailer

2009-12-18T14:29:00.002-05:00

We will have this video up on our website soon...but until then you can view the Medea trailer on youtube at this link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBcYnUw_sNo

Enjoy and let us know what you think!

Surfing Medea Part 4

2009-12-14T22:09:00.003-05:00

Alright, here it is...our last picture post before our big release. Things are coming together nicely and we are very excited for the end of the week, but still have a lot to do before then!

Our noble film makers set up the perfect frame.

The men stand by as the women pose on the rocks.

One of our movie stars consults with the director of photography.

"That's a wrap!"

An Informative, Bulleted List

2009-12-11T19:58:00.004-05:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

We’ve learned a lot in the past year and a half here at No.11 Productions. Here is my short list of things we’ve learned from experience, both good and bad. I hope it can be helpful to people in the industry (particularly those just starting out) as well as informative for those not in the world of theatre.

• Keep setting your goals higher and higher. In theatre, and in life.
• Festivals are your best friend when you are starting out! Some of our best (and most lucrative) experiences have been doing the FringeNYC, FRIGID New York, Capital Fringe Festival, and SaratogaArtsFest. A festival comes with a built in audience, and does some of the hardest advertising for you. It’s also WAY cheaper than renting out a space.
• Always get a recommendation! Whenever you are renting a new space, working with a new actor, etc.
• Even though you may not be paying your actors, don’t feel like you are inconveniencing them. Your cast and crew may be pro bono, but you are still giving them a gift – the chance to do what they love.
• Going hand in hand with that, be prepared for heartbreak. A close friend and brilliant actor in your show may get a paying gig and leave you to do it, even though he/she knows it’s an inferior production. It happens. You have to get over it and move on and hope that one day soon you’ll be big and important and able to pay them what they deserve.
• The internet is your friend. We’re still learning and working on that. Find us now on Twitter!
• Personally, I would much rather work with someone who was good to work with and I enjoyed collaborating with than someone who was more talented but harder to deal with. Especially when you’re rehearsing in someone’s apartment, after an eight hour work day.
• Read a play before you agree to produce it.
• Do both big and small projects. Follow your interests, see where it leads you.
• Don’t rush! This was the hardest lesson for us to learn. We were VERY prolific our first 15 months. But now we’re working on what is undoubtedly our most ambitious, best production to date and it’s because we have TIME.
• Be super careful when it comes to contracts. Don’t let yourself be rushed or bullied into signing something until you are sure it’s right for you.
• Befriend other companies of your size. It’s not a competition.
• SEE THEATRE (and art and dance and read and be an open-minded citizen of the world).

Written by Julie Congress

Surfing Medea Part 3

2009-12-06T22:22:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow we will be recording the second choral ode, which will be featured in our movie trailer. This is the third of four picture installments leading up to our big release. Instead of commenting on the pictures this time, we are going to use some quotes from the play:

"I want no part in greatness and glory...Good never comes from overreaching, and when it provokes the gods, it destroys all the more thoroughly."

"For nothing is like the sorrow or supersedes the sadness of losing your native land."

"Even the gods, they say, succumb to gifts, and gold is stronger than the strongest wits."

"The man who was my life – and he knows it too – has become for me beneath contempt. Of all the creatures that can feel and think, we women are the worst-treated things alive."

Surfing Medea Part 2

2009-11-29T19:34:00.003-05:00

Here is the second installment of photos from our film shoot for the Medea trailer!

The wind whips at Medea as she says goodbye to the perfect life that has just been stolen from her.

Two of our actress keep warm between takes, with long scarves and big smiles.

Our cameraman sneaks off for some establishing shots.

The dramatic sky steals the scene in this awesome shot.

Surfing Medea

2009-11-25T22:12:00.005-05:00

We just got these pictures loaded onto our computer and cannot wait until our trailer for Medea airs to share how beautiful and awesome the beach was.

Here are a few pictures from the beach to whet your appetite:

The film crew frames the shot for an ethereal looking Chorus from the trailer for Medea No.11 just shot on Long Beach Island.

You might not be able to tell, but these girls are cold wearing an array of fabric, bed sheets and a lot of safety pins in late November on the beach!

A windy scene between Medea and Jason that will blow you away when you see the trailer.

The movie crew and director pack up for the night...never fear though, more pics to come and the release date for the trailer is slated for Dec. 18th.

On Location

2009-11-24T17:14:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I felt like a professional director. I always aim for professionalism, but I often cannot help but feel like a young theatre artist who is playing “theatre company” with his most talented friends. This weekend, shooting the trailer for Medea down on Long Beach Island, my friends became professionals, and I was inspired.

Perhaps it was because we were on location, with perfect weather and knew that the cameras were rolling. Perhaps it is because many of us had worked together before, and we are getting a few steps closer towards an ensemble of actors that is happy to work with us on whatever kooky project we propose next. Or maybe we are simply growing into ourselves as people and artists and there’s a certain maturity that comes with age…although I would like to stay young and idealistic for another year at least.

When we came back from the beach one of the actors said, “It was an incredible experience, seeing artists creating the kind of art that you yourself want to be creating, and then also getting to be a part of it.” It was funny to hear this, because I felt the same way…I thought “yes, this is the quality of work we should be creating all the time”. Now, I have not seen any of the edited footage, and who is to say what the final product will look like, but even the clips we saw from each day (those are called dailies from what I’ve heard), I found myself taken aback. Much of the professionalism and tone of the weekend came from our unbelievably talented and professional film crew, which consisted of Danny Caporaletti and Dylan Frayser. These two film makers are not only talented artists, but some of the best collaborators I have ever worked with. The actors were all phenomenal and the beach was a star performer. I honestly could not have had a better introduction into film directing, I’ve caught the bug and you should keep your eyes peeled for even more. We will post some pictures of our shoot soon, as to whet your appetite for the finished trailer, which is slated to be released before the holidays take over!

-Ryan Emmons

Manning the Ship

2009-11-15T20:45:00.001-05:00

For the past few weeks I have been meeting with and inviting various artists, designers and actors to work on our upcoming production of Medea. No.11 Productions is just over a year old (officially) and no one who works for us has, up to this point, been financially compensated. Medea will be no different. The advantage to this (to be the forever optimist I try to be), is that you have a group of dedicated artists creating “art for art’s sake”. Actors, designers, musicians etc., are creating solely for the sake of putting something out into the cosmos that might open up the opportunity for different people to broaden their various perspectives of the world we live in. I know, that sounds a bit utopian and it’s a poorly structured and wordy sentence, but that is at least how I see it. I can tell you for a fact that this is not how all 20-something-year-old artists see it, no matter how fledging they may be. Some young artists expect to be paid, and I hope they are…but we cannot afford them.

When I approach different artists to engage in a project, I am asking them to commit time, talent and energy to somebody else’s vision, in this case mine. There is an instant pull between “that sounds awesome” and “I should be focusing on my own art.” My theory (and I would dare to say No.11’s) is that theatre is a meeting place for all of the arts, and that an artist that works in the theatre is stretching their own art/talent in directions that no one artist would think of on their own…collaboration leads to higher art. I’m sure Mr. Van Gogh would disagree, but he never worked in the theatre. So my leverage to engage artists becomes, work on a project with No.11 Productions, and you will come out of it a stronger artist. I never push someone to collaborate with me because without money or a contract, it is passion and friendship that hold a particular production ensemble together, and even these qualities are not fool proof. When a “better” (read: paid) opportunity rolls along, most actors and designers cannot resist…and I have never held this against them. Have I kicked and screamed and cried? Sure, but only for a moment before I start making phone calls.

There have been people who have worked with us consistently and beautifully and who we continuously turn to for their talent, guidance and support. Young companies and artists should find other young companies and artists they enjoy working with and believe in and invest their efforts. No one I know (in my age bracket) can invest several thousand dollars into No.11 Productions, but my peers and friends invest time and effort because they believe that our small theatre company has the potential to be one of the greatest non-profit theatre organizations of our generation (or at least self sufficient). They believe that the theatre we create and the vision we hold is worth what they have to offer. I find this idea tremendous and inspirational. In a year, we have grown much faster than I ever had expected, and with no intention of slowing down, I feel confident in our path. I have too much respect for the artists we have worked with, and will work with, to allow them to come to a dead end when a production is over. No.11 Productions is an ensemble company, and although we are still many artists away from being a true ensemble, we get closer with each production.

My goal is to have a full cast and list of designers before the New Year, a collective of passionate, growing and invested artists who have the desire to make our production of Medea unforgettable. I will keep you posted.

-Ryan Emmons

Puppet Progress

2009-11-14T14:07:00.006-05:00

Jen's turn. The others are hopefully going to wean themselves back into blogging via short Twitter updates (follow us - just search No11productions!). Until then, I'm taking things into my own hands here on the interweb. I'll have fewer insights about directing and acting, but more pictures of STUFF. So.

No.11 has an ambitious and exciting production of Medea coming up in February as part of FRIGID New York. (You may remember No.11 from such past FRIGID productions as Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass).

The character Medea has two young boys. This will be one of them.

The cat is a real cat. He's mean to me, but he likes to help.

Our boy is starting to get some meat on his bones. This picture was taken right after a field trip to Starbucks, so he's happy and relaxed (he's made out of recycled Starbucks cardboard; he feels at home there). My co-workers were sufficiently creeped out, which means I'm on the right track.

In related news, No.11 is filming its first theatrical trailer next weekend at the beach! Get excited.

-Jen

Lysistrata

2009-08-18T11:43:00.007-04:00

Our original adaptation of Lysistrata opens this Friday in the New York International Fringe Festival. We’re performing it al Fresco, that is to say outdoors, in a park, and it’s FREE!

As a special sneak peek at our adaptation (written by Ryan Emmons and Julie Congress), why don’t you meet the characters of Lysistrata.

LYSISTRATA – The lady with the plan. ALWAYS SPEAKS THROUGH A MEGAPHONE. Grade A monologist. Quotes a lot. Played by the incomparable comedic actress, Jackie Byrne.

THE COMMISSIONER – The head-honcho of the Athenian Army. A mixer of metaphors, with the occasional splash of a similie. He’s trying to put a stop to Lysistrata and her coupon-cutting curs! Played by William Popp, tall as a tower and with more gravitas than Sir Isaac Newton.

KLONDIKE – Lysistrata’s second in command. She is one cool cucumber - mmmhmmm, honey! Always equipped with a one-liner, she is played with sass and class by Sara Kliger.

SOCRAPLATRISTMENIDEURIPPHANES – A reluctant soldier with the heart and soul of a dozen philosophers. Why did the Gods put him on earth? Do the Gods even exist? Why does he keep having so many existentialist breakdowns? Why is Sam Parrott so incredibly good at being so lost and confused?!

MARINE – Either the spaciest, dittziest woman to every live or the cleverest, most cunning. Which is she? We may never know! Played with mysterious vacancy by the inestimable Marie Roussel.

KINESIAS – Marine’s sweet and simple husband. This soldier has come a long way to see his wife. If only she would stop finding more bedding in the Acropolis - it’s making him very feta up! Brought to life by the loveable Andrew Van Buskirk.

BAKLAVA – Athens’ very own flower child. Psychedelic Haley Greenstein will have your hands clapping, your hair growing, and the Ouzo flowing.

AKILLTHESE – A brave, brawling Athenian warrior. Perhaps the only thing that can stop him is a multi-syllabic word. Roger Mulligan’s raw, masculine energy will leave you growling in your seats.

LAMPITO – “Climb would she Taygetus tip-top to the up mountain ending if meant it the war” (Translation: She would climb to the tip-top of Taygetus Mountain if it meant ending the war.) Lampito is a terrifying Spartan woman who looks like she could strangle a bull. Rachael Richman’s intense, animalistic energy will have you thanking the Gods you weren’t born a bovine.

HERALD HAROLD – Lampito’s down-trodden countryman. Has a great knack for walking into trouble. They may say not to shoot the messenger, but what about heralds? Played with adorable timidity by Alex Roan.

BOIOTIA – A mysterious, brooding foreigner. Watch as she does her Dance of the Seven Veils! Watch as she speaks entirely in words beginning with the letter ‘B’. Sarah Congress IS Boiotia!

THE TROJAN – A! Soldier! Speaks! Only! One! Word! At! A! Time?!?! Rides! A! Toy! Horse!?!?! Yay!!!!! Brandon!!!!! O’Sullivan!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!

CORINTHIA – An exotic trombone player who’ll wet your whistle. This brassy babe speaks only in alliteration. Rebecca Greenstein will have you signing up for music lessons.

Written by Julie Congress

Directing a Musical

2009-06-25T14:05:00.005-04:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

I am directing No.11’s first musical right now – The Elephant Man. We open in two weeks. The thing is – I’ve never directed a musical by myself before.

Musicals are an odd beast. People talk and walk around like normal and then WHAM! suddenly they’re singing. Singing and dancing serve no evolutionary function, to my knowledge, and yet, we all do it. And we enjoy watching and listening to other people do it. And The Elephant Man – The Musical is a celebration of this.

Going through the script, I have to decide what songs are “staged” and what are “choreographed”. Songs that are choreographed I have my brilliant Choreographer Simon Gunner create. Numbers and scenes that are staged, I wrangle with. But, outside of the delegation, what does it mean? No offense, dictionary.com, but you weren’t much help:

Staged–adjective
1. adapted for or produced on the stage.
2. contrived for a desired impression: It was a staged, rather than spontaneous, demonstration of affection.
3. occurring or planned to occur in stages: a staged increase in wages.

Choreograph–verb (used with object)
1. to provide the choreography for: to choreograph a musical comedy.
2. to manage, maneuver, or direct: The author is a genius at choreographing a large cast of characters.

I feel like I am doing both of these things when I direct and the line between dance and movement is blurry to me. And the fact of the matter is we have a very short rehearsal process for this show. So my choreographer can only do three dances. What do I do? More to the point, what do I have my actors do while they are singing? I know they need to be moving, but moving how? Doing what?

Ryan Emmons and I directed Bat Boy: The Musical a year ago. We did it in the style of German Expressionism. Simon also choreographed that show and created a half dozen Expressionist inspired dances for it. In one of the songs Ryan and I staged, we had all of the townspeople sitting in a circle happily working and then you realize they are making a noose and suddenly they’ve formed a mob and the noose is hanging from the rafters and Dr. Parker is trapped – all the while they’re singing. German Expressionism is about showing the inner life. Would these townspeople actually be hanging a noose? No. Is it how they feel inside? Yes. And isn’t a song just about showing how a character feels rather than exposition?

In talking to Ryan about The Elephant Man, I’ve said how I don’t know how to approach the songs. He said, “every musical number is either a dance or a noose – so find the noose”. So that’s my mission. In a way it’s so simple – that’s why it’s easy to forget. At their core, so much of directing and acting is about asking the right questions – “what is happening?”, “what do I want?”, “what is stopping me from getting what I want?”, “what is the scene about?”

And I’m going to stop looking at it as “staging”. Because I don’t know what that means – it sounds like glorified blocking. I need to direct these songs. And that means asking questions – questions of the script, questions of the actors, questions of the music. Sometimes the answers, the ropes, come easily – this song is about journeying to find what you want (Great! So this scene-song is movement, walking, running contrasted by expressionist moments showing what the characters want).

A musical is a big undertaking. You are blessed with many extra collaborators (and if you don’t view them as blessings, than you need different collaborators). It’s not about relinquishing power to the musical director or choreographer or film maker or costume designer or prop designer or actors or band, but about imparting your vision to them, igniting their imaginations by telling them you want it to look like an Al Hirshfeld caricature come to life, that it’s a simultaneous parody of and love song to the Broadway Musical.

And as daunting as directing a musical is, particularly when you have three weeks to do it, it’s still directing. And directing, in the Julie Congress dictionary is:

1. Having a clear vision you can impart to others
2. Asking the right questions
3. The ability to inspire your collaborators

Written by Julie Congress

Where have we been?

2009-06-05T21:04:00.005-04:00

I know it has been a while since No. 11 has attend to its blog. So, I will update you on our goings on. Last week, on May 30, No. 11 celebrated its one year anniversary with Seaport the Arts, a fundraiser featuring scenes from many of No. 11's shows, and a whole variety of other acts.

The evening was directed by Julie Congress and Ryan Emmons, and hosted by myself and the former Miss Delaware Becky Bledsoe. Justin Mathews played jazz guitar during the cocktail hour. The No. 11 founders performed any opening number highlighting the five producitons we have put up in the past year. John Bambery performed "You Don't Know Me" accompanied by Dylan Glathorn. Ryan Emmons and Jackie Byrne performed a scene from Lysistrata. Rebecca McRae, Susan Philipp, Brooke Whitfield, and Brittany Whitmoyer of bnw:dance performed individual dances around a ghost light. Haley Greenstein sang a lovely version of "Meadow Lark." Mitchell Conway, Jackie Byrne, and Jen Neads performed a scene from Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. Sarah Congress sang a hilarious rendition of "Ooh! My Feet!" Julie Congress, Mitchell Conway, Haley Greenstein, and Simon Gunner performed the "Anything Goes" dance from Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass. Co-host Becky Bledsoe sang "Loves Changes Everything." Julie Congress, Mitchell Conway, Haley Greenstein, and Jackie Byrne performed a scene from Mythunderstood. Katie McSherry sang "The Spark of Creation." Then accompaniest for the evening Brian Walters brought on his band raised.FOR.radio to perform Billy Joel covers "The Entertainer," "You May Be Right," and "Miami 2017." Adam Lerman performed his original monologue "The Sound of Reporting: The Beginning of the Universe." Ryan Emmons sang a song from The Elephant Man - The Musical, accompanied by Rebecca Greenstein. Then Neil Berg (Broadway Composer of Grumpy Old Men, Prince and the Pauper, and The Man Who Would be King) accompanied Bridget Collins and Rita Harvey (Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof) on some numbers.

Whew!

We had a great audience turnout and a really fun time! We felt very supported and very eager to keep creating theatre.

We'll try to keep you better updated. Next week we go to Saratoga Springs to perform Mythunderstood in the SaratogaArtsFest!

Mitch

Rave review for JET OF BLOOD OR THE BALL OF GLASS

2009-03-02T12:06:00.001-05:00

Check out what nytheatre.com has to say about our current production:

http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/frigid_rev2009.php?0=S&1=638

Jet of Blood in Time Out New York!

2009-02-26T12:03:00.006-05:00

Check out the article on No. 11's Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass online at Time Out New York's Upstaged Section.

Also, read Nytheatre Mike's interview about the project with Julie Congress here.

And don't miss Ryan Emmons' interview with the newspaper Community Life.

Experience not Performance

2009-01-13T11:44:00.001-05:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

To the Esteemed Delegation,

My hopes are high for 2009. In a week, we will be seeing in a new president and much needed change. I also sense a new artistic breeze stirring, one that I hope turns into a full storm, again of much needed change.

I firmly believe that one of the main roles of art is to allow the spectator to see the world through a new set of eyes, through a different perspective. To broaden perceptions creates acceptance and understanding. We have lived through eight years of feeling morally superior to the world, and that is unhealthy. The moment you place yourself above another, the moment you assume that you know what is right for someone else better than they know what is right for themselves, is the moment when violence and hatred are allowed to blossom.

Last week, I reviewed the interactive Iraq War simulation/performance Surrender. For four hours, I was literally put in the U.S. Army issued boots of another person. For four hours, I saw the world through eyes that were not my own. I cannot stop thinking about this experience. And though I did not see Kirk Wood Bromley’s new untitled play, I have talked to Critic Martin Denton extensively about his experience seeing it. While he was not issued a replica rifle and put through basic training as I was, Denton nonetheless left the theatre feeling ravaged and defiled by a play that did not just show him an experience but put him through it as well.

Experience. I wrote that word three times in the last paragraph, not because of shoddy proofreading, but because there was no other word to use. ‘Experience’ is a very powerful artistic tool, and one I hope will be part of this new theatrical wave I perceive.

Here is my challenge to the artistic community (first and foremost to my own company, No. 11 Productions): Do not just show the audience a new world or a new perspective, let them feel it, be completely engaged in it. Make it an experience. Take them on the journey with you. It does not have to be done as literally as in Surrender (although I sure would love to take part in more theatre like it). I believe there are a multitude of means to this end yet to be explored, and that is very exciting.

We have only had two rehearsals for our upcoming production of Artaud’s Jet of Blood. But they have been incredibly energizing and fruitful. I hope that when all is said and done, Jet of Blood will be an Experience not a Performance.

Written by Julie Congress

Attacking the audience?

2009-01-07T20:56:00.014-05:00

The Conway Corner

The staged readings of Aurolac Blues by Saviana Stanescu and Self at Hand by Jack Hanley on Monday night at Manhattan Repertory Theatre went well...except that an audience member fainted and an ambulance had to be called in the middle of the performance. During the second part of Self at Hand called Tastes Like Robot, I was reading a particularly gruesome passage involving a man refilling with peanut butter a section of his leg that he had cut out, when I heard the rustle of a metal chair from the audience. Unsure of what happened in the dark in front of me I continued reading for a moment. Then I heard a voice say we had to stop. We brought up the house lights and indeed someone had collapsed from their seat.

The audience member is fine, don't worry. But we were all quite concerned at the time. After regaining consciousness, he dry heaved into a bucket for a while, so it was hard to tell exactly what had happened to him. He was then moved to the hallway, where his condition worsened, and it was determined that it was necessary to call an ambulance.

Self at Hand is a play that makes the most callous listener squeamish. Its vivid poetic language is as outright gross as it is deeply metaphoric. I perhaps expected a few audience members to leave during this play, but I certainly did not expect it to overwhelm someone's capacity to remain conscious.

After a discussion between Martin Denton and the two playwrights to distract attention from the emergency situation, we continued the reading where we left off, with the peanut butter. Ryan was accompanying the audience member onto the ambulance, so I jumped into his role in the final part of Self at Hand.

Since No. 11 is beginning its next endeavor, Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass by Antonin Artaud, an advocate of the audience's visceral involvement in the work of theatre, a Theatre of Cruelty, often interrupted and implemented as attacking the audience, the real question at hand for me is when an audience ought to be attacked and to what extent. Certainly, aiming to make an audience member faint on its own is not a worthwhile objective, but when would it be justified to make an audience faint? Outside of New York City, there are possibly those who, as an audience to the way Ryan cradled his boyfriend in his arms after he fainted, would themselves faint. Should such a scene be presented to such an audience? Women wearing corsets used to faint whenever they ascend a flight of stairs. Ought one to make such a women ascend many flights of stairs in order to make clear the absurdity of the device restricting their breathing? Artaud does not have a social agenda such as these examples present, rather more of a spiritual and cultural agenda. But, the question reapplied to the context of the Self at Hand reading bares asking, and of course one would respond, "well, people should see what they want to see, but not be made to see anything they aren't interested in seeing." Of course I can't force all of New York City to come see No. 11's plays. Although if I had the means...

I guess we are banking on those unsuspecting few, who stumble into the theatre for a night of fun, and wind up having an experience they were not interested in having. They will be most affected. I cannot help but wonder whether theatre that pushes boundaries isn't aimed at those accidental few, rather than those who are accustomed to its ideas. Maybe theatre isn't for theatre-goers? Ought one's gag reflex to be jostled by an unfamiliar stimulus, such as a description of peanut butter spread into a wound? I don't think the audience member wanted to faint. Nor would most. But nor does the corset wearing woman at the stop of the stairs, yet she will faint following her routine ascension of the staircase. It requires our proposed incessant ascension for her to remove her corset out of fear of death. Will she love her protruding stomach because it is her savior, or maintain the attitude she bore towards it when she wore the corset? She would most likely only adopt the attitude of acceptance if the experience of multiple ascensions was prompted by her own interest in being involved in it. But there remains a possibility she will love her stomach after the multiple ascensions, were she to accidentally be required to ascend many a' stair. So, ought Self at Hand to be performed for an audience member, given that it will make him faint and he'll have to leave in an ambulance? I think it may be contingent upon the coinciding objective of the performance...

But I've run into some difficulty here, and I think you'll see why. There is a collision between someone's free choice what is good for them. I would not necessary say that Self at Hand was good for the audience member who fainted. He would most likely say it was gross and he wishes he hadn't gone to the reading. But what would the audience member say to the hypothetical woman who faint when she saw him and Ryan embracing, and wishes she hadn't gone to the reading? I'm not saying the audience member ought to become accustomed to descriptions of bodily mutilation by enduring many evenings of fainting. But, should the visceral experience of violence lead to a new discovery, then it may be justified. Not actual violence...we won't go there. In the realm of art, is revolution possible and justifiable? The vicarious investment in an affective experience, by the accidental few who do not expect it, may lead to an unpleasant public loss of consciousness, but there is also the possibility it could lead to a woman accepting her belly fat. Hmm...is it worth the fall? To be honest, I'm not sure yet. A definitive component of our current culture is prevention: insurance, preemptive war, enhanced security, etc. So, especially in the context of such emphasis on surety, I think the theatre could use a little of the unexpected.

Written by Mitchell Conway

What Makes an Actor Good?

2009-01-05T13:51:00.005-05:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

To the General Assembly,

To grow as an artist, it is important to be perpetually questioning and reexamining one’s craft. Unfortunately, this sort of discussion seems to have little place once one graduates from their particular Institution of Learning. It is the aim of No. 11 Productions to be continually learning and growing, so please give me leave to wax [semi-]eloquently on the question: “What makes an actor good?” My list is nowhere near complete, but I hope that my compatriots at No. 11 and you, dear readers, will add to this discussion.

What Makes an Actor Good?

Talent – You can’t rule it out, some people are innately gifted, and while good actors become better through training and experience, some degree of talent is necessary.
Versatility – While the Tom Cruises and other mega-celebrities of this world can make a living playing themselves on the screen, a good actor, in my mind, should be able to play many parts. You should see the character on the stage/screen not the actor.
Collaboration – As a director, I would rather cast someone I want to work with than someone who is uber-talented but brings nothing to the ensemble. The ability to work as part of a group, to bring ideas and energy to the project, and put the production over oneself is one of the most important features an actor can have.
Control/Proprioception – Not only must a good actor have control over their physicality and voice, but they must always be in command of themselves on stage. Yes, we must be the character and be caught up in the world of the play, but a small part of the actor must always be watching what is going on. Proprioception, according to Wikipedia, “is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body.” Proprioception is how we can move our feet even if we are not looking at them. It is a function of the brain that an actor must have to an extended degree. We must be in the moment onstage, but our actor-proprioception allows us to also know what is going on with the audience and with our fellow actors. Without this, an actor can become dangerously immersed in the character and lose sight of the fact that they are acting, which can be perilous for those onstage with them. No matter how immersed in a character and the given circumstances, we still have to pull our punches.
Humanity – To paraphrase Stanislavsky, even if you are playing an evil character, it is the responsibility of the actor to find what is good about him. The job of an actor is not to judge their character, but to embrace them, faults and all. To find the good in a character, to understand how humans work, and to want to create life is essential to a good performance.
Energy/Passion/Charisma – To create life, you need energy. Scientists say energy cannot be created or destroyed, so an actor must be able to find within him/herself that fervor that will not only catch an audience’s eyes but will invigorate and enliven everyone and everything around them. You can tell when an actor loves what they are doing and it is contagious and exciting.
Dedication/Hard Work – As an actor, you will experience these rare, magical moments where something inexplicably wonderful happens and you are greater than yourself. But there is no recipe for this, and you cannot rely on it happening. What you can do is work hard, continue to train, and be constantly open to learning and growing.
Good Attitude – Theatre is a highly collaborative art form. An actor must be receptive to the director, to the ensemble, and to the project. There is a reason we rehearse so much, it is to make the production and the performances stronger and stronger and the actor must be excited, not resistant, to this process.
Openness – A good actor has an open mind, an open heart, and an open soul.

Written by Julie Congress

No. 11 in 2009

2008-12-26T15:23:00.005-05:00

No. 11 Productions is celebrating its first holiday season! Here’s a quick rundown of what this 8-month-old company accomplished this year and what is on the roster for 2009.

2008

Received the first ever Stephanie Mnookin Grant from Skidmore College
Debuted in the SaratogaArtsFest with an original adaptation of Lysistrata
Presented the world premiere of We Three in the Capital Fringe Festival and FringeNYC, garnering some great reviews from DC Theatre Scene and nytheatre.com
Collaboratively created a beautiful shadow play called Claire and the Ornithological Shadow, receiving another great review from nytheatre.com and piquing the interest of the Jim Henson Foundation
We launched a website, a monthly email newsletter, a swell blog, a facebook group, recorded 2 podcasts, and conducted 1 late night radio interview
Organized an extensive reading series (11 Celebrates 10) celebrating 10 years of the Plays and Playwrights anthology series with readings of 9 plays at 8 different venues

2009

We’re performing Artaud’s Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass in the Frigid Festival
3 more readings as part of our 11 Celebrates 10 series
Currently applying to the Capital Fringe Festival, Berkshire Fringe, and maybe FringeNYC
Post video clips of past and upcoming productions on our website and youtube
Hoping to become a non-profit
We can’t officially announce our spring show yet – but if all goes according to plan it will be killer!
There’s also a murder mystery on our horizon
Make this blog a premier source of theatre discussion for actors, directors, students, and theatre lovers alike

It has been an amazing, busy, wonderful 8 months for us. When we began No. 11 we vowed to be constantly producing work and I think we’ve met the goal. There have been growing pains, of course, and our numbers have diminished. But rest assured that we are small but mighty, our energy and enthusiasm is uncontainable, and 2009 is going to be our year!

Written by Julie Congress

Claire and the Ornithological Shadow

2008-12-15T11:17:00.004-05:00

Claire and the Ornithological Shadow is a hit! Read our terrific review here:

http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/showpage.php?t=clai7582

And never fear, you've still got two chances to see this innovative new work!

Friday and Saturday, December 19th and 20th at 8pm.
The Bushwick Starr (207 Starr Street, Brooklyn NY 11237)
Only $11

We look forward to seeing you there!

Time Out

2008-12-11T00:10:00.000-05:00

Claire and the Ornithological Shadow is listed in Time Out New York.

Rush to your local newsstand and see for yourself.