Gridley strikes again
Steven Gridley has created another short, compelling piece of theater. We care because he worked with Handcart Ensemble a couple of times. And Still-Life (with runner) includes in the cast Erin Treadway, another former Handcarter. The review of the piece on nytheatre.com sounds compelling: “I’ve never seen a mind so vividly or viscerally laid bare on stage.”
There are six performances left. It’s in DUMBO. It’s free. Go Gridley!
‘Mamma Mia!’ copycats perhaps to dwindle
The Beeb says it’s lights out on the tribute musical — maybe. Let’s ignore the maybe part and say, “Good riddance! Be gone, ye iffy tributes to dead and dying rockers.” Actual theater now, please.
The poetic land of Lorca
We like to hear about theater companies with similar goals and visions to ours. One such company is Greasy Joan and Co. of that great theater town, Chicago. They re-imagine classic plays, promote new adaptations and translations, and seek for visually compelling elements. (They’ve been around longer than Handcart, but I promise we did not steal our mission statement from them.)
In the last year or two we’ve had some serious internal discussions about putting on a couple of Spanish plays. Lorca, of course, was one of the playwrights in discussion. He comes naturally to mind when one mentions Spanish plays. And when I write of Lorca, I think of his Granada, and a wonderful recital of songs set to Lorca texts I stumbled across when I visited Andalucía in 1998.
Anyway, the Sun-Times tells us Greasy Joan is staging a new adaptation of Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. I wish I were there to see it. Go Greasy Joan!
Theater revival
We worry about growth and money. We consider Shakespeare and what American theater is and should be. We, therefore, read with related interest about an effort to revive the storied American Shakespeare Theatre in the other Stratford (Connecticut). The $20 and $50 million dollar figures, however — these we do not relate to.
Clear Channel moving on, kinda sorta
It’s easy to see ways in which we don’t like the effect Clear Channel has had on theater. They’ve been part of dumbing down, escapism, a climate where smaller groups trying to get started struggle more than ever, etc. Some unclear and tentative news in the Post indicates Clear Channel is getting out of Broadway. This well could be good news, but it’s hard to say what will really change. We will definitely be staying tuned, though it’s unlikely it will have much direct impact on high-quality, smaller-budget, meaningful theater.
Checking in on our favorite Arkansan theater
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre has just started its 30th season. We care because the general manager there used to be the managing director of Handcart Ensemble. We like and miss Mike McCurdy, keep tabs with him, appreciate his feedback from time to time. So we’re just checking in by posting a link to this pleasant review of Steel Magnolias (subscription required). Have a great season, Mike!