INTERVIEW WITH ANGELICA CHERI OF “THE YIN AND THE YANG”

1. Why this play now? And why should we come to see your show?

The Yin and the Yang investigates a relationship, which we all can relate to, and I think there is something unique in each character that people will identify with personally. Anyone can relate to being consumed by a person that they were romantically involved with, and to looking at a relationship with questions about the choices they made. That’s why you should come to see it–*winks*.

2. Tell us about the title and how metaphor finds its way into your work.

The Yin and Yang is light and darkness. Good and evil. Strength and weakness. Clarity and confusion. It’s many things. And in that struggle for balance, that opposing energy, lives the play. How the two forces endeavor to equalize. Two halves comprised of their own unique material, but with a morsel of the complete opposite hidden deep inside themselves. And that’s what they are attracted to. That little opposite morsel in someone else.

3. What’s been your favorite part of the rehearsal/development process?

I love all of the environmental factors that we’ve incorporated into the piece. Music, projections and little treats hidden all over the set. It really awakens the sense that these two people are trapped together in their own secret world. Willingly trapped.

4. If you could pick one audience member, dead or alive, who would that
person be?

There is someone who one of the characters is primarily based on, and I would love for them to see the show.

5. Who/what were your biggest influences on this project?

My biggest influence was the aforementioned certain someone.

6. If this play were a smell, what kind of smell would it be?

It is definitely the smell of “Mother Earth” burning from a pipe.

7. What’s next for you?

I’m working on two other full-length plays as well as a short screenplay. I have two separate works of poetry that will both be published this spring: one is for the lit magazine Spook and the other will be a chapbook entitled: A Poem A Day in May. My first short film Papers and Plastics was shot last summer is in post-production and will be released in the coming months.

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Don’t miss A Workshop Production of The Yin and the Yang.

Thursday, March 29 at 8 pm,
Friday, March 30 at 8 pm,
Saturday, March 31 at 2 pm,
Saturday, March 31 at 8 pm &
Sunday, April 1 at 2 pm

Schapiro Studio
605 West 115th Street
Between Riverside & Broadway
Take 1 Train to 116th Street/Broadway

Admission is FREE. For Ticket Reservations: Yin.Yang.The.Play@gmail.com–

“THE YIN AND THE YANG” OPENS THIS WEEK!

Columbia School of the Arts, Theatre Arts
The Basement Plays Series Presents
a workshop production of

THE YIN AND THE YANG

Written By Angelica Chéri
Directed By Katie Naka

Featuring Simone Leonora and Donovan Christie Jr.

Are passion, intrigue and adventure enough to keep a relationship afloat when your other half can’t contribute their fair share? While Iris and Mo struggle to keep their love from sinking, a little smokable friend named Mother Earth comes to play devil’s advocate.

FIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY

Thursday, March 29 at 8 pm,
Friday, March 30 at 8 pm,
Saturday, March 31 at 2 pm,
Saturday, March 31 at 8 pm &
Sunday, April 1 at 2 pm

Stage Manager Whitney Dearden
Producer Shuang Wu

Schapiro Studio
605 West 115th Street
Between Riverside & Broadway
Take 1 Train to 116th Street/Broadway

Admission is FREE.
For Ticket Reservations Please Email:
                                                                                                      Yin.Yang.The.Play@gmail.com–

INTERVIEW: KEITH BOYNTON OF “HOLLYWOOD”

1. What is HOLLYWOOD about?

It’s about the mystery of the human soul.  It’s a noir comedy, and it’s a Hollywood satire.  It’s also about coffee.

2. Why this play now?

My astrologer assures me that this is the most auspicious moment.

3. What’s been your favorite part of the rehearsal/development process?

Being viciously mocked whenever I flub a line that I wrote myself.

4. What’s your favorite quote from your play?

“Coffee entails the world.”

5. Who are your biggest influences?

Billy Joel, Bill Watterson, Steve Martin, Tom Stoppard, and my parents.

6. Why should people come see HOLLYWOOD?

It’s seedy, but also heartfelt.  It will give great pleasure to your inner cynic, but it’ll feed your inner romantic too.

7. What’s next for you?

I’ve suddenly become a music video director.  I’m releasing one this month for a wonderful band called the Spring Standards, with more to follow later this year.

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You are invited to the world premiere of HOLLYWOOD – a lurid tale of deception, betrayal, and love, set against the glamorous-yet-seedy backdrop of 1940′s Los Angeles.

 PLEASE NOTE: there are only 30 seats available for each showing, so you’ll want to make your reservation in advance by emailing hollywoodtheplay@gmail.com.  Tickets are free!  Get ‘em now!

Friday, March 23rd at 7pm and 9pm

Saturday, March 24th at 7pm and 9pm

Sunday, March 25th at 2pm

SCHAPIRO STUDIO, 605 W 115th St & Broadway

starring Keith Boynton, Lauren Cipoletti, Zachary Clark, and Gerry Lehane

costume designer: Katja Andreiev

lighting designer: Eric Southern

sound designer: Jaime Lamchick

“SHITBIRD” OPENS THIS WEEK

INTERVIEW: CHRISTINA QUINTANA OF “ENTER YOUR SLEEP”

1) What is EYS about?

ENTER YOUR SLEEP is about two life-long best friends, a man, P.K. Whylde, and a woman, Glory Zico, who, after a long separation, meet in their dreams.  Throughout the wild ride that is their night of dreams, Z and P.K. visit their worst fears and challenge one another and themselves as they transform into figures from their lives and imaginations. At last, they are forced to confront the reality of growing up and moving on.

2) What inspired you to write it?

I’m a heavy dreamer and sleep talker and have, particularly over the past year, become excessively fascinated with dreams.

Also, I was in the middle of writing about some intense topics, so I said to myself: I just want to write a play about me and my best friend being ridiculous and goofy.  As Lauren Sowa, who plays Zico pointed out, “Well it is that, but it’s also pretty intense!” It’s the best of both worlds.

When I began writing EYS, I really wanted to see how far I could go. Could lomein fall from the sky? What would it be like to have projection and fairy tale and song and transformation all together in one crazy adventure? A lot of my favorite theatre involves a healthy mixture of multiple elements.

3) Have there been any challenges in writing this play? If  so, what are they?

This is probably the most personal piece I’ve ever written, so that made it particularly challenging. Whenever I went to work on it, I was actually scared by what lay ahead– that’s how I knew it was a project I really needed to finish.

Also, it’s a crazy-fabulous dream world wonderland, so a lot of developing the play has been identifying and solidifying the rules of the world. Much thanks goes to my brilliant director Jonathan McCrory (who will never admit to his brilliance, which probably makes him more brilliant). So yes: challenging, but awesome!

(I’m working hard not to abuse the exclamation point here.)

4) Why should people come see it?

Come see Enter Your Sleep because not only will you have a hell of a good time, it’ll give you permission to feel something. Plays are called plays for a reason, right? There’s a lot of play in Enter Your Sleep, but it also makes me tear up during nearly every rehearsal– as my lovely team will gladly attest.

5) What are your long-term goals for this play?

The goal is to push toward a full production with my A-team in 2013. I’d just like to see it have a continued life. I’ve been really moved to see how many people have had a kooky/undefinable friendship like PK and Zico’s. I hope you get to meet them! Onward and upwards!

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Don’t miss A Workshop Production of ENTER YOUR SLEEP:

Featuring Jonathan Hooks and Lauren Sowa*

March 2 & 3 at 8 pm
March 3 & 4 at 2 pm

Schapiro Studio, 605 115th and Broadway

To reserve your free tickets to this production, please email enteryoursleep@gmail.com with your full name, the date of the performance you wish to attend, and the number of seats you wish to reserve.

*Appearing Courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

INTERVIEW: ZHAO BINGHAO OF “HOPSCOTCH: PART ONE”

1. Why this play now?

Well, I’ve spent 8 months with these characters, and I think they’re ready.

2. What’s one sound you’d use to describe this play?

Listen, someone is screaming.

3. What’s been your favorite part of the rehearsal/development process? 

To me, it’s working with a director I trust and the actors I like, so I can see what they come up with from a new POV which I might have never seen in my text.

4. You once said to me that moving to a foreign country, being an immigrant, is like “being a newborn baby.” How does this play reflect your experiences coming to America from China? 

I wrote a character in this play who is a new immigrant. She has suffered a lot while I haven’t yet. But it’s true that in moving to another country you are reborn, because you have to re-learn everything, and this whole process of learning can be painful. Like this Dorothy character in HOPSCOTCH–she even got hurt on first arrival, which affects her a lot, not only in her normal life but the way she behaves and how she communicates with people. I’m not sure if what she tells in this play is my voice, but she does come from my experience.

5. Who are your biggest influences?  

Novelists, filmmakers and playwrights who love playing structures and diverse narratives. Calvino, Borges, Pinter, Alejandro González, Paul Auster, Kim Ki-duk, etc. Love them a lot.

6. If this play were a food, what kind of food would it be? 

Not Chinese food, definitely. Haha. At least not the food from a Chinese restaurant here in New York. It might be like a buffet, the audience can pick whatever they’d like to.

7. What’s next for you?

I have two pieces by my hand right now. One is a story of mother and son going on a road trip, and they attempt to fix their relationship during that trip, half autobiographical. And the other new piece is a new play with music. It’s about the love triangle among Rilke, Marina Tsvetaeva and Boris Pasternak, three of the greatest poets in the old time. Very Russian, very sad, and based on the true events in history. I will have some fun with them.

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Don’t miss a workshop production of HOPSCOTCH: PART ONE at Schapiro Studio, 605 115th and Broadway.

February 17th, Friday @8pm  

February 18th, Saturday @2pm and 8pm

February 19th, Sunday @2pm

To reserve your free tickets to this production, please email hopscotchtheplay@gmail.com with your full name, the date of the performance you wish to attend, and the number of seats you wish to reserve.

INTERVIEW: PAOLA LAZARO-MUNOZ OF “STATUS STATED”

1. Why this play now?

Because it’s 2011 and curiosity kills the cat, because ambivalence is interesting to me and because people are complex and that’s just fun.

2. What’s one image you’d use to describe this play?

The bioluminescent bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico, where the water glows when you shake it.

3. What do you hope to get out of this staged reading?

An R.V. (what we call a Recreational Vehicle) and for people to be entertained.

4. What are your plans for this play following the reading?

A big ol’ production. Hopefully.

5. What have been your biggest influences in developing this play? 

Puerto Rico.  My friends. The United States.  Marijuana. Sex. Statuses. La familia.  La Salsa and Conga y Bongó,

6. If your play was a food, what would it be? How would it taste?

It would be a Mofongo, but with a twist… A Mofongo that also has sweet plantains in it. Sweet and Salty, that’s how I like it.

7. What’s next for you?

You.  Wanna get a drink?

*

Don’t miss a staged reading of STATUS STATED:  Saturday, December 3 at 2 pm and Sunday, December 4 at 2pm at Schapiro Studio, 605 115th and Broadway.

To reserve your free tickets to this production, please email thebasementplays@gmail.com with your full name, the date of the performance you wish to attend, and the number of seats you wish to reserve.

WASHING AWAY OPENS NEXT WEEK

You’re invited to WASHING AWAY, a theater piece.

Schapiro Studio
605 W. 115th Street
New York, NY

FREE ADMISSION: Reserve your tickets at thebasementplays@gmail.com

NOV 4th @ 8:00 PM
NOV 5th @ 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM
NOV 6th @ 2:00 PM

Featuring:
Alison Burke
Michael Mullen
Peter Rowan*

Peter WalukJing Lu: Stage Manager
Christina Hurtado: Dramaturg
Ioannis Sochorakis: Set Design
Ian Del Luca: Lighting Design
Written by Paulina Barros
Directed by Yaara Sumeruk

*Appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity

INTERVIEW: PAULINA BARROS OF “WASHING AWAY”

1. Why this play now?

Why this play now… Why not? I feel this play is timeless, it can happen anywhere in any given time. It reflects on what it means to be alive, what are the elements that create our identity, the mirror where we decide to see ourselves reflected. On another level, it talks about family, the roles we play, our responsibilities and the limits between being part of a community and being an individual. These ideas are always present and in constant reinvention, I believe they are at the core of any human group, and therefore they will be around as long as we have the need to live with one another.

2. What’s one word or image you’d use to describe this play? Feel free to elaborate.

The image we chose to use is the one of a brain with plants springing out of it. For us, this is the image of life breaking in the most unexpected places. The image is also a brain breaking down (the play talks about Alzheimers), paradoxically giving way to new things.

3. What’s been your favorite part of the rehearsal/development process?

My favorite part of the process has been the rehearsals. The actors and, especially, the director have contributed so much to this process that I have had the privilege to see the piece through someone else’s eyes. I’ve seen it grow as everyone devotes their time to make the words three-dimensional, have a body and a soul.

4. What are your plans for this play following the workshop?

My plan with this play is to try to keep making it grow on stage and taking it beyond Columbia’s walls. Everyone has worked so hard that I am convinced the piece can have a long life, standing on its own.

5. What have been your biggest influences in developing this play– artistic, or otherwise?

I think my biggest influence is always my own story, past and present, as well as what I experience in everyday life. I then, of course, nurture my writing by reading other playwrights. Wajdi Mouawad has been very present lately,  as well as poetry–Eliot is my latest obsession– and watching films. I come from a film background so image is always a big thing for me. Of course, my teachers at Columbia, Kelly Stuart, as well as my classmates, have given me new methods and perspectives on how to approach writing–I think this has been crucial in the writing of this piece.

6. This question is based on the signature poetic language of your work: If your play could be consumed, how would it taste?

I would say bittersweet. It would definitely be some combination of purplish-green in terms of color.

7. What’s next for you?

Next for me is to keep writing: try to go beyond my habits and the frame through which I understand the world, the theater, the language.

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Don’t miss WASHING AWAY: Friday, November 4 at 8pm, Saturday, November 5 at 2 pm and 8pm and Sunday, November 6 at 2pm at Schapiro Studio, 605 115th and Broadway.

To reserve your free tickets to this production, please email thebasementplays@gmail.com with your full name, the date of the performance you wish to attend, and the number of seats you wish to reserve.

INTERVIEW: TALYA CHALEF OF “TRACES”

1. Tell us why you’re a theatre-maker and what it means to you.

Everything! Ok, kidding on that one. I feel like I can’t separate being a theater-maker from who I am in the everyday- it’s a part of me. When people ask me how I am, I invariably start to tell them about my latest project, obsession or ambitious plan. So I guess I need balance? But on a more serious note; I think making something beautiful, something poetic, something that connects people to themselves, their community, their humanity and makes them feel, question and be moved is an incredible privilege. I hope I can continue to make new work, collaborate with exciting and inspiring designers and actors and travel far and wide doing what I love for many years (and be able to eat!).

2. Why this project now?

Themes of absence, presence, landscape, memory and traces that we leave behind, have been mainstays in my work for some time. I wanted to continue exploring these ideas with video projection, having mainly explored the interaction of still slide images within my practise up until now. So I guess it’s partly a formal exploration. But thematically, it’s also a family story and one which feels particularly current. My grandfather, who was an artist in Poland before the war, was recently honoured this past summer in an exhibition in his home town. We’ll be exploring his story and others within the work.

3. What do you hope to achieve from the workshop process?

I hope to create a journey for the audience. I want to move them through a series of stories intercut with different styled texts and images. I want the space to continually feel like it changes in size, the projector to feel like a tool for the actors who use it within the piece in integrated and imaginative ways and for us to find a structure that is poetic and layered, fun and poignant. (And which makes sense!)

4. What are your plans for the piece following the workshop?

It would be great to continue working on this piece, refining it, developing it and possibly premiering the work for a public audience in NYC down the line. Having travelled to Europe in 2008, I made a bunch of theater connections, which I’d love to follow up. I feel this piece could travel well both because of its subject matter and its lack of freight.

5. What one image most strongly describes the piece? Feel free to elaborate.

The image of an actor standing against different backdrops in New York, saying something directly to the camera, interacting with chalk and then leaving the frame was my initial image. It’s become a bit different now, but the gist of that action is central to the work. We’re using chalk to outline the actors bodies–both filmed and live bodies in the space. But there is also an acknowledgement of the projection frame and its connection to memory (the photo album, etc). The end image is a space that is filled with outlined frames and traces of half bodies in movement.

6. What excites you most about “Traces”?

At this moment (because the excitement changes daily depending on what is happening!) it’d have to be the integration of the projector, which we’ll have on wheels around the space and how it’s used to create different projected worlds.

7. What’s next for you?

We shall see!

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Don’t miss TRACES: Friday, October 22 at 8pm and Saturday, October 23 at 5pm and 8pm at Schapiro Studio, 605 115th and Broadway.

To reserve your free tickets to this production, please email talya.chalef@gmail.com with your full name, the date of the performance you wish to attend, and the number of seats you wish to reserve. Note: There are only 15 seats per performance.