The Further Adventures of....

...You Know Who.

I will bring in scripts to read on Monday, which is, my friends, the last day of class.

Want a preview of the play? Click here to see what Variety said about the South Coast Rep premiere in 2006.

See you then and there,
a

Hedda's Bad Day

Here is the link to the New York Times review of the current production of Hedda Gabler on Broadway.
From there you can find links to reviews of other productions, and a slide show of past Heddas!

Oh, and the "yooouch!" review of Cate Blanchett's Hedda from 2006.

This play is definitely a tight rope that theatre artists venture out on at their own risk!

The Why Theatre Rant

This is from Matt Zrebski's own blog: http://matthewbzrebski.blogspot.com/ I thought it might interest you.

So I have been in residence as a professional playwright for Literary Arts as part of their Writers in the Schools program. For fifteen weeks at Grant High School - once a week - I have taught playwriting to freshmen, to third year theatre students and also to seniors in a creative writing English class.

Tonight, students from various Grant classes (mine and those of other WITS teachers) will have the opportunity to share their work at an open mic "slam."

Now...as part of this annual event, the writers in residence are asked to share a piece of their own. This year, I asked the students to rant on paper about "Why theatre?" I gave them nothing else. That single prompt. I told them that from their rants, I would take inspiration and write a monologue addressing that question. I took their ideas - some direct quotes - and certainly their passion. And I gave myself only one hour to write.

Here is the monologue - which I will publicly read this evening. Knowing that most of this was influenced by the young may add a sparkle to the day of those who occasionally fall into "theatre depression."

Why Theatre?
a monologue by
Matthew B. Zrebski
inspired by the rantings of
students at Grant High Shool in WITS classes
All Rights Reserved 2008

Why theatre? Why theatre?

Wha - what kind of question--? Are you trying to make my blood--? I -I -I mean did someone drop you on your--? Okay, okay, hold up! This is like one of those I-have-a-real-job-why-don't-you?-why-spend-time-doing-all-that-artsy-fartsy-no-one-cares conversations, right? Is that it? You think no one cares? No one--?

Let me tell you - people care. They care so much that theatre is like some addictive disease - like a drug - but a love drug - one with no end - that's how much they care. But unlike money and created "black and white" truths and antiquated paradigms that cage and sink you into coma-like reality TV show trances - theatre is present. Present. It's in the "now". It gets in your face in the moment. No separation. No big screens and 3-D glasses and ear buds and shuffling your play list! It's a white room filled with containers of colored paint. And when that color starts to splatter...it's raw energy out to you back to the stage. Thoughts - straight to you and back. Feelings - slamming at you and back. Back and forth- a rhythmic dance between artists and the audience - a ritual - one that goes back to the caves and campfires and hunts and the many, many Gods. That's why theatre.

Why theatre? Why not?

Maybe because it can't be genetically modified and produced in twenty-seven different sweat shops. Maybe because it's the virgin child of silent thought. The knot between the ribbons of emotion and voice. Maybe because it is a Teleporter from anywhere to anywhere - another person's shoes to wear. Or maybe because in that small bite fed to us in a performance, we can attempt to dissect and determine something for ourselves. Or more simply, maybe people want to make believe. To be four again. The magic. The suspension. Imagination. The stillness coming to life. The thrill of a single spotlight. Not the rut - but the possibilities. Anything is possible. No, those aren't ropes and cardboard clouds - that man is flying. Don't we all need to fly?

Why theatre?

You mean because there are movies and television - why theatre? Because film and television can perfect the performance - gloss the delivery - stamp into forever and perfect the product? Well, first let's get real, tons of movies suck! Commerce and stars and red carpets and who are you wearing...? But that aside - and I love movies too - brilliant art form - but does it replace - ? Are you suggesting it should--? That's been the suggestion since talkies started - but theatre is still here! Perhaps less "perfect" - less " glossed" - but you know what? There's more "real" there. People are imperfect - people are flawed - people are not glossed over with soaring soundtracks and CGI and line-line-joke comedy and run-in-slow-motion-on-the-beach-and-kiss endings. Back to basics - that's why theatre - it may be nothing but one person standing in front of you, telling a story - basic, pure, and resonant.

And this is where you accuse me of elitism and trying to assert my views onto your experience of life. But what are you experiencing? Do we experience anything in this day to day numbing up- the-down-escalator daily assault of zombified reality? Do we? I don't know. And humans need to experience. That catharsis that comes from live, crackling communion with storytellers. The walls expanding just a bit - different points of view - an attempt at some semblance of universal awareness - so that in those private moments in the darkest places, you know we are not alone.

(Beat.)

I am not alone.

(silence.)

There will be no final black out. There will be no final curtain. There will be no final playbill left to whither and rot and flake away into some wind just because you ask me why theatre? It is mine - it is yours - it is his and hers - and you may not know it yet, but that doesn't make it not true. So I'm telling you.

Theatre will never die.

Welcome, Play Reading Group!

We will read Hedda Gabler this Monday, Feb 16, at my place 4665 Kenwood Drive. You should have received directions by email. Contact me if you need details.

I would like to start the reading at 7 pm, sharp! Please do your best to be on time as we have a big evening ahead of us.

Everyone should have read the play (yes, the WHOLE PLAY) by now. Bring your texts (especially those of you who have the xeroxed copies I made), your impressions, your questions, your answers.

I am particularly interested to know who you think Hedda would be if she were a modern American woman. This play is over a hundred years old. Can you imagine a similar scenario playing out today? What might be the same? What would be different?

Also, please make note of the scenes/ events/ individual moments that most caught your attention. Be specific: Write them down, mark them in your text, or take note of the page number.

See you Monday! Oh, and THANKS for checking the class blog! You totally rule!

Monday, Monday

We did not discuss this in class -- I totally forgot.

We cannot meet at HRMS. But we could meet elsewhere. .. like MY HOUSE comes to mind. (Full disclosure: I live 10-15 minutes from the Middle School, on the West Side near Oak Grove, in case that presents a problem for anyone....)

As I said in class I feel no obligated deference toward's President's Day and am happy to meet that evening. But if you feel differently ( or have made other plans) I am completely willing to push our next meeting back a week. My only quibble is that it feels like we just got starte-- but I'd much rather we skip a week then have some people NOT able to attend.

So please, CHIME IN, oh Play Readers. What is your will?

Althea

Seven Out of Eight of the Open City Plays...

Just a click away...

City Grill, Shelley Lipkin
Old Wives Tales, Ellen Margolis
First Thursday, Steve Patterson
Skidmore Fountain, Patrick Wolmut
Your Everyday Blood Market, Nick Zagone
Thorn of a Tongue, Matt Zrebski
Forest/Garden/Interstate/Max, Althea Hukari

Next Up: Hedda Gabler, But First: Chi-Chi!

So, this coming Monday will be our first class in a regular class room (I believe it is Rm 312) at the Hood River Middle School at 7 pm. I like to start on time, so you might consider showing up early.

For that first class you will need the following:

1) Dress comfortably, things can get messy.
2) Always good to bring some water with you.
3) And some kind of paper and pen/pencil.
4) Any notes to self you've taken on your experience reading/hearing/viewing the plays so far.
5) Any response is a valid response. "Ugh" qualifies-- especially if you WRITE IT DOWN.
6) If you haven't read or responded to anything yet, get busy, por favor.
7) Start by downloading, printing, reading and responding to the 8 scripts from Open City.
8) Bring the Open City scripts with you to class on Monday.

ALSO: You can start looking for and reading Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, if you like. I will make copies of the cleanest modern translation/adaptation I have found (by Jon Robin Baitz) to distribute on Monday, but we might not have time to read the play out loud together until the following week.

Remember: It is always best to read a play in a single sitting. Well, okay, you can get up for a tea and potty break if necessary-- but hurry back! Your playwright is depending on your collaboration.

See you all on Monday!

althea

PS: You DO know that any one of you is welcome to post anything play-related here, right? OK. Just checking.