Rehearsals began on Sunday for a new project called "The Exposition." Certainly interesting so far. The cast consists of Moira Stone, Anna Kull, Sean Kenin, Alexis Sottile, Jennifer Gordon Thomas, Kina Bermudez and Maggie Cino. Directed by Michael Gardner.
Our goal was to essentially start with zero. No theme, nor preplanned direction. A series of intuitions about what we do and don't want to see. We spent the day with some improvisations, some drinks, some conversation. I'm trying to force myself not to be too outcomes based and not to look at each part of the project as a method to find a "successful" outcome. I'm a bit tired of being overly concerned with what "works." I think I want to uncover what I'm up to.
It was a roomful of smart people who have a tremendous talent and know how to build an improvisation. Give them a few elements, and they'll tease out a perfect metaphor and find a functioning narrative that they can agree upon. They also know when to shake it up, change things that are falling into a rut, move the narrative around, explore.
My interest here is how we can challenge our impulse to fall into the metaphor and narrative construct without degenerating or turning into cliche "experimental" theater.
We'll see. Either way, a fine day. Onwards and upwards.
About Me
- Freeman
- Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.
4 comments:
With a cast like that you'll have to work pretty hard to screw it up.
Better get cracking.
Yeah, that's a real marquee bunch right there. Looking forward to it!
Holy shit. This is both insane and brave, and I'm sure it will be either great, or just awful! Either way, I'll probably love ever minute.
No matter what happens, it's already been really refreshing to work on.
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