Saturday, February 20, 2016

Call for Activist Playwrights

Ten-minute play playwriting group

As part of its expansion of programming, the Institute of Prophetic Activist Art is starting an Activist/Advocacy-oriented 10-minute Playwright's Group.  The group will comprise 8 playwrights who will write a 10-minute play for every class, dealing in some manner with our social/political/cultural life for a total of 8 sessions (8 ten-minute plays in all).  We will be meeting on Tuesday afternoons, 2-5 pm: April 5, 12, 19; May 10, 17, 24, 31 and June 7.  The group will meet in a Manhattan (NY) space TBD.

We will gather to cast from the group and hear each play every week.  Every play will be allotted 10 minutes after hearing it for discussion.

There is no fee to apply, but a $20 fee if accepted to defray the cost of renting space.

Please send a cover letter detailing a little bit about your activist impulse/background, and a 10-minute play or 10-page writing sample to thomasablock@gmail.com.

Submission deadline is March 21.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Two of our new students are involved in activist-theatrical performances:

Catherine Mueller (Interdisciplinary Artist, Actor/Creator, Educator: www.mywonderchamber.com) has a piece she created and directed called "Uphorum" going up in midtown, starting tomorrow.  UPHORIUM! (We Made This) is a colorful investigation into what UPHORIUM is. It includes music, research, references to puppies, dancing, muffins and meaningful gestures.

The show will be presented in repertory with You Exist Right Now, created by another director (Drew Peterson of Trusty Sidekick) and the other half of this class of Pace IPE students.

Both shows are approximately one hour in length. 

INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLE
SECOND YEAR SHOWINGS
Theatre Row Studio Theater,
410 W. 42nd St.
Tickets: ipe2ndyear.brownpapertickets.com
Thursday, Feb 188:00 PM
Friday, Feb 198:00 PM
Saturday, Feb 202:00 PM
Saturday, Feb 208:00 PM
Sunday, Feb 212:00 PM
and Julia Levine is working on the play Jupiter at La Mama (74a E. 4th):

JUPITER (a play about power), La MaMa, NYC, February 11-28, 2016


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La MaMa PRESENTS...

JUPITER (A PLAY ABOUT POWER)
February 11-28th, 2016
La Mama, New York
74A East Fourth Street, East Village
Before retreating to the planet Jupiter, a young tycoon overhauls the entire energy system on Earth. His imposed vision promises to halt climate change, but demands costly sacrifices from all citizens of the world. A trio inspired by Frankenstein and energy policy, JUPITER is a 200-year-long dialogue between Jove and the representation of Humanity.
A collaboration with environmental policy experts, economists, psychologists, and innovative designers, JUPITER asks if we should impose radical societal change for the greater good.

Created by Jonathan Camuzeaux, Lani Fu, Simón Adinia Hanukai, Megan McClain, & Jeremy Pickard
Directed by Simón Adinia Hanukai
Written by Jeremy Pickard
Music by Jonathan Camuzeaux
Performed by Jonathan Camuzeaux, Sarah Ellen Stephens, & Jeremy Pickard
Designed by David Bengali, Anshuman Bhatia, Eva von Schweinitz, & Angela Harner
Dramaturgy by Megan McClain & Lani Fu, with assistance from Julia Levine & Harry Poster
Production Stage Manager: Keith Paul Medelis
Press Rep: Jonathan Slaff and Associates
DEVELOPMENT HISTORYFebruary 2016: premiere of JUPITER at LaMaMa, Etc. in NYCJune/July 2015: developmental retreat at The Catwalk Institute and first workshop performance
in Hudson and Catskill NY
February 2015: developmental retreat at The Catwalk InstituteAugust 2014: first developmental retreat at MassBliss in Ashley Falls, MA
A PLAY ABOUT POWERWho controls our energy future and how do they make decisions? Do dire circumstances give anyone the right to play God? Will incentives work fast enough to curb emissions? If left to their own devices, can communities and corporations self-regulate, or is strict regulation necessary?

Kudos to both of these IPAA participants!