What We're Seeing: From White Plains

Our very own From White Plains has taken on quite the life of its own! It was not only published by Dramatist Play Service a few months ago, but has enjoyed a successful run in theatres across the country. Right now, if you find yourself in the Bay Area in the next couple weeks you can catch the latest production at the New Conservatory Theatre Center!

March 20 – April 26, 2015
New Conservatory Theatre Center
25 Van Ness Avenue at Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

A LITTLE ABOUT THE PLAY

The sweetest revenge never ends.

When a young director receives international acclaim for a film based on his experience of bullying in high school, he uses his Oscar speech to out the real-life bully from his past. The lives of these two men become quickly tangled in the public eye as they see if revenge is really so sweet.

CAST:

• Sal Mattos,
• Edgardo Moreno
• Fernando Navales
• Nick Trengove

PRODUCTION TEAM:

• Written by Michael Perlman In Collaboration with Craig Wesley Divino, Karl Gregory, Jimmy King and Aaron Rossini
• Directed by Sara Staley

At The Table EPAs

Tomorrow from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM casting begins for our production of At The Table with Equity Principal Auditions. We love EPAs because it’s always an opportunity to meet new actors and hear the text from a variety of perspectives. Co-Artistic directors, Aaron Rossini and Craig Wesley Divino will both be in the room. More information including location and specific times can be found on the Actors’ Equity website.

Come play!

Day 4: At The Table

Today we focused on refining Act II. In an ideal world, a second act shouldn’t just be a continuation of Act I. Some sort of change needs to occur. How is Act I different from Act II? Why separate the two?

Therefore, the discussion today focused primarily on how to escalate the plot. How can we take what we’ve done in Act I and either go deeper or turn it on its head?

Director/writer Michael Perlman said something today that stuck with me about the nature of successful collaboration. He mentioned that everyone must trust that everyone else in the room is the best person to do their job. If this baseline is present, then no one’s ego is hurt by comments or suggestions. There is safety to say anything, ask any question, and raise any concern because it is all in service of the story. Michael guides the discussions, but outside of that, every voice is equal and every voice is respected.

What We're Seeing: Manifest Destiny

Our friend Annie Worden (Doctor Faustus) has designed the puppetry for the upcoming show Manifest Destiny from Francis Black Projects being presented at IRT Theater. The show is directed by world famous clown performer and instructor Aitor Bassauri of the UK physical theatre company Spymonkey. It’s shaping up to be an amazing display of physical comedy. We can’t wait!

March 5 – March 21, 2015
IRT Theater
154 Christopher Street #3B (between Greenwich St. & Washington St.)
New York, NY 10014

A LITTLE ABOUT THE PLAY

Have you ever wanted to be a better person? Or perhaps more kind and honest? Sensitive, courageous and creative? Or are you ashamed of what your life has become and want more meaning? Lucas Caleb Rooney and Zack Fine – actors, artists and humanitarians – wanted those things once too, and so they went out and found the answers. They’re going to share the answers with you. So don’t wait any longer. Come grab fate by the balls. No guts no glory. No retreat no surrender. No Carpe no Diem.

CAST:

• Lucas Caleb Rooney*
• Zack Fine*

PRODUCTION TEAM:

• A new comedy by Aitor Basauri, Lucas Caleb Rooney and Zack Fine
• Directed by Aitor Basauri
• Choreography by Caroline Fermin
• Puppets by Annie Worden
• Production Coordinator – Christopher Tramantana
• Stage Manager - Natalie King

*Appear courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

Day 3 - At The Table

This afternoon actors and designers congregated for the third day workshopping Michael Perlman’s At The Table.

Today we started by working through new pages generated from last week’s rehearsal. We’re now beginning to get a clear sense of who these characters are and what they might want from each other. Much like our process with From White Plains, the task now is to generate a multitude of character/story trajectories and determine which tells the clearest and most truthful story. This stage is perhaps the most exciting to me; the play begins to take nearly infinite different forms. The characters are presented with infinite paths and it is our job to sift through the possible options to distill the story to its essence. With such a large cast, however, we’re finding the difficulty is in making sure all the characters have specific and necessary relationships to each other. Nothing should be extraneous.

That’s all for February rehearsals. We next gather on this coming Tuesday, which somehow is already in March!

What We're Seeing: The Little Prince

Fault Line Theatre collaborators Jacques Roy (From The Same Cloth) and Jude Sandy (currently in our workshop of At The Table) will be appearing off-Broadway next week in Hang a Tale’s production of The Little Prince at The Pearl Theatre. The show combines puppetry, music, and movement to bring the classic French story to life. Definitely, definitely worth checking out!

February 23 – March 22, 2015
The Pearl Theatre
555 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

A LITTLE ABOUT THE PLAY

A pilot is stranded in the desert with no hope of survival.  His life is forever altered by a small and mysterious visitor from another planet.  A classic of French literature, Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s. The Little Prince is a timeless tale of love and friendship, appropriate for any age of theatre-goer.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

• Book - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
• Adaptation – Rick Cummins & John Scoullar
• Music - Rick Cummins

At The Table announcement

Back in October of 2013, led by writer/director Michael Perlman, we entered the room with a group of 6 actors and our artistic associate designers to begin generating and workshopping a new play much like we did with From White Plains.

Now, we’re finally back in the room with the same group of collaborators, plus 2 more actors and working title:

At The Table.

Over the next few weeks we’ll continue to work on the script with Michael in preparation for a run of performances in June and July at the HERE Arts Center. In addition to the original cast of Jimmy King (From White Plains), Claire Karpen, Aaron Rossini (From White Plains), Craig Wesley Divino (Breathing Time, From White Plains, Dr. Faustus), Rachel Christopher (The Faire, Frogs), and Jude Sandy, we’ve added new friends Ben Mehl and Tina Chilip

What We're Seeing: Into The Woods

We’re so excited that our fellow Brown/Trinity alumni in Fiasco Theater are hitting the Broadway stage through April 12. Their production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods has already enjoyed successful runs at the Old Globe San Diego and the McCarter Theatre Center, and now hits Broadway at the Roundabout Theatre Company. Fault Line Theatre Artistic Associate Michael Perlman associate directed the show and future cast member of our upcoming show At The TableClaire Karpen plays Cinderella and Granny! It’s a show that Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls “Truly enchanting! These are the woods that you want to get lost in, a place you’ll find buried treasures that you didn’t even know existed.”

January 22 – April 12, 2015
The Laura Pels Theatre
111 West 46th Street
New York, NY 10036

A LITTLE ABOUT THE PLAY

Venture back Into The Woods as Roundabout Theatre Company presents the acclaimed McCarter Theatre Center and Fiasco Theater production of the Tony Award-winning musical classic by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. With only 10 actors, one piano and boundless imagination, this witty and wildly theatrical re-invention is Into The Woods like you’ve never seen it before!

CAST:

• Baker’s Wife - Jessie Austrian
• Lucinda/Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince - Noah Brody
• Pianist/Musical Director - Matt Castle
• Mysterious Man - Paul L. Coffey
• Milky White/Florinda/Rapunzel’s Prince - Andy Grotelueschen
• Cinderella’s Stepmother/Jack’s Mother - Liz Hayes
• Cinderella/Granny - Claire Karpen
• Witch - Jennifer Mudge
• Jack/Steward - Patrick Mulryan
• Baker - Ben Steinfeld
• Little Red Ridinghood/Rapunzel - Emily Young

PRODUCTION TEAM:

• Music & Lyrics - Stephen Sondheim
• Book - James Lapine
• Director - Noah Brody & Ben Steinfeld
• Orchestrations - Frank Galgano & Matt Castle

From White Plains published

Some exciting news!

Our show From White Plains has had quite the journey. After workshops to generate the text, we first performed it downtown at La Tea Theatre back in 2012. It then moved to the Studio Theatre at the Pershing Square Signature Center in early 2013. Since then, it has been performed regionally in professional theatres and colleges across the country.

Now, in 2014, we’re so, so happy to announce the play has been published by Dramatists Play Service.

You can buy your copy here!

What We're Seeing: A Christmas Carol

Frequent Fault Line Theatre stage manager, Brooke Redler (From White Plains, The Faire, Breathing Time) is still rocking it over in Kansas City! A couple months ago, she was hard at work as the Assistant Stage Manager for Our Town. Now she’s the Production Stage Manager for this year’s 34th annual production of A Christmas Carol at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. I’ve written about what a great tradition productions of A Christmas Carol are across America and this production is sure to carry that torch proudly!

November 21 – December 26, 2014
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
4949 Cherry St.
Kansas City, MO 64110

A LITTLE ABOUT THE PLAY

Kansas City’s favorite holiday tradition is back for its 34th season!

A ripping good telling of the classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the curmudgeonly businessman who requires the intervention of a few spectral guides to understand the true meaning of Christmas and life. Complete with lively musical numbers, ornate costuming, and dashing stagecraft, Dickens’ classic tale of hope and redemption continues to remind us what’s really worth celebrating – at the holidays, or any time!

PRODUCTION TEAM:

• Book - Charles Dickens
• Adaptation - Barbara Fields
• Director - Jerry Genochio
• Production Stage Manager – Brooke Redler
• Asst. Stage Manager - Rachel M. Dyer
• Scenic Designer - John Ezell
• Costume Supervisor/Additional Design - Tyler Wilson
• Lighting/Projections Designer - Jeffrey Cady
• Sound Designer - John Story
• Assoc. Scenic Designer - Gene Emerson Friedman
• Music Director/Conductor/Keyboards - Anthony T. Edwards
• Choreographer - Jennifer Martin
• Vocal Coach - Scott Stackhouse