This Thursday, Sept. 2, 6:30 pm at the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, The Graduate Center, CUNY (365 Fifth Avenue, at 34th St.) French theatre scholar Sophie Proust will offer an overview of her research-in-progress on contemporary U.S. creative process in theatre undertaken in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.

Sophie Proust has observed the rehearsal processes of a collection of significant U.S. theatre artists, including Elizabeth LeCompte (The Wooster Group), Judith Malina (The Living Theatre), Caden Manson and Jemma Nelson (The Big Art Group), John Collins (Elevator Repair Service), Dan Rothenberg (PIG IRON COMPANY from Philadelphia) at The Play Company, Brad Krumholz (NACL: North American Cultural Laboratory), in New York, Aimée Hayes at the Southern Rep, Kathy Randels and Ashley Sparks (ArtSpotProductions), Shad Willingham (Tulane University), Anthony Bean (ABCT; Anthony Bean Community Theater) in New Orleans, Debbie MacMahon (Grand Guignolers) at the Actors’ Gang, Jon Lawrence Rivera at the East West Players, Derick LaSalla at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center in Los Angeles, Wilma Bonet (The San Francisco Mime Troupe), Rob Ready (Pianofight’s) at the Off-Markets Theaters in San Francisco. In addition to observing these directors at work, she interviewed Elizabeth LeCompte (Wooster Group), Judith Malina (Living Theatre), Caden Manson and Jemma Nelson (Big Art Group), Richard Foreman, Richard Schechner, the choreographer and programmer of ISADORA Mark Coniglio in New York, the choreographer Kay Cole, the artistic director of LACT José Valenzuela, Peter Sellars, Lawrence Rivera, Tim Dang (artistic director of East West Players), in Los Angeles, Rob Ready, Michael Sullivan, Wilma Bonet in San Francisco, Henry Godinez, Steve Scott and Chuck Smith and Robert Falls (Goodman Theatre), Ann Filmer (16th Street Theatre at the Steppenwolf Theatre), the Central Regional Director of Actors’ Equity, Kathryn Lamkey, in Chicago. In addition to observing these directors at work, she interviewed Elizabeth LeCompte (Wooster Group), Judith Malina (Living Theatre), Caden Manson and Jemma Nelson (Big Art Group), Richard Foreman, Richard Schechner, the choreographer and programmer of ISADORA Mark Coniglio in New York, the choreographer Kay Cole, the artistic director of LACT José Valenzuela, Peter Sellars, Lawrence Rivera, Tim Dang (artistic director of East West Players) in Los Angeles, Rob Ready, Michael Sullivan, Wilma Bonet in San Francisco, Henry Godinez, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith and Robert Falls (Goodman Theatre), Ann Filmer (16th Street Theatre at the Steppenwolf Theatre), the Central Regional Director of Actors’ Equity Kathryn Lamkey, in Chicago, and others.

In her presentation at the Segal Center Sophie Proust will give an overview of her research-in-progress and engage in a discussion.

SOPHIE PROUST is Associate Professor in Theatre Studies and a researcher at the CEAC at the University of Lille 3 (France) as well as associate researcher at the CNRS (ARIAS). She is the Francophone General Secretary of the IFTR (International Federation for Theatre Research) and co-convener with Josette Féral of the IFTR’s working group on the creative process. She is author of La direction d’acteurs dans la mise en scène théâtrale contemporaine [Directing Actors in Contemporary Drama] (L’Entretemps, 2006), with a preface by Patrice Pavis. As a working theatre artist, she has been an assistant director to Yves Beaunesne, Denis Marleau and Matthias Langhoff. In addition, she served an internship as an observer for one of Robert Wilson’s productions. Her research focuses on the process of theatrical creation (rehearsals, dramaturgy, directing actors, notation of the theatrical work, authors’ rights.) From 2008 to 2010, she is a Visiting Scholar in New York, invited by Marvin Carlson then Daniel Gerould, at the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center (CUNY), in order to pursue her research on the creative process. She is also a Fulbright Visiting Scholar. Proust is currently working a book project entitled The Creative Process of US Stage Directors.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I was emailing with Gary Winter about the talk with GRZEGORZ JARZYNA on Monday at MESTC/CUNY, the artistic director of TR Warszawa that will be doing MACBETH at the Tobacco Warehouse, produced by St. Ann’s. (which, by the way, is going to be amazing)  I had to leave early so he sent me his notes. I thought they were kind of like a work of literature unto themselves, so, here they are:

Notes. By Gary Winter.

Some notes from last night. He showed some clips from his shows then spoke a bit with susan feldman, then took some questions.

-He is interested in the techniques of film and TV, NOT that they are better, but in how they create intimate moments by use of close-ups. And how they use transitions. That’s why he likes smaller theater spaces.

-His take on Macbeth? A character torn by two impulses, good and bad. But he is interested in the third; the thing is, he doesn’t know what the third impulse is. This is his metaphysical dilemma. He feels that we reach a border in our lives, then we can’t go beyond that border, then we give in, then we recreate ourselves, then we hit that border again.

One line can influence how he sees a play. In 4:48 psychosis it was:

Child she never was; Old woman she’ll never be.

In site specific pieces, he is interested in how the outside light affects Inner life on stage.

Interested in Illusion: He wants the audience to identify with the actors as much as possible. This is why he likes intimate, film-like performances, close-ups.

I talk too much

I do too little

So much experience

Disappears in talk.

During company rehearsals, we talk about a piece of the script for hours, then

Rehearse a small detail. It is important for the actors to think about the piece, ask questions, talk. I want there to be a “flow” between director and actor, which translates into a flow between actor and audience. We are going down the same river towards one goal.

Comedie Francaise has some strange habits.

He wants the public to be responsible for what they’re seeing.

PLATO: Actors cheat the audience, and the more actors cheat the more the audience is delighted.

Theater is about creating the same reality as in real life (i.e.-killing someone); that is we can experience things that happen in real life. Theater can learn from TV and film-atmosphere; how to bring the audience closer to the actor

Popularity: 1% [?]