#i am so intrigued by this production i want to see what van hove does with it... | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

supercantaloupe · 1 year

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oh i am too but i've been to enough shows now since the vaccines got rolled out that i'm comfortable enough going to the theater as long as i'm in an n95 mask and got my boosters. i mean i managed to make it through two seasons as a woodwind player in an orchestra during covid pre-vaccination and managed to stay healthy so...idk, for me it's worth the risk. plus i did actually get covid last summer and while it Sucked i luckily had no lasting complications and was healthy again after a week (not that i'm eager to get sick again or risk complications later on -- i'm an oboist and i'm very precious about my lungs...!)

i do wish theaters would still require masks/vaccines but all i can do is try to protect myself and hope that other people will be smart too (and given my impression of nyc & met theatergoers in general i think it'll be okay...)

#sasha speaks #idk why i felt like replying like this but. i did #rest assured of course if i go see Anything at the met i'm posting an obnoxiously thorough review #(also it obviously depends on Certain Things but if there's demand for it i would certainly consider...🎧)#latkejoon #basically i'm just resigned now to the fact that very few americans wear masks or give a shit about covid in general #which Sucks but. i can't do anything about. so. i just continue to wear my masks in public and get my boosters #and continue life as normally as possible #anyway whether i can find a companion to go with me or if i have to go it alone i do want to go see don giovanni very much #and i Will be saving up for the trip/looking at dates in the coming months #i am so intrigued by this production i want to see what van hove does with it...

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theatredirectors · 5 years

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Cyndy Marion

Hometown?

NYC. I grew up in Manhattan, 19th and 3rd.

Where are you now?

Manhattan, 16th and 3rd. I moved downtown 3 blocks! I went to college in North Carolina, grad school in Brooklyn and did a few brief stints in Italy and New Mexico, but ended up back in my hometown. Manhattan is in my blood!

What's your current project?

My 2nd play as a writer, Broken Story, running at The Gene Frankel Theatre Nov. 8-16th. It's about a young NYC journalist obsessed with the idea of solving the story behind a brutal LA murder. As a director, I write plays that I would want to direct. Plays that I feel are challenging and exciting for both actors and directors to work on. I'm usually inspired by real-life stories that have a sense of mystery or intrigue. My first play, You Are Perfect was inspired by the story of Manson follower Susan Atkins. Broken Story was inspired by the brutal murder of an LA novelist.

Why and how did you get into theatre?

I fell in love with directing in college. I was working on Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind for directing class and was hooked. From there I assistant directed a MainStage college production and went on to direct my own one-act, a production of Agatha Christie's The Rats. I was a history major with a focus on Italian Renaissance studies. I was supposed to go on and pursue a Rhodes Scholarship, but the idea of continuing scholarly work in isolation and the need to learn at least 2 or 3 more languages deterred me. I chose to pursue directing instead. I wanted to pursue a field where I could combine research with community and collaboration.

What is your directing dream project?

My current project, directing my play Broken Story is a dream project. I only want to work on dream projects. That's why I have my own theater company, White Horse Theater Company because I always want to be working on dream projects that I am passionate about with artists I admire, respect and want in the room with me. Of course, I dream that one day we will have more resources; larger budgets, access to bigger theaters with better equipment, the ability to take on larger-scale projects with more collaborators. I'd love to do a musical. A deep, psychological musical, music and dance have a way of tapping into emotion on such a profound level. What kind of theatre excites you?

Theater that breaks boundaries, and explores new forms. Theater that is theatrical and inventive and does not just rely on the spoken word to tell the story. Theater that is best served by the live medium and cannot be better realized on film. Theater that surprises me and moves me. I think all plays should have an element of suspense--it moves the story forward and keeps the audience engaged. I love plays that have an "ah-ha" moment.

What do you want to change about theatre today?

I'd love to see a NYC theater that is not so focused on Broadway. Broadway is a commercial enterprise and the work has got to "sell." There are so many financial risks and pressures on making that kind of work. I'd like to see more appreciation, support, and awareness for the indie art being made off the Great White Way. Not everyone makes art to make money. Theater does not have to be a commodity. It can be an expression, a conversation, a protest. There is so much more to it than that and I'd love to see a shift in our perspective and a deeper appreciation and respect for art as art.

What is your opinion on getting a directing MFA?

I think it all depends on why you are getting one. If you are getting an MFA solely because you think it will open doors to a directing career, then I think that's the wrong reason. I got my MFA at Brooklyn College because I wanted time and space to really hone my craft. I used those three years to find out who I was as a director and what kind of material I wanted to work on. I had access to mentors and facilities and most importantly developed a network of peers and professionals that I called upon when launching my own career. And by going to a city school, with lower tuition costs and a merit scholarship, I left grad school debt-free.

Who are your theatrical heroes?

Sam Shepard, Tennessee Williams and Ivo Van Hove. Sam Shepard is, in my option, the greatest American playwright. His plays are poetic, visual, visceral, and rhythmic. They are highly theatrical and physical and are filled with mystery and emotion. They are personal and yet also speak to us as a culture. I think Shepard has been my greatest influence as both a director and a playwright. I love the later work of Tennessee Williams--these plays break the barrier of realistic theater and explore new forms, such as truncated language, dance, and metaphor. Ivo Van Hove blows my mind with his work. His bold interpretations of classic texts are both visually stunning and gut-wrenching. He employs multiple mediums to tell these stories in a fresh, relevant and affecting way. I'll never forget seeing his production of The Crucible. During the scene between Elizabeth and John Proctor, his use of the musical underscore combined with the actor's delivery of the line moved me to an explosion of tears.

Any advice for directors just starting out?

Make the work! Find plays that excite you and get people together you admire and find ways to do the work. Choose plays and projects you feel you have a "secret" understanding of what you want/need to share with the world. Hone your voice and vision and be true to it. Don't be afraid to ask for money. I think artists today have to be entrepreneurs--meaning we have to find a means to an end--a way to support ourselves and the work. Don't feel bad about needing a "day job" to support yourself. It this job allows you to do the work you want to be doing than it serves its purpose! You are a director! Go for your dreams, but make the work you enjoy in the meantime. Don't wait around for someone else to give you the opportunity.

Plugs!

Tickets to Broken Story: https://whtc.ticketleap.com/brokenstory/

My off-off Broadway theater company, White Horse Theater Company founded in 2003. whitehorsetheater.com

The Indie Theater Fund--supporting and promoting Indie Theater Artists http://www.indietheaterfund.org

The Players Club--A social club for Artists and Patrons of the Arts http://theplayersnyc.org

Gene Frankel Theatre https://www.genefrankeltheatre.com

#Cyndy Marion #askadirector #theatredirectors

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