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theatredirectors · 5 years

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Aliza Shane

Hometown?

I am from North Riverdale/Yonkers, New York, at the border of the Bronx and Westchester.

Where are you now?

Now living on the Upper East Side of NYC.

What's your current project?

Nothing Human by Duncan Pflaster (part of The NY International Fringe Festival at The Chain Theater).

In 2011, the day after Bin Laden is killed, a computer engineer named Alberto reveals to an actress/waitress who he meets in a bar that he's been in hiding in Boca Raton since getting a call the night before 9/11 telling him not to go into work at the towers the next day; the two begin an affair complicated by the presence of ALBA, the artificial intelligence which Alberto took from his company and which may soon be becoming sentient. Meanwhile, back in New York, Alejandro, a playwright, is working on his first screenplay, a science fiction piece about The Singularity, and having trouble dealing with executive meddling.

This show has an incredible cast and so many different media elements. I can’t wait for the world to see it.

Why and how did you get into theatre?

I wanted to be an actor since I was BORN! Studied theatre my whole life and when studying to be an actor in college, I discovered my true passion- directing.

What is your directing dream project?

I love new theatre; I love artists collaboration and I love movement. My dream project would combine all those elements seamlessly. Hoping to make this dream happen one day soon with my long-time producing partner at my theatre company, 3Voices Theatre.

What kind of theatre excites you?

I love to do new and original theatre. The classics are great, but nothing is more special than discovering new

What do you want to change about theatre today?

I wish theatre spaces were cheaper and more available! We need to create more unconventional and more available spaces to make theatre happen easily.

What is your opinion on getting a directing MFA?

This is a tough one because I don’t have an MFA. I considered it for a long time but most programs I was interested in required real-world directing experience first, and once I got my career going, stopping everything to go to school seemed nearly impossible. I respect everyone I know with a directing MFA however, and they seem to really help and lead to success.

Who are your theatrical heroes?

I love people working now, like producer Jennifer Tepper and musical theatre writer Joe Iconis and his band of actors and singers who work with him regularly. Like them, I keep actors I love close to me and try to work with them over and over. They keep working and putting out new and exciting work and I only wish I could be as prolific and current.

Any advice for directors just starting out?

Surround yourself with smart people and listen to them. Just because you run the room doesn’t mean your ideas should always win. Try to have an answer to any question from your actors- but also be honest; don’t be afraid to answer, “I don’t know” or to admit you’re wrong. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be clear.

Plugs!

NOTHING HUMAN Written by Duncan Pflaster Directed by Aliza Shane

Featuring:

Roberto Alexander, Alexandra Cremer *, Shakeerah Fredericks, Anthony Michael Irizarry, Dante Jayce, Sarah Kaufman, Adam Patterson*, Amir Royale* & Samantha Simone *

10/15, 10/16, 10/17. 10/18, 10/19, 10/24, 10/25, 10/26 at 7pm at the Chain Theatre, 312 W.36th Street, 4th Floor NY NY 10018

---------------------------------------------------------------------- I’m also working on a new immersive adventure on Governors Island- Miss Jane Periwinkle and the Mysterious Medium written by Mim Granahan directed by Aliza Shane co-produced by Dysfunctional Theatre Company Oct 5-6, 12-13 Multiple performances each day between 1-5pm The Dysfunctional Collective 410A Colonel's Row Governors Island The nosy mystery writer has met up with her friends from finishing school to hold a seance. During the seance, medium Madame Carnelian's spirit guide reveals that one of the women has murdered her husband! All of Jane's friends have lost a husband -- Rosalind has lost several -- but which one is a murderer? With 5 suspects and 5 possible victims, this may be Jane's most challenging case yet! Join Jane at the seance, follow the investigation, and see if you can solve the case before Jane!

Starring: Alexandra Cremer, Mim Granahan, Rachel Grundy, Laura Iris Hill, Kelsie Jepsen, Bruce Jones, & Heather Lee Rogers **FREE PERFORMANCES** running time approx 35 minutes ... stay for more than one performance and see what you missed in the other room

ALSO-

Find me on Facebook or Twitter at Aliza Shane,

Websites: Alizashane.com. 3Vtheatre.com

#Aliza Shane #askadirector #theatredirectors

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vrheadsets · 6 years

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Nicholas Cage VR Experience, The Gallery & Space Pirate Trainer Among Cinequest Film & VR Award Winners

If you haven’t already gathered from the dramatic upswing in posts on VRFocus about it, virtual reality (VR) is definitely finding a home in amongst the independent film festivals. Last night might have seen the results from this year’s Academy Awards (aka The Oscars), but this weekend also saw the results from another award ceremony settled. Not in Tinseltown but care of Silicon Valley based organisation Cinequest. They’re midway through this year’s event which runs until Sunday March 11th, but they have already passed judgement on the most recent edition of the Cinequest Film & VR Festival’s awards for the medium of immersive entertainment.

As you might surmise from that it isn’t just films, documentaries and so forth that are celebrated as part of the awards. But all manner of creative media that uses virtual reality (VR) technology as well as the people involved in it. Some familiar names cropped up this year in the twenty award categories that recognised “achievement in storytelling, technical artistry and immersive design”.

A full list of winners has now been published and you can read these below:

Best VR Film, Feature Speed Kills VR Experience Starring Maverick Spirit Award recipient John Travolta and Katheryn Winnick, speedboat racing champion and multimillionaire Ben Aronoff (Travolta) leads a double life that lands him in trouble with both the law and drug lords. Directed by Travis Cloyd. Produced by Travis Cloyd, Guy Griffithe, Richard Del Castro and TopDogVR.

Best VR Sci-Fi The Humanity Bureau VRevolution Starring Nicolas Cage, this dystopian thriller set in the near future sees the world facing serious environmental problems as the result of global warming. The standalone episodic virtual reality series released on March 2nd, followed by the theatrical film release of the sci-fi action-thriller, The Humanity Bureau on April 6th. The Humanity Bureau VRevolution was directed by Rob W. King and Josh Courtney. Produced by Travis Cloyd. Josh Courtney, Kevin DeWalt and Rob Bryanton. Written by Dave Schultz and Travis Cloyd. The experience is a Mind’s Eye Entertainment Presentation. Distributed by OneTouchVR.

Best Cinematography Boxes (Directed by Matt Naylor) James is tasked with clearing out the last boxes from his childhood home after his father’s death, but memories are recalled in painful vignettes in this empowering story.

Best Documentary Revoked (Directed by Stevo Chang) In an American future, when the President revokes the green card of Iranian-born Jane Manesh, she must flee to Canada with the help of her childhood friend.

Best Social Activism Behind the Fence (Directed by Lindsay Branham & Jonathan Olinger) The Rohingya Muslims must survive a Government led campaign to eliminate them.

Best Educational VR Meeting Rembrandt: Master of Reality (Directed by Bridget Erdmann & Ingejan Ligthart Schenk) What if you had the chance to meet the famous 17th century master painter? Get close up and personal as he changes history forever with his controversial painting, the Night Watch in this immersive experience.

Best Short VR Film Best Storytelling La Camila (Directed by Jak Wilmot) When the storms of nature threaten her very existence, a young shepherd girl, Camila, struggles to fill her papa’s shoes and create new clouds for the dying world below.

Best Action VR Space Pirate Trainer (Directed by Dirk Van Welden, I-Illusions) Hone your offensive and defensive battle skills with awesome space age weaponry against an ever-increasing barrage of killer fighting drones.

Best Episodic VR Game The Gallery – Episode 2: Heart of the Emberstone After receiving your Gauntlet, you must travel to a long-forgotten world where the past holds many secrets and reveal the true intentions of the dark figure in the Starseed.

Best Music Video Apex (Directed by John Albert, Wevr) A surreal, apocalyptic vision set to an original score from artist and musician Arjan van Meerten.

Best Animation VR Best Production Design / Art Direction Allumette (Directed by Eugene Chung, Penrose Studios) Allumette tells a story about love, sacrifice and a deep bond between a young girl and her mother in a fantastical city in the clouds.

Best Sports VR To the Top (Directed by Richard Matey, Electric Hat VR) A platforming game that gives you the freedom to move across the environment’s obstacles with superhuman abilities.

Best VR Experience Best Sound Design FORM (Directed by Richard Matey, Electric Hat VR) FORM is a puzzle adventure, mixing classic gameplay inspired by Myst and The Room, with surreal and spectacular visuals akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Best VR Game Karnage Chronicles (Directed by Thorbjoern Olsen, Nordic Trolls) A high fantasy RPG where you play a Murkwraith on a mission to defeat enemies of the lands and restore order to shape your future.

Best VR Interactive Manifest 99 (Directed by Bohdon Sayre, Adam Volker, Flight School Studio) Journey into the afterlife aboard a mysterious train inhabited by a murder of crows in this ominous and eerie experience.

Most Innovative VR Gary the Gull (Directed by Tom Sanocki, Limitless Entertainment Ltd.) Developed by veterans from Pixar, Gary the Gull is VR Animated Interactive short film that puts you in the story. Respond to Gary’s questions by nodding, shaking your head, talking, and see how your decisions affect the story’s telling.

VR Visionary Award Travis Cloyd Fusing his expertise in both film and VR, Cloyd has served as cinematic VR producer for four feature films. Working with world-renowned talent like Nicolas Cage, John Travolta and Wesley Snipes, Cloyd continually bridges the gap between Hollywood and immersive storytelling, a connector and conduit between the fields of film and tech.

VRFocus will be bringing you more updates throughout the year as immersive technology continues to help creativity flourish.

from VRFocus http://ift.tt/2D2XEb7

#VRFocus #vr #virtual reality #canada

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vileart · 7 years

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Bitched Dramaturgy: Juliet Knight @ Kali

KALI THEATRE COMPANY presents

the premiere of:

‘BITCHED’ by Sharon Raizada

A pacy, sharply observed contemporary drama about

relationships, marriage, children, careers and having it all…or not…

October 25th-November 11th – Tristan Bates Theatre, London WC2

‘Bitched’ centres on the relationships and everyday lives of two vibrant couples: Rob and Ali, and Suzanne and Nirjay. The tangled subjects of love, marriage, parenthood, responsibility, ambition and careers are aired and debated in an often heated atmosphere amid polarising views and changing circumstances.

Will the couples stay together despite their differences…will they be able to balance parenthood, marriage and careers…will chasing the dream affect everything else…or will they somehow find a path to equality and happiness…Raizada asks all these questions and more.

What was the inspiration for this performance?

JULIET KNIGHT: As a working mother I have wanted to work on a project exploring motherhood for a long time so I was really excited when I read Sharon's script. My relationship with the themes of the play was deeply rooted in my own experience of juggling motherhood and work for the past sixteen years.

As a theatre maker I really thrive on collaboration so was excited to literally start on stage with a blank canvas. Exploring artists like Tracey Emin sparked the idea of a stage scattered with the cluttered life of a working mother; and Mary Kelly’s seminal 1972 short film Nightcleaners Part 1 made me very clear that the aesthetic for this piece of theatre would use realistic domestic items and stylised physical sequences to create the work of art.

Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas?

JULIET KNIGHT: The story of Ali (‘Bitched’ protagonist) sees the journey of a financially dependent people-pleasing wife/mother to a self sufficient, financially independent working single parent. By following this story and facing uncomfortable portrayals of women and how they treat each other the audience are

invited to ask questions.

I am looking forward to fellow parents from the school gates seeing this production. Something in the live nature of theatre and chats in a bar after feels good for the soul. I spend a lot of time with a screen these days so I feel gathering around a stage and being part of a collective is what we need more of.

How did you become interested in making performance?

JULIET KNIGHT: As a kid I loved old black and white films. When I look back I realise I've always found great comfort and inspiration in stories. I trained as an actor and while I loved performing in my 20s, I started to enjoy the creativity of shaping and building a show. Finding the right piece of music to tell the story or watching actors discover their characters through an improvisation became joyful.

Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?

JULIET KNIGHT: I do not decide what the actors will be doing before I begin a process. I like to be brave enough to trust that the real discoveries that make a show have pieces of magic happen in the room.

One thing that excited me on ‘Bitched’ was when I set up a long improvisation with the actors and a room full of objects. I allowed them to go through an imaginary day in the life of their characters. Watching this improvisation fed into all the physical moments and helped to bring a playfulness to the text.

Does the show fit with your usual productions?

JULIET KNIGHT: I find myself working mostly in new writing or using theatre as a form of social change. Creating work at the women’s theatre company Clean Break with women who have been in the criminal justice system and working with organisations that engage vulnerable young people has shown me how powerful the arts is.

Last year I directed a show in Thameside Prison in south east London and watched the male prisoners engage, respect and create a professional production. The ethos of Kali and giving South Asian women a voice is something I feel proud to be part of.

What do you hope the audience will experience?

JULIET KNIGHT: I hope the audience will care about the female characters. I hope they feel the struggle of the characters and most importantly I hope they ask the question of whether parenting alone is the "real" answer. I would also hope that they find the humour in the piece and leave feeling uplifted.

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

JULIET KNIGHT: I spent a lot of time with Sharon Raizada, the writer, working through the text. I immersed myself in the world of the play with the designer for a day. I played games in rehearsals and created a safe space to make work. I decided that the play would be more effective with an audience experience on two sides in order to pull them even closer to the action.

By laying a laminate floor throughout the whole theatre it makes the audience feel they are in the set. I think this intimacy gives the audience even more opportunity to be at the heart of the story.

The award-winning KALI THEATRE presents new plays by South Asian female playwrights. Since it was founded 25 years ago, Kali has discovered and developed talent from across the UK and taken powerful new work to increasing audiences and critical acclaim.

This October Kali are delighted to present ‘BITCHED’, a contemporary new drama by Sharon Raizada, whose own experiences of becoming a mother led to her musings about having it all: marriage, children, job, happiness, equality.

7.30pm: ‘BITCHED’ at Tristan Bates: October 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes straight through, no interval November 1st, 2nd 3rd, 4th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th

Tristan Bates Theatre, 1a Tower Street,London WC2H 9NP

Box office: 020 3841 6611 Tickets: £14 (£10 concessions)

Kali’s Artistic Director, Helena Bell, says: “I’m really excited that we’ll be back at Tristan Bates with Sharon’s lively, thought-provoking new play. ‘Bitched’ is very much a play for our times: about managing – and balancing - relationships and marriage, careers and parenthood that I believe will appeal to a very wide audience. It’s written with great heart and personal experience by Sharon Raizada who has a wonderful ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for character. I think audiences will be completely drawn into the world of the four – very strong – characters and I hope it’ll lead to much discussion afterwards.”

Sharon Raizada says: “Inspired by my own shock at becoming a mum, I wanted to look at the lives of modern women through the polar opposites of Ali and Suzanne. ‘Bitched’ takes an unflinching look at our lives as we try to negotiate the stresses of work, sex and kids, asking: is it an impossible task? I was very aware of the change in my own life that came with being a new mother; it was a shock to find the independence and autonomy of a young working woman that I’d always taken for granted, taken away, however temporarily.

“I naturally assumed I could ‘have it all’ and be on exactly the same level as my male friends and peers, but the experience of motherhood changed my role, my status and frankly my employability in a way that is much more similar to my mother’s experience than I wanted (and expected) it to be – I realised that maybe women have travelled a much smaller distance than I thought…”

Sharon’s work has been supported and produced by Kali Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Soho Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Oval House Theatre, ITV and BBC Radio 4. She is a graduate of the MPhil in Playwriting at Birmingham University and the Royal Court Critical Mass Writers’ Programme. She was a member of the Royal Court Invitation Studio Group and has worked on Emmerdale and hit CBeebies show ‘Apple Tree House’.

‘Bitched’ is directed by Juliet Knight whose many directing credits include: 'Zigger Zagger' by Peter Terson at Wiltons Music Hall with the National Youth Theatre, 'A Raison in the Sun' by Lorraine Hansberry with Synergy Theatre, 'Runts' by Izzy Tennyson at The Brighton and Camden Fringe Festival, 'Variety Hall' by Luke Barnes and 'Prime Resident' by Stella Duffy at Soho Theatre.

“Juggling motherhood and work is a recurring theme in my own life,” says Juliet, “so I am thrilled to be directing Sharon Raizada’s fresh new play which offers a much needed voice asking why parents struggle to fulfil their own needs and what is the cost? Why having children and raising a family in a partnership seems to offer little value or financial reward for the stay at home parent? And what roles do our employers and policy makers have in setting up a healthy home and work life balance?”

Juliet’s recent acting credits include 'Caught in the Net' by Ray Cooney at Vaudeville Theatre,'Tomorrow' by Sam Evans at The White Bear and ‘Eastenders’/BBC. Juliet is a lecturer at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and an Associate Director for The National Youth Theatre.

Kali’s success in developing and staging new plays is evident: ‘Mustafa’ by Naylah Ahmed was nominated for 4 Offies in the Off West End Theatre Awards as well as the Royal National Theatre Playwright Award; tour dates included a two week run at London’s Soho Theatre. Sonali Bhattacharyya’s play ‘Home’ was presented by Kali and led to a commission at Birmingham Rep and scripts for BBC series such as Eastenders and Holby City.

Kali Theatre was founded in 1991 by Rita Wolf and Rukhsana Ahmad to encourage, develop and present new theatre writing by women from a South Asian background. Kali seeks out writers whose work will challenge as well as entertain a wide audience. Original content and ideas are an essential part of the company’s mission to encourage writers to reinvent and reshape the theatrical agenda.

Kali has contributed to the development and support of several important new writers and has become a natural home for women seeking new ways to express and explore contemporary issues and human interest stories. Helena Bell became Artistic Director last year. Kali’s annual TALKBACK readings have previously taken place at the Arcola Theatre, Oval House, Soho Theatre and Tristan Bates Theatre. Past Kali writers have presented plays across the cultural spectrum and written scripts for BBC TV, Channel 4 and other theatre companies.

from the vileblog http://ift.tt/2yNja66

#Theatre #Blogger #visual art #Edinburgh Fringe #Experimental Critique

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gramilano · 7 years

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Robert Binet’s The Dreamers Ever Leave You, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, comes to London in mid-October. Dancers from The National Ballet of Canada and The Royal Ballet will join forces for this ‘immersive work’ at The Printworks, which is, appropriately, in the Canada Water area of London.

Robert Binet, photo by Helen Maybanks

The work was first performed at the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2016, after which The Globe and Mail wrote, “Binet is more than a breath of fresh air in the ballet world; he’s like a blast of Novocain. Here’s a choreographer with a rich and extensive imagination who wants to do things differently and clearly has the skills to realize his ideas.” I asked him what those ideas are.

I’m very interested in creating ballets for new contexts and pushing ballet as a language to talk about new ideas and situations, as that is the only way any language develops.

I always start from the fact that dancers are people — their emotional depth and wealth of experience is the most interesting thing about them. I’m not concerned about defining a signature, as every creator has a signature because it’s all coming from them, but I hope that what interests me within the art form leads to work that has a depth of humanity.

It was this quality that first drew Binet to the landscape paintings of Canadian artist Lawren Harris that inspired The Dreamers Ever Leave You.

I’ve always had a very emotional response to Harris’ paintings. They make you feel at once strong and connected to this extraordinary natural world we have the privilege of occupying, and tiny and powerless in contrast to nature’s magnitude and force.

I think that the way Harris abstracts nature to show its spiritual power is very similar to what we do in ballet: we abstract the body from the way it usually moves and is presented and aim to show its spiritual power.

The work’s title also came from Harris:

Harris was also a poet and ‘the dreamers ever leave you’ is a line from one of his poems. The poem is about tiny houses in tiny towns and how ‘dreamers’ always leave them. I think the line on its own captures the metaphysical nature of Harris’ work and the transience of nature, dance and life.

Binet has collaborated with fellow Canadian, Lubomyr Melnyk, for the music for The Dreamers. The composer, of Ukrainian origin, is well known for his ‘continuous music’, which he executes on a piano using ever-shifting repetitive sequences of notes, creating music that is both hypnotic and sensuous.

When I was living in London in 2012 he had a concert here. I went because I saw he was Canadian and his ideas looked interesting, and I immediately fell in love with his music.

Music and visuals in place. Now for the movement. With Melnyk improvising and the audience moving around the action which takes place in a non-theatrical space, this is certainly not going to be Petipa. A nightmare of logistics?

There is a 50-minute loop of choreography that repeats three times over the course of the performance.

Structurally, all the choreography functions independently of the music with the dancers taking all their cues from each other. The movements of music are reordered every performance and Lubomyr improvises on themes.

The lighting is always in the same shape at the same time so that the dancers can see and be seen, but the colour and intensity is different every time. So the dancers have the responsibility of shifting their movement quality, dynamics, intent, speed, rhythm, and so on, based on the qualities of the music and light they find themselves interacting with.

Are their advantages in having an audience free to move during the piece?

For the audience I think the advantage is they can create their own experience of the work. They can watch for 20 minutes or two hours, they can stay right up close to the dancers or take it all in from a distance. I think you have a better chance of connecting to people if they can experience the work in the way that’s most comfortable to them, that leaves them the most open. Experiencing the energy of these extraordinary dancers close up is so powerful and captivating.

And disadvantages?

There are logistical challenges to presenting immersive work but I wouldn’t call any of them disadvantages, just challenges that spark creativity. You are choreographing the audience’s experience as much as you are choreographing the ballet itself which is a very interesting task.

The Dreamers Ever Leave You was performed last year in Canada, but this time around there will be Royal Ballet Dancers involved in the performances.

Because the performance runs for two-and-a-half hours, the dancers are in four groups of three. There are always two groups on stage, and two groups resting. This means that I was able to choose four roles to be danced by Royal Ballet dancers where they pretty much only interact with each other, save a couple simpler sections. This was necessary because we only have one day with both companies together because of the intensity of both companies’ schedules at this time of year.

Binet knows The Royal Ballet well after spending 18 months as the company’s Choreographic Apprentice in 2012-2013. A useful experience?

To be able to see all the repertoire and new works created at the company in that time was an incredible learning experience. The most formative part of the experience was being mentored by Wayne McGregor, who taught me so much and pushed me very hard to stretch myself creatively. He really helped me find my own voice as an artist and gave me practical skills to support that.

The opportunity to work with dancers of The Royal Ballet, Company Wayne McGregor and other organizations the Royal Opera House partners with through the Studio Programme was a gift as you can learn so much from creating with dancers of this high calibre.

The Dreamers Ever Leave You is the latest in a series of collaborations between The National Ballet of Canada and The Royal Ballet which has included co-productions of Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale as well as the annual World Ballet Day live digital stream. Robert Binet will continue working with dancers from both sides of the pond.

I’ve got a new piece premiering in Toronto on Wednesday as part of Fall For Dance North, an amazing festival entering its third year. The work brings together Canadian dancers who have never performed at home before. I have a brilliant cast of dancers from San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet and Dutch National Ballet. This winter, I will be adapting The Dreamers Ever Leave You for proscenium stage and it will be performed on a triple bill in Toronto in March and Hamburg in July. I’ll also be setting an existing work on The Royal Ballet School next month.

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, said,

The National Ballet of Canada has a long and meaningful relationship with The Royal Ballet and we are pleased to mark the occasion of Canada’s sesquicentennial with this landmark performance featuring dancers from both companies.

So it is interesting to read what Lawren Harris (1885 – 1970) once wrote,

We in Canada cannot truly understand the great cultures of the past and of other peoples, until we ourselves commence our own creative life in the arts. Until we do so, we are looking at these from the outside.

This is something that The National Ballet of Canada has been doing since its beginnings in the 1950s, and young artists like Robert Binet continue to further a dialogue between older and newer cultures. Through collaboration and initiative, The Dreamers Ever Leave You is just the latest product of such collective cross-border creativity.

Interview with choreographer Robert Binet on his Dreamers project for the Canadian and Royal ballet companies Robert Binet’s The Dreamers Ever Leave You, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, comes to London in mid-October.

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