No. 11 Productions

Directing a Musical

2009-06-25T14:05:00.005-04:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

I am directing No.11’s first musical right now – The Elephant Man. We open in two weeks. The thing is – I’ve never directed a musical by myself before.

Musicals are an odd beast. People talk and walk around like normal and then WHAM! suddenly they’re singing. Singing and dancing serve no evolutionary function, to my knowledge, and yet, we all do it. And we enjoy watching and listening to other people do it. And The Elephant Man – The Musical is a celebration of this.

Going through the script, I have to decide what songs are “staged” and what are “choreographed”. Songs that are choreographed I have my brilliant Choreographer Simon Gunner create. Numbers and scenes that are staged, I wrangle with. But, outside of the delegation, what does it mean? No offense, dictionary.com, but you weren’t much help:

Staged–adjective
1. adapted for or produced on the stage.
2. contrived for a desired impression: It was a staged, rather than spontaneous, demonstration of affection.
3. occurring or planned to occur in stages: a staged increase in wages.

Choreograph–verb (used with object)
1. to provide the choreography for: to choreograph a musical comedy.
2. to manage, maneuver, or direct: The author is a genius at choreographing a large cast of characters.

I feel like I am doing both of these things when I direct and the line between dance and movement is blurry to me. And the fact of the matter is we have a very short rehearsal process for this show. So my choreographer can only do three dances. What do I do? More to the point, what do I have my actors do while they are singing? I know they need to be moving, but moving how? Doing what?

Ryan Emmons and I directed Bat Boy: The Musical a year ago. We did it in the style of German Expressionism. Simon also choreographed that show and created a half dozen Expressionist inspired dances for it. In one of the songs Ryan and I staged, we had all of the townspeople sitting in a circle happily working and then you realize they are making a noose and suddenly they’ve formed a mob and the noose is hanging from the rafters and Dr. Parker is trapped – all the while they’re singing. German Expressionism is about showing the inner life. Would these townspeople actually be hanging a noose? No. Is it how they feel inside? Yes. And isn’t a song just about showing how a character feels rather than exposition?

In talking to Ryan about The Elephant Man, I’ve said how I don’t know how to approach the songs. He said, “every musical number is either a dance or a noose – so find the noose”. So that’s my mission. In a way it’s so simple – that’s why it’s easy to forget. At their core, so much of directing and acting is about asking the right questions – “what is happening?”, “what do I want?”, “what is stopping me from getting what I want?”, “what is the scene about?”

And I’m going to stop looking at it as “staging”. Because I don’t know what that means – it sounds like glorified blocking. I need to direct these songs. And that means asking questions – questions of the script, questions of the actors, questions of the music. Sometimes the answers, the ropes, come easily – this song is about journeying to find what you want (Great! So this scene-song is movement, walking, running contrasted by expressionist moments showing what the characters want).

A musical is a big undertaking. You are blessed with many extra collaborators (and if you don’t view them as blessings, than you need different collaborators). It’s not about relinquishing power to the musical director or choreographer or film maker or costume designer or prop designer or actors or band, but about imparting your vision to them, igniting their imaginations by telling them you want it to look like an Al Hirshfeld caricature come to life, that it’s a simultaneous parody of and love song to the Broadway Musical.

And as daunting as directing a musical is, particularly when you have three weeks to do it, it’s still directing. And directing, in the Julie Congress dictionary is:

1. Having a clear vision you can impart to others
2. Asking the right questions
3. The ability to inspire your collaborators

Written by Julie Congress

Where have we been?

2009-06-05T21:04:00.005-04:00

I know it has been a while since No. 11 has attend to its blog. So, I will update you on our goings on. Last week, on May 30, No. 11 celebrated its one year anniversary with Seaport the Arts, a fundraiser featuring scenes from many of No. 11's shows, and a whole variety of other acts.

The evening was directed by Julie Congress and Ryan Emmons, and hosted by myself and the former Miss Delaware Becky Bledsoe. Justin Mathews played jazz guitar during the cocktail hour. The No. 11 founders performed any opening number highlighting the five producitons we have put up in the past year. John Bambery performed "You Don't Know Me" accompanied by Dylan Glathorn. Ryan Emmons and Jackie Byrne performed a scene from Lysistrata. Rebecca McRae, Susan Philipp, Brooke Whitfield, and Brittany Whitmoyer of bnw:dance performed individual dances around a ghost light. Haley Greenstein sang a lovely version of "Meadow Lark." Mitchell Conway, Jackie Byrne, and Jen Neads performed a scene from Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. Sarah Congress sang a hilarious rendition of "Ooh! My Feet!" Julie Congress, Mitchell Conway, Haley Greenstein, and Simon Gunner performed the "Anything Goes" dance from Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass. Co-host Becky Bledsoe sang "Loves Changes Everything." Julie Congress, Mitchell Conway, Haley Greenstein, and Jackie Byrne performed a scene from Mythunderstood. Katie McSherry sang "The Spark of Creation." Then accompaniest for the evening Brian Walters brought on his band raised.FOR.radio to perform Billy Joel covers "The Entertainer," "You May Be Right," and "Miami 2017." Adam Lerman performed his original monologue "The Sound of Reporting: The Beginning of the Universe." Ryan Emmons sang a song from The Elephant Man - The Musical, accompanied by Rebecca Greenstein. Then Neil Berg (Broadway Composer of Grumpy Old Men, Prince and the Pauper, and The Man Who Would be King) accompanied Bridget Collins and Rita Harvey (Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof) on some numbers.

Whew!

We had a great audience turnout and a really fun time! We felt very supported and very eager to keep creating theatre.

We'll try to keep you better updated. Next week we go to Saratoga Springs to perform Mythunderstood in the SaratogaArtsFest!

Mitch

Rave review for JET OF BLOOD OR THE BALL OF GLASS

2009-03-02T12:06:00.001-05:00

Check out what nytheatre.com has to say about our current production:

http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/frigid_rev2009.php?0=S&1=638

Jet of Blood in Time Out New York!

2009-02-26T12:03:00.006-05:00

Check out the article on No. 11's Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass online at Time Out New York's Upstaged Section.

Also, read Nytheatre Mike's interview about the project with Julie Congress here.

And don't miss Ryan Emmons' interview with the newspaper Community Life.

Experience not Performance

2009-01-13T11:44:00.001-05:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

To the Esteemed Delegation,

My hopes are high for 2009. In a week, we will be seeing in a new president and much needed change. I also sense a new artistic breeze stirring, one that I hope turns into a full storm, again of much needed change.

I firmly believe that one of the main roles of art is to allow the spectator to see the world through a new set of eyes, through a different perspective. To broaden perceptions creates acceptance and understanding. We have lived through eight years of feeling morally superior to the world, and that is unhealthy. The moment you place yourself above another, the moment you assume that you know what is right for someone else better than they know what is right for themselves, is the moment when violence and hatred are allowed to blossom.

Last week, I reviewed the interactive Iraq War simulation/performance Surrender. For four hours, I was literally put in the U.S. Army issued boots of another person. For four hours, I saw the world through eyes that were not my own. I cannot stop thinking about this experience. And though I did not see Kirk Wood Bromley’s new untitled play, I have talked to Critic Martin Denton extensively about his experience seeing it. While he was not issued a replica rifle and put through basic training as I was, Denton nonetheless left the theatre feeling ravaged and defiled by a play that did not just show him an experience but put him through it as well.

Experience. I wrote that word three times in the last paragraph, not because of shoddy proofreading, but because there was no other word to use. ‘Experience’ is a very powerful artistic tool, and one I hope will be part of this new theatrical wave I perceive.

Here is my challenge to the artistic community (first and foremost to my own company, No. 11 Productions): Do not just show the audience a new world or a new perspective, let them feel it, be completely engaged in it. Make it an experience. Take them on the journey with you. It does not have to be done as literally as in Surrender (although I sure would love to take part in more theatre like it). I believe there are a multitude of means to this end yet to be explored, and that is very exciting.

We have only had two rehearsals for our upcoming production of Artaud’s Jet of Blood. But they have been incredibly energizing and fruitful. I hope that when all is said and done, Jet of Blood will be an Experience not a Performance.

Written by Julie Congress

Attacking the audience?

2009-01-07T20:56:00.014-05:00

The Conway Corner

The staged readings of Aurolac Blues by Saviana Stanescu and Self at Hand by Jack Hanley on Monday night at Manhattan Repertory Theatre went well...except that an audience member fainted and an ambulance had to be called in the middle of the performance. During the second part of Self at Hand called Tastes Like Robot, I was reading a particularly gruesome passage involving a man refilling with peanut butter a section of his leg that he had cut out, when I heard the rustle of a metal chair from the audience. Unsure of what happened in the dark in front of me I continued reading for a moment. Then I heard a voice say we had to stop. We brought up the house lights and indeed someone had collapsed from their seat.

The audience member is fine, don't worry. But we were all quite concerned at the time. After regaining consciousness, he dry heaved into a bucket for a while, so it was hard to tell exactly what had happened to him. He was then moved to the hallway, where his condition worsened, and it was determined that it was necessary to call an ambulance.

Self at Hand is a play that makes the most callous listener squeamish. Its vivid poetic language is as outright gross as it is deeply metaphoric. I perhaps expected a few audience members to leave during this play, but I certainly did not expect it to overwhelm someone's capacity to remain conscious.

After a discussion between Martin Denton and the two playwrights to distract attention from the emergency situation, we continued the reading where we left off, with the peanut butter. Ryan was accompanying the audience member onto the ambulance, so I jumped into his role in the final part of Self at Hand.

Since No. 11 is beginning its next endeavor, Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass by Antonin Artaud, an advocate of the audience's visceral involvement in the work of theatre, a Theatre of Cruelty, often interrupted and implemented as attacking the audience, the real question at hand for me is when an audience ought to be attacked and to what extent. Certainly, aiming to make an audience member faint on its own is not a worthwhile objective, but when would it be justified to make an audience faint? Outside of New York City, there are possibly those who, as an audience to the way Ryan cradled his boyfriend in his arms after he fainted, would themselves faint. Should such a scene be presented to such an audience? Women wearing corsets used to faint whenever they ascend a flight of stairs. Ought one to make such a women ascend many flights of stairs in order to make clear the absurdity of the device restricting their breathing? Artaud does not have a social agenda such as these examples present, rather more of a spiritual and cultural agenda. But, the question reapplied to the context of the Self at Hand reading bares asking, and of course one would respond, "well, people should see what they want to see, but not be made to see anything they aren't interested in seeing." Of course I can't force all of New York City to come see No. 11's plays. Although if I had the means...

I guess we are banking on those unsuspecting few, who stumble into the theatre for a night of fun, and wind up having an experience they were not interested in having. They will be most affected. I cannot help but wonder whether theatre that pushes boundaries isn't aimed at those accidental few, rather than those who are accustomed to its ideas. Maybe theatre isn't for theatre-goers? Ought one's gag reflex to be jostled by an unfamiliar stimulus, such as a description of peanut butter spread into a wound? I don't think the audience member wanted to faint. Nor would most. But nor does the corset wearing woman at the stop of the stairs, yet she will faint following her routine ascension of the staircase. It requires our proposed incessant ascension for her to remove her corset out of fear of death. Will she love her protruding stomach because it is her savior, or maintain the attitude she bore towards it when she wore the corset? She would most likely only adopt the attitude of acceptance if the experience of multiple ascensions was prompted by her own interest in being involved in it. But there remains a possibility she will love her stomach after the multiple ascensions, were she to accidentally be required to ascend many a' stair. So, ought Self at Hand to be performed for an audience member, given that it will make him faint and he'll have to leave in an ambulance? I think it may be contingent upon the coinciding objective of the performance...

But I've run into some difficulty here, and I think you'll see why. There is a collision between someone's free choice what is good for them. I would not necessary say that Self at Hand was good for the audience member who fainted. He would most likely say it was gross and he wishes he hadn't gone to the reading. But what would the audience member say to the hypothetical woman who faint when she saw him and Ryan embracing, and wishes she hadn't gone to the reading? I'm not saying the audience member ought to become accustomed to descriptions of bodily mutilation by enduring many evenings of fainting. But, should the visceral experience of violence lead to a new discovery, then it may be justified. Not actual violence...we won't go there. In the realm of art, is revolution possible and justifiable? The vicarious investment in an affective experience, by the accidental few who do not expect it, may lead to an unpleasant public loss of consciousness, but there is also the possibility it could lead to a woman accepting her belly fat. Hmm...is it worth the fall? To be honest, I'm not sure yet. A definitive component of our current culture is prevention: insurance, preemptive war, enhanced security, etc. So, especially in the context of such emphasis on surety, I think the theatre could use a little of the unexpected.

Written by Mitchell Conway

What Makes an Actor Good?

2009-01-05T13:51:00.005-05:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

To the General Assembly,

To grow as an artist, it is important to be perpetually questioning and reexamining one’s craft. Unfortunately, this sort of discussion seems to have little place once one graduates from their particular Institution of Learning. It is the aim of No. 11 Productions to be continually learning and growing, so please give me leave to wax [semi-]eloquently on the question: “What makes an actor good?” My list is nowhere near complete, but I hope that my compatriots at No. 11 and you, dear readers, will add to this discussion.

What Makes an Actor Good?

Talent – You can’t rule it out, some people are innately gifted, and while good actors become better through training and experience, some degree of talent is necessary.
Versatility – While the Tom Cruises and other mega-celebrities of this world can make a living playing themselves on the screen, a good actor, in my mind, should be able to play many parts. You should see the character on the stage/screen not the actor.
Collaboration – As a director, I would rather cast someone I want to work with than someone who is uber-talented but brings nothing to the ensemble. The ability to work as part of a group, to bring ideas and energy to the project, and put the production over oneself is one of the most important features an actor can have.
Control/Proprioception – Not only must a good actor have control over their physicality and voice, but they must always be in command of themselves on stage. Yes, we must be the character and be caught up in the world of the play, but a small part of the actor must always be watching what is going on. Proprioception, according to Wikipedia, “is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body.” Proprioception is how we can move our feet even if we are not looking at them. It is a function of the brain that an actor must have to an extended degree. We must be in the moment onstage, but our actor-proprioception allows us to also know what is going on with the audience and with our fellow actors. Without this, an actor can become dangerously immersed in the character and lose sight of the fact that they are acting, which can be perilous for those onstage with them. No matter how immersed in a character and the given circumstances, we still have to pull our punches.
Humanity – To paraphrase Stanislavsky, even if you are playing an evil character, it is the responsibility of the actor to find what is good about him. The job of an actor is not to judge their character, but to embrace them, faults and all. To find the good in a character, to understand how humans work, and to want to create life is essential to a good performance.
Energy/Passion/Charisma – To create life, you need energy. Scientists say energy cannot be created or destroyed, so an actor must be able to find within him/herself that fervor that will not only catch an audience’s eyes but will invigorate and enliven everyone and everything around them. You can tell when an actor loves what they are doing and it is contagious and exciting.
Dedication/Hard Work – As an actor, you will experience these rare, magical moments where something inexplicably wonderful happens and you are greater than yourself. But there is no recipe for this, and you cannot rely on it happening. What you can do is work hard, continue to train, and be constantly open to learning and growing.
Good Attitude – Theatre is a highly collaborative art form. An actor must be receptive to the director, to the ensemble, and to the project. There is a reason we rehearse so much, it is to make the production and the performances stronger and stronger and the actor must be excited, not resistant, to this process.
Openness – A good actor has an open mind, an open heart, and an open soul.

Written by Julie Congress

No. 11 in 2009

2008-12-26T15:23:00.005-05:00

No. 11 Productions is celebrating its first holiday season! Here’s a quick rundown of what this 8-month-old company accomplished this year and what is on the roster for 2009.

2008

Received the first ever Stephanie Mnookin Grant from Skidmore College
Debuted in the SaratogaArtsFest with an original adaptation of Lysistrata
Presented the world premiere of We Three in the Capital Fringe Festival and FringeNYC, garnering some great reviews from DC Theatre Scene and nytheatre.com
Collaboratively created a beautiful shadow play called Claire and the Ornithological Shadow, receiving another great review from nytheatre.com and piquing the interest of the Jim Henson Foundation
We launched a website, a monthly email newsletter, a swell blog, a facebook group, recorded 2 podcasts, and conducted 1 late night radio interview
Organized an extensive reading series (11 Celebrates 10) celebrating 10 years of the Plays and Playwrights anthology series with readings of 9 plays at 8 different venues

2009

We’re performing Artaud’s Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass in the Frigid Festival
3 more readings as part of our 11 Celebrates 10 series
Currently applying to the Capital Fringe Festival, Berkshire Fringe, and maybe FringeNYC
Post video clips of past and upcoming productions on our website and youtube
Hoping to become a non-profit
We can’t officially announce our spring show yet – but if all goes according to plan it will be killer!
There’s also a murder mystery on our horizon
Make this blog a premier source of theatre discussion for actors, directors, students, and theatre lovers alike

It has been an amazing, busy, wonderful 8 months for us. When we began No. 11 we vowed to be constantly producing work and I think we’ve met the goal. There have been growing pains, of course, and our numbers have diminished. But rest assured that we are small but mighty, our energy and enthusiasm is uncontainable, and 2009 is going to be our year!

Written by Julie Congress

Claire and the Ornithological Shadow

2008-12-15T11:17:00.004-05:00

Claire and the Ornithological Shadow is a hit! Read our terrific review here:

http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/showpage.php?t=clai7582

And never fear, you've still got two chances to see this innovative new work!

Friday and Saturday, December 19th and 20th at 8pm.
The Bushwick Starr (207 Starr Street, Brooklyn NY 11237)
Only $11

We look forward to seeing you there!

Time Out

2008-12-11T00:10:00.000-05:00

Claire and the Ornithological Shadow is listed in Time Out New York.

Rush to your local newsstand and see for yourself.

Train-ing

2008-11-29T11:01:00.001-05:00

Thursday, I took the Amtrak to Washington, DC. To pass the three and a half hour trip, I sewed part of the feather dress that is worn in Claire and the Ornithological Shadow.

The young woman sitting next to me immediately asked me what I was doing. To be fair, I had anticipated working with 7 yards of fabric and two enormous boas of turkey feathers would be something of a conversation starter. I explained that I was sewing the sleeve of a costume. She told me that it looked great and asked if I’d considered glitter. She said she didn’t know anything about costumes, but she thought that on the stage everything should be bright and sparkly. I apologized repeatedly to her for getting specks of feather on her black wool coat, but she told me repeatedly that she loved it and even asked me for a full feather as a souvenir.

Then the conductor came by and hovered over me. I was sure I was going to get in trouble for the glinting, razor sharp sewing shears sitting on my tray. The conductor said: “You makin’ a dress?” I nodded, still mentally picturing my scissors being confiscated and myself kicked off the moving train. “Looks good” she said and moved on.

My next visitor was a pleasant, ancient woman from two rows behind me. “I’m so fascinated by what you are doing!” she exclaimed, “tell me, is that a sleeve?” I said yes which sent her rejoicing. “Oh, I told my husband that was a sleeve! Tell me, what is this for?” I explained that it was a costume for a play I was doing in Brooklyn. She replied: “That’s so lovely! Well, I won’t keep you. But I just wanted to tell you that the sleeve is beautiful and I’m sure I’ll read about your play in the paper!”

This is my first time creating a dress from scratch and I am a little nervous about it. However, I can happily report that everyone on the train loves the dress! I had several other lovely people comment on my work. My seat mate has plans to see the show.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and it was wonderful to spend it artistically productive and part of such a charming, art-enthused, friendly community. I can’t wait for my return trip tomorrow!

Written by Julie Congress

Thanks For Theatre

2008-11-28T16:16:00.002-05:00

With thanksgiving come and gone I wanted to write, perhaps a bit self indulgently, about how thankful I am to be a theatre artist. On Thursday, I am on my way to Waterbury Connecticut with fellow company member and collaborator Julie Congress. This trip brings three blessings. First, I get to work with high school students. In case you did not know, I have a real passion for working with young theatre artists, there is a vibrancy and life to young artists that I find inspiring and motivational. Second, I get to direct the festival showcase production, which will be a challenging and professional experience. I’ve been given a room with an attached living area in case I want to have meetings. Third, and perhaps misplaced in my list of thanks, I get to collaborate with Julie! It is rare to find someone with whom you can co-direct and both end up feeling really proud of the finished product. Julie and I have the ability to create a unified vision and then see it to it’s completion. A recipe for success that I am of course grateful for.

That is only one thing. There are other things as well. That you should know about! For instance we have a reading on Dec. 1^st of a play called The Resurrectionist. We are reading the play with English accents, which is really fun. It is also an adventure story, which is doubly fun. Then of course we have our opening of Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. The more I have been thinking about it the more I think it is really going to be an excellent venture. I feel lucky that I am in a position where I can produce risky, new, experimental work. I am not sure on the commercial success of the productions. It does not really fit the formula for large monetary gain…it is an unknown play, it is playing in Brooklyn, No. 11 Productions is still a very new company, we have not gotten the kind of press that we wore hoping for (yet). That being said, it is still an admirable example of theatre as powerful art. The play is simple and beautiful, which is ideally perhaps how we should live our lives…simply and beautifully. I am not sure about that one but it makes sense to me today.

Alright, thank you so much for reading and caring and caring to read. I hope you have not read this entry to carefully, I ramble. I wish everyone the best of weekends and I will write again soon. To the simple and beautiful life!

Written by Ryan Emmons

Rehearsal Photos

2008-11-26T23:18:00.004-05:00

Here are a few rehearsal photos from Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. These scenes take place in the shadow portion of the show:

BLOG CPR

2008-11-24T16:00:00.001-05:00

Step 1. CALL

Check the victim for unresponsiveness.

Readers? Hello? Hold on, hang in there, more postings are on the way. We have gotten carried away with our production of Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. Building the set and folding dozens of paper birds have taken away from our more frequent Blogging practices. Not to fear, balance is to be found. I’ve been looking for it for 5 months now and I feel like I am on the cusp of it. That is not to say that I feel like I am even close to achieving balance in my life, but I do feel like I am learning. Learning how to deal with a day job, a theatre company and a personal life. There is no question that it is a lot to juggle and that it is a problem many young (and perhaps older) theatre artists face. I wish I could provide an answer to a schedule that involves working from 9-5, rehearsing from 7-10, and still getting in personal time. It is a riddle.

Step 2. BLOW

Tilt the head back and listen for breathing.

Alright, perhaps this is more depressing then resuscitating, so I will move on. Claire and the Ornithological Shadow has kicked into high gear. With only ten more rehearsals left, the show is finally starting to click in that really magical way that perhaps only theatre artists know about. We should be putting some pretty exciting production photos on our website soon so that you can get a sneak peek into just how remarkable this production is going to be. This is me, gently blowing all of you into the theatre to share in this unique theatrical experiment.

Step 3. PUMP

If the victim is still not breathing normally, coughing or moving, begin chest compressions.

So get up, come out, and allow yourself to be moved by the ability of a young woman and a shadow to change their existence for the better. This is the first piece that No. 11 Productions has created as an ensemble and we are very proud of this original work. It is a risky piece of theatre, yet it is also simple and beautiful. The character that Samantha has created is by far her strongest work with the company and the precision and specificity of Mitchell is unparalleled in any of our previous work. The shadow puppets designed by Jen Neads are skillfully made and professional. Obviously I am PUMPING up the show…shamelessly. I am proud of what we have created and I am certain that when you see it, our slight BLOG hiatus will be forgiven. If not, at least you will have had an uplifting and not so expensive night of theatre.

It should be known that I am not certified in CPR, but that was my best attempt!

Written by Ryan Emmons

On Hope and Guidance

2008-11-06T15:29:00.004-05:00

CONGRESS IN SESSION

To the Fair Assembly of this Great United States,

Two pivotal events occurred this week, one great and one small, but both endowing me with new vigor and belief.

First was the monumental election of Senator Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. I am an avid supporter of this dynamic gentleman and was thrilled to be on the streets of New York City amid cheers and honking when McCain’s concession was announced. This campaign was really something special. For the first election in my lifetime, there were ways for the everyday citizen to get involved other than just giving money (to go into the pockets of the television network giants).

It occurred to me, while watching Obama’s acceptance speech, that maybe this incredible national involvement will not end. Prior to now, I have assumed that the involvement of the typical US citizen in this representative democracy does not extend past voting and paying taxes. It has suddenly dawned on me that perhaps there is more. Perhaps we the people will play a role, should we accept it, beyond casting our ballot and be a part of the Great Change. I am 22 years old and this is the first time I have really felt proud, and excited, to be an American.

The second encouraging event of the week occurred last night, when Ryan Emmons (New Jersey-D) and I met our beloved teacher and mentor, Marie, for drinks and discussion. For four years, Marie guided, pushed, challenged, and encouraged us and I am so grateful that, though we have graduated, she is still just as much in our lives. With her usual no-nonsense insight, she has helped me see the path again in terms of our company, the current play, and reaching my dreams. Talking with her has reminded me how simple it all is. If something isn’t working, don’t keep slamming your head against it or looking around vaguely for an answer, just go to the source and find what caused it and fix that.

So thank you, Barack and Marie, for allowing me to see how to make the change we need.

Written by Julie Congress

Congress In Session

2008-10-29T13:14:00.002-04:00

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to express a few views on the importance, and randomness, of inspiration.

Throughout school, an artist, of any discipline, is continually told to learn about all of the arts. As a director, it is important for me to have a solid grounding in music, dance, and visual art. That does not mean I have to have a proficiency in any of these subjects, but it is important to know about them. Why?

As I have argued previously, I believe theatre to be one of the highest art forms because it holds the potentiality to incorporate all of the other arts. Is a set not a painting? Is blocking not moving sculpture? Thus, if theatre includes other art forms, then one must know about them so as to have a bank to draw from.

Why else? You never know what is going to excite your imagination. A year ago, I saw some German Expressionist woodcuts. A few months later, Ryan Emmons, my colleague from New Jersey, and I decided to direct a high school production of Bat Boy: The Musical in the Expressionist style.

Currently, No. 11 Productions is creating an original play, entitled Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. At any early rehearsal, we gave Samantha Hooper-Hamersley (New Jersey – D) a wooden bird that happened to be in the apartment and told her to create a short scene with it. How could we know that this would so spur all of our imaginations? How could we know that birds (and ornithology) would become a central element to the piece? It is amazing to me how large a role luck and chance have in the creation of a work of art.

This is why an artist must be constantly observing, constantly noticing new things. An artist must surround him or herself with the unusual and creative and that goes for objects, people, and ideas.

I do not pretend to know where ideas come from. In my mind, they are rather magical. You cannot seek out inspiration or force it to happen, but you can follow what interests you and be a constant observer, detective, and student. Whenever Twyla Tharp starts a project, she just researches whatever interests her. She calls this “scratching.” As an artist, one must be constantly scratching. An artist must know about all of the arts, keep interesting company around, engage in stimulating conversation, and have new experiences. To put it plainly, an artist will be inspired creatively if they life to the fullest.

Written by Julie Congress

Ryan's Feelings

2008-10-27T16:44:00.000-04:00

Halloween is in 4 days. I’m counting. It’s always been my favorite holiday for one reason or another. Surely when I was younger it was because I knew there were pillowcases of candy coming my way. A bit later in life it became an excellent excuse to throw a fun party, themed with the undead or homicidal hippies. Then came the phase where I tried to create the most impressive Halloween display on the street complete with fog machine and strobe light (I know, it’s a bit much). No matter when, what was always at the heart of it was an opportunity to be creative in an uninhibited way.

Halloween, as it exists in America today, is an excuse for people to have fun and express themselves in a non-traditional way. It’s a day people use to put on the costume of a hero or to dress like a sexy pirate. As winter slowly approaches, it gives people one last hurrah before the deep freeze. It’s also one of the only days of the year where we, as a society, create something and then walk around to display work. Very few people I know simply buy a costume from a store, rather they invent and fashion themselves something that is unique. Four days before Halloween, people are thinking creatively, asking themselves What am I going to be. What is the best way to carve my pumpkin this year? How can I add to the yard display?

I don’t mean to suggest that these are consuming questions that everybody thinks about, let’s be real, there are lots of people who don’t think about Halloween at all. I do suggest, however, that there is something in the air around Halloween that I find inspiring. There is something amidst the leaves changing, the cool air and the hot sun that picks me up and urges me to enjoy. To create something beautiful. To be silly. To embrace spooky. To have fun. Four days left and I still don’t know what I am going to be.

11 Be or Not 11 Be

2008-10-25T12:21:00.001-04:00

As you know, we had our first reading of our reading series (11 Celebrates 10) on Monday! The play was called Out To Lunch by Joseph Langham, and we read at Under St. Marks.

Before I talk about the performance, which I will, I wanted to point out something else. Something that I hope continues throughout our reading series. It was truly inspiring and fun to work with other young theatre artists with similar aspirations and goals in creating theatre. At our rehearsal for the reading there was energy and excitement about this relatively unknown play. There was also a sense of play and silliness that I think can be lost in a world that often seems to be every theatre company for itself. This reading went beyond that and was simply about people wishing to create theatre collaboratively. Of course this project was low stakes and the artistic commitment was on a much smaller scale than attempting a full production. When something becomes a larger commitment, that is when it seems people need to stay true to their own company. That is when actors and directors and designers become territory that is not ready to be lent out like a library book. I’m in no way condemning this, I act in a similar way…I just wonder if an inter-company loan system might benefit us all.

The reading itself went well. We had a good sized audience, the playwright was there we had a talk back that opened up the play in new ways and shed some light on theatre and art in this day and age. The entire evening was very fun, again there was a lightness and an honesty to what everyone was doing that made this an enjoyable experience for all. Even more exciting was that this became an opportunity for theatre artists to talk about the political nature of theatre, the power of theatre and what needs to be done in theatre as we move forward in our world today. I felt like I was a student in a small café in France right before the revolution. Certainly with our country, economy and lives where they are, an artistic revolution is necessary. We are on the cusp of great change, for better or for worse, and we need to be prepared to reach out and also listen to the pulse of our country and then, like any good actor would do, react.

Written by Ryan Emmons

Direct Consequences

2008-10-16T12:38:00.005-04:00

As a director, every production you tackle is a different. Currently, I am co-directing (with Ryan, the Kander to my Ebb) No.11 Productions’ original play Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. After last night’s lackluster rehearsal, I feel I need to remind myself what it means to be a good director. Here’s what I think (and please, feel free to comment or disagree or question this, I would love to make this a discussion).

A director…

Is organized and creates a focused rehearsal atmosphere that fosters ideas, growth, and play.
Determines blocking and provides the creative team with a sturdy structure.
Is keeper of the vision, creates the world of the play.
Inspires the actors and creative team to do their best and makes sure no one feels slighted.
Ensures that all of the elements create a cohesive production.
Is never afraid to try an idea.
Asks questions and provokes the imagination of the creative team.
Is confident in their ideas and vision (without being closed off to suggestions).
Finds the means to create onstage what they imagine in their head.
Pays attention to every detail.
Does his/her homework and researches all aspects of a show.
Does not impose superfluous ideas/devices on a play. Every artistic decision should bring out and enhance what lies in the script.
Acts for the good of the production.

Claire and the Ornithological Shadow has been a very different directing experience for me. First off, there’s no script. We’re creating this from scratch through the rehearsal process. Previously as a director, the script was my measuring stick and my source of inspiration, now the “script” is an amorphous idea I have to discover. Secondly, there are two directors and two actors. That’s a very odd proportion for me. And we’re rehearsing in our apartments, not a studio. And we’re all really good friends. It’s a weird rehearsal atmosphere and one we haven’t fully adjusted to. Thirdly, and what needs to be addressed most urgently, I’m not sure if we’re all on the same page. The world of the play exists in my mind, but, without a script, it is very difficult to know if the rest of the team sees it the same way. As directors working without a script, Ryan and I have to be all the more eloquent and clear in painting the landscape on which our terrific actors will play.

Don’t fear we’ve got two months to work out the kinks before the play opens and I know it is going to be great when it does. I in no way am casting any disparity on the gang at No. 11, they are wonderful! I just know that personally, as an ever-growing artist, I’ve still got a lot to learn and discover about this powerful, delicate craft called directing.

Written by Julie Congress

11 Be or Not 11 Be

2008-10-14T14:59:00.003-04:00

Last night, Mitch and I, the resident Night Owls of No. 11 Productions, were interviewed on the radio! Actor Paul Newport hosts a segment called “Acting Up” and last night, or, rather, this morning at around 2am, we were on live talking about our upcoming reading series (11 Celebrates 10), our company, and our upcoming original production: Claire and the Ornithological Shadow.

It was my first experience ‘going live on the air’ and I will say I was rather nervous about it. However, Paul Newport is a real swell fella and an excellent interviewer, and it was a very fun and exciting venture. Our segment was part of the Teddy Smith show on WPAT AM 930. They’re gonna send us a copy and we should have it uploaded onto our website soon (for our loyal fans who did not happen to stay up until 2am to listen to us).

Here at No. 11 Productions we are working hard to get this company moving and exciting events, such as this radio interview, are starting to bring us some legitimacy. We’ve got a very full, varied, and thoroughly awesome Winter Season planned. Here’s the Reader’s Digest version:

11 Celebrates 10 reading series – No. 11 Productions will be celebrating the 10 years of the Plays and Playwrights Series of Anthologies by reading 9 plays and 8 venues. See our homepage for details. And it’s FREE!
Claire and the Ornithological Shadow – An original shadow play we’re creating at the very moment. Dec. 12, 13, 19, 20 @ 8pm and Dec. 14 @ 2pm. Venue: The Bushwick Starr.
Jet of Blood or the Ball of Glass by Antonin Artaud – Our take on this unbelievable play by the father of Theatre of Cruelty. Presented as part of the FRIGID Festival in late February and early March.

So that’s our update. If you didn’t receive our newsletter and would like to, email us at no.11productions@gmail.com.

We’re going places!

Written by Julie Congress

A Beckett Full of Wine or Albee Alright in a Weill (formally Morning)

2008-10-11T20:22:00.001-04:00

My day job is at a children’s arts enrichment facility. The children I work with range from 6 months to five years old. Children this young obviously have a very small vocabulary and communication is a challenge. You can tell a group of 2 year olds to come sit down twenty times and they do not understand, but if you sing it once “everybody over here and sit right down” their heads turn and they understand what they need to do.

A friend of mine told me the other day that if you hear a song and then 10 years later you hear the same song, most people will remember the music. Even if you read a story or are told a story 10 times, it is very likely that you will not remember it in 10 years. This is why I can watch re-runs of “CSI” or “Law and Order” and have no idea how they are going to end. Music has the ability to go beyond the intellectual experience and physically move its listeners. As musical notes and chords vibrate through our bones we are physically changed by that experience. We understand. We are forced to feel something. A person cannot be physically shaken and remain apathetic to what they have been moved by.

This is why I think the American Musical has a place beyond mere entertainment. When I talk to people about musical theatre there is a stigma that suggests it is not real art or that it is simply entertainment. But with the potential to have such a lasting and powerful effect, it is also an area of theatre that has the ability to create lasting change and hope. That’s what a musical like Oklahoma! did. It gave soldiers going off to war a reminder of the beautiful and incredible country they were fighting for. It left them with a lasting image of hope, freedom and the life they were fighting to preserve.

Ride on the subway or sit in a doctor’s waiting room and listen. Music is inherent in our world, it’s all around us. Nature, machines, our bodies all make rhythms and sounds. A musical should not be a weird land where people break out into song for no good reason, it should be a celebration of the world we live in. When life takes a person to a point where they no longer can express themselves in words – that is when the musical form becomes necessary. If that feeling can be transmitted with music, absorbed into an audiences bones, then it becomes more than theatre…it becomes an experience. Suddenly the audience has literally felt the vibrations of despair or ecstasy. They have shared a monumental moment with another human being. This is the type of experience that can be unforgettable.

This is not to suggest that I think most audiences have the intelligence of a 6 month old and therefore need music to understand a play. But I do believe that there is something unbelievably powerful and lasting that can be experienced through musical theatre.

Written by: Ryan Emmons

The Conway Corner

2008-10-07T20:22:00.005-04:00

I went to another scam today.

At 7:00 at night, on the 12th floor of 500 8th avenue, I arrive at "One Source Talent" because I received a call from someone who had somehow received my information, and said they may be interested in representing me. I was told I would meet with the office director, Temur, and that my invite number was 34294. They even called in the middle of the day today to confirm I would be coming to meet Temur. The twelfth floor has a hallway with a number of people lining it, waiting outside of suite 1210, with a sign next to the door that says "One Source Talent." In addition to people my age, there a number of mothers there with young children.

Now, I thought this was a scam going into it. I got a funny feeling from the phone call. I am confused by the large number of people, but the sign looks somewhat legitimate, being three dimensional and mildly shiny. A man opens the door and says to line up so we can begin. I wait, then receive a clip board with an application on it from that man. The clipboard was lined up with a pile of clipboards along the front desk of this office, which is a gross pale yellow. I am directed down a hallway, past a strange room containing a children's table and chairs, a room with a man sitting at the desk wearing a black scarf and grinning at me as I walk by, and another little office with a desk, until I get to a large screening area with a TV playing some movie. A woman in the screening area directs me to take a seat along with a number of other people and fill out the form I've been given. I'm hesitant about how much information to give, since I suspect some funny business, but the form asks no more information then you could get from my facebook profile. Below my personal information is a little paragraph, stating that "I, in good faith, am present with the objective of finding representation for myself as an actor/model..." or something weird like that. The 'in good faith' was weird, and there was also a clause at the bottom, saying I "consented to be filmed and/or photographed" during the screening process.

The movie playing in this screening room has the volume blaring, and my hearing is quite poor, so if I thought it was loud it must have been damn loud. I ask the woman if I could turn down the volume and she says, "not now." That's the same tactic the scientologists used when I talked to them in the subway and I asked for them to explain how the 'theaton meter' works. "We can talk about that later," the woman said, moving on to discuss why I need to buy the book Dianetics. There is never a 'later.'

I sign at the end of this paragraph with my real name, but using a different signature then I normally use just to be careful. I hand the clipboard to the woman at the front of the room and sit back down. Now, I know that this is a scam at this point. There is little doubt in my mind. I feel like I'm wasting my time. It was stupid of me to go there in the first place after I suspected something from the phone call. So, I walk up to the woman, who is now joined at her side by the man who had been grinning from the desk in the first office, and I say, "Listen, is this a legitimate thing? If this is a scam, just tell me now and I'll leave, because I'm going to be very angry if I find out that it is." To which she responds, somewhat nervously, but keeping her cool, "no, this is real." After which the grinning man says, "if you aren't comfortable waiting, then just leave now." To which I say "no, I'm fine waiting." He gives me a quite frightening fake smile beyond his standard plastered-on-grin and I return to my seat.

I think about what I can do in this situation. I could yell to this whole room, over the blasting movie, that this is a scam and they should leave now. I could go up to each person and tell them, so the woman at the front does not hear me saying it. But, before I can keep thinking, the woman has already called me next. There were a number of people who had hand in their clipboard a duration before I hand in mine, but apparently I deserved to skip the line. I watched the grinning man walk out of the room I was about to enter, grin at me, and he is followed by a quite young man, of about fourteen, who asks me to come inside. A girl of around seventeen is also in the room, and they ask me to stand against a wall which has measuring tape on it. The boy says, "five feet ten inches," which he writes on my clipboard, and then the girl takes my picture. Then the girl says, "is this phone number the best way to reach you?" "Yes, that should be fine," I say, thinking of what an idiot I am for even putting down my real phone number. Then the boy says, "Okay, we'll be in touch." I walk slowly out of the office, plotting how to deal with the situation. People notice how exceptionally slow I'm walking, and the man who gave me the clipboard at the start asks, "are you alright?" "Yes, I'm fine," I say, actually quite upset. I stroll, still slowly, out of the office, and stand thinking in the hallway for a few minutes. Maybe I should go back in and ask for Temur. Was the grinning man Temur? I showed up fifteen minutes early, did that mean I joined the cattle call group when in fact I should have waited until 7:00 for the time of my appointment? Then I could have really confronted someone about this! Or now, I could still go back to that screening room and start yelling. But, realizing there was nothing logically I could do, because I have no real evidence, I sadly wander to the elevator. A man with a tie arrives next to me waiting by the elevator, and I say to him, "did you think that was a scam?" "What? I work in an office up here," he says confused. Then a well made-up and well dressed girl who looked like she could have been interviewing/auditioning arrives at the elevator. "Did you think that was a scam?" I ask politely. "I work there," she says without smiling. "Oh. Well is it a scam?" I ask with honest accusation dead into her eyes. "No," she says looking at the ground. We ride down the elevator in silence.

I thought of at least twenty clever comments to throw at her, but none of them were really any good because I didn't have much of a basis for seeing this thing as a scam. It has a website, they had that sign out front, and although the office lacked many of the normal decorations of an office there was a feeling about it that was just wrong. There was that strange room with the children's table and chairs that could have been a photography room of some sort. That's what these scams usually do. They say they want you to join up with them and if they are smarter than to just say, "okay, now give us some money to represent you," then they have a more elaborate scheme where they say you need to get a 'comp card' through their photographer in order to start getting work. I went to one of this type of scam before, when I actually got through to a second stage instead of giving myself away as suspicious in the first. Apparently my headshot wasn't good enough, and I needed this other thing. Bullshit, of course.

Anyone know any legal action that can be taken in this sort of situation? Please let me know what you think should be done about this. I intend to keep going to scams until I think of a good way to expose them.

Written by Mitchell Conway

Making Funny Faces

2008-10-07T13:28:00.002-04:00

Walking down the street today, I saw the blind leading the blind. Literally.

I will be sure to post again if I see someone staring at the muzzle of a be-ribboned horse or if I hear any speaking cookware.

Sincerely,
Julie Congress, Purveyor of Maxims

Congress In Session

2008-10-01T23:42:00.001-04:00

To my compatriots:

Allow me to rant for a spell on the importance of community to the arts.

As I wrote previously, Café Cino was the beginning of Off-Off-Broadway. It started as a coffee house for artistic friends to gather, talk, and share.

I am reading a book right now called The Era of German Expressionism. The pages are filled with name after name of the cafes and houses that Kafka, Kokoschka, Conrad Veidt and hundreds of other artists, writers, and actors frequented daily, drinking, arguing, and imagining a new beginning.

At Skidmore College (the ole Alma Mater) there were classes and parties and the theatre department met every Friday to critique, discuss, and present.

The precedent is there, so why isn’t there anywhere like any of these places in New York City??? This is the biggest city in America and it is bustling, brimming, bursting with theatre!

I know the information age has changed things and that there is much “artistic talk” on the Internet. I know there are blogs and discussion groups and informational sites and podcasts and interviews and reviews all at my disposal at the click of a button. And I go to a lot of shows (and occasionally a movie or museum) and I am starting to get to know other people in the biz. But why is there no physical home for it?

I am lucky to have the No. 11-ers and we do engage in a fair amount of artistic musings. But there is a difference between being in dialogue with my company and being in dialogue with a whole community of artists from different backgrounds and with different ideas. Maybe it does exist somewhere and I just haven’t found it yet.

I do believe part of this is jealousy at reading about the incredibly vibrant, stimulating, creative atmosphere of pre-World War I Expressionist Berlin. And part of this is probably some ‘I just graduated from college’ withdrawal. I guess I’m just feeling a little lost and uninspired right even though I am living in a city that should make me feel energized and brilliant and at home.

Community is important to me. I draw much of my energy from being around other artists who are driven and creative and passionate. I hope I can find that non-Internet NYC artist community that I am looking for. And if I can’t, well, then I hope that I can play a role in reviving it from its dormancy.

Written by Julie Congress

Ryan's Feelings

2008-09-28T22:42:00.001-04:00

A few cookies later, I’m back! As you know, I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately…a creative slump if you will. But today several things happened that made me pick up and reinvigorate:

I made crepes
I got a hair cut
I went to a play
I had rehearsal

On point 1 I have never made crepes before and they were delicious, not only for myself but for my friends as well. It always feels good to create something (even food) that people appreciate.

On point 2 it was special because my sister cut my hair and it turned out great. This was the first time I have let her cut my hair (she’s a hair dresser in training) and I’m pleased to say she’s my new hairdresser! Something about the art of cutting hair and the imagery of it inspired me. I have been really interested in the idea that you need to destroy something in order to create something new. Cutting hair seems a perfect and simple example of this concept.

On point 3, the play shall remain nameless because I did not think it was very good. But, even bad theatre can inspire.

On point 4, there comes a time in every rehearsal where the winds change and things start to make a bit of sense. It’s easy to feel like this moment will not come, but my advice is that it will. Keep going. Go see theatre and movies and read books and get your haircut. Life will ultimately inspire and push you in the right direction. This has always been true for me and it is something I easily forget. I hope in writing it down it somehow becomes more certain.

Ryan Emmons