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Submitted by coya.paz on Wed, 09/21/2011 - 10:19am

Flash Interviews

 

originally posted at the DCA Theater's blog on 9/13/11



On Saturday, we took advantage of the DCA Incubator’s prime downtown location to go out onto the street and do some flash interviews. Working in pairs, we set out to ask random people on the street two questions:

1.) Are you an American?

2.) If you could tell 100 people one thing about being an American, what would it be?

The ensemble tried to reach a broad spectrum of people - approaching people of different genders, ages, races, and clothing styles, but with a few exceptions, the answers were pretty consistent. Most people said that being an American meant “Freedom.”

Since then, we’ve been in a frenzy trying to list all of the different things Americans imagine ourselves free to do, and our list just keeps growing and growing. At the same time, we find ourselves debating “the fiction of our national identity.” Because for every freedom we believe we have, we can list example after example where that liberty has been denied or perverted. But perhaps what makes even this contradiction feel particularly American is that the denial of freedom (including due process) feels like a betrayal of what could be: the fundamental promises of the United States. I don’t know. The cynic (and historian) in me thinks that these promises have never really been fulfilled, certainly not for everyone. But the optimist in me still has hope for their potential.

Meanwhile, we’ve also started making a list of real and tangible things we love about the United States, beyond democratic ideals. Some of the things on our list? The World’s Largest Ball of Yarn. Milkshakes. Thai food and Mexican food and sushi on one block. Go Carts. Pop Tarts. Miniature Golf. Dolly Parton.

This isn’t an easy list for us - most of the ensemble have complicated relationships to being “American.” But it is a fun one. Got anything to add? What feels, to you, quintessentially “American?”

And remember, if you want to check out our process as we develop this piece, we have open rehearsals every Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9. Swing by!

 

Tags: 
The Americans
Submitted by coya.paz on Mon, 09/12/2011 - 4:31pm

Beginning with Coya Paz

originally posted at the DCA Theater's blog on 9/2/11

Yesterday was the first rehearsal/workshop for The Americans, a piece that I am working on with Halcyon Theatre as part of the DCA Theater Incubator Series. (Whoa. THAT was a mouthful.) The Americans is an ensemble-driven, interview-based piece that explores national identities in the United States. What does *that* mean? Well… we’ll find out! So far, there’s no real script, and 26 days to put it together. What follows is a reenactment of a post-rehearsal conversation with one of my actors:

Him: So, yeah… I don’t think I realized we were not going to be working with a script.

Me: You know that old joke about the three traumas experienced by immigrants when they get to the United States? 1.) The streets aren’t paved with gold; 2.) The streets aren’t paved at all; and 3.) YOU are expected to pave them? That’s kind of what it’s like to work with me. 1.) The script isn’t made out of gold; 2.) There’s no script at all; and 3.) I expect YOU to write it!

Stay posted if you’re curious about how we start from almost nothing besides a HUGE topic! And rehearsals are OPEN to the public if you want to observe: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9pm.

Tags: 
The Americans
Submitted by coya.paz on Sun, 06/12/2011 - 11:21pm

Get Some Bargain Tickets to Fa$hion. Or Not.

Amores,

When I price my own tickets, I always set them at $15 or under. AND offer a money-back guarantee. Because there are few things that I hate more than paying a boatload of $$$ to see a play that I didn't even like. So when I saw that tickets to Fa$hion, part of Halcyon's Alcyone festival,  were priced at a whopping $25, I had a f-i-t! (And I know, I know... $25 is actually pretty cheap for theatre.) Convo with Tony Adams went something like this:

Me: Why are tickets to this show so $#@&@# expensive?!?!

Tony (being all calm as usual): A couple of reasons. 1.) They are not. And 2.) Tickets include the handling fee that the venue charges.

Me (never really listening to anything anyone says): What the [BEEP]!? How can anyone I know afford to see this play?!

Tony (still calm but possibly rolling his eyes bc convo was not in person): A couple of ways. 1.) Look on hottix and Daily Candy for special deals. 2.) $10 tickets for students and seniors. 3.) $12 tickets for groups of 10 or more 4.) $15 industry rate (industry includes clowns, strippers, graphic designers who make postcards for theatres, ballet dancers, puppeteers, etc) 5.) $18 advance purchase, 6.) $50 for a whole festival pass = $10/show and 7.) $25 for people who decide last minute to come in, aren't students, in a group, or claiming to be artists. Or for people who support the work of Halcyon, and want to just pay up.

I added that last part. Because really, Halcyon is the most diverse theatre company in the city - who's on stage, who's getting produced, what kinds of stories they're telling, etc.  And that might be worth an extra $10. But if it's not, see the play anyway, using one of the bargain strategies above, Okay? And if you hate it, I won't give you your money back, but I will buy you a beer. (*Beer must be redeemed in my company, possibly with a lot of drunken questions about how come you didn't like my play.)

Tags: 
Alcyone11
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