Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Why Every Working Mother (Parent) Needs a Stage Manager by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder
Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder returns to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s Southern Writers’ Project with a new play and a new kid. Follow Elyzabeth in part two of this three part series (find part one here) as she tries to balance rewrites and rehearsals with the challenges of being a working mom on
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Regular Columns
Tlaloc Rivas: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Tlaloc Rivas continues this series. What makes an artistic home? An artistic home is a place where there are opportunities for community-building and for cross-cultural dialogue. There is also the
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Keep the Drama on the Stage by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder
Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder returns to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s Southern Writers’ Project with a new play and a new kid. Follow Elyzabeth in this three part series as she tries to balance rewrites and rehearsals with the challenges of being a working mom on the road. I always try
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl on Tuesday, May 15: Vote for what you want to talk about!
Riffing off the “demand-side” concept that Cheryl Ikemiya talks about in the recent David Dower Friday Phone Call, we at HowlRound want to know what you—the #newplay community on Twitter—want to discuss in this week’s Weekly Howl. Submit and vote on your favorite topics here! And while you’re at it, click on these
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#NEWPLAY TV
A Risky Experiment Live on #NEWPLAY TV Tues, May 15: Hidden Room’s Transatlantic #RoseRage Rehearsal
Austin’s Hidden Room Theatre, Brisbane, Australia’s Anywhere Festival in partnership with #NEWPLAY TV invite you to enjoy a backstage sneak peek of the very first transatlantic rehearsal of Rose Rage. Simply click here to be whisked to a split screen of rehearsal originating from London and from Austin. Watch the Shakespeare
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Microfund for Artists
To Read or Not To Read: The Gamble of Being Reviewed
Do you read reviews? Sure you read the one that everyone posts on your Facebook wall with “congratulations!” next to it. And you know you’re not supposed to read any reviews because “if you believe the good ones you have to believe the bad ones.” (Polly Carl says to never read reviews ever
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City Series
In Defense of Supporting Work by Women: Thoughts from a Loud Mouthed Feminist Theater Girl by Meghan Arnette
I am the founder and producing artistic director of Live Girls! Theater, a company that produces and develops new work by women in Seattle. Since most of my adult life has centered around building this company, I often find myself in the middle of debates about the state of women
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 26: Cheryl Ikemiya
I somehow had the good fortune to spend time on the phone with Cheryl Ikemiya, Senior Program Officer for the Arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, in the middle of a very busy season for the Foundation. They’ve just announced this roster of artists as the inaugural class of
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 25: Braden Abraham
Braden Abraham, Associate Artistic Director of Seattle Repertory talks to me as part of the Seattle City Series this week. Contributors have been talking about the Writers’ Group there and here Braden breaks it down a bit for us—why they are doing it, how it works, what they are learning,
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City Series
Asian American Theater in Seattle by Kathy Hsieh
The recent census data reveals that Seattle is one of the “whitest big cities” in the country. Sixty-six percent of the people who completed the census here specified they were White. Interestingly enough, Seattle also has the most diverse zip code in the country. Fifty-nine different languages are spoken in
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City Series
The Evolution of the Icicle Creek Theatre Festival by Allen Fitzpatrick
I came to Seattle in September 2005. Invited to ski in Leavenworth, WA, a lovely town in the foothills of the Cascades two hours from Seattle, I was struck by how perfect the venue was for the kind of innovative, cutting-edge theater work I wanted to do. The following fall I founded
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#NEWPLAY TV
# NEWPLAY TV Video: NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman in Atlanta, Georgia
If you missed today’s live broadcast of National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman speaking from Atlanta, Georgia, you can view it here as well as in the #NEWPLAY TV video archive at newplaytv.info. Feel free to share and embed the video on your own sites, Facebook, and Twitter.
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Regular Columns
Liz Engelman: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Liz Engelman continues this series. What makes an artistic home? An artistic home is where your voice is heard. It’s where you have a seat at the table. It’s where
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City Series
Love Letter to Seattle by Stephanie Timm
Dear Seattle, I confess. I love you. Okay? I do, I love you. My love is bald-faced and blatant. Unabashed, unashamed. You might think it’s reckless of me to admit this, but when it comes to this city, its theater scene and theater artists, I’m a fan, a fanatic, a
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl on Tuesday, May 8: Post-Show Discussions
Join us every Tuesday for our weekly discussion on Twitter using the #newplay hashtag. We’ll kick off the discussion on Tuesday, May 8 from 12pm-1pm PDT /1pm-2pm MDT / 2pm-3pm CDT / 3pm-4pm EDT / 19:00-20:00 (GMT) / 8pm-9pm (London – BST) / 9pm-10pm (Berlin – CEST). One hour prior to
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV Tuesday, May 8: Dramatists Guild Panel on E-Publishing with Playwrights Jeffrey Sweet & Arthur Kopit
Live on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info, the Dramatists Guild of America will host a panel discussion entitled: “Contracts 101: E-Publishing” on Tuesday, May 8 at 2:30pm PDT / 3:30pm MDT / 4:30pm CDT / 5:30pm EDT / 21:30 GMT / 10:30pm BST. Moderated by David H. Faux, the Guild’s Director
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV Wed, May 9: Community Conversation with NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman, hosted by Alternate ROOTS
Atlanta-based Alternate ROOTS will host a community conversation with Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, during his first visit to the state. The event is presented in partnership with Georgia Council for the Arts. Watch this one-hour conversation live on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info on Wednesday, May 9 at
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Sometimes Mount Vesuvius Erupts: An Interview with Chuck Mee by Sarah Johnson
When Charles Mee writes plays, he draws heavily from existing literature, critical theory and other plays, particularly those of Ancient Greece. This interview was conducted related to the University of Iowa Theatre Department’s staging of his critically acclaimed play, Big Love. This telephone interview originally took place on February 29,
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 24: Pam MacKinnon
This week I talk with director Pam MacKinnon. She’s just been nominated for a Tony for her work on Clybourne Park and I am really grateful she made the time to talk to me anyway. We spend some time on her journey with that play—from Playwrights Horizons in NYC to
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV Fri & Sat, May 4-5: The Hybrid Art Summit in Austin, Texas
Live on #NEWPLAY TV, The Hybrid Art Summit 2012 is a two-day event during the Fusebox Festival in Austin, Texas exploring cross-disciplinary creative practice and its relevance to contemporary culture. This series of spirited discussions, round-tables, presentations, and performances, focuses on three primary areas of investigation: community/collaboration, criticism, and art + technology.
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl on Tues, May 1: Diversity in the Theater—Serving Humanity or the Economy?
Is it true that only particular kinds of plays can be popular enough to fill big houses like the Guthrie? Are we forced to focus on “what sells”? Are we serving humanity or are we serving the economy or something else? Join us every Tuesday for our weekly discussion on
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Regular Columns
Parenting & Playwriting: Having It All
This post is the third column of a regular series on Parenting & Playwriting. Find the previous columns here. Here’s what my advice column will offer you: a place to ask questions and share grievances about juggling life as theater artists and as parents. Here’s what my advice column will not offer
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
How Grad School Changed (and Didn’t Change) My Life by Jason King Jones
For the last three years I have participated in that sacrificial rite of passage that so many theater artists have undertaken (and so many more theater artists have questioned): an MFA program. In my twenties, I was cobbling together a living as an “NYC-based director” (which means I lived near
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 23: Meiyin Wang
The discussion around the announced season at The Guthrie, and Polly’s powerful, and powerfully personal, response to it have put me in mind of the richness and vibrancy of the American Theater as I experience it. It is a far from homogeneous community, and one filled with gifted, experienced, and
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV Fri & Sat, April 27-28: Fusebox Festival Artist Conversations
Streaming live on #NEWPLAY TV on newplaytv.info from the Fusebox Festival in Austin, Texas is “Chewing the Fat: Delicious Conversations” on Friday and Saturday, April 27 and April 28. The conversation with Steve Moore of Physical Plant will stream on Friday, April 27 at 10am PDT / 12pm CDT / 1pm EDT /
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New Play Map
Building the New Play Map Version 3.0: Update # 3
Last week we wrapped up the third of four total sprints devoted to building version 3.0 of the New Play Map. Find the first two updates here and here. Our goals for the week were: To complete all of the core user stories (a user story is one or more sentences in
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Regular Columns
Faye Price: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Faye Price continues this series. What makes an artistic home? Ideally, an artistic home needs to be a place of safety, where an artist can get messy, be creative, take
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Making Way for Queer Experiments: An Interview with Kolmel WithLove by Jess Young
Whether it’s a black box theater or the form-fillable fields of a grant application, queer performance doesn’t always fit neatly into a box. When performing artist and curator Kolmel WithLove, a veteran artist in SOMArts Cultural Center’s time-based performance marathon 100 Performances for The Hole, approached us with a request
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl on Tues, April 24: “Please, Don’t Start a Theater Company,” or Let’s Figure out the Future
Join us every Tuesday for our weekly discussion on Twitter using the “#newplay” tag. Tomorrow we’ll take Rebecca Novick’s article “Please, Don’t Start a Theater Company! Next-Generation Arts Institutions and Alternative Career Paths“ as a starting point to discuss alternative models for supporting theater work and a career in the theater and
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Commons & Community
Trayvon Martin: Artists Call To Action by Erin Washington
On February 26, 2012 the life of a young son, friend, student, and football player was taken away in Sanford, Florida. We now know him as Trayvon Martin. On that same day a criminal justice student, son and community member’s life was also changed forever. We now know him as
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Happenings & Announcements
How Can We Do It Better? by Polly Carl
As we’re beginning to shape the language and vision for the new Center for Theater Commons at Emerson College, we’re thinking a lot about what we do and how we deliver it. Every platform we’ve built in the last two years, you’ve built right along with us. HowlRound is a
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
My Experience at Emerson by Steven Sapp
I think one of the things an artist looks for is like-minded people who get them. Not necessarily agree on everything (now that can get kind of boring) but people who have an understanding of the spiritual, business, and artistic aspect of what it is we do. Over the years
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Newplay.us: Video on Crowdsourcing by @swiftcommunity
Check out this short video about crowdsourcing from Swift Community. The long definition of crowdsourcing is ”when a company takes a job that was once performed by employees and outsources it in the form of an open call to a large undefined group of people generally using the internet.” The cocktail
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 22: Anne Bogart
To continue the focus this week on ArtsEmerson, the Commons, and the College, I have the sheer pleasure of talking with Anne Bogart. There is so much here we could have talked for hours. Such generosity in this person. She naturally calls out the bright spots in her own experiences
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
The Commons and Common Ground at Emerson by Melia Bensussen
I’ve joked for years that a nail in the coffin of a professional directing career is to teach. As more of us join the rank of the “teaching-professionals,” or “working-professionals who teach” or the “professional faculty” and all other such titles, the more irrelevant and untrue this comment becomes. With
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#NEWPLAY TVHappenings & Announcements
To My Beloved Colleagues who Make Things by Melanie Joseph & the Foundry Theatre
As some of you may know, The Foundry Theatre frequently hosts different sorts of public events (separate from our productions) where artists might find meaningful exchange with people outside of our own community and practice—both as a way to assert our presence and significance in building the world and hopefully
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Regular Columns
Robert Brustein: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Bob Brustein continues this series. What makes an artistic home? An artistic home is established when a group of people collaborate together over a long period of time in order
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Commons & Community
The Commons Comes to Emerson by Nick Medvescek
In December of last year, RareWorks Theatre Company, a student-run organization at Emerson College, put together a workshop of a brand spanking new musical written by Ryan Scott Oliver and Brett Ryback. Here is what was physically with us in the room: chairs, scripts, a table, four walls, and a
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Flying High: A Video Explanation of The Commons by Jamie Gahlon & Vijay Mathew
We are really excited to be heading to Emerson with Polly Carl and David Dower to continue the work we began in 2009 on the American Voices New Play Institute through the creation of the Center for the Theater Commons. The following video explains what’s happening and expresses our excitement
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl on Tues, April 17: What can the Center for the Theater Commons do for you?
This week on HowlRound.com we’re talking about the move of several of the American Voices New Play Institute’s programs and staff from Arena Stage in Washington, DC to the newly formed Center for the Theater Commons at Emerson College in Boston. For this week’s Howl on Twitter, we want to
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New Play Map
Building the New Play Map Version 3.0: Update # 2
The next iteration of the New Play Map is on the way! We have completed the second of four “sprints” with our web developers, Quilted. We want to keep you informed of our progress as it happens, so keep an eye out for regular posts. If you want to see the first one,
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Happenings & Announcements
Welcoming the Commons to Emerson by Lee Pelton
It is a great pleasure to welcome The Center for the Theater Commons (The Commons) to Emerson College and the Office of the Arts. Through our academic programs, Emerson College is already shaping the artists who will influence the future of the theater. Through ArtsEmerson, the college also delivers a world
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Happenings & Announcements
New Play Institute 2010-2011 Illustrated Annual Report!
As the New Play Institute transitions to Emerson College as the new Center for the Theater Commons, we celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year with our annual report. This report details the events, discoveries, and personalities that made our year. Conceived and compiled by the Institute staff, illustrated by
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City Series
Choice or Coincidence: Portrait of a DC Theatermaker by Natsu Onoda Power
People have asked me how I chose my directing “style,” and I never know how to answer. How do you even make such a choice? Is there ever a choice to be made? How do you decide one day that you hate broccoli, or that you are deathly allergic to
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Happenings & Announcements
Newplay.us: #OMPF Watch Parties!
On Monday, April 16th Victory Gardens Theater is hosting the One-Minute Play Festival at 7:30pm CDT. Playwrights Foundation, Cornerstone Theater Company, University of Evansville, and Primary Stages have are all hosting watch parties in their communities to support local Chicago artists. The collective is building—are you going to be at
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV April 18-19: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Short Play Awards
On Wednesday and Thursday April 18 and 19, #NEWPLAY TV will webcast concert readings of the national finalists of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Ten Minute Play Award and the John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play. Spread the word and consider hosting a #NEWPLAY TV Watch Party
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 21: Heather McDonald
Today I talk with DC-based playwright Heather McDonald. I have read, seen, and even directed Heather’s beautiful plays for more than twenty years. You can hear how she weaves a story—the poetry, the heart, the openness, in this entire conversation. We talk about her career, parenting, her DC bright spots,
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City Series
Tulips by Sylvia Plath: A Video by Taffety Punk
Taffety Punk is a DC-based theater ensemble committed to igniting “a public passion for theater by making the classical and the contemporary exciting, meaningful, and affordable.” To contribute to the DC theater week conversation, ensemble members Paul Boehmer, Lise Bruneau, Marcus Kyd, Erin F. Mitchell, and Joel David Santner have created a new video: Tulips by
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City SeriesCommons & Community
Fringe’s Frontier by Julianne Brienza
As I carve out time and brain space to write this post, I am flooded with pride for the artists producing independent theater in DC. There have been many companies that have been “born” through the Capital Fringe Festival, and I feel fortunate to have helped create space for them—their
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New Play Map
Building the New Play Map Version 3.0: Update # 1
The next iteration of the New Play Map is on the way! We have completed the first of four “sprints” with our web developers, Quilted. We want to keep you informed of our progress as it happens, so keep an eye out for regular posts. The first update comes courtesy
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City Series
Molly Smith: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Molly Smith continues this series. What makes an artistic home? I have always felt at home in the theater and the rehearsal hall. It doesn’t seem to matter where—in Washington,
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV: The NoPassport Conference from Arizona Sat & Sun, April 14-15
“Dreaming the Americas,” the 6th Annual NoPassport Theatre Conference will stream live on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info this Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15 from the Arizona State University-Tempe Campus. The Annual NoPassport Conference assembles theater scholars, critics and playwrights from across the Americas to dream, discuss and perform
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl on Tuesday, April 10: Theatermaking in DC
Theater J‘s artistic director Ari Roth (@arirothdc) will be co-hosting the Howl this week on Twitter using the #newplay tag. This week’s conversation will focus on the DC theater scene: past, present, and future. Join us on Tuesday, April 10 from 12pm-1pm (San Francisco) / 2pm-3pm (Chicago) / 3pm-4pm (New
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City Series
Interview with Karen Evans by Jason King Jones
The Black Women Playwrights’ Group is a DC-based service and advocacy group with national reach. Their ongoing national projects include the BWPG Cyber-Narrative Project and 12Tweets@12Noon. Jason: How did the Black Women Playwrights’ Group begin? Karen: In 1989 at Arena Stage there was a two-hour symposium on African-American women playwrights.
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City Series
Activating Audiences in DC by Rachel Grossman
We didn’t found dog & pony dc to shake up the audience’s experience, but the impulse was lying dormant in the backs of our minds—waiting to be activated like an undercover agent’s secret mission. Besides wanting to apply collaborative processes and movement-based approaches to theater making, Wyckham Avery, Lorraine Ressegger
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV: Dramatists Guild Conversation with Iris Dart, Joe DiPietro, Michael Roberts — Mon, April 9
Dramatists Guild (U.S.) presents: “Stories from the Trenches”, streaming live on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info Join Dramatists Guild’s Executive Director of Creative Affairs, Gary Garrison, as he shares stories and advice from Guild members across the U.S., including Iris Dart (The People in the Picture, Beaches), Joe DiPietro (Memphis, upcoming
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsRegular Columns
Translations: Engaging Engagement by Michael Rohd
This column, published every 4-6 weeks, examines issues of translation as they relate to the field of theater and its intersections with other public and civic sectors. What does the word “engagement” mean these days? Dictionary definitions Appointment. Employment. Battle. Synonyms include rendezvous, arrangement and tryst. Definition via personal narrative When
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#NEWPLAY TV
One-Minute Play Festival (#OMPF) & #NEWPLAY TV Launch Global Watch Party Happening
On Monday, April 16, 2012, The One-Minute Play Festival (#OMPF) and #NEWPLAY TV join together to launch an experiment we’re calling the Global Watch Party Happening. This simultaneous, multi-city network of watch parties for viewing the Chicago One-Minute Play Festival is an experiment and a celebration of the possibilities of
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Newplay.us: Check out the latest video from the #NEWPLAY-AHZ
The #NEWPLAY-AHZ and Jamila Reddy are back with their latest video on collaboration. If you have a video you would like to add just go to newplay.us and use the “submit” button to add your own. Enjoy!
Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 20: Rajiv Joseph
I am really grateful to Rajiv for making time to talk to me in the middle of so many different deadlines. We talk about his work on the big musical he’s developing, on his role as a writer on Nurse Jackie, and his playwriting and how all these different ways
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 19: Brian Otaño
The Van Lier Fellowship at New Dramatists has launched some exciting voices. I talked to the three current fellows about their path to this opportunity, what they are planning for it, and where they are headed. Start following these writers now! This is call three of three. I spoke with
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 18: Jackie Sibblies Drury
The Van Lier Fellowship at New Dramatists has launched some exciting voices. I talked to the three current fellows about their path to this opportunity, what they are planning for it, and where they are headed. Start following these writers now! This is call two of three. Jackie Sibblies Drury
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 17: Charise Smith
The Van Lier Fellowship at New Dramatists has launched some exciting voices. I talked to the three current fellows about their path to this opportunity, what they are planning for it, and where they are headed. Start following these writers now! This is call one of three. Charise Smith is
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Happenings & Announcements
Best of Weekly Howl on Social Media and Criticism
This afternoon Washington Post theater critic, Peter Marks (@petermarksdrama), co-hosted our conversation about social media’s impact on arts criticism. These are just a few highlights from our hour-long twitter conversation on #newplay: @HowlRound find that interaction has made me less defensive, feel less isolated in opinion formulation. Dont worry as
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Regular Columns
Pearl Cleage: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Pearl Cleage continues this series. What makes an artistic home? I think the most important thing is to find other artists who share your vision of the world and your
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl Tues, April 3: Social Media and the Future of Arts Journalism
Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks (@petermarksdrama) will be co-hosting the Howl this week on Twitter using #newplay. This week we will continue the conversation from last week about the impact of social media on the future of arts criticism. Join us on Tuesday, April 3 from 12pm-1pm (San Francisco) /
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Creating Waves: TEDxHarlem 2012
“In order to live in the world I had to live in the community.” Dr. Marta Vega I got off the subway at 116th street, picked up a green tea, checked my afro in the church mirror and entered the amazing Riverside Church for TEDxHarlem. It was a sight to see.
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Newplay.us: Check out the latest video from the #NEWPLAY-AHZ
The #NEWPLAY-AHZ are back with their latest video on crowdsourcing and collaboration. If you have a video you would like to add just go to newplay.us and find the “submit” button to add your video. Enjoy!
Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 16: Peter Marks
As part of our “Critics’ Week” series on HowlRound, I spoke to Washington Post Theater Critic Peter Marks, also known on Twitter as @petermarksdrama. Peter’s been a very lively and active conversant on Twitter, especially with the #newplay and #2amt community, with DC theater artists, and with his regular tweet-ups
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
NYTCriticWatch.com asks: What do we actually want from a theater review?
New York Times Critic Watch is a research project designed to analyse the tone, temper, and trends in theater reviews of new work from the field’s top cultural print outlet during one calendar year. What do we actually want from a theater review? Here’s a catalogue of desires from a few sides:
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
My First Humana by Kevin Becerra
Growing up on the west coast, the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville always felt a million miles away. Somewhere beyond the horizon in the land of fried chicken and American horse racing was a hot bed of new work that drew audiences and theater practitioners from around the
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#NEWPLAY TV
“Critiquing Criticism: (re)imagining the future,” a Humana Festival Panel Live on #NEWPLAY TV Fri, March 30
As meaningful coverage of the performing arts dwindles in newspapers across the country, industry experts come together to envision new possibilities for the future of arts criticism. Part idea slam, part dialogue, this forum will attempt to get out ahead of current trends and imagine what could be. Hear the
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Chloe Veltman on Arts Criticism
Jamie Gahlon asked arts journalist Chloe Veltman to answer some questions about criticism. She kindly obliged. What is the state of arts criticism today, as compared to a decade ago? There is relatively little genuine arts criticism in America today. But there is a lot of arts commentary. I was
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Diane Ragsdale: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Diane Ragsdale continues this series. What makes an artistic home? An artistic home is co-created. It implies a steady relationship: a place an artist can return to periodically, or stay
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Happenings & Announcements
Celebrating World Theatre Day for The Weekly Howl on Tuesday, March 27 #wtd12 @TCG
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of World Theatre Day, we will be discussing the idea of “A Generation Without Borders” for The Weekly Howl, our weekly conversation on Twitter. Co-moderating with @HowlRound will be Gus Schulenburg of Theatre Communications Group who will be tweeting under @TCG. Join us on Tuesday,
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Happenings & Announcements
The Here & Now Project: A Call for Submissions
Growing up in New York, I was privileged to see my hometown represented, mythologized and eulogized in movies, plays and TV shows on a regular basis. As a child, I imagined everyone had this same experience—that the stories they watched were also about where they lived, what had happened there,
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV Tuesday, March 27: Dramatists Guild’s DuoLogue with Michael Weller and Richard Nelson
Dramatists Guild’s DuoLogue with Michael Weller and Richard Nelson will livestream on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info on Tuesday, March 27 at 2:30pm-4pm (Los Angeles) / 4:30pm-6pm (Chicago) / 5:30pm-7:00pm (New York) / 22:30 (London). Two of the most versatile and prolific writers of intellectually stimulating work will sit down for a
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Little Boxes: A playwright’s notes on quantified identities by Saviana Stanescu
Two weeks ago I did a Google search on down coats. The sunny day after my virtual search, I found a cute red down coat on sale in a downtown shop and bought it. Great, good for you, you’d say, so what? Well, it turns out it’s not so good;
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV Sun, March 25: Humana Festival Panel “The Scribes Speak: A Playwrights’ Forum”
As part of the 36th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the third of four panel discussions webcast live on #NEWPLAY TV will kick off on Sunday, March 25 at 8:30am (Los Angeles) / 10:30am (Chicago) / 11:30am (New York) / 15:30 UTC
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsNews & Resources
Newplay.us: Crowdsourced Opportunities from the #NEWPLAY Community!
Check out what’s happening in the #newplay world: Newplay.us is a site driven by the #newplay community on Twitter. People from all around post opportunities and news from the #newplay sector so that everyone can benefit. Join our community by putting #newplay in your tweets! #Newplay Opportunity(via @Patriciamilton): The Pittsburgh
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Hot ConvosIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
There was no Duncan to slay: Comments on Mike Daisey by David Dower
Reposting a comment from Polly Carl’s What’s Done Cannot be Undone: Lies in the Theater and Some Thoughts on Mike Daisey I have been sitting this one out because I haven’t found a way into the discussion that seemed true to my own experience- of this particular mess nor of the
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 15: Josh Kornbluth
Josh Kornbluth and I have made a bunch of pieces together over the past fifteen plus years. He’s created 10 monologues and made four films based on them—all of them autobiographical. I wanted him to talk with me about Spalding Gray, who was the person most directly responsible for Josh
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Regular Columns
Erik Ehn: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Erik Ehn continues this series. What makes an artistic home? A bed, a kitchen and polite indifference—freedom to come and go plus the occasional civil rituals to provide a sense
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl Tuesday, March 20: “Separating Fact From Fiction—The Role of Docu-Drama” w/ Co-Host @playwrightsteve
What is the current role of the artist? What are the boundaries of artistic license? Are we here to tell the stories how we see them or dictate word by word the lives of others? Is there room for our imaginations to play in this realistic world? Join the HowlRound
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV March 22 10am EDT: “Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art”
Join arts researcher Alan Brown and project director Clayton Lord as they discuss Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art, a new book that examines the ways theater artists, administrators, patrons and funders value and evaluate the art they make and consume. Streaming live on #NEWPLAY TV
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Regular Columns
Parenting & Playwriting: When do you write? by Catherine Trieschmann
This post is the second column of a regular series on Parenting & Playwriting. Find the first column here. Here’s what my advice column will offer you: a place to ask questions and share grievances about juggling life as theatre artists and as parents. Here’s what my advice column will not
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV Sun, March 18: Humana Festival Panel – “How Artistic Thinking Inspires New Ideas”
As part of the 36th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the second of four panel discussions webcast live on #NEWPLAY TV will kick off on Sunday, March 18 at 9am (Los Angeles) / 11am (Chicago) / 12pm (New York) / 4pm (London – GMT)
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Happenings & Announcements
Newplay.us: Crowdsourced Opportunities from the #NEWPLAY Community!
Check out what’s happening in the #newplay world: Newplay.us is a site driven by the #newplay community on Twitter. People from all around post opportunities and news from the #newplay sector so that everyone can benefit. Join our community by putting #newplay in your tweets! Make sure you support some of
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 14: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Kwame Kwei-Armah is the relatively new Artistic Director at Center Stage in Baltimore. He’s a playwright and an actor. We talk about the challenges of being a playwright and an Artistic Director—the heartbreak of saying “no”; the challenge of finding time to write; the way the writer’s mind impacts the
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New Play Map
Let’s Change our Mental Map: A Call to Co-Develop a Theater Commons
Are you on the Map? The New Play Map is a project that seeks to change the mental map we have of the theater field. Community-generated and designed, open-access and open-source, it’s a map of the infrastructure, relationships, and history of new works projects, artists, and organizations in the U.S. We seek
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Sarah Gubbins: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Sarah Gubbins continues this series. What makes an artistic home? First and foremost it’s the people who live there. I come from a large family, so for me the notion
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Some Thoughts on Collaboration by Polly Carl
I’ve started to worry that we are making too much theater without attending to the notion that it’s a collaborative art form. For anyone who knows me, they know I talk a lot about Lynette, my partner in life these last fourteen years. In part that’s because I’m a bit
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV March 13: “DuoLogue with Lynn Ahrens and Sheldon Harnick” at The Dramatists Guild 5:30pm EDT
The Dramatists Guild is proud to present two of the most respected and honored lyricists in musical theater, Sheldon Harnick and Lynn Ahrens, sitting down to discuss the ups and downs of being a theatrical lyricist. This promises to be a fascinating evening of conversation and craft with the lyricists
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl Tuesday, March 13: “Bound By Broadway: The State of the American Musical” by @RyanBogner
Join the HowlRound team for our Weekly Howl on Twitter! This week we are discussing “Bound By Broadway: The State of the American Musical” by Ryan Bogner. This Twitter conversation starts on Tuesday, March 13 from 3pm-4pm EDT / 2pm-3pm CDT / 12pm-1pm PDT / 7pm-8pm (GMT/London) / 8pm-9pm (Berlin). Use the
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV March 12 at 12pm EST: Ten-Minute Plays from @ArenaStage Student Playwrights
The Student Playwrights Project (SPP) is the education component of Arena Stage’s commitment to new American voices. This year, the annual Ten-Minute Play Competition received nearly 800 play submissions from DC area 5th-12th graders, from which eight winners and sixteen honorable mention plays were selected. The honorable mention plays received
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Don’t Call it Sweet by Sarah Coleman
Recently, I told a well-respected artistic leader in the theater community about the MFA graduate program I am currently enrolled in—Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities at The University of Texas at Austin (UT). He responded in a dismissive tone, “that is sweet.” A few weeks later, I
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 13: Fran Kumin
Today, in keeping with our “deep dive” into the Intrinsic Impact Study this week, I talk with Fran Kumin, Director of the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative at the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. Fran was instrumental in the inclusion of Philadelphia as one of the study cities. We talk about
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV March 10: Humana Festival Panel – “The Good Groupthink: How Communities Solve Problems”
As part of the 36th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the first of four panel discussions webcast live on #NEWPLAY TV kicks off on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 11am EST / 10am CST. The Good Groupthink: How Communities Solve Problems Kris
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Interview with Michael Rohd by Rebecca Novick
This interview is adapted from the version that appears in Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art. This book includes the final report from research firm WolfBrown on their two-year study “Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre,” as well as twenty-four interviews with artistic leaders and patrons,
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV March 9: The Riverrun Theatre Company of Madison, Indiana presents “Seeing Red” by David J. Loehr
The Riverrun Theatre Company of Madison, Indiana presents Seeing Red by David J. Loehr. “For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream…” What happens when you travel the world only to see what you’ve missed? On the eve of the
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#NEWPLAY TV
Live on #NEWPLAY TV “Creating the New American Musical,” a conversation with Charles Busch, Abigail Poegrebin, & Gordon Greenberg
A conversation on “Creating the New American Musical” featuring Charles Busch, Abigail Poegrebin, Gordon Greenberg and facilitated by Warren Hoffman will be webcasted on #NEWPLAY TV on Thursday, March 8th at 6:30pm-7:30pm EST. This conversation is part of Philadelphia Theatre Company’s PTC@Play Festival, which also features a new musical, Stars of David, adapted
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Interview with Howard Shalwitz and Rachel Grossman by Rebecca Novick
This interview was conducted in 2011 and is adapted from the version that appears in Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art. This book includes the final report from research firm WolfBrown on their two-year study “Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre,” as well as twenty-four
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Tony Taccone: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Tony Taccone continues this series. What makes an artistic home? All manner of support: money, time with quality people, trust, a feeling of safety. As well as feeling integrated into
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsResearch
The Critic-Artist Relationship: A Story from @NYTcriticwatch
We were recently told of a rather beautiful and rare critic-artist relationship. As young director Anne was honing her skills in the professional scene. The local theatre reviewer was often tough, but Anne found her reviews articulate, understanding, and very smart. Every time Anne reached out to Paula she would
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Interview with Jack Reuler by Rebecca Novick
This interview is adapted from the version that appears in Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art. This book includes the final report from research firm WolfBrown on their two-year study “Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre,” as well as twenty-four interviews with artistic leaders and patrons,
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl: Tuesday, March 6 – “Intrinsic Impact”
Join the HowlRound team for our Weekly Howl on Twitter! This week we are discussing “Intrinsic Impact” with special guest Clayton Lord @ClaytonLord who just authored the post “Count What Matters Most”. This Twitter conversation starts on Tuesday, March 6 from 3pm-4pm EST / 2pm-3pm CST / 12pm-1pm PST / 8pm-9pm
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Interview with Diane Paulus by Rebecca Novick
This interview is adapted from the version that appears in Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art. This book includes the final report from research firm WolfBrown on their two-year study “Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre,” as well as twenty-four interviews with artistic leaders and patrons,
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Interview with Dudley Cocke by Clayton Lord
This interview is adapted from the version that appears in Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art. This book includes the final report from research firm WolfBrown on their two-year study “Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre,” as well as twenty-four interviews with artistic leaders and
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Translations: The job of the future by Michael Rohd
This new column, published every 4-6 weeks, will examine issues of translation as they relate to the field of theater and its intersections with other public and civic sectors. According to Fortune magazine, the job of the future is Data Scientist. A data scientist doesn’t have to be an expert
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
On a Five Dimensional Pedagogy by Susan Merson
In the beginning was the Word. At least I thought so until I saw Wim Wenders’ film Pina last night. In the beginning, middle and the end are the undulating movements of her dancers that reach past language, through language, both into us and past us, into dimensions with which
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 12: Ellen McLaughlin
I woke up this morning thinking about war and veterans and re-entry and the strange place I feel myself caught in—between wanting to support the individuals while being deeply opposed to the war itself. Ellen’s made a huge body of work focused on the veteran, from her adaptations of Greek
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 11: Katori Hall
The always effervescent Katori Hall and I talk about what’s next for The Mountain Top, the power of residencies, the dance with Hollywood, and the need for a new alarm clock. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Listen to weekly podcasts hosted by David Dower as he interviews theater
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 10: Wendy Goldberg
Wendy and I talk about her work with the O’Neill Conference, her approach to the director/playwright relationship, and the longevity of creative partnerships in the new play sector. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Listen to weekly podcasts hosted by David Dower as he interviews theater artists from around
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Exploring Twittergate: Lessons Learned from Woolly’s Infamous Tweet Up Experiment by Deeksha Gaur
About a month ago, Woolly Mammoth came under fire for launching a new Twitter-based program aimed at deepening engagement with a new audience. There was a lot of support for the program, and a lot of fear as well. People loved it or hated it; quibbled with our language (this
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
A Manifesto for the 21st Century Literary Office by Otis Ramsey-Zoe
The following manifesto was presented as part of the American Voices New Play Institute’s 21st Century Literary Office Convening that took place February 24 & 25, 2012 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Click here to watch a video of all five manifestos presented to the convening. The future is a wish. What are your
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Breaking Down the Walls by Amrita Ramanan
The following manifesto was presented as part of the American Voices New Play Institute’s 21st Century Literary Office Convening that took place February 24 & 25, 2012 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Click here to watch a video of all five manifestos presented to the convening. The literary office of the future is no
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Generative Artist Talent Scouts by Aaron Carter
The following manifesto was presented as part of the American Voices New Play Institute’s 21st Century Literary Office Convening that took place February 24 & 25, 2012 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Click here to watch a video of all five manifestos presented to the convening. In the lit office of the future, we
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
LO21: a series of conversations (not actually an office) by Adrien-Alice Hansel
The following manifesto was presented as part of the American Voices New Play Institute’s 21st Century Literary Office Convening that took place February 24 & 25, 2012 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Click here to watch a video of all five manifestos presented to the convening. The literary office of the future… isn’t actually
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
I Dare Us: a Manifesto on the 21st Century Literary Office by Julie Felise Dubiner
The following manifesto was presented as part of the American Voices New Play Institute’s 21st Century Literary Office Convening that took place February 24 & 25, 2012 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Click here to watch a video of all five manifestos presented to the convening. I used to say that as
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Robert O’Hara: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Robert O’Hara continues this series. What makes an artistic home? When the leadership of the theater acknowledges, encourages and supports your work and your ideas on new work, when the
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl: Tuesday 2/28 “On Validation” by Michelle Carter
Join the HowlRound team for our Weekly Howl! This week we are discussing Michelle Carter’s piece, “On Validation.” The twitter conversation starts Tuesday, February 28th from 3pm-4pm EST / 2pm-3pm CST / 12pm-1pm PST / 8pm-9pm GMT. Use the hashtag “#newplay” in your tweets to get your voice heard and follow @HowlRound who
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Happenings & Announcements
Honoring Excellence in Black Theater: A Night with Woodie King Jr.
Over the past few years in New York it has been difficult to not get swept up in the wave of passion and creativity that has come from the black theater community in response to not just the changing theater world, but the world as a whole. New outlets for
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Happenings & Announcements
21st Century Literary Office Convening – Day # 2: Nuts & Bolts
The “Sprawl” and the “Pile” The group reconvened this morning for a series of round table conversations. First up, a conversation titled “What’s Literary in the 21st Century Literary Office and Do We Need a New Name?” David Dower suggested the literary office has become a catch all space in
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Happenings & Announcements
21st Century Literary Office Convening: Watch Parties & Tweets on Sat, Feb 25
Lauren Gunderson to thtrs: Involve the playwright in writing marketing copy. They know the tone, texture of their plays deeply #newplay — Charles Haugland (@charleswha) February 25, 2012 I love the idea of inviting the playwright to collaborate on the lobby experience. Why haven’t we thought of this before?
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Happenings & Announcements
21st Century Literary Office Convening – Day # 1: Exploring the Past to Build the Future
On Saturday, Feb 25 the convening will start at 10 am (Washington DC) / 3 pm (London) and will be livestreamed on #NEWPLAY TV. Click here for the schedule. Day #1: Exploring the Past to Build the Future Where did we, as literary managers and dramaturgs, come from? And, more
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Happenings & Announcements
21st Century Literary Office Convening: Watch Parties & Tweets on Fri, Feb 24
On Saturday, Feb 25 the convening will start at 10 am (Washington DC) / 3 pm (London) and will be livestreamed on #NEWPLAY TV. Click here for the schedule. Here’s a selection of Tweets found on hashtag #newplay during this afternoon’s three sessions: Glad @Pollykcarl is encouraging dissent and friction
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Happenings & Announcements
Newplay.us: Crowdsourced Opportunities from the #NEWPLAY Community!
Check out what’s happening in the #NEWPLAY World: Newplay.us is a site driven by the #NEWPLAY Community on Twitter. Everyday people from all around post opportunities and news in the #NEWPLAY sector so that EVERYONE can benefit. Join our community by putting #NEWPLAY in your tweets! Big shout outs to Mixed Blood
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 9: Morgan Jenness
Grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit down with this call. It is a remarkable conversation with Morgan and I could have stayed on the line for hours. We talk about the origins of the Literary Office, we talk about the importance of institutional dramaturgy, we talk about
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Finding our Meanings: A Jewish Question
Everyone knows some variation of the old joke: you take four Jews, you get five opinions. And if you take fifty Jewish theater makers, you get over a hundred opinions. The math may not be as accurate as the sentiment. But trust me, I’ve been attending the Association for Jewish
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Happenings & Announcements
Join us for the 21st Century Literary Office Convening
On Friday, February 24 and Saturday February 25 we will be hosting an in-person convening of about forty literary managers, dramaturgs, and playwrights and simultaneously, hosting a global, open-access, online convening through the livestreaming channel #NEWPLAY TV, watch parties, Twitter #newplay, and the HowlRound.com blog. The purpose of these dual convenings is to
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Anna Ziegler: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Anna Ziegler continues this series. What makes an artistic home? On the one hand, an artistic home is a theater you know will always have you back, and have your
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Happenings & Announcements
Cyber-Narratives: An Invitation that will Blow Your Mind by Miriam Weisfeld
The Carnegie Mellon Entertainment Technology Center looks like somebody crammed Universal Studios Hollywood into a computer lab in Pittsburgh. Between gleaming classrooms, the hallways are lined floor to ceiling with pop culture memorabilia: album covers, lunch boxes, board games, bobble-heads, and lots and lots of signed posters. At the end
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Being the Change: an Interview with Woolly Mammoth’s Jeff Herrmann by Laley Lippard
Laley: Thank you for meeting with me, Jeff. I was inspired to talk with you after reading Miriam Weisfeld’s article on Connectivity. Exciting ideas, but I’m curious about the practical innovations you’ve made since the “Who’s in Your Circle?” conference. How has Woolly Mammoth’s administrative and artistic structure changed?
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl: Twitter convo on Tues, Feb 21 “Technology & Theatre – Do They Mix?”
The Weekly Howl: Join HowlRound.com for our weekly Twitter conversation. This week we are exploring “Technology and Theatre – Do they mix”. Check out the article by Miriam Weisfield on Woolly’s collaboration with Black Women Playwright Group and Carnegie Mellon HERE! The Weekly Howl will happen Tuesday, Feb 21 at 12pm-1pm
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Parenting & Playwriting: Sharing Bad Reviews with My Children by Catherine Trieschmann
After my article on playwriting and parenting got folks gabbing about the matter in the comments section, Polly Carl asked me to consider writing an advice column on the subject for HowlRound. While it’s true that I am indeed both a parent and a playwright, it’s also true that I’m
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 8: Philip Bither
I have been trailing around after Philip Bither for a decade at this point—ever since I first heard him thinking out loud at the New Works New Ways gathering in Portland, Oregon in 2002. He’s one of an amazing group of presenters who are able to balance the needs of
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Towards a Small Theater
Once, in the lobby of the Public Theater, I was introduced to a New York playwright as being from Minneapolis. The fellow playwright’s response was, “Why?” with a tone I can only describe as Thurston Howell-esque. (Maybe that’s a new YouTube sensation – “S*** New Yorkers Say to Midwesterners”?) I
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsMicrofund for Artists
Call to Action: Read for The New York Times Critic Watch
You read reviews anyway, why not strengthen American Theatre while you’re at it? The New York Times Critic Watch survey at nytcriticwatch.com takes 5 minutes and adds your voice to the building pool of curious folks who want understand: what kind of power prominent reviews have over new plays? what
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
The Twin Cities: We make stuff here
The Twin Cities might seem dormant; and indeed, they spend half the year frozen and buried under feet of snow. But these cities – my cities – are not sleeping. The art we make here is innovative and radical. As theater artists, we have opportunities to investigate, collaborate and learn.
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: organize a “Watch Party” for four exciting events next week!
Watch all of these livestreamed events on #NEWPLAY TV’s channel page over here: newplaytv.info & Organize, host, or crash your own local community’s WATCH PARTIES for these livestreamed events by clicking over here: meetup.com/newplaytv Wed, Feb 22 at 10am PST / 1pm EST /6pm GMT – Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company is set to
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Jack Reuler: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Jack Reuler continues this series. What makes an artistic home? It is possible that the artistic home is secondarily, or maybe even tangentially, about art. It is about mission and
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
The Twin Cities
With an artistic community where there are “more theater seats per capita than any city besides New York” plus a pretty accessible metro bus and light rail system – what theater artist wouldn’t want to live and work in the Twin Cities! Also home to the nationally respected Children’s Theatre
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl: Tues Feb 14th EST on hashtag #NEWPLAY “The Twin Cities: How Are Theater Artists Living in the Livable Twin Cities? by Cory Hinkle
The Weekly Howl: Join HowlRound.com for our weekly Twitter conversation. This week we are exploring ”The Twin Cities: How Are Theater Artists Living in the Livable Twin Cities? by Cory Hinkle. Check out the article HERE! Tuesday, Feb 14th at 12pm-1pm PST (San Francisco) / 2pm-3pm CST (Chicago) / 3pm-4pm Eastern (New
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Destination: MSP
I’m new here – to this land of 10,000 lakes. I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina and lived several years in New York and New England, but nothing prepared me for these Minnesota winters. Right now, it’s -8 outside (with a wind chill of -30 something).
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
Crowdsourced Opps & Fests from the #NEWPLAY Community
Check out what’s happening in the #NEWPLAY World: Newplay.us is a site driven by the #NEWPLAY Community on Twitter. Everyday people from all around post opportunities and news in the #NEWPLAY sector so that EVERYONE can benefit. Join our community by putting #NEWPLAY in your tweets. Here is an example
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 7: Moisés Kaufman
Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project are crossing all sorts of borders in their work. They challenge many different assumptions about how the American theater works and how artists make themselves at home in it. We talk too long again, of course, but he’s got so much accumulated knowledge for
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Paul Meshejian: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Paul Meshejian continues this series. What makes an artistic home? In a word, community. For a myriad of reasons, people come into the theater to recast community, family. Artists
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Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl: Tues Feb 7th at 8pm GMT on hashtag #NEWPLAY “Occupy, Hope, Exchange: A (Sort of) Travelogue”
The Weekly Howl: Join HowlRound.com for our weekly Twitter conversation. This week we are exploring “Occupy, Hope, Exchange: A (Sort of) Travelogue” by Brandon Woolf blog. Check out the article for reference! Brandon will be joining us from Berlin. Tuesday, Feb 7th at 12pm-1pm PST (San Francisco) / 2pm-3pm CST (Chicago) /
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
A Response to Timothy Douglas by Winter Miller
I want you to be uncomfortable—at least some of the time. Muckraker Finley Peter Dunne wrote, “It is our business… to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Timothy Douglas’ eloquent, honest and provocative post about identity through his lens as a black male American director has spurred me
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
#NEWPLAY Aggregation – Introducing the website: NEWPLAY.US
#NEWPLAY is US! A HowlRound.com Knowledge Commons Project. The site NEWPLAY.US aka #NEWPLAY is US! is a new blog that’s dedicated to community-sourced news & info for the #NEWPLAY World. Join a community revolutionizing the flow of knowledge and information in our field. If you have something to share of national relevance, post
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsResearch
Good For What Ails You
Cross-posted from newplay.us aka #NEWPLAY is US! Check out our latest #newplay video adventure, featuring the tunes of the Crevulators!
Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 6: David Loehr
David and I talk about the origins of #2amt and its impact on his life. And mine, as it turns out. I talk a lot this time. A little embarrassing… [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Listen to weekly podcasts hosted by David Dower as he interviews theater artists
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Deborah Zoe Laufer: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Deborah Zoe Laufer continues this series. What makes an artistic home? Where and how did you find yours and what does it mean to you?
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#NEWPLAY TVIdeas, Practices, Bright SpotsNews & Resources
The Weekly Howl: Tues Jan 31st at 3pm EST on #NEWPLAY! Finding An Artistic Home by @listofbeliefs
The Weekly Howl: Join HowlRound.com for our weekly Twitter conversation. This week we are exploring “Artistic Home” blog by Kirk Lynn. Check out the article for reference! http://www.howlround.com/kirk-lynn-in-search-of-the-artistic-home/ Tuesday, Jan. 31st at 12pm-1pm PST (San Francisco) / 2pm-3pm CST (Chicago) / 3pm-4pm Eastern (New York) / 8pm-9pm GMT (London) Use
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsNews & Resources
Getting to the ‘What’ of it
Last Monday I was fortunate enough to be able to attend TEDxBroadway at New World Stages in New York City. With no direct experience, but a keen interest, in the Broadway scene, I was excited to have the opportunity to spend the day listening to fourteen experts, industry and outsiders,
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsResearch
#NEWPLAY Video: Put the Hashtag in the Coconut
#NEWPLAY Video: Put the Hashtag in the Coconut from HowlRound.com on Vimeo.
Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsResearch
#NEWPLAY Video: Open Access – Old School vs New School Programming
#NEWPLAY Video: Open Access – Old School vs New School Programming from HowlRound.com on Vimeo.
Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Kirk Lynn: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Kirk Lynn continues this series. What makes an artistic home? How do I understand this question? The first thing that comes to mind is the answer to the question: how
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 5: Rebecca Noon
Rebecca Noon is one of the ensemble Strange Attractor. We talk about making work in smaller communities, the role of the artist in building the infrastructure, and how a new small company gets into motion today. Rebecca was an intern at the Z Space right out of college, so it
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: Marcus Gardley’s “The Road Weeps, the Well Runs Dry” on Saturday at 11am EST / 4pm GMT
The Lark Play Development Center and the University of South Florida School of Theatre and Dance are livestreaming a Community Round Table and Discussion with readings from Marcus Gardley’s “The Road Weeps, the Well Runs Dry” as part of a national initiative called Launching New Plays into the Repertoire. Watch this discussion
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsResearch
Goal of a Knowledge Commons: Transformation and Innovation?
cross-posted from A Head Tilt For the past two afternoons, the HowlRound office has erupted into a truly raucous lab attempting to communicate concepts such as “knowledge commons” and “community sourcing” through one-take short videos made on FlipCams. We have a couple of guests, Jason King Jones and Laley Lippard, hanging out with us
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Commons & CommunityIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
#NEWPLAY Video: “Water Park”
#NEWPLAY Video: “Water Park” from HowlRound.com on Vimeo. Check out the latest video from the #NEWPLAY-AHZ The Commons: Explained. If you have a commons video shout us out @howlround & #newplay Brought to you by: @jkjplays @laleylippard @Soulprdts @kevbecerra
Happenings & Announcements
The Weekly Howl: Tues Jan 24th at 3pm EST on #NEWPLAY- Self Producing & Alternate Spaces with @TaylorMacNY
The Weekly Howl: “Self Producing and Finding Artistic Freedom in Alternate Spaces” Join HowlRound.com for our weekly Twitter conversation. Listen to the Taylor Mac and David Dower interview here! Tuesday, Jan. 24th at 12pm-1pm PST (San Francisco) / 2pm-3pm CST (Chicago) / 3pm-4pm Eastern (New York) / 8pm-9pm GMT (London)
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
The Electric Current of Bay Area Theater by Carey Perloff
There’s something about sharing a common mythology that makes being in certain audiences particularly electric. Maybe that’s why making theater in the Bay Area is so charged: the mythology of this part of the world is so outrageous and charged and complicated and alive. This is the corner of the
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
San Francisco by Rebecca Novick
There’s an old (and annoying) line about how if you’re smart and ambitious you move to New York, if you’re ambitious but not smart you move to LA, and if you’re smart but not ambitious you move to San Francisco. Sixteen years ago I arrived here by accident in
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 4: Taylor Mac
If you’ve been reading along in any of the #newplay conversations you’ve run into the wonderful mind of Taylor Mac. If you don’t know his work you should really poke around on his website while you listen. We talk a bit here about how it is that Taylor manages to
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 3: Lydia Diamond
I spoke with Lydia right at the start of rehearsals for Stick Fly, her first play produced on Broadway. I first met Lydia at the meeting in Chicago that Steppenwolf hosted for my “Gates of Opportunity” research. I also had the great pleasure of working with her on the production
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 2: Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
We’re posting this phone call with Peter as part of the San Francisco city series here at HowlRound. My first memories of Peter actually have him acting at The Z Space in a reading of a play by my fellow Z Collective founder, Brian Thorstenson. Brian was teaching creative writing
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Podcasts
The David Dower Friday Phone Call # 1: Melanie Joseph
So, if you don’t know Melanie Joseph and Foundry Theatre, you can go here for the backstory on this call. This call took place a bit over a month ago, so the sense of the Occupy movement at that time was a bit different than it is right now. But
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
San Francisco by Dan Wolf
The Bay Area is my home. All sides and shores of it. Born in San Francisco, raised in San Rafael and now settled in Berkeley. To live and work here you often have to run the ‘triangle’ in the same day. That means driving over all three major bridges (Golden
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: New Jersey One Minute Play Festival – 50 Plays! – Sun, Jan 22 at 4pm PST #OMPF
The One-Minute Play Festival (OMPF) is again partnering with the New Brunswick Theatre Festival (now part of CoLab Arts) to present the Second Annual New Jersey One-Minute Play Festival. There will be a livestreamed broadcast on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info on Sunday, January 22 at 4pm PST (San Francisco) /
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Aditi Kapil: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Aditi Kapil continues this series. What makes an artistic home? The door is always open. The commitment is long term. Speaking specifically as a playwright, it’s a theater or
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
San Francisco by Brad Erickson
Thank you, Deborah, for that gorgeous homage to our city and to the Bay Area’s theater community. Like you, and despite living in San Francisco for some twenty-five years, I have never become inured to the singular beauties of this place, everyday beauties, offered with egalitarian largesse. Take this morning.
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
San Francisco by Sean San José
That is what San Francisco is to me. That same Barbary Coast Port City—every version through the centuries and generations. Call it the City, the Sco, Sucka Free City—it is this same vibe that has us mixing, migrating, moving farrr west, left coast leaning, and on the edge of the
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
San Francisco by Octavio Solis
What you, Deborah Cullinan, have articulated in your beautiful essay on theater in San Francisco is no less than a Portrait of the Artist as a City. It’s a powerful testament to the theater makers in our town, and to all the elements that give this area its character. But
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
Todd London: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Todd London kicks off of this new series. What makes an Artistic Home? It’s a great question, and one that we, as a field, have yet to answer precisely.
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV: @upnextbayarea blogs about “Theatre via Livestream”
Reposted from Up Next Blog Two teens converse about #NEWPLAY TV, the #newplay initiative that can be found on newplaytv.info Watch live streaming video from newplay at livestream.com Watch live streaming video from newplay at livestream.com A: As a bit of background, first let’s talk about what New Play TV is,
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Ideas, Practices, Bright Spots
In Search of the Artistic Home
In 1988, Todd London wrote in his book The Artistic Home: Artistic Directors are concerned with keeping artists in the theatre; they need to constantly renew their commitment to making their theatres homes for artists. What makes an artistic home? Where and how did you find yours and what does
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsNews & Resources
COMMUNITY ROLL CALL: Jan 10 Daily News & Opps Sourced from the #NEWPLAY field
#NEWPLAY NEWS: @SignatureTheatr Receives $2 Million From Mellon Foundation Signature Theatre in New York City has announced a $2 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in support of a residency program and expanded programming at its new headquarters and performance space in Times Square. The gift includes $1.5 million to
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Hot ConvosIdeas, Practices, Bright Spots
WEEKLY HOWL: Tomorrow at 3pm EST on #NEWPLAY- Crossing Cultural Lines
WEEKLY HOWL TOPIC: Why Am I Afraid to Write African American Characters? by Marshall Botvinick Join HowlRound.com for our weekly Twitter conversation. See Marshall Botvinick’s article HERE! Tuesday, Jan. 10th at 12pm-1pm PST (San Francisco) / 2pm-3pm CST (Chicago) / 3pm-4pm Eastern (New York) / 8pm-9pm GMT (London) Use hashtag “#newplay” in your
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsNews & Resources
COMMUNITY ROLL CALL: Jan 9 Daily News & Opps Sourced from the #NEWPLAY field
#NEWPLAY FESTIVAL: @EST_LA: WinterFest 2012 starts tomorrow! WinterFest 2012 – Immerse yourself! Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA presents three weeks of non-stop staged readings: 47 plays in 18 days including new works by playwrights Nicholas Kazan, Tom Jacobson, Richard Martin Hirsch, Jacqueline Wright, Colin Mitchell, Jonas Oppenheim and many more. Admission is free, with donations accepted
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: Boston One Minute Play Festival on Monday, Jan 9 at 5pm PST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST
Boston One-Minute Play Festival Presented by Playwrights’ Theatre & The One-Minute Play Festival There will be a livestreamed broadcast on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info on Monday, January 9 at 5pm PST (San Francisco) / 7pm CST (Chicago) / 8pm EST (New York) Playwrights’ Theatre in collaboration with The One-Minute Play
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsNews & Resources
COMMUNITY ROLL CALL: Daily News & Opps Sourced from the #NEWPLAY field
Check in every afternoon Monday through Friday to find out about news, opportunity listings, festival and show info, new practices, and interesting conversations in the #newplay field. All this news will be sourced from YOU- the #newplay community! If you want to contribute listings for “Community Roll Call” please tag
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: “Word Becomes Flesh” by Marc Bamuthi Joseph – discussion Sun, Jan 8 at 3pm EST / 8pm GMT / 12pm PST
Check out the “Word Becomes Flesh” Pre-show chat on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info on Sunday, January 8 at 12pm PST (San Francisco) / 3pm EST (New York) / 8pm GMT (London). Word Becomes Flesh Presented in Association with 651 ARTS Conceived and Directed by Marc Bamuthi Joseph / The Living Word
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: Culturebot.org Panel Conversation Sunday, Jan 8 at 1pm-2:30pm EST / 6pm-7:30pm GMT / 10am-11:30am PST
Under The Radar, New York presents Culturebot Conversations on Contemporary Performance: “Performance and Context: The Black Box and The White Cube” Livestreaming on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info Sunday, January 8 at 1pm EST (New York) / 10am PST (San Francisco) / 6pm GMT (London) / 7pm CET (Paris) In today’s
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: Motus (Italy) discussion Saturday Jan 7 at 8:30pm EST / 5:30pm PST
Photo: Valentina Bianchi Check out the MOTUS post-show talk LIVE from the Under the Radar Festival in New York City on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info Saturday, January 7 at 8:30pm EST / 5:30pm PST / (02:30 CET / 01:30 GMT). “Alexis. A Greek Tragedy” Co-presented by The Public’s Under The Radar
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV LIVE: Under the Radar Festival keynotes & panels – Thurs, Jan 5 at 9:30am-11am EST
The Under the Radar Festival symposium which will include keynote speeches and panel discussions will be livestreamed on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info tomorrow- Thursday, January 5th at 9:30am-11:00am EST (New York) / 6:30am-8am PST (San Francisco) / 2:30pm-4pm GMT (London) / 8:30am-10am CST (Chicago) If you are planning a watch-party for
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Happenings & Announcements
From Me to We: Welcome to the New HowlRound.com
Exactly a year ago I launched a new journal, HowlRound. This was a dream of mine, one I shared with David Dower in June of 2010 at the TCG Conference in Chicago. I was eating sea bass if I remember correctly, and was on some kind of tirade about deepening the discourse
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Ideas, Practices, Bright SpotsMicrofund for Artists
Launching The New York Times Critic Watch at NYTCriticWatch.com – Need your Participation
We’re kicking off the first Microfund for Artists Project – Welcome to The New York Times Critic Watch project – a reader-fueled experiment attempting to give some numbers to the seemingly unquantifiable. What does a review do for a production? What does it do for the play independent of the
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#NEWPLAY TV
#NEWPLAY TV Live: Lisa Kron, Sarah Jones, Mike Daisey & Anna Deavere Smith – Jan 2 at 5:30p EST
The Dramatists Guild presents: A Solo Actor/Writer Round Table with Lisa Kron, Sarah Jones, Mike Daisey and Anna Deavere Smith, moderated by Gary Garrison LIVESTREAMING on #NEWPLAY TV at newplaytv.info from New York City. Monday, January 2, 2012 at 10:30pm GMT (London) / 5:30pm EST (New York) / 4:30pm CST (Chicago) / 2:30pm PST (San Francisco) Mike
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Blog
Why Every Working Mother (Parent) Needs a Stage Manager by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder
Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder returns to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s Southern Writers’ Project with a new play and a new kid. Follow Elyzabeth in part two of this three part series (find part one here) as she tries to balance rewrites and rehearsals with the challenges of being a working mom on
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Tlaloc Rivas: In Search of the Artistic Home
Jamie Gahlon has asked theater artists from around the country to talk about their personal search for an artistic home. Tlaloc Rivas continues this series. What makes an artistic home? An artistic home is a place where there are opportunities for community-building and for cross-cultural dialogue. There is also the
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Keep the Drama on the Stage by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder
Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder returns to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s Southern Writers’ Project with a new play and a new kid. Follow Elyzabeth in this three part series as she tries to balance rewrites and rehearsals with the challenges of being a working mom on the road. I always try
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Hot Convos
Comments By Karen Zacarias
Polly. Right on! Thank you for your insightful article. I know I identi READ MORE
A Boy in a Man’s Theater by Polly Carl
Comments By Carol S. Lashof
PS Jill McClean, a Scottish playwright. Saw her play "Any Given Day" at READ MORE
In Defense of Supporting Work by Women: Thoughts from a Loud Mouthed Feminist Theater Girl by Meghan Arnette
Comments By Carol S. Lashof
I am joining this conversation a bit late after hearing about it at the READ MORE
In Defense of Supporting Work by Women: Thoughts from a Loud Mouthed Feminist Theater Girl by Meghan Arnette
#NEWPLAY ON TWITTER
RT @HowlRound: #NEWPLAY JOURNAL: Liz Engelman: In Search of the Artistic Home http://t.co/a37OS2D9
15 mins ago
