Project 6 (I re-did Project 2, Experimental, uncoventional theatre)

Pig Iron Theatre
Isabella (A ‘re-cutting’ of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure)
08/29/07-09/02/07, 09/06/07-09/09/07, 09/11/07-09/15/07

“A radical re-cutting of Shakespeare’s “problem play” Measure for Measure, set in a modern-day morgue and re-imagined as a startling work of human puppetry.”
View Image Details'" href="http://www.pigiron.org/files/imagecache/18col/files/productions/feature/Isabella2.jpg">View Image Details'" style="VISIBILITY: visible; WIDTH: 192pt; HEIGHT: 126pt; mso-wrap-style: square" alt="Isabella2.jpg" type="#_x0000_t75" o:button="t" href="http://www.pigiron.org/files/imagecache/18col/files/productions/feature/Isabella2.jpg"> http://www.pigiron.org/production/media/187

The first thing I’d say that makes this unconventional is the fact that they did the show naked. Measure for Measure isn’t conventionally done naked, which makes this unconventional by definition. Second, it’s set in a morgue- and not even a Viennese morgue, so I’d say that a change in scenery to that degree qualifies it. And third, apparently the actors (except for the main character) were all supposed to be zombies- the living-dead corpses that reside in the morgue. Done and done, as far as the question of whether this is experimental or not.

The Independent Eye
Dream House
Premiered 11/04/06, and it says there have been 22 performances to date.
Writers: Conrad Bishop and Elizabeth Fuller
Music by: Elizabeth Fuller
Starring: Elizabeth Fuller
“A surreal solo comedy starring…a red-nosed clown with an alter-ego problem. Trying to keep her nose intact, she calls up her six sisters, all named Elizabeth—the Developer, the Plumber,the Dreamer, the Inspector, the Gambler, the Slut—to help build a workable identity out of mirrors,



fantasy, and PVC plumbing.” http://www.independenteye.org/plays/dreamhouse.html
It may be done, but having one actor/actress who plays seven different characters, and is the only person on stage in addition, seems outside of convention to me. Also, I can count the number of plays that involved a clown nose on every character, that I’ve seen, on one hand. One (clown) character who is either seven different people, or seven different versions of herself, isn’t terribly normal as far as theatre goes, and even when I have seen the multiple versions of people it’s never as dark/dingy as this seems to be.


Djalma Butoh Company
Mirrorminded Curioustease
Premiered: 11/05/2008
Writer: an adaptation of Finnegan’s Wake, by James Joyce
Starring: Ephia and Benjamin Kraus

James Joyce, giant of modern literature, continually on the verge of becoming blind, named his only daughter Lucia. She was his mirrorminded, cross-eyed saint of vision. Through his thick “fathom glasses” he watched her dance, setting fires leftand right, fueling the creation of Finnegans Wake, burning her own tethers to reality.
http://www.djalma.com/events.html

The first thing that I feel makes this unconventional is that it’s a dance adaptation of a novel. Also, judging from pictures on the website, it looks pretty insane. Also, there were only three people involved, which makes it unorthodox to me, given that “orthodox” theatre typically (which defines orthodox, technically) has more than one actor and, failing that, more than one technical person. This had two actors and one tech guy, who did the sound (credited, at least).



Elevator Repair Service
Spine Check
Premiered:1992, at the ERS Loft
Directed by John Collins
Lighting by John Collins and Jay Worthington
Sound by Blake Koh
Costumes by Colleen Werthmann
Stage Managed by Nan Strauss

Starring:
Steve Bodow
Bradley Glenn
Rinne Groff
James Hannaham
Susie Sokol
Colleen Werthmann

It’s unconventional because it’s Film Noir on stage. The lighting is full of grays and shadows, and the script itself sounds insane. IN addition, when’s the last time anything referred to as “Dada” (yes, I know it’s an art style, that’s the point) was considered “orthodox” or conventional?

“Appropriation, collage, and a dada slide of radical juxtaposition.”—The Village Voice
http://elevator.org/press/story.php?show=spne&story=voice

Manbites Dog Theater
God's Ear
May 20-June 5, 2010
Director: Jeff Storer Original Music by Bart Matthews
Featuring: Chris Burner, Marcia Edmundson, Katja Hill, Derrick Ivey, Nicole Quenelle, Rajeev Rajendran, Meredith Sause

Mel and her husband Ted must deal with heartbreak -- with a little help from G.I. Joe and The Tooth Fairy, in this magical and musical ode to love, loss, and the absurdities of life.

It’s a play with music featuring G.I. Joe. And magic. I think this probably qualifies a s unconventional. Maybe it’s less absurd than some of the others, but the next time you hear about a play featuring G.I. Joe that’s not experimental, I’d like to hear about it. Ok, maybe I wouldn’t actually like to hear about it, but combining the Tooth Fairy and G.I Joe seems pretty unconventional to me.