This is Reading: Photo & Video Essay
It’s always fascinating to be a small piece of an enormous work, such as This is Reading. For months, you hear bits and bobs about the grand scheme but focus only on your tiny piece. This past weekend, we saw it all come together at Franklin Street Station.
Sheila Callaghan’s Non-Play “(NOT) WATER” Dives Deep
“I can only speak to European countries I’ve been in where they don’t make the same demands on the storytelling of their theater, of their plays that we do in the U.S., and I’ve found this to be the case with a lot of my work that is more traditional. People feel safer in it.” — Sheila Callaghan
“Draw Me Close” at Tribeca Film Festival’s Storyscapes
London’s National Theatre and the National Film Board of Canada helped facilitate Jordan Tannahill’s virtual reality story “Draw Me Close,” which debuted at Tribeca Film Festival’s Storyscapes.
Leigh Fondakowski Talks the Importance of Interview-Based Theater
“I think we’ve lost the ability to just be human with each other…and we’ve lost a way of even talking about what’s going on in our country that needs fixing as a collective body. And so that’s part of the reason why I think this kind of work is still important.” — Leigh Fondakowski
Fusebox 2017: VR, Robots, and Sex Cams, Oh My!
Fusebox returns for another year of some of the best contemporary, multi-disciplinary, digital performing and visual arts in the world.
Rimini Protokoll Plays with Predictability in “Remote L.A.”
“So there is something quite interesting in this that humanity—or being human and being predictable is something quite close to each other.” Jörg Karrenbauer, Rimini Protokoll
Betty Shamieh on “The Strangest” and Theater’s Survival
“We have so much good T.V. out there that if you’re not telling something that is uniquely theatrical, there’s no real reason to work in the theater. We can watch eight episodes of your favorite Netflix show, so I think if theater is going to survive, it’s going to have to be more of what it is.” – Betty Shamieh
“Please Bring Balloons” Makes Theater Accessible to Toddlers
“That is my mission as an artist—is to create this accessible, inclusive theater for all. ” — Sara Morgulis
Jen Kwok Wants to Bathe You in Sonic Love
“My goal is to have some sort of spiritual connection…with the music as a vehicle.” — Jen Kwok
Breaking the Mold: Vallejo Gantner’s Final CVRTAIN is COIL 2017
Extended Play’s James Carter speaks with outgoing PS122 artistic director Vallejo Gantner, “CVRTAIN” creator Yehuda Duenyas, and “Workshop” artist Kate McIntosh about COIL 2017.
Under the Radar Artists Detonate at The Public
James Carter interviews Under the Radar artistic director Mark Russell and featured artists, The Bengsons and Erin Markey.
Elastic City Wraps Up Its Great Participatory Walk Experiment
“I’ve never wanted Elastic City to institutionalize in a way where we’re beholden to anyone — I see it like a small record label or an indie press— it’s always been a project with a focus to produce rigorous work and get it out there directly to the public.” – Todd Shalom, Elastic City artistic director
Extended Play Hangout: Tourettes Hero
A wonderful video chat in Google Hangouts with Jessica Thom about Tourette’s syndrome, with which she lives, her character Tourettes Hero, and the play she created with Jess Mabel Jones.
Gwydion Suilebhan’s Meme “Transmission” and the Evolution of Theater
“I’ve always said if I could have any job in the world, it would be atheist Catholic priest. Give me a gorgeous cathedral to work in. Once a week I will write a blazingly good sermon and deliver it, and I will minster to people in their times of need.” – Gwydion Suilebhan
The Bridge Between Virtual Reality and Theater: Tribeca Film Festival’s Storyscapes
“I think VR and theater are going to be best friends.” – Jarrad Bladich of The Mill