As 2021 comes to a close, we look back on our most popular articles published this year. From R&D Group projects to new works presented online and across the world, here are the articles that caught the attention of the Extended Play community in 2021.

Civilians’ R&D In Process: An Interview With Director & Playwright Tylie Shider by Nick Clausen

Cinematographer Nick Clausen interviews Tylie Shider, giving readers an inside look into the development of Shider’s play for The Civilians’ 2020-21 R&D Group. From interviews conducted for the R&D play, Shider also developed a docu-drama film called Sign o’ the Times with Clausen. They discuss their film and the R&D play, which were both inspired by the signage art created in protest of the murder of George Floyd, and where wo go from here.

LABOR: Tylie Shider Explores Work and the American Dream With Dark Comedy by Leah Putnam

Extended Play’s Leah Putnam shares her thoughts on LABOR, a dark comedy by former Civilians R&D Group member Tylie Shider that explores labor, class, race, and the American Dream. The thought-provoking and laugh-inducing play was presented virtually by The Theater Project in September and we are excited to see where Shider and LABOR go next.

 The “Closet” Closet-Drama: On Derek McCormack’s Latest Work by James La Bella

The Civilians’ James La Bella profiles Derek McCormack’s Castle Faggot released towards the end of 2020. The work which La Bella calls both a closet drama and a literary object was controversial enough for the text to be briefly banned on Amazon. La Bella uses McCormack’s work as a tool to rethink how we consume drama and the place of the closet drama in the wake of COVID-19.

Video Game Designers Ché Rose and Jocelyn Short Breakdown ‘Black Feminist Video Game’ by Phoebe Corde

The Civilians’ Phoebe Corde gives audiences a look into the process behind creating a video for a theatrical production in this article featuring interviews with Ché Rose and Jocelyn Short, the designers behind the game at the heart of Darrel Alejandro Holnes’ online play Black Feminist Video Game. Rose and Short discuss the inspirations, the process, and what it was like to work within this unique medium.

Mr. Miyagi’s Theater Company Revived to Present SIDES: Zoom Edition by James La Bella

The Civilians’ James La Bella writes about the revival of Mr. Miyagi’s Theater Company after a fifteen-year hiatus. The artists of Mr. Miyagi’s Theater Company, including The Civilians’ Associate Artist Cindy Cheungs, revived the company to present a virtual continuation of their show SIDES:The Fear is Real called SIDES: The Zoom Edition which has been released on YouTube. A group of friends and Asian-American actors started Mr. Miyagi’s Theater Company in the 2000s. For their return, they have adapted their popular show’s witty exploration of the cast’s absurd audition experiences for online theater.

Civilians’ R&D In Process: An Interview Between Emily Lyon and Reynaldo Piniella by The Civilians

The Civilians’ R&D Group members Emily Lyon and Reynaldo Piniella discuss the origins and work behind their project Dissentary. Taking inspiration from the game The Oregon Trail, the participatory theatrical piece was developed to explore issues at the heart of environmental and racial justice. Through this piece, Lyon and Piniella share their hopes of raising interest in climate justice and community activism while opening up access to the arts.

Civilians’ R&D In Process: ‘Desaparecidas’ by Héctor Flores Komatsu

International theatermaker Héctor Flores Komatsu profiles Desaparecidas, a new musical by Civilians’ R&D Group Members Jaime Lozano, Florencia Cuenca, and Rachel M. Stevens about the missing women of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. In this personal article, Komatsu shares his own insights as a theatermaker based in Mexico and the United States while sharing a look at the songs and true stories of Desaparecidas.

Announcing The Civilians’ 2021-22 R&D Group, Finalists, Semi-Finalists by The Civilians

If you’re curious about this year’s The Civilians’ R&D Group finalists and semi-finalists, this article shares the artists who stood out from our more than 200 submissions and the projects which will be developed this year by our seven R&D Group members.

 The Civilians’ Siting Yang Interrogates Neo-Colonialism in New Play HoD by Leah Putnam

Extended Play’s Leah Putnam dives into HoD, a new play by The Civilians’ Siting Yang. Taking inspiration from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Siting crafted a piece of docufiction that weaves together literary texts, interviews, and documentary materials to investigate neo-Colonialism from a modern Chinese perspective.

 Introducing Extended Play’s New Advisory Board by Phoebe Corde
Interested in getting to know more about our Advisory Board? Meet the team of dramaturgs, academics, and artists that provide creative collaboration and expertise to Extended Play in this short profile by The Civilians’ Phoebe Corde.

Extended Play is a project of The Civilians. To learn more about The Civilians and to access exclusive discounts to shows, visit us and join our email list at TheCivilians.org.