Finally, we've got pictures to share of our incredibly fun, site-specific, outdoor production of Lanford Wilson's The Madness of Lady Bright from last fall (part of Off Stage: The West Village Fragments, produced by Peculiar Works Project). For those of you who didn't get a chance to see the performances, you can relive the cold weather, the street traffic, and the yellow pasty street lamps lining Cornelia Street. (And to the resilient, dedicated cast -- Steve Hauck, Gretchen Michelfeld, and Lars Preece -- we miss you very much!)

More photos, reviews, and other goodies about Lady Bright can be found on our Productions page. Seeing these images again, we can't wait to start working on the East Village Fragments, coming in June 2007.

Labels: drama, New York City, The Madness of Lady Bright

Great news: the MadShag production of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches has been named by Baltimore Out Loud as the Best Local Theatre Production of 2006! In addition, they awarded Best Ensemble to our astonishing company of actors -- Richard Goldberg, David Gregory, Patrick Kilpatrick, Suzanne Knapik, Terry J. Long, Shannon Maddox, Don Mullins, and Towanda Underdue. We couldn't be prouder, and can't wait to start Part Two!

Labels: Angels in America, awards

American Repertory Theatre in Boston just opened a stage adapation of Wim Wenders' exquisite movie Wings of Desire, and I can't imagine a more beautiful idea for a stage transfer. The video above is a 10-minute documentary on the production, which is directed by one of the most exciting new directors on the global scene right now, Ola Mafaalani. The show is a co-production with Toneelgroep Amsterdam , which is led by Ivo van Hove, who directed that utterly magnificent experimental version of Hedda Gabler two seasons ago in New York. (Wings of Desire was, coincidentally, reviewed by the New York Times today, and surprise surprise, they didn't get it.)

The images are stunning -- beautiful ways to reinterpret the idea of "angel." Very inspiring for Perestroika, methinks. (And if you haven't seen the movie, you really should.) It's also amazing what you can do with a massive budget, isn't it? ;-)

Just a quick note to appease the blogger gods... Today's meeting and festivities before and after were fantastic and really made me feel creative (really, I can be creative) again.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy having some free time for the first time in months, but I do miss the amazing talent (and company) of the entire Angels crew.

How was Little Dog Laughed? Two words: Shannon. Maddox.

Show was great, dinner was great, even standing in line for TKTS for almost two hours was great.

It was great to see Gabriel, Allen and Chris again (it's seemed way too long) and to meet Kay.

Great.

Obviously bedtime.

But, I have a question... :)

xoxx,
sh

The creative core of MadShag, flung far and wide up and down the Eastern Seaboard, reunited today in New York City for a day of pre-planning and holiday cheer. The designers, the directors, and the stage managers who will create Angels in America: Part Two: Perestroika next July had their first big meeting, and started to hash out details. There's a lot MORE to figure out, and critical questions remain unanswered...but at least we're started.

We also had the first discussion for Dragging The Day (Behind You), our first original piece since Stealing Pears in 2004. There's a lot of excitement about the ideas that make up the foundation for the project, and of course we're excited about possibly returning to Europe in 2008 and have our first through-composed piece by company member Chris Meade. But we should have a rehearsal or two first before we get all excited. ;-)

And finally, most of us ended the day by doing something completely unexpected for an experimental performance ensemble...we went to a Broadway show. The Sunday matinee of The Little Dog Laughed, to be specific, which was as funny as could be. When I grow up, I want to be Julie White.