#changethestage

[weeblemountaincasting]

CASTING CALL | TRANS AND/OR NON-BINARY ACTORS

We’re casting trand and/or non-binary actors for the short film Controlling the Narrative. 

We need actors age 14-25 who identify as non-cisgender. No professional experience required. 

Pay is SAG scale (approx $211/day) for 3-6 days of work between Mon 8/22-Sat 8/27 in Portland, OR. Must be US based to apply, tavel/lodging will be provide as needed. SAG-AFTRA, non-union talent are welcome to submit. Must disclose your talent agency if applicable. 

TO APPLY: https://weeblemountain.com/opencastingcalls/controlling-the-narrative

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Sam Ogilvie, playing “Al Jolson/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater

154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

I know I'm not allowed to say EVERYTHING. So I'll make an actual decision... The large group sections. A lot of the creation of these different places are done by the ensemble and its movement. The limited set means that we have more variety and also create the scenes through our interactions with the world and each other.

What's your favorite line from the show and why?

HELGA - I'm no apologist for the white race, but I wonder, if they're so thoroughly reprehensible, why we accept their dirty money for our schools and foundations.

ANNE - It's the money they've made through the oppression of our people. They owe us that, and more.

I love this interaction because it displays the complicated discussions about race that members of the black community were having (and still are), in terms of working with or against white people when fighting oppression. Helga's position here is more uncertain because of her mixed-race heritage, and though she identifies more with her black friends, she feels a lack of belonging as they decide to attack white people in general. She feels like they attack her as well.

What's the biggest challenge this piece has posed to you?

Not losing character choices in the shuffle. Our show is incredibly fast-paced and moves from location to location very quickly. The biggest challenge as part of this ensemble is making big and unique choices for even the smallest characters. Otherwise, we could lose the audience as they attempt to identify where we are on the map. This also means learning about five different accents (including a foreign language).

SAM OGILVIE (Al Jolson/Ensemble) is an NYC-based actor and a Core Member of Everyday Inferno. Select theater: Reigning Women (Spicy Witch), The Fall (FringeNYC), Roaring Girl (Everyday Inferno), A Map to Somewhere Else (Everyday Inferno), Signal Season of Dummy Hoy (NYDT); Workshops: Rape of Lucrece (Shakespeare Exchange), Maybe a Mexican? (Toccara Castleman); TV: Hamilton: Building America (History Channel); Web: Adventures of Hot Head, Adventure Capital. Adventure Capital will be appearing throughout festival circuits around the country. Beyond acting, Sam also moonlights as a professional zombie, appearing in plays, music videos, and commercial events in his brain-eating form. In the writing realm, his first full-length play, The Music Box, is currently in development with Everyday Inferno. BFA: NYU-Tisch. Website - www.sam-ogilvie.com.

[jonhoche]

Cast, Orchestra. Orchestra, Cast. Making beautiful music together. 1st Preview here in #sanfrancisco tonight, OPENING NIGHT Tomorrow!!! I love this show, I love these people. . . . . . #theater #theatre #actor #actorslife #softpower #newplay #musical #musicaltheater #asian #asianamerican #hapa #hapastrong #orchestra #music #changethestage #diversitymatters #diversity #softpowerctg #softpowersf #theater #Repost @pamstinkleton @sf_curran https://ift.tt/2llgEv5

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Tyler Johnson, playing “James/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater 154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

I'm excited to be sharing snippets of the black experience in a different time period. To me there's something about the story that's still relevant to today's time, it's really neat that I get to offer that perspective.

What would your character’s Karaoke song be?

I am confident that James would get on stage at the bar and dedicate Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ to Helga. Out of all the men in the play, he loves her the most.

What is the best or worst piece of advice about acting you've ever been given?

A random actor who looked a lot like me in a dream I had, said:  “Tell the truth. Even if your character is lying.” That's always stuck with me.

TYLER JOHNSON (James/Ensemble) hails from Kannapolis, NC and is a proud graduate of The American Musical & Dramatic Academy of New York. His stage credits include: A Sketch of New York (actor) and 'T.I.S.E Best of The Best of The Best Showcase' (writer, actor). His film credits include 'Tethered' (Aaron) and 'Last Party in New York'. When he's not acting he enjoys a good time with friends, working outdoors and He's also very thankful to be working with The Everyday Inferno Theatre Company in his first professional play! Tyler would like to thank the good Lord Jesus, his family, teachers, friends and the city of Kannapolis for their never ending support!

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Chris Wight, playing “Uncle Peter/Uncle Paul/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater 154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

The 20s are such an inflection point for white supremacy in the US - Birth of a Nation, lynchings, and blackface, but also the seeds of change are taking hold as evidenced in part by the Harlem Renaissance. I’m hoping we capture some essence of Helga’s journey as a woman caught between many worlds and show through the lens of her journeys how the world has changed since then, and how it hasn’t.

What would your character’s Karaoke song be?

Uncle Paul is quite fond of In Bluebird Land by Valdemar Eiberg.

What do you wish the theatre had more of?

An audience beyond wealthy older white folks; a reach to audiences that could most benefit from having their worldview challenged and expanded.

CHRIS WIGHT (Uncle Peter/Uncle Paul/Ensemble) just wrapped Deya Danielle Drake's Escape for FringeNYC. He is a long-time Artist Member of The Ensemble Studio Theatre and 'Friend' of Flux Theatre Ensemble; there and elsewhere he's appeared in new works by David Ives, Lucy Thurber, Liz Duffy Adams, Jen Silverman, Rachel Bonds, Tennessee Williams (in the premier of Spring Storm with Peter Sarsgaard), Cassandra Medley, Cherie Vogelstein (36DD with Judy Gold), David Lindsay Abaire (Crazy Eights opposite Rosie Perez), Sheri Wilner, Olivia Dufault, Jon Marans, Kathleen McGhee-Anderson, Arthur Giron, Jeffrey Sweet, David Zelnick, Adam Szymkowicz, Cheryl L. Davis, Julie Selbo, Joshua Conkel, Amanda Keating, Christina Quintana, J. Holtham, John Augustine, Robert Simonson, Michael Louis Wells, Ryan Dowler, Maria McCarthy and many other acclaimed writers. Recent films include the independent features Dreamelia and The Motion of the Sun, also shorts Character Assassins (opposite June Squibb), Amy Staats' Mary & Louise, etc. www.chriswight.net

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Synead Nichols, playing “Sary/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater

154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

I'm extremely excited and proud to be a part of a work that was written by a woman of color. The importance of working on a piece/narrative that I can relate to is very important to me. It allows me to connect not only to the work on a deeper level, but there is less of a struggle being authentic. With the way most industries are set up, holding a real space for non-binary women of color has been nothing short of impossible. Even in art, we have to constantly fight to be heard or seen but for one night...I exist on many planes. I could only be grateful for an opportunity like that.

What does "going home" (our 2018 season theme) mean to you?  

"Going home" means a lot to me right now at this time in my life. It's about a return to self. A return to my "home"- the heart. I've been experiencing so many changing faces/phases over the last few years and although it’s not been an easy road, I’m so lucky to have the chance to explore this space; to find my way home.

What’s your favorite line in the show (yours or someone else’s) and why?

My favorite line is when my character Sary addresses her friend Clementine in regards to Helga and says "Don't be so chinchy, Clementine." That line just throws me for a loop. Go ahead, say it. It kind of makes me tingle. The sound of the “ch” and the “inchy”....so gritty.

SYNEAD NICHOLS (Sary/Ensemble) is a New York-born musician, artist & activist who was named one of Teen Vogue's 17 Rising Stars Who Personify Black Excellence During Black History Month. Synead has been honored by the NAACP as a history maker in her crucial role in community organization and has been a keynote speaker at Harvard's Alumni of Color Conference in 2015 in connection to social justice and organizing the Millions March NYC in 2014. Synead started on her performance track as a classically trained dancer studying at The Alvin Ailey School, Harlem School of the Arts, and LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts and studied acting at Stella Adler, CAP 21, the William Esper Studio, and abroad at the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts in London. In the last year, she released new music ("Lost In The Wild"; "Zenith") which premiered on Apple Music's Beats 1 with Ebro Darden. She has also had the opportunity to work on several film & television projects ("Mercy Mistress", "Sasquatch") with diverse and vibrant creatives in New York City and abroad.

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Malloree Hill, playing “Aunt Katrina/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater

154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

There are so many lovely and very relevant themes and topics explored in this play, but I most relate to the idea of trying to find a place where you belong. I've lived in three different states and all of them vastly different from one another. Finding your way, finding your place, your people in each of those places is not easy, at times it can feel like you will never belong anywhere. I think we are all just trying to find a place in this world that feels like our own.

What’s your favorite line in the show (yours or someone else’s) and why?

I have so many favorites but this exchange always stands out to me....

".... you're still seeking something, I think."

"..... If you discover what it is I'm seeking, do tell me!"

What do you wish the theater had more of?

Intersectionality, accessibility, and stories that challenge an audience to open their hearts and minds to worlds beyond their own field of vision.  

MALLOREE HILL (Aunt Katrina/Ensemble) is a proud Everyday Inferno company collaborator and has previously been seen in EITC's Iphigenia Among the Taurians, The Roaring Girl, Supertopia, If On A Winter's Night..., as well as the first public reading of Quicksand. Additional NYC credits include: Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew, The Trojan Women, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest. Regionally Malloree has worked with the Utah Shakespeare Festival in their touring production of The Taming of the Shrew. She is originally from Texas and received her BA from The University of Northern Colorado.

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Michael Quattrone, playing “Axel/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater

154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you the most/ are you most excited to share, and why?

What amazes me the most about this play and the overall story is the scope. The character of Helga travels across the country, and abroad, raising an array of challenging topics - gaze, intersectionality, tolerance, acceptance. I think what this story helps with is the understanding that these conversations, and the inherent problems from which they derive, have existed for a while, and remain necessary to continuously address in a diverse and changing society.

What would your character's Karaoke song be?

Definitely answering for the character Axel Olsen: I think it would be a toss up of "Fame" by David Bowie, and "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaac....BONUS! I found a Danish pop hit specifically for this answer called "Fly on the Wings of Love" by none other than the duo - The Olsen Brothers!!

What is the best/ worst piece of advice about acting you've ever been given?

A professor was once describing a metaphor as an example of needing different approaches for different styles saying "Your favorite tool might be a hammer. A hammer is a great tool and very useful in many situations. But you wouldn't use a hammer to make eggs.” He's not wrong...

MICHAEL QUATTRONE* (Axel/Ensemble) is proud to be making his Everyday Inferno debut! He has performed regionally and in the New York area. His credits include The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), A Christmas Story (Engeman Theater), Body Awareness (Avram Theater), and John Merrick in The Elephant Man (Broadhollow Theater). He holds a BFA from Hofstra University and is a recent student of The Barrow Group. He is a member of AEA. www.michaelquattroneactor.com

*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Gabrielle Laurendine, playing “Helga”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater

154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

I think what resonates most with me is the sense of importance and precedence that is placed on the idea of community and belonging that is still crucial to the average person's experience today. Helga is a person born both in and out of two different cultures and her overwhelming urge to find a foothold in either one is one of the driving forces of the story. In our current social and political climate there can be so much division and splintering off, and the idea of community and solidarity with you fellow man can be lost, or be used to gang up on other groups. Finding a people where you can truly be yourself with, share ideals and struggles with and have them relate to you and what you're going through is such a basic but joyous feeling and is one that any person of any color or creed can instantly relate to.

What would your character’s Karaoke song be?

Helga's karaoke song would probably be “Black or White” by Michael Jackson.

What is something about you that surprises people?

I think something that surprises people is how old I am vs. how young my face looks.

GABRIELLE LAURENDINE (Helga) is an actor and comedian who is so thrilled to be starring in her first show with Everyday Inferno! She's a recent graduate of St. John's University who's so excited to be showing off her professional acting chops. When not rehearsing or auditioning, you can usually find her re-watching Tony's performances or binging bad movies. Recent roles include Lucetta/Sir Eglamour/ Third Outlaw in Two Gentleman of Verona.

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Michael Anthony Jones, playing “Green/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater

154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

What resonates with me most about the play is the variety of sub-cultures within the Black culture. We are not just one type of people. i.e. We are religious, family oriented, blue collar, educated, social leaders, political leaders, etc.

If you could have a fantasy dinner party and invite three guests (alive or dead, but they must be real people), who would you invite? What food are you serving?

I would invite Marcus Garvey, Mother Teresea, and Paramahansa Yogananda. I'm serving Jollof Rice and Banana Pudding.

What is the biggest challenge this piece has posed to you?

Learning blocking, dance and text in a non-linear way.

MICHAEL ANTHONY JONES* (Green/Ensemble) has performed in plays such as August Wilson's Women (AUDELCO AWARD), Fences (AUDELCO AWARD), Wild Children (written by Vincent Pastore of the HBO series The Sopranos), 365 Plays/365 Days, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Black Girl, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. His films include, Family Matters, with Arthur French, No Tips; No Love, A House with Many Windows, and An Unremarkable Life (with Charles Dutton). His writing credits include the plays, It Takes a Village to Raise…Hell, produced by The Marian Holding Theatre, Family Matters, produced at Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, Angela's Justice, produced at Theater for the New City and Josh: The Black Babe Ruth, produced at Woodie King, Jr's New Federal Theatre. Numerous screenplays written and was commissioned to write The Skin I'm In, a play that is touring the N.Y. Public Schools. www.saucemike.webs.com

*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Marissa Stewart, playing “Anne/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater 154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

I love ensemble-based shows and the creative journey we go on through telling this story. The play feels grand and intimate at the same time. I am excited for my teenage cousins to watch the play and see people that look like them on stage.

If you could have a fantasy dinner party and invite three guests (alive or dead, but they must be real people), who would you invite? What food are you serving?  

Michelle Obama, Beyonce and Ellen DeGeneres. It would be more of a dance party, let's be real. Food would be on the side to keep us fueled during dancing and would consist of unlimited sushi and pinot noir. Plus all the fries. Halfway through the dance party our special VIP guest would arrive: the notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

What do you wish the theatre had more of?

Outreach and accessibility for youth and marginalized communities.

MARISSA STEWART* (Anne/Ensemble) is an actor and teaching artist originally from sunny San Antonio, Texas and is beyond thrilled to be in the cast for Quicksand. Upon receiving her Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, she made the big move to New York. Some of her favorite credits include playing Horatio in an all-female cast of Taming of the Shrew, Juliet for the School Visit Program at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as well as performing Thornton Wilder's short plays at the Moscow Art Theater. When she isn't acting, teaching, dancing, or traveling, Marissa can be found riding her super cool bike across the boroughs of NYC.

*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association

[everydayinferno]

Quicksand Interview: Monica Rodrigues, playing “Karen/Audrey/Ensemble”

IRT Presents Everyday Inferno Theatre Company’s QUICKSAND By Regina Robbins

IRT Theater 154 Christopher St, NYC December 1st-15th, 2018 Tickets: $5-35

“They say that if one stands on the corner of 135th street and 7th avenue long enough, one will eventually see all the people one has ever known. It’s pretty true, I guess. Everyone comes to Harlem sooner or later.”

In Regina Robbins' Quicksand, heightened theatricality, live music, and dance combine to immerse the audience in the 1920s: an era of incredible progress and unimaginable inequality. As we follow the journey of Helga Crane, a biracial woman, from the deep south, through Chicago, New York, Denmark, and back, historical figures of the period appear unexpectedly; Broadway star Al Jolson sings “April Showers” on a New York City street, W.E.B. Du Bois lectures in a lady’s bedroom, and Paul Robeson performs a scene from The Emperor Jones. Infused with the flavor of the roaring 20s, this lively production will pull you back to a past eerily similar to our present.

What about the play resonates with you most/are you most excited to share and why?

I think Helga’s journey is very relatable in this story especially for women in our current social and political climate. The Harlem Renaissance was such a movement in its own that very much created a shift in society at the time. So much of the cultural and racial prejudice that we see outlined in Quicksand is still very prevalent (unfortunately) today. It’s rather stifling the similarities between present and past, and serves as a reminder that things currently need to be changed to provide inclusivity for all.

What would your character’s Karaoke song be?

Audrey’s power anthem would DEFINITELY be “I’m Coming Out” by P!nk since she starts ALL the parties.

What is something about you that surprises people?

Fun fact about me? I can beatbox.

MONICA RODRIGUES (Karen/Audrey/Ensemble) is thrilled to be rejoining the NYC theater scene as a member of the Quicksand cast. She was most recently seen originating the role of Deborah Chessler in the East Coast premiere of Soul Harmony: The story of Deborah Chessler and the Orioles in Westchester, PA. Some of her favorite credits include Mimi in Rent and Lulu in Cabaret. A big thank you goes out to all of her friends and family for their constant support and encouragement.

[everydayinferno]

Glassheart Interview: Meghann Garmany, playing “Only”

GLASSHEART by Reina Hardy presented by Everyday Inferno Theatre Company

The Access Theater 380 Broadway, NYC October 19th-28th, 2017 Tickets: $5-18

“In the empty living room of a shabby apartment, a Beast is crying. There is just enough light to see that he is monstrous, and clutching something precious to him.”

Beauty never showed up. Centuries after the curse, the Beast and his last remaining magical servant are holed up in a ramshackle apartment, managed by a mysterious landlady with a suspicious taste for gingerbread. When an eligible maiden moves in next door, “happily ever after” feels agonizingly within reach, but we all know that in fairytales, nothing is exactly as it seems. Full of humor, magic, and belief in the life-altering power of love, Glassheart is a witty and decidedly adult take on a classic tale that explores the space between light and dark, and the sacrifices we make in search of an ordinary life.

What household object would you not want to live without? Truthfully, the first thing I do when I get home at night is turn on a lamp and turn off the overhead lighting.  One of my dearest and oldest friends, we’ve known each other since we were six and we were college roommates, loathes over-head lighting.  I do too.  I don’t know if it’s a habit I picked up from her or something I’ve always done, but yeah, I really do love lamps.  They make the home a better place.

What about the play are you most excited to share? There’s so much I’m excited to share, but currently I’m most excited to share the moments of magic.  In the rehearsal rooms, we’ve built in these moments of magic for ourselves surrounded by folding chairs, rehearsal blocks, and fluorescents; I am so excited to explore these moments surrounded by everything the design team has created and to share these moments with an audience.  The feeling of a roomful of people experiencing a moment of wonder together is palpable and so thrilling to be a part of, let alone orchestrate! Also…CANDY. I’m very excited to share candy.

What do you wish the theatre had more of? Ah, here’s my soap-box…now what do I do it with?  The short version, I wish the theatre was as diverse as the world around us, and I wish it was more accessible to the world around us.   The long version, the theatre could use a lot.  It could use more women, people of color, LGBTQIA people, and people with disabilities. They all possess the ability to create and to produce creative work.  Like the world around us, all of these groups could use more representation.  I’d love to see more diverse stories, from life-experiences and identities I’ve never had.  On a personal note, more queer representation and experiences would be great.  I’d love to play a lesbian that gets to be happy and live their life and maybe…I don’t know…not die horribly or have something horrible happen to them.  I’d love to play a lesbian in a story that has nothing to do with being a lesbian.  Sometimes it happens, I’ve had theatre experiences here that have opened my mind to other cultures and experiences, pieces of history I was oblivious to or had only seen through a white perspective, or encountered a gay character in a story-line that had nothing to do with them being gay.  But yeah, “more of” that.  There are lots of voices and stories that aren’t just waiting to be heard, they are already there, you just have to listen.  

I also think it would be great if more people could afford to go to the theatre. Perhaps if the audiences in commercial theatres began to hold as much diversity and experience as the people in the streets, the diversity and experiences on stage would begin to reflect that.  I’m not sure what the answer is here, but I know it’s not found at a “discounted price” of $85.  More ticket initiatives? Government funding? How do we find something that’s feasible, but also sustainable in the commercial world?  I could talk myself in circles on this one.

I’ll also just go ahead and say that I’m really proud to work with Everyday Inferno. They are a very female driven company telling stories centered around women, but they also really work to take whatever steps they can towards inclusivity and affordability. It’s not a perfect check box.  There will always be mis-steps and more that can be done, but to work with a company that keeps trying and to know they’re not alone in that, that other companies and artists are also trying, it keeps me hopeful.

What would your character’s Karaoke song be? I think Karaoke decisions, like many choices in life, are based on current mood and level of consumption.  If Only’s letting loose and shining bright, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness.  If she’s on a bender and The Beast is having a particularly bad day, “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia.  But at the end of the night, as the bar begins to clear and the last drinks are poured, she makes herself a warm spotlight and shuts the place down with “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston.

MEGHANN GARMANY* (Only) is a core company member of Everyday Inferno and has been seen previously in EITC productions including Reina Hardy’s A Map to Somewhere Else and the development of Nora Sørena Casey’s Dreams of Malinche and Regina Robbins’ Quicksand as part of the 2017 Access Theatre residency. Other credits include The Mask of the Jaguar King (The Schoolhouse Theatre, Croton Falls NY), Bonesetter: A Tragislasher (Spicy Witch Productions), The Woman American (Samuel French OOB Festival), and Fengar Gael’s Devil Dog Six. Meghann is an alumna of the Theatre Arts Department of Virginia Tech. She is thrilled to go on yet another magical journey with Everyday Inferno and hopes you will continue to join and support us. @MeghannGarmany (Twitter and FB), @TheGarm (Instagram), www.MeghannGarmany.com

*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association

[hapamag-blog]

I'm so proud to be co-producing this! Come out for a night of music and drinks all to help Puerto Rico! @wesohapa @broadwaydiversityproject @thecelltheatre @unitedforpuertorico #benefit #music #drinks #partyforacause #singforabsolution #puertorico #broadway #broadwayunited #oneweekfromtoday #thursday #NYC #NewYork #ComeTogether #RiseUp #BeTheLight #ChangeTheStage (at the cell)

[jonhoche]

Happy to make people smile, laugh and actually learn what the electoral college is. 🤪 . . . . . #theater #theatre #actor #actorslife #softpower #newplay #musical #musicaltheater #asian #asianamerican #hapa #hapastrong #changethestage #diversitymatters #diversity #softpower @ctgla @sf_curran #softpowerctg #softpowersf https://ift.tt/2u86eDJ

[jonhoche]

#sanfrancisco - We are open & only here for a VERY short time‼️ Get tickets TODAY‼️Check Out @sf_curran for info 🎊🇺🇸🇨🇳 #SoftPowerSF #Curran . . . . . #theater #theatre #actor #actorslife #softpower #newplay #musical #musicaltheater #asian #asianamerican #hapa #hapastrong #softpowerctg #changethestage #diversitymatters #diversity https://ift.tt/2lw9IeN