Saw your "Remeber When" post in Brian's newsletter: In case you haven't read it, here's a link to a fascinating dissertation I ran across on the web a while back. It includes a timeline...
https://drum.umd.edu/dspace/bitstream/1903/2917/1/umi-umd-2708.pdf
Friday, September 08, 2006
Thursday, September 07, 2006
1990 - Matthew Pauli
1990, summer
Avalanche! Theatre- first and only season.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. The idea was that while Washington, DC is the center of American politics, there was very little political theater at the time. Avalanche set out to change that with a season consisting of Oedipus the King and The Memorandum, by Vaclav Havel.
On the heels of the scandal of mayor Marion Barry's arrest for smoking crack cocaine in a hotel room with a woman who was not his wife, the artistic director of Avalanche! set out to produce Oedipus the King, drawing parallels between Oedipus and Mayor Barry. In the exposition, this is plausible. A city (Thebes/DC) in the throes of a decline. A young, charismatic leader comes to power and revitalizes the city by the force of his own will. After a brief period of regrowth, however, the city begins to languish again. The charismatic leader is too self absorbed to see that he, himself, is the biggest problem the city now faces and that the only way to save the city is to leave it.
Unfortunately, once you get into the actual events of the play, the parallels end. This was obvious to reviewers and patrons alike, both of whom stopped coming shortly after the run began.
In fact, the producers had been counting on a positive review from the Washington City Paper to turn the tide on attendance. The paper had a history of antagonism toward Barry, and the producer felt sure that would translate into a love of this production. In fact, the paper ran a review that was quite negative and followed up with a series of articles about the problems of Avalanche! Theatre and its misguided vision.
The run closed early when the money to pay the actors ran out.
Rehearsals for The Memorandum began with some difficulty. Several of the actors who had been cast at the beginning of the season left the company after it failed to pay them in full for their work on Oedipus. Replacements were hired, but after a very brief rehearsal period, the company folded.
Avalanche! Theatre- first and only season.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. The idea was that while Washington, DC is the center of American politics, there was very little political theater at the time. Avalanche set out to change that with a season consisting of Oedipus the King and The Memorandum, by Vaclav Havel.
On the heels of the scandal of mayor Marion Barry's arrest for smoking crack cocaine in a hotel room with a woman who was not his wife, the artistic director of Avalanche! set out to produce Oedipus the King, drawing parallels between Oedipus and Mayor Barry. In the exposition, this is plausible. A city (Thebes/DC) in the throes of a decline. A young, charismatic leader comes to power and revitalizes the city by the force of his own will. After a brief period of regrowth, however, the city begins to languish again. The charismatic leader is too self absorbed to see that he, himself, is the biggest problem the city now faces and that the only way to save the city is to leave it.
Unfortunately, once you get into the actual events of the play, the parallels end. This was obvious to reviewers and patrons alike, both of whom stopped coming shortly after the run began.
In fact, the producers had been counting on a positive review from the Washington City Paper to turn the tide on attendance. The paper had a history of antagonism toward Barry, and the producer felt sure that would translate into a love of this production. In fact, the paper ran a review that was quite negative and followed up with a series of articles about the problems of Avalanche! Theatre and its misguided vision.
The run closed early when the money to pay the actors ran out.
Rehearsals for The Memorandum began with some difficulty. Several of the actors who had been cast at the beginning of the season left the company after it failed to pay them in full for their work on Oedipus. Replacements were hired, but after a very brief rehearsal period, the company folded.
1975 +...Lisa Lias
I can start you in about 1975. At that time, there were the Folger and Arena Stage of course, but also New Playwright's, The Washington Theatre Lab and Asta. I worked for all of them between '77 and '80. The Washington Theatre Lab's final show was The Snow Queen. Michaeline O'Neal was in that as was Bart Whiteman, who immediately started Source and took Michaeline along. Meanwhile, I met Joy Zinoman in '79 when Studio had not yet done a full production in the Church St. space that later was home to Woolly Mammoth, and then took classes and worked at Studio in the office for a chunk of '83.Asta did one full season. Dona Cooper was AD and in 77-78 did "Merton of the Movies," "Private Lives," "Playboy of the Western World" and some other things. Richard Coe of the Washington Post was quite supportive. Still, at that point they were in finacial trouble and not only did the Washington Theatre Lab move into their space on 8th st. SE (where I think the Shakespeare Theatre now has its costume shop) but the very first Source productions ever were done there - 2 one acts by O'Neil. That same summer a group who had just graduated from Georgetown did "The Goodwoman of Szechwan" and "Measure for Measure," often butting heads with Bart if I recall.The following season ASTA was gone as was the Washington Theatre Lab and at New Playwright's Tim Grundman was writing musical comedy. I had worked for Russel Metheny at ASTA and followed him the New Playwright's where I eventually got cast in their summer festival, the annual "Dramathon," in Ernie Joslevitz' play, "Hagar's Children." I met Leslie Jacobson at that festival and did 3 shows for her between 86 and 91. The 80's is when small theatre took off in DC. Even so, the first League auditons in the early 80's were not what they are today. There just were not 60 or 70 groups much less 800 actors vying for their attention.
1975 - Alexander Fraser
1975
Chevy Chase Players was putting on FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TOTHE FORUM. The late, lamented Cliff Smith was the director; SandyBremer was producing; I played Erroneous. Opening night, about 7PM, wegot a call that our leading lady, our Virgin, was lin the Hyattsvillejail for shop-lifting. Sandy and I jumped in my car and broke severallaws getting to the lock-up. Sure enough, there sat our leading lady,hand-cuffed to a bench. Bail was set at $200; bond was $20. I was incostume and had zip. Sandy looked the desk sergeant in the eye; dumpedher purse on his counter; and said "Here's $l9.80; it's all I have; andI WANT MY VIRGIN." The cop laughed and let her go.Curtain was late but the show went on.
Alexander Fraser
Chevy Chase Players was putting on FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TOTHE FORUM. The late, lamented Cliff Smith was the director; SandyBremer was producing; I played Erroneous. Opening night, about 7PM, wegot a call that our leading lady, our Virgin, was lin the Hyattsvillejail for shop-lifting. Sandy and I jumped in my car and broke severallaws getting to the lock-up. Sure enough, there sat our leading lady,hand-cuffed to a bench. Bail was set at $200; bond was $20. I was incostume and had zip. Sandy looked the desk sergeant in the eye; dumpedher purse on his counter; and said "Here's $l9.80; it's all I have; andI WANT MY VIRGIN." The cop laughed and let her go.Curtain was late but the show went on.
Alexander Fraser
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
1986 - Deb Randall
1986, October
I remember turning 19. My friend took me to see a show in DC. This was a good idea to me at the time because the Grandfather clause said that I could legally drink in DC, but not in MD - where I was from. I'd seen shows on Broadway and done theatre in school. What I was about to experience was something that would change my outlook on theatre forever.
I walked into the Georgetown Foundry on something like 33rd St. It was a bar. There were tables. We ordered food and drink. And then there was a show.
"A, My Name Is Alice" was performed by Horizons Theatre. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. In particular I remembered an amazing African American actress in the hair salon monologue. She was getting her hair shampood by an invisible person and I could sense every touch...Every intricacy...Then there was the woman with the sub sandwich who shouted back at construction workers. For some reason my brain opened up a little that night.
The power of the piece for me was immeasurable and my work would forever be effected by that birthday outing.
-Deb Randall
I remember turning 19. My friend took me to see a show in DC. This was a good idea to me at the time because the Grandfather clause said that I could legally drink in DC, but not in MD - where I was from. I'd seen shows on Broadway and done theatre in school. What I was about to experience was something that would change my outlook on theatre forever.
I walked into the Georgetown Foundry on something like 33rd St. It was a bar. There were tables. We ordered food and drink. And then there was a show.
"A, My Name Is Alice" was performed by Horizons Theatre. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. In particular I remembered an amazing African American actress in the hair salon monologue. She was getting her hair shampood by an invisible person and I could sense every touch...Every intricacy...Then there was the woman with the sub sandwich who shouted back at construction workers. For some reason my brain opened up a little that night.
The power of the piece for me was immeasurable and my work would forever be effected by that birthday outing.
-Deb Randall
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