Magazine | May 2009 | MinnesotaPlaylist.com

What's new?

Laurie Van Wieren (left) and Megan Mayer in Skewed Visions' new work, He Woke Up In A Strange Place Called Home And Although Looking For Bed He Kept Finding Death Instead, by Charles Campbell. Photo: Craig VanDerSchaegen.

New work is terrifying - for artists and audiences both. Every time we leap into the unknown, we risk wasting our time, money, reputation, and sanity. In this issue, we examine why and how we keep scaring ourselves almost to death.

Articles

Untitled. Unfinished. UNRELEASED.*

By Tom Poole
Posted Monday, May 4

Do you want to do the work required to turn an idea into an actual play more than you want to eat kettle chips and watch reruns of Ultimate Cage Fighting?

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What moves you?

By Penelope Freeh
Posted Monday, May 4

Every dance possesses some combination of old and new. Dancer Penny Freeh reveals her thoughts, and dreams, on the mixture that sustains her career.

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Growing pains

By Michael Kinghorn
Posted Thursday, May 7

Minnesota's new play production record stands up favorably to any city in the country — and like every city in the country, we've got lots to improve.

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Open doors

By Marya Hornbacher
Posted Thursday, May 7

The real risk in creating new work is not that the audience won't understand our vision; the real risk is that we won't understand theirs.

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Adaptable

By MinnesotaPlaylist
Posted Monday, May 11

The prolific, ubiquitous, droll, jocular, successful and local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher sits for a video interview on the state of playwrighting.

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Mecca

By Allison Moore
Posted Thursday, May 14

Minnesota playwrights are often featured at the country’s premiere new play event; Allison Moore reports back from the production of her play Slasher.

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Mom, I got news for you...

By Victoria Stewart
Posted Thursday, May 14

No wacky playwright, living on absinthe and cobwebs, is Victoria Stewart. No regular paycheck or stability has she either.

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Using whatever light you got

By Craig VanDerSchaegen
Posted Monday, May 18

A photo essay of Skewed Visions' rehearsals for He Woke Up In A Strange Place Called Home And Although Looking For Bed He Kept Finding Death Instead.

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Why I am a playwright

By Alan M. Berks
Posted Monday, May 18

What possible reason can an otherwise rational person have for devoting themselves to writing new plays? Hint: It’s not the abundance of money and respect.

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Just do it

By MinnesotaPlaylist
Posted Wednesday, May 20

Your handy-dandy guide to new work development opportunities, compiled by MinnesotaPlaylist Intern, Anna Sundberg.

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Mission speaks

By Jack Reuler
Posted Thursday, May 21

The conventional wisdom says that new work is too hard to produce successfully. Mixed Blood's Artistic Director Jack Reuler begs to differ.

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Building a better bucket brigade

By Leah Cooper
Posted Monday, May 25

And see, it’s that maniacal way you pull on your hair and squeal that requires us to keep the rehearsal schedule secret from you.

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When critic meets playwright

By Roy Close
Posted Monday, May 25

Muzzle the urge to call that theater critic a despicable prick. The critic may just be the best friend a new work can have.

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Fuchsia sombrero ashtray

By Mo Perry
Posted Wednesday, May 27

From an actor's perspective, if working on a classic piece of theater is a paint-by-number project, then doing new works is a beginner’s pottery class.