Theater hacking, United for all Families, Guthrie memories and more. News for 5.15

What Up, Performing Arts Peeps- -------- The Guardian UK recently ran an article on what’s being called “theatre hacking” by it’s creator, playwright Olivier Choinière. Prior to this specific project Choinière had created several walks around public spaces that audiences were guided through via an audio play on an MP3. For Project Blanc an audio program led audiences to Montreal’s classical theater company Théâtre du Nouveau Monde where there were tickets waiting to a production of Molière's The School of Wives. Choinière’s audience was then provided what sounds like a critical commentary of the production through their headphones while they watched the play be performed. I’m sure there are mixed reactions both from folks involved in the production that was commented upon by Choinière as well as the broader theater community. It sounds like great efforts were taken to be sure Choinière’s audience didn’t negatively impact the audience who had come to see the School of Wives. If that was really the case and this bit of theater within theater managed to not others’ ability to consume the art they wanted to consume it seems like an interesting and creative way to make theater while deconstructing theater. -------- A press announcement was made on May 14th by Executive Director of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, Sheila Smith, stating that a diverse group of arts organizations have come together to endorse the Minnesotans United for All Families Campaign. From the press release: The Minnesota arts community today announced plans to organize thousands of people within the arts community against the proposed constitutional amendment limiting the freedom to marry. Fifty-three arts organizations have already joined the arts coalition with Minnesotans United for All Families, and more are expected to follow suit, said Sheila Smith, Board Member for Minnesotans United and Executive Director of the Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. And Guthrie Director Joe Dowling shared these comments: “Recently I had the privilege of witnessing a wedding between two men in New York,” said Dowling. “These wonderful men lived in Minnesota for 25 years, contributing fully as prominent members of our community. The ceremony was beautiful, and I was struck with sadness that such an event was not possible here, where their families and community could witness the love and lifetime commitment these two men share.” Here’s a list of the organizations with more already being added since the press release came out. 1.American Composers Forum
 2. Anderson Center (Red Wing) 
3. Burton Art Studios (small business) 
4. Calliope Women’s Chorus 
5. Children’s Theatre Company
 6. Duluth Art Institute
 7. Frank Theater 8. Guthrie Theater
 9. Hennepin Theatre Trust
 10. Illusion Theater
 11. In the Heart of the Beast
 12. Intermedia Arts
 13. Jungle Theatre 
14. James Sewell Ballet 
15. Kate Sommers Photography (small business)
 16. Keane Sense of Rhythm, Inc Tap Dance
 17. Loring Park Art Festival
 18. Lunalux (small business)
 19. Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
 20. Minnesota Freedom Band
 21. Minnesota Museum of American Art
 22. Minnesota Opera 
23. Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra
 24. Minnesota Playlist 
25. Minnesota Theatre Alliance
 26. Mixed Blood Theatre Company
 27. The Moving Company
 28. Mu Performing Arts
 29. New Bohemian Artist Coop
 30. One Voice Mixed Chorus 
31. Open Eye Figure Theatre
 32. Patrick’s Cabaret 
33. Pillsbury House Theater 
34. Playwright’s Center 
35. Rebel Ink Printing (small business)
 36. Rox Minneapolis Jewelry (small business) 
37. Savage Umbrella
 38. Skewed Visions 
39. The Soap Factory
 40. The Southern Theatre
 41. Springboard for the Arts
 42. Stages Theatre Company 
43. Stuart Pimsler Dance Theater 
44. Table Salt Productions
 45. Ten Thousand Things Theater
 46. Textile Center
 47. Theatre Latte Da 
48. Trellage-Ferrill Architecture & Art (small business) 
49. 20 Percent Theater Company
 50. Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus 
51. Twin Cities Musicians Union
 52. Walker Art Center
 53. White Bear Center for the Arts I think it’s terribly important that artists and supporters of the arts get behind this campaign and support the organizations who come out for it. If artists won’t be vocal supporters of equality, who will be? -------- In light of the Guthrie coming under a fair amount of attack in recent weeks we thought it worthwhile to get at the positive impact the Guthrie has and can have. So we posed the following question on Facebook- What’s your favorite Guthrie memory? There were a bunch of very thoughtful responses. Here are a few. Joshua Hinck said, The Summer of Tony Kushner. Caroline, or Change.

 Elle Richards said, ”being a little girl and going to the christmas carol each year and getting a new ornament for our tree in the gift shop.

 Eric Powell Holm said, ”Either my first Guthrie show ‘A Month In The Country‘ by Turgenev, or Esbjornson’s astonishing “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” with Mercedes Ruehl and Patrick Stewart. 

Wendy Gennaula said, ”I took my teenage brother to see Naga Mandala in the 90’s. He had never been to a non-school play. He was mesmerized.” 

Emily Lehmann said, ”Going to see Ella with my Dad, and dropping my son off at the Target awesomeness that was going on for kids at the same time. My son was so excited by everything he had learned while we were enjoying the awesome show. Still to this day occasionally he’ll sing “A-Tisket A-Tasket...‘ He learned about music, history, civil rights, and overall just had an awesome time. :) I love the Guthrie.
 Steven Flamm said, ”Seeing Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in Foxfire.”
 Ryan Lindberg said, ””Six Degrees.” Alex Podluke’s dick swinging in the wind was always a favorite moment of the show - we kids of the main couples started the show in the front row center, so we saw the first half of the show every night. Before Alex came out, it was always fun to focus on the audience member who had no idea what they were in for - like the parents who didn’t do their homework and brought their 10-year-old daughter... The BEST was when one 50-something woman STORMED out of the house after that scene, ran to the box office demanding a refund and thundered, “I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PENIS IN MY LIFE, AND I NEVER WANTED TO! YOU HAVE RUINED MY LIFE!”

 These, and all the others, are great memories.
 -------- The blog State of the Artist recently ran a two part series on the history of Mu Performing Arts written by co-founder Rick Shiomi. It’s an interesting look at Mu as well as the current and past status of what Shiomi calls ‘ethnic’ theater companies. Here’s Part One Here’s Part Two -------- For a few more nights you can go check out ”Rip, Romp & Howl,” an Off-Leash Area production at the Playwrights Center. The Off-Leash folks describe the show as, ”a rowdy evening of compelling short works of contemporary dance and performance”. From photos I’ve seen and stories I’ve heard this is a bizarre, wonderful, weird, moving production. That all sounds like math that adds up to a worthwhile show. “Rip, Romp & Howl” runs through May 19th -------- That’s all I’ve got for now. Please feel free to send me a message if you’ve got new works I should know about, interesting stories to share, a hot tip on a good sandwich. I’m at [email protected] Have a week filled with future memories! -Levi