theater simple: BrainFrieze

NEW PODCAST: theater simple’s Park Bench: University of Nevada, Reno, Pt 1

2011-11-28T13:51:00.001-08:00

NEW PODCAST: theater simple’s Park Bench: University of Nevada, Reno, Pt 1

theater simple's Park Bench: University of Nevada, Reno, Pt 1

JUST CLICK ON THE PLAYER TO THE RIGHT, HEAD TO

http://thsimple.podbean.com/

The week of September 17th, 2011, we set up shop at the University of Nevada in Reno and asked students about their lives, their plans, their school, and in these challenging times……their hopes for the future. Thanks to everyone who stopped to talk.

During three very hot September days in Reno we logged over 70 interviews, and from these chats we have done our best to sketch the community of a University: it’s pride, hopes and concerns. We hope this three part podcast series sparks conversation and interest in what makes a campus tick. And now we present theater simple's Park Bench: University of Nevada, Reno, Pt 1

Great Visuals for Wonderland

2011-04-27T14:23:00.003-07:00

Just wanted to give everyone a chance to see this great collection of photos (slideshow style) from 2010's Wonderland Workshop production at the Ballard Locks.

Remember, Wonderland returns this summer in four King County locations: July 16 & 17 at the Ballard Locks, July 23 & 24th in Kent, July 30th & 31 in Bellevue, and August 6th in Auburn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktCSLHznJ3Q

New Podcast! Part 2; The Redmond Central Connector

2010-10-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

theater simple’s Park Bench: The Redmond Central Connector, Pt.2

This podcast completes our look at the City of Redmond’s Central Connector Project Visioning Event during which residents and city users were encouraged to share their ideas, hopes and dreams for their city and the development of the newly purchased Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Line. On Sept 15th, at 5:30 the rains came…and so did the people…over 100. The simpletons logged over 4 hrs of comments and conversations and have been busily editing them into two 30 minutes programs. And so, please enjoy theater simple’s Park Bench: The Redmond Central Connector, Pt 2.

2010-08-15T00:13:00.004-07:00

Ok, these are AHHHHSOME! Scenic and prop elements from our new site specific work in progress. What's it all about?

WONDERLAND: ALICE ADVENTURES

August 21 at 5:00pm - August 22 at 5:00pm

Carl S. English Botanical Gardens and the Hiram Chittenden Locks

3015 NW 54th St.

theater simple's latest site-specific adventure WONDERLAND 's latest fun-in-progress experience is in August!

A free theatrical park adventure, WONDERLAND is inspired by and adapted from Charles Dodgson’s (Lewis Carroll) Alice stories, as well as his word games and puzzles.

An all-ages adventure inspired by Lewis Carroll’s writings.
...Theater and visual arts weave whimsically together within a parkland, playing with the creative perspectives of imaginations.

The goal: To look at ideas of PERSPECTIVE, CREATIVITY and PLAY - and have some serious fun.
Who can play? EVERYONE.

STAY TUNED!

WONDERLAND is supported in part by 4Culture.
And theater simple.

Reviews!

2010-03-22T17:12:00.005-07:00

Shows and ReviewsHello! Monique here.

To give you a little idea of all the work that we've been doing, here are some of the great reviews from the shows we've been working on! I'm sure I've missed a few...but this will give you something to read for a while! :)

First off, This Is a Play written by Canadian playwright Daniel McIvor.
This fun short show is a three-hander in which the audience gets to hear the inner workings and thoughts of the actors as they perform on stage instead of only the "script". Llysa, Pamala and Ricky were great (as you'll read from the links below) and even though we really had only just started hitting our stride by the time the show closed, the run was good and anyone who had any experience being on stage or even watching people on stage certainly enjoyed themselves. Hopefully you or someone you know lives in Canberra so you'll get a chance to see it or hear about it first hand!

From the Adelaide Advertiser: 4 3/4 stars out of 5!

From Australian Stage

From Adelaide Theatre Guide

From Glam Magazine (5 out of 5 stars!)

From Talk Fringe

Billed as our 'kids show' Myth Understandings is a fun production that Andrew and I wrote a number of years ago to perform as a part of the Youth in Education program here in Australia. We've been touring it around the Northwest for the few years and so we decided to bring it back to the South Australian shores this year as well!

From the Adelaide Advertiser: 4 1/2 stars out of 5!

Adelaide Theatre Guide

From Glam Magazine (5 out of 5 stars)

From Talk Fringe

The Snow Queen is our indoor version of Hans Christian Andersen's tale by the same name. While this is the same basic story of our outdoor version (Gerda's Journey) it is performed by only five actors who play a total of 55+ characters! Also currently playing in Canberra at The Street Theatre!

Australian Stage

Glam Adelaide (5 out of 5 stars)

Talk Fringe

52 Pick up, by TJ Dawe has been a fun and popular hit for theater simple for many years. Andrew and Llysa perform it seamlessly (or at least so from the audience's perspective! ;) and they've played to sold out houses numerous times! Why is it so popular? Well besides the fact that the script is great, the actors are fabulous and the theme is something we can all relate to...the show is never the same twice! (well the odds are nearly impossible for that to happen!) So even if you've seen the show before, you can never see the same show again...tons of fun!

Talk Fringe Reviews

And the largest production that I directed (as well as managed way too many other things) only had one review that I know of. Although we had a lot of wonderful comments from the masses of audiences who came.

Festival Freak

Catching Up/Down Under

2010-03-19T17:35:00.003-07:00

Ok, Ok, so what can we say......we been busy.

We leave Adelaide after nearly 7 weeks of full-on, flat out work. Lot's of great art (both created and viewed) and lot's of great stories. Over the next two weeks we will be traveling back in time to catch everyone up on our adventures.

Today's picture comes courtesy of Monique Kleinhans, Feb 19th. It finds us getting ready to march in the insanity known as the Fringe Parade. Upwards of 30,000 people lined the streets. It was madness....and quite fun. It was also dear Llysa's Birthday, so really, the parade was for her.

The picture should also come with this caption:
theater simple asks "you wanna start something? Do ya?" Yes, my sorry ass is back on the blog. You wanna make something of it? Do ya? Just talk to my posse. That's right! I didn't think so!!

More soon!!!!

Australia Update # 2

2010-02-09T05:26:00.004-08:00

Today was a great day.

We have been in Australia for 6 days and are on the brink of pulling off a major outdoor production halfway around the world. We are performing our all-ages park adventure, Gerda's Journey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTpP6aaVFOk) in three locations in the Adelaide region. First up is setting the piece on the estate of the Para Road Wineries (Richmond Grove, Peter Lehman & Langmeil Wineries) just 9 days after we arrive. Today we got our entire cast for Gerda's Journey (five simpletons, three Aussie professional actors, and eight community-based actors from the local Barossa Valley wine region) for the first time.

Ok, our whole cast is not together YET; key simpleton Ricky Coates is just about to hop on a plane, having just finshed his run at the Washington Ensemble Theater. Ricky arrives in the Barossa about an hour into our final dress rehearsal.

Regardless, had a lovely 4 hour rehearsal in the blazing heat (37 C, 100ish F), and were rewarded with a glorious sunset whilst sipping the open bottles from the winery's cellar door. Good art, good will, and good wine. Good combination. We open the show on Friday, and much remains to do, but it all seems a little more doable right now.

Australia Update # 1

2010-02-09T05:25:00.001-08:00

AUSTRALIA UPDATE Feb 7th: Three days of wonderfully mild weather (mid 70's) turns HOT today, lest we forget where exactly we are. We have our first outdoor rehearsal for Gerda's Journey in the lovely Botanic Garden's while, simultaneously, Monique heads to the Barossa Valley to work with our Aussie Ensemble. We open in 5 da...ys. GO, YOU BIG RED FIRE ENGINE (named theater simple). Love to all, around the globe.

The Fringe in Full Swing (reviews)

2009-08-20T09:56:00.005-07:00

Hello Simpletons Worldwide,

We have made it through a busy 6 first days of the Fringe here in Edmonton. Between The Snow Queen and Myth Understandings, we had 12 shows in 6 days. Add to that radio and TV appearances, flyering, postering and seeing a couple of shows per day.......and you start to understand the creative delirium that is the Fringe.

The picture is from the North Beer Garden, deep in the heart of the fringe. The Mid Way is a closed off street that cuts right through the heart of the site, lined with vendors, buskers, indoor theaters, outdoor stages, and cut across by a set of railroad tracks on which a vintage streetcar runs. Last night we saw the Melbourne, Australia St Kilda streetcar coming into the trolley barn from it's final run. The two conductors then walked through the site in their blues looking for all the world like just two more Fringe performers in costume promoting their show.

Reviews: some great stuff has come in for both shows.....

SNOW QUEEN got a 5-star review on Global TV - whooop!
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/video/index.html (look at Fringe Reviews 8/19!)

Myth Understandings nails a 5 star rating from the major daily.
Festival puts science clearly on the fringe

This makes our jobs somewhat easier, but we still have to get the word to people on the site.

Again, if you know anyone in Edmonton.....
LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DON'T SUCK.

Big Fringey Love,

Andrew

Wherever you go....

2009-08-17T08:06:00.007-07:00

Hello theater simple fans far and wide! (Monique here--dashing in for a quick update) We've been working hard since we landed here in Edmonton last Tuesday (and we have a the great Edmonton Journal review to prove it!!!--but more on that in a minute!)

I thought I would post a few photos from the roads traveled to get to where we are. They have been filled with long days, (and sometimes long nights!), great scenery, beautiful and generous hosts who have offered their homes as a shelter to this band of actors, and of course good food!

The lovely Christine and Rick who hosted Andrew, Yana and I
in Hamilton, MT for our performance of Myth Understandings at the Hamilton Players.

Dinner at "the Cabin" on the Swan River in MT, with our wonderful host Bob.

The cast at a turn out in Glacier National Park

"you never know what might happen"

Llysa, getting 'blown away' at our picnic spot in Glacier Park.

Pamela living on the 'edge' of our 'picnic precipice'.

Andrew and Yana getting an 'even better' view while stopped in Glacier Park.

Enjoying an evening of rest and entertainment in Red Deer AB with a friend that Llysa traveled the world with in Up With People (and her wonderful family)

Getting warmed up to Hit the streets of Edmonton and Poster Poster Poster!

And finally....after teching, and rehearsing and flyering, and mending and stretching and a thousand other things to get these shows up and running....we opened and got some beautiful recognition from the Edmonton Journal for Snow Queen!

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/summer-guide/Snow+Queen/1875858/story.html

Now I'm off for another performance of Myth Understandings! Remember if you have friends or family in AB...please tell them about the shows!

See you in the theater!

Edmonton, HERE WE COME! (the blog returns)

2009-08-10T20:48:00.015-07:00

Hello and re-welcome patient blog followers!

After a hiatus of many moons, the simpleton blog has returned!!!!

August 10, 2009, Dateline, Red Deer, Alberta.

We find the Simpletons (7 strong) cruising at 110 kilometers per hour towards Edmonton, Alberta and the largest theater festival in North America.

On tour are productions of the sleek and elegant The Snow Queen and the superlative and sophisticated Myth Understandings. The company hits Edmonton at 1oam tomorrow and goes straight to work, doing interviews, hanging posters rehearsing and, I dare say, drinking a beer (as is Fringe tradition).

Stay tuned for blog entries from Andrew, LLysa, Ricky, Yana, Ian, Pamala and Monique.

(Today's blog by Andrew, picture by Pamala)

Ricky Coates knows how to road-trip.

(cruising at 110 klicks)

A NEW POSCAST (KCLS Part 3)

2009-03-12T13:29:00.001-07:00

PARK BENCH

THE KCLS LIBRARY PROJECT

(PART 3 - Covington)

Episode 23:

PARK BENCH HEADS INDOORS!!!

to hear episode, click the silver player-box to the right

In the Fall & Winter of 2008-2009, theater simple teamed with the King County Library System (KCLS) and 4CULTURE to launch

"THE LIBRARY PROJECT: BOOK BENCH"

a 10-part podcast series covering every region of the King County Library System. We talked with Library users about books, reading, the importance of libraries....and anything else that was on their mind. Many thanks to KCLS and it's users for making these podcasts possible.

stream it, download it, or check it out further at:
http://www.gcast.com/user/theater_simple/podcast/main
the most recent episode will play automatically, while past episodes are at the bottom of the page.
We'd love your comments, so let us know what you think.

PARK BENCH premiered at the 2007 Adelaide Fringe Festival and Episodes 1 & 2 are taken from those Australian interviews.

PARK BENCH made it's North American Premiere as part of the 2007 Site-Specific Performance Network (funded by 4 Culture)in King County, Washington. Park Bench visited 7 communities (North Bend, Auburn, Bellevue, Kent, Duvall, Redmond, and Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood) in a two month span, and rolled out 9 community podcasts. In the Spring and Summer of 2008, Park Bench took part in civic planning charettes in Bisbee and El Mirage, Arizona, resulting in highly acclaimed episodes (#14-20). Powered by Gcast, Park Bench has been made possible by the generous support of 4 Culture and the local sponsors who brought us in to each community.

Thanks for listening. Enjoy!

A NEW POSCAST!!!!!!!

2009-02-19T01:40:00.001-08:00

PARK BENCH

THE KCLS LIBRARY PROJECT

(PART 2 - MERCER ISLAND)

Episode 22:

PARK BENCH HEADS INDOORS!!!

to hear episode, click the silver player-box to the right

In the Fall & Winter of 2008-2009, theater simple teamed with the King County Library System (KCLS) and 4CULTURE to launch

"THE LIBRARY PROJECT: BOOK BENCH"

PARK BENCH premiered at the 2007 Adelaide Fringe Festival and Episodes 1 & 2 are taken from those Australian interviews.

Thanks for listening. Enjoy!

THE KCLS LIBRARY PROJECT

2009-01-24T21:59:00.008-08:00

Announcing

THE KCLS LIBRARY PROJECT

(PART 1 - Valley View)

Episode 21:

PARK BENCH HEADS INDOORS!!!

to hear episode, click the silver player-box to the right

In the Fall & Winter of 2008-2009, theater simple teamed with the King County Library System (KCLS) and 4CULTURE to launch

"THE LIBRARY PROJECT: BOOK BENCH"

PARK BENCH premiered at the 2007 Adelaide Fringe Festival and Episodes 1 & 2 are taken from those Australian interviews.

Thanks for listening. Enjoy!

PARK BENCH: El Mirage

2008-10-02T10:27:00.009-07:00

IN September, a team of 4 simpletons (Monique, Bob, Andrew and I) went to El Mirage, Arizona to create a PARK BENCH event, asking questions of the community about growth, local history ~ recent and past, wish lists for their community for the future, and ways to arrive at those desired destinations. An interesting part of all of our interviews was the idea of community - what makes work, or fall apart... what are the common threads that tie a neighborhood or a group together, and how can that be used for the betterment of the city... One common thread that now exists: If a simpleton interviewed you about El Mirage, you got a rubby ducky. So there are a whole new flock of rubber ducks 'floating' about in Arizona.

We spoke to folks at the Bulk Trash Clean Up event, At Pueblo El Mirage Resort, At the new Walmart on Thunderbird, and at Dysart High School. We came away with over 100 interviews with more than 140 people, encompassing countless opinions, suggestions, kudos and criticisms.
There are FOUR PODCASTS - we really had to let the people of the city speak for themselves...
(they're pretty great - Andrew did a great job of editing them together! Whew!)

The podcasts create an interesting sketch of El Mirage - incomplete, of course, but still a complex interweaving of people old and new, established and fresh, young, old, thoughtful and thoughtless. Kind of like what you might expect of a diverse, rapidly growing community. We can't say we 'know' the community, but we at least now know them a little better than before, and harbor great hopes for their future.

And let us know YOUR thoughts and opinions - the good, the bad, the _____(enter adjective here) ~
Here's a good start -
How does one (or many) translate the ideas of 'what makes a good community' into something tangible that actually creates that? What might be successes, lessons, and 'what if's?? How does the public/private enterprise and responsibility come into play? What do YOU think?

Thanks again to The City of El Mirage (cityofelmirage.org), Maria and Raquel and the Planning Center (azplanningcenter.com) for letting us come in and speak with folks. We can't thank you enough for bringing this city into our lives.

It has been a while....

2008-09-09T22:28:00.003-07:00

...since we updated this page! But rest assured, that we have been very busy!

Currently, we are approaching our last performance of the outdoor version of our latest play "Gerda's Journey". We've performed this adventurous production in Kent, Ballard, at Bumbershoot and as a part of a showcase held at ACT. And if you're not able to come and see the show this Saturday in Duvall, look for the indoor version in November!

See...I told you we've been busy!

In about a week, we'll also be traveling down to Arizona to do another version of our Park Bench project, and one here in Seattle this fall that is focused on reading and libraries.

We hope you've had a great summer, and that part of that summer has involved going to support some art (of any kind). But of course, we always look forward to seeing you in the theater...even if 'the theater' just happens to be your local park. ;)

Keep you eyes out....art IS everywhere.

Cheers!
Monique

A SOLO antipodean adventurer

2008-03-04T20:23:00.003-08:00

Hey gang -

Greetings to many of you from the Other Side of the World. To the rest of you, G'day.
Llysa here with a long-overdue update from my time here (two weeks already!! How the %$(@@#! did that happen!?)

I am on-site in Adelaide with a few targets in my sights: doing a bit of producer-ship for The Snow Queen in either of its incarnations; attend the Australian Arts Market and get a bead on what artists in other places are thinking; see lots of stuff at the fringe, and SEE what artists have been thinking - both kinetically and ephemerally (trying to see more visual arts, particularly) AND do a little teaching at Urban Myth, seeing where and when Re[ACT]ion might happen. THEN, I will be going to New Zealand, teaching at the Fortune theatre in Dunedin("the Riviera of the Antarctic!") and meeting with folks I met at APAM. whoooo!

Much is percolating in my head - my mental velcro is VERY full already, and I still have 10 more days to go. I've seen two arts exhibits only, (one is a VERY large scale digital piece on historic buildings called Northern Lights - fabulous re-framing of familar places) but have managed to see 25 shows, and teach several classes.
The few things that are striking me: how grimly some folks are seeing the future or the past, yet in other places I've experienced incredible moments of grace, vulnerability and compassion.

Very interesting.

Music has had a personally powerful effect on me. I keep finding myself weeping at the sounds of voices raised together in song. (Not all songs. I didn't cry at the cricket anthem, or the drinking song.) But still - this is a path that we have been talking about re-incorporating, and obviously, we are in synchronicity with other creative types in the world. And lo! Two plays with music on the horizon!

I can hardly wait.

But - this is all for the nonce - I will leap back into the blogging fray more completely soon - just wanted to let folks know that I am alive, albeit alone (this is the first time since 1996 that theater simple has NOT performed at the Adelaide fringe, and Andrew and I have never been apart so long since 1989). If you see one of us, please give us a pat. Or a glass of wine.

Off to a show!

FINAL KING COUNTY PODCAST

2007-12-09T22:59:00.000-08:00

PARK BENCH
PHASE 2 CONCLUDES WITH A OUR FINAL PODCAST FROM THE 2007 KING COUNTY PERFORMANCE NETWORK.
(Episode 13), DUVALL, WA.

Park Bench is theater simple's mobile interview outpost where we invite people to have a seat and have a chat.

Hi there!
As part of the 2007 Site-Specific King County Performance Network (funded by 4Culture), theater simple's PARK BENCH visited 7 communities in August and September. Today's episode, the last of our King County Performance Network podcasts, comes to you from the beautiful town of Duvall, Washington. In mid September, Park Bench played a doubleheader in Duvall. We started out right in front of the brand new shopping center, and finished the evening in McCormick Park, on the banks of the Snoqualmie River and the final night of Duvall's outdoor cinema.
Have a listen by clicking play (on the silver player just to the right; press the "posts" button to search past episodes), and also visit the theater simple "gcast" website to
stream it, download it, or get more info on past episodes:
http://www.gcast.com/user/theater_simple/podcast/main
the most recent episode will play automatically, while past episodes are at the bottom of the page.
We'd love your comments, so let us know what you think.

Cheers,

Andrew

NEW PODCAST !!

2007-11-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

PARK BENCH
CONTINUES WITH A NEW PODCAST !!
(Episode 12), our day at the Redmond Farmers Market.
(Park Bench is theater simple's mobile interview outpost where we invite people to have a seat and have a chat.)

Hi there!
As part of the 2007 Site-Specific King County Performance Network (funded by 4Culture), theater simple's PARK BENCH visited 7 communities in August and September.

In late September, Park Bench made a visit to the King County city of Redmond, here in Washington State. With over a half a dozen potential sites for us to set up shop, we chose a place where farmers and artists and residents all come together, the Redmond Farmer's Market.
Have a listen by clicking play (on the silver player just to the right; press the "posts" button to search past episodes), and also visit the theater simple "gcast" website to
stream it, download it, or get more info on past episodes:
http://www.gcast.com/user/theater_simple/podcast/main
the most recent episode will play automatically, while past episodes are at the bottom of the page.
We'd love your comments, so let us know what you think.

Cheers,

Andrew

NEW PODCAST is up and RUNNING

2007-11-15T00:14:00.000-08:00

More Park Bench Podcasts

In mid September, Park Bench made two visits to Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood. On our first trip we set up shop as part of Beatwalk (Episode 10), and now, today, we are feeding the city, at the farmer’s market.
Have a listen by clicking play (on the silver player just to the right; press the "posts" button to search past episodes), and also visit the theater simple "gcast" website to
stream it, download it, or check past episodes and get more info:
http://www.gcast.com/user/theater_simple/podcast/main
the most recent episode will play automatically, while past episodes are at the bottom of the page.
We'd love your comments, so let us know what you think.

Cheers,

Andrew

More Park Bench Podcasts

2007-11-11T00:28:00.000-08:00

What have we been doing lately?

Well, a lot. But one thing in specific. Since our last entry we have posted four more episodes of Park Bench's internet podcast. (again you can listen to it right now by clicking the play button to your right).
Currently we have a dreamy set of interviews from an art event that we did here in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. We had folks weigh in on the importance of art and how art is a part of their lives. Have a listen, and also visit the "gcast" website to
stream it, download it, or check past episodes:
http://www.gcast.com/user/theater_simple/podcast/main
the most recent episode will play automatically, while past episodes are at the bottom of the page.
We'd love your comments, so let us know what you think.

Cheers,

Andrew

Park Bench's North American premiere PODCAST is here!

2007-09-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, folks. The first of seven King County based podcasts is now available (just over there to the right, if you're interested). We've been busily rolling into different King County locations over the past five weeks and having the most fabulous conversations with folks, young and old.

(to the right we see Llysa conducting one of many interviews in North Bend, WA with the gorgeous Mount Si in the background. photo by Monique Kleinhans )

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? (if you don't know already)
As part of the 2007 Site-Specific King County Performance Network (funded by 4 Culture), Park Bench will visit 7 communities in August and September. We start with interviews from a visit to the King County Public Library in North Bend, WA, and in the coming weeks look for podcasts from visits to the cities of Auburn, Bellevue, Kent, Duvall, Redmond, and Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood.
Powered by Gcast, Park Bench is made possible by the generous support of 4 Culture and the local sponsors who brought us in to each community.
PARK BENCH premiered at the 2007 Adelaide Fringe Festival and Episodes 1 & 2 (with 3 & 4 to come) are taken from those Australian interviews.

for past episodes visit http://www.gcast.com/user/theater_simple/podcast/main

What is Park Bench?
Park Bench is theater simple's mobile interview outpost where we invite people to have a seat and have a chat.
Park Bench is a change of perspective that looks a little like a rolling hill that arrives into an urban environment (a mall, a parking space, or as part of a public event) and asks passersby to consider and share their thoughts while sitting and observing their present situation.
Park Bench hopes to capture, through a series of friendly interviews a small snapshot of a neighborhood, a destination, or a community landmark, perhaps revealing a philosophy about where we are and how we got there. These interviews are recorded and edited into an internet podcast.

Hope you enjoy.

Andrew

Footprints

2007-09-15T17:40:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite photos from our final days in New Zealand earlier this year. I like seeing something tangible that shows the journey that we've been on together. (even though the water will soon come and wash it away).

This year has been a huge year for us as a company and as individuals. But although there is so much that changes in our lives (and sometimes at an alarming rate) I love knowing that there are some constants as well. One of my most cherished is the work that I get to do with theater simple and Andrew and Llysa (and all you other simpletons out there!...you know who you are!).

For those of you who don't know, this fall brought a big change for me, as I have moved to Montana--back to the area where I grew up. My move however, will not keep me from my Seattle ties and Seattle family...it just means I have to walk a little farther down the beach to catch up!

Here's to change leading us toward new and great things, ...and here's to the rocks in our lives that give us a sturdy place to stand, even as the ground shifts beneath our feet.
Big Love,
Monique

Just for fun... pix from the last month

2007-06-26T22:51:00.001-07:00

So, we have this wonderful friend in Orlando named Philip, who works for the Magic Kingdom, and very patiently allows us to monopolize him once in a Blue Moon, and on this particular day off from the Orlando Fringe, we went to the Animal Kingdom with him giving expert advice and timing between attractions... this photo(taken by Mr P. Nolen) seemed very apt for the year of touring in general.

So - which do you like better - the retro dino-car (above), or the Airstream trailer-as-hot dog-stand conversion? (to the right) The things one must decide nowadays...

one last pic - the new house - and ground central for the new-improved
theater simple headquarters and artist outpost...
Y'all come and visit now, y'hear? (But maybe after we excavate from the boxes...)

New place, old friend, new adventure, old stuff

2007-06-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Hiya. Llysa here. Here we are in Stone Mountain, Georgia, just outside the perimeter of Atlanta... we are halfway through the last leg of our 2007 Monster Tour, (over 90 days on the road since January) and boy are we ready to come home!
One of the bonuses, though, was getting to see an prior touring pal of mine. Long ago and far away, I traveled for a year with Up With People, cast C, 1983-84. The tallest guitarist in the organization was in my cast - and is currently living here in the Atlanta area- Blaise Fitzpatrick. Who, much to my chagrin, looks great and pretty much the same as when we travelled in one of several buses through any of -what... 7 countries? He and his wife and daughters live nearby, and Blaise came out to see 52 PICK UP at Art Station.

It is an interesting perspective, to consider that I have been taking acts on the road(as it were) since 1977. As Blaise pointed out, my cast should be having its 25th anniversary, and since I actually toured in high school, with my jazz choir... oof.
Let's just leave it at "There are many miles behind me." And I'll add - I expect there will be many miles before I stop.

What is it that keeps me on the road, yet still anchored to a few certain places? (Seattle, the West Coast of the US, Charleston, Adelaide, Australia) We even own an Airstream, to facilitate that wanderlust, should we be so inclined. Is it the desire to see new places, new faces, meet those strangers who are merely friends yet unmet? Or for that feeling, when one gets home and sees familiar faces, that there is 'no place like home'? Or the inevitable comparison, of one place to another... one community to another? Or is it the friends in many places that happen to be geographically removed, although emotionally close?

And, as a parallel, perhaps that is one of the reasons we've done 52 PICK UP so long... the scenes themselves are familiar, but it's always the transitions that are different, and fascinating, or ironic, or painful, honest and funny. And always surprising. It's the juxtaposition of the familiar with the current moment/situation.

Another not-so-old friend has popped up again, as well. Our second podcast of PARK BENCH in Adelaide has been posted to GCast! Monique rocked it out, as well as editing and uploading a video version onto YouTube! (And don't go too far - a third podcast is coming soon.)
The links are:
podcast: http://www.gcast.com/u/theater_simple/main
(you can subscribe thru iTunes, too)
YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=thsimple

So, home soon........ and still transition. We move at the end of the month from Ballard to Magnolia here in Seattle. We'll be home, but between homes, exchanging one house for another, transitioning how we live, tour, and seeing if I can't shed stuff that isn't serving me, us, the company, etc... (hello, packrat Holland).

Wish me luck, and stop by... we'll be home, soon.

2nd Park Bench Pod Cast!

2007-06-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

Check out our 2nd episode of Park Bench!

New Titles

2007-06-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Most Noble Lady Llysa the Convincing of Barton in the Beans
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

How appropriate.

Andrew's is

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
The Very Reverend Andrew Litzky the Insouciant of Porton Down
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Yes indeedy.
How about

Empress Theater Simple the Loquacious of Lower Wombleshire
Again - rather appropriate.

or if the theater was a guy...
The Most Honourable Theater Simple the Liminal of Piddletrenthide Under Booth.

I am assuming it is Under the Lighting Booth...

Go forth, and relate to us your titles, willy nilly!

tarot.... synchronicity??

2007-06-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

Llysa here. Went to a dear friends blog, after not having a second to read it... all sorts of info about all sorts of allsorts. but something that caught my eye was her tarot card (birthday coming up) that she had gotten online.

Of course, I must have one too.

You are The Lovers

Motive, power, and action, arising from Inspiration and Impulse.

The Lovers represents intuition and inspiration. Very often a choice needs to be made.

Originally, this card was called just LOVE. And that's actually more apt than "Lovers." Love follows in this sequence of growth and maturity. And, coming after the Emperor, who is about control, it is a radical change in perspective. LOVE is a force that makes you choose and decide for reasons you often can't understand; it makes you surrender control to a higher power. And that is what this card is all about. Finding something or someone who is so much a part of yourself, so perfectly attuned to you and you to them, that you cannot, dare not resist. This card indicates that the you have or will come across a person, career, challenge or thing that you will fall in love with. You will know instinctively that you must have this, even if it means diverging from your chosen path. No matter the difficulties, without it you will never be complete.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Seems rather appropriate this week. And I could even argue that most of theater simple's productions have in some driving way ALL to do with love, in some form.

Hmmm. Something to consider tomorrow, and through the next few days ,as we wrangle our way clear to our next season or two... especially that part about surrenduring. That's the thing with creativity - the faith that it will take care of you, if you give into it. (Or with spirituality...) hmmm. Anyone have any thoughts?

Happy Anniversary.....to us

2007-05-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

One of the sweetest on-stage moments we've ever had happened day before yesterday.

Just to catch up (since our last entry contained the opening night horrors), our run here in Orlando at the Fringe Festival has gone quite well. With the exception of our late-night shows (of which we had two) all were well attended, and for the final three we really caught our groove. We are done now, and boy could our livers use a break.

On to the sweetness.

Audiences are always very pleased to find out that we are married, and even more pleased to find out that we have been married for so long. Well, our final performance was on May 27th, our anniversary, and we decided to let the cat out of the bag. Our final show was at the unreasonably early hour of 11:00am(!!!!!) so we kept telling people to bring their own mimosas. Not to be outdone, of course, we brought our own fixings to the theater. We had a nearly full house (90 people or so) and at the end of the show Llysa made the announcement from the stage that we had been married for 18 years, while I brought on the champagne and popped it. A lovely, sweet and very long ovation followed, after which something quite wonderful occurred. The lead reviewer for the major paper, The Orlando Sentinel, having just seen the show for the second time, stepped to the front of the stage and handed us a gift bag with a bottle of champagne inside and thanked us for being at the Fringe. The is the same reviewer who saw at wrote about Notes From Underground (1994) and Justice (1997, the last time we were in Orlando). Very nice.

We are home tonight, and then next Tuesday turn right back around and fly to Atlanta for the last of our out of state-country-continent tours.

Looking forward to summer in Seattle.

52 PICK UP review - Orlando Sentinel :) YAY!

2007-05-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

52 PICK UP review - here in Orlando Hey from Orlando!

Stories about... US! (look - pic! and on page 2)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
entertainment/stage/theater/
orl-fringe1807may18,0,5858321.story?coll=orl-caltheatertop

-- and the review (with a comment) is here:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/
entertainment_stage_theat/2007/05/
fringe_review_5_1.html#comments

I suppose anyone can comment on it. Hmmm....

yay! (Bummer, though - it's only online - no paper copy to clip. Arrrrrgh.)
Speaking of Arrrrr-gh -

off to Dizzywhirled today - to the Animal kingdom with a park performer (who is doing a special Pirates show for high rollers tonight - he get to swash and buckle about pirate-ly with cutlass and actual sash... We are SOOOOOOO looking forward to getting to see him, and spend some time off-fringesite.

Llysa

There's A First Time For EVERYTHING

2007-05-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

The scene: the Orlando Fringe Festival, which has grown by leaps and bounds since the last time we were here 10 years ago, with 9 air-conditioned venues tucked into the buildings that house the Orlando Shakespeare Festival and The Orlando Repertory Theatre, a lovely and lively beer garden in between, and most importantly....audience members to come and see the shows!!

The set up: our first show of 52 Pick Up (6:45 last Saturday), which is gloriously nearly sold-out, which has anticipation running high as it is co-written by TJ Dawe (a local Fringe god in these parts). The show is also running at 74 minutes, as best we can tell, and we have been informed that if the show runs 75:01, they will bring up the lights and STOP THE SHOW!!! And, in fact, the show right before us has been shut down by our sweet venue technician because it has gone two minutes over. One of the actors is in tears as they come off-stage. We are worried.

The cause: in our air-conditioned digs at the Orlando Shakes, we are sharing a green room (backstage lounge area) with two other theatres. We each have our own dressing room with a monitor that allows us to hear announcements from our own theatre, BUT the green room is also serving as the backstage for a gay-burlesque show called "Varie-TEASE" (flamboyant gay content is, oddly, what the Orlando Fringe has become famous for) with half-naked boys(?) in plumes and glitter running off-stage while throbbing club music slams us from their sold-out performance.

The effect: as we are worried about time and the show itself, we neglect to recognize the most dangerous dynamic in our surroundings; that because of the sound and frenzy from "Varie-TEASE".......we cannot HEAR the announcements from our own theater! Unwittingly we wonder towards our stage thinking "it must be about time" only to find that the lights are up, the audience is quiet, the clock is ticking (two minutes, perhaps!)..........and, for the first time in 926 performances, we are LATE for our own show :( !!

THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING.

The response: Llysa boldly steps on-stage to start the show, but Andrew (that's me) in a stubborn lack of comprehension and/or refusing to believe what is happening, stays in the wings. Llysa beckons me (with sweet daggers coming from her eyes) and finally I join and we begin performing for the most confused audience in theater simple history.

The outcome: although the concern, confusion (and perhaps annoyance) from the audience is palpable, we compartmentalize our own white-hot dismay, and set out to win them back. Mercifully, about five minutes into the show comes (randomly, of course) a great scene that receives a huge response, and an audible sigh is heard. The show goes great, laughter is abundant, tears are reported.... and we are so intent on "being" with them that we do the show in 69 minutes (perhaps by not breathing....ever!).

Epilogue: we drink heavily.

It is a far, far better thing I do.....

We're here!

2007-05-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

Brief update - (hi - it's Llysa, at Panera Bread - free wifi! and yummy pastries!)

arrived after a flight direct to Orlando... let me tell ya - when your average flight in the last six months is 15 hours, a five hour flight seems positively SPEEDY. Much more boring not to have one's own tv screen in the seat back 15 inches from my face, but it's good to not be distracted sometimes... the clouds were fantastic, and cruising over the USA's topogrpahy is fascinating. Saw lots of interesting structures and patterns that if I had time, it would be very cool to research and find out WHY...

Landed in Orlando - got smacked upside the hair with humidity, got our rental car (did you know that in the state of Orlando, ANY extra driver is an extra charge of $9/day?? Even if married? Andrew is Driver X this trip...

Landed at our fabulous hosts - Kelly and Paul of the lovely home, cute cats and view of Lake Copeland...

now off to pick up Amy Salloway at the airport, direct from Minneapolis, who is coming in to perform KISS ME ALREADY, HERSCHEL GERTZ. She worked with us in Seattle in the days of Yore, debuting in the Elephant's child in our first ever adaptation to the stage. Yay!

COOLEST THING SO FAR ABOUT THE ORLANDO FRINGE - other than Beth, Ryan and Mark - the visual fringe aspect - I am looking forward to more of that.

anon, anon. Anyone have any food recommendations?

Here we go AGAIN! ORLANDO FRINGE 2007

2007-05-14T07:59:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well... here it is , monday morning, and I am sitting here with my coffee, in my robe, contemplating with some amazement that this time tomorrow, I will be shuffling around an airport, nay- perhaps even boarding a plane AGAIN! This time, the simpletons are heading East, into the sunrise, to the world within a world that is the Orlando Fringe!! (orlandofringe.org)

We can hardly believe... so many things! Last time we performed in Orlando, we took JUSTICE - a brutal comedy by Kate Schlemmer, a Canadian writer. (Who - coincidentally, I saw in Seattle at the Seattle International Film Fest two years ago)This year, 52 PICK UP, by TJ Dawe and Rita Bozi, Canadian playwrights. TJ will also be in Orlando, and I just had a great chat with a friend of Rita's - small world! (Rita is happily ensconced in Calgary)

Life is definitely full of whirled peas right now for all the simpletons - we are two weeks in Orlando, home for 6 jam-packed days, then off to Atlanta for 6, where we will be performing 52 PICK UP for ART Station in Stone Mountain. (www.artstation.org)

We have joined current, nearly even old-fashioned technology, and now have a mySpace page (thanks, Andrew!) Please ogle it at myspace.com/theatersimple, and hey - BE OUR FRIEND!

There will be dispatches from the road again - we are thinking about lots of things in terms of plays, ideas, collaborators, vision, and we'll probably work 'em out online. Let us know what's up withchoo.

sailing into the sunrise soon -

Llys

home and away

2007-05-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hey there - it's May 1!!! How did that happen??!

OK - Llysa here - in Phoenix. Lots of transition going on in my family - with my mom, with my theater, with ME in my living circumstances - and here I am - away from theater and home, but with family. Soon to be with more family (in California) but still not home, or theater. Then - off to Orlando - because we are returning to the Orlando Fringe after 10 years with 52 PICK UP! (See new pic! Nancy Santos in Charleston is responsible - she is an amazing photog - has given us some of the best show shots we have.)
Didn't we just return from Australia and New Zealand? Also - to Walla Walla, back to Seattle, to Phoenix, back on Thursday - to the Bay Area - back three days later, then a week later - to Florida. And did I mention we're also working the parallel life? Have I been home 72 hours in a row? (No, actually.)

Here's the glamour tip from the road - take your pillow. And know there are times you get to coast... and other trips that are uphill in every direction.

If you are on the East Coast - we hope we'll see you. (If not - you get a second chance when we are in Atlanta in early June.) Oh yeah - we're going to be performing in Stone Mountain in June. (YAAAAAY!)
Then - King County all the way for the summer.

more later - off to watch a lightning storm. And wonder at my current life. Whew. Is the moon full?

(PS - we're taking a collection of boxes for moving. No joke. If you have some in the Seattle-area to share - let us know. thsimple@gmail.com.)

Heading Home (for a bit)

2007-04-20T00:36:00.000-07:00

After an amazing, eye-popping, soul-satisfying week and a half on the South Island of New Zealand, we are back in the hip and quite caffeinated town of Wellington for a couple of days before closing the book on this tour to Australasia. Truly, it is hard to imagine (ouch..I just tried) all that we've done in the space of six weeks (seven for Monique). Traveling, building, rehearsing, teaching, performing.....performing, performing, performing, and finally traveling (for fun) again.

The last week has been quite a bit of bliss for the simple trio; together with our mighty white steed (a Toyota Corolla named Daisy), we finished our circumnavigation of the island with a trip up the jaw-droppingly lush West Coast (a temperate rain forest on steroids) and a surreal day of kayaking with NZ Fur Seal pups in the Abel Tasman National Park.

We have one full day left to repack our unimaginably heavy luggage, meet with the folks at the Wellington Fringe Festival, and visit with our fantastic hosts Quentin and Marion.

Then.....two days after we get back we head off to Walla Walla, Washington (one of the great town names in the world) where we teach a symposium for our dear simpleton Burke Walker. A couple weeks after that we hop on a plane and once again put on the touring gear for the Orlando Fringe Festival and 52 Pick Up.

Thanks to all our blog readers, and to Monique and Llysa for putting up with me and my ramblings.

See you in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Long Way Home

2007-04-13T21:01:00.000-07:00

Achieved by driving all the way round the South Island of New Zealand before flying home to Seattle.

And what fun it has been so far.

Since the simpletons can't do anything in a lazy manner (I reference 29 shows, 10 venue shits and 54 teaching hours in 16 days at the Adelaide Fringe for proof), it only stands to reason that we couldn't just plop down on some gorgeous New Zealand beach or mountain-side and hang for 10 days. NEEAAOOOO. In our first four days on the South Island we have driven 1500 kilometers, seen seals, dolphins, falcons and possums; the highest mountain, the coldest morning and the brightest stars; rain falling, snow falling and hail falling; bright sunshine, dark storm clouds and gale-force winds; and last night had a ripping good time with the fabulous folks at the Fortune Theatre in Dunedin.

.....and we have a week left to go!!!

Can I just say "WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO NEW ZEALAND".

Adelaide addenda - community

2007-04-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

Llysa here. This is a wordy, thoughtful one. fair warning.

Easter. Travelling ADL - SYD - Wellington, NZ. Choccies in bag (Haighs bunny and a Humpty Dumpty egg filled with smaller eggs)
So - we are sipping Cooper's Sparkling (ahhh!) at the Adelaide airport, online FREE, thanks to Internode. How incredibly civilized... and I am thinking about the last conversation we just had - with a customer service rep for Qantas as we were checking in. She had seen a few things at the Fringe, not as much as she wanted, but she had heard about us, and Caravan Chronicles in Glenelg. (She lives there, I guess).

It is thrilling and humbling, actually, to think that people note us, for any reason, yet I suppose we strive in all our paths for such recognition. Yesterday, we went to a SANFL footy match - West Adelaide against Sturt. The Bloods vs the Double Blues. It seems as if Sturt has prevailed the last 13 years or so.... and yesterday it looked like that record was to be upended. 3000+ people were howling, thrashing and yelling encouragement or epithets at various players. (And referees - that seems to be universal). After a lopsided first half, Westies began to win, eking out points after grisly single point, instead of running off with 6's. Final score - 76-67. Double Blues. (That one's for you, Pete.) Actually, the stats for Bloods scoring with high marks was better, but you could see them struggling just to run down the field at the end of the match.
But still game, and still running. Aggressively matching and still leaping to the last horn.

I know the feeling. After this incredible effort to be here in Adelaide, running after venues, audiences and (insert need here), then running after friends to catch up, I feel the exhaustion catch up with me. And the emotional cost - nearly all this time my mom has been in and out of the hospital, plus all the producer-y stuff theater simple IS, but I am still running, toward whatever the future holds. And while, due to fatigue, I may be a little slower, I am aiming better, I think. It will be interesting to see what the rest of the Pacifica tour holds, in terms of discovery. And then we tour the South (Orlando, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia.)

Right now, I am looking at cruising and thinking. Travels with good friends, to new places. Life is pretty good, and my spirits are rising on Easter.

Tip for a big sip. And a look toward the goals before I start running again.

muchas smoochas - thanks Adelaide. (And my family - both of blood and of love. You know you overlap.)

sorry for the goo - sometimes sweets melt on Easter...

Fond Farewells

2007-04-06T16:18:00.000-07:00

In a mere matter of hours we leave Australia. This is usually quite a sad moment. In years past it would have been two years since we last saw friends, and saying goodbye would mean another two years before seeing them again. But with the Fringe Festival having gone annual, everything feels a bit more "normal". Heck, there are many friends in Seattle that I don't see every year!

Still, it has been a week of lovely goodbyes (or hello's in some cases). We are so very grateful for the friends that we have here in Adelaide, for, truly, without our friends we would not be able to do the work that we do in Australia.

So to Graham, Bernadette, Christie, Corinna, Mirella, Scott, Andrew, Yvonne, Lisa, Lisa, Jo, Glenn, Joel, Rod, Rod, Pete, Peter, Leslie, Elizabeth, Phil, Jenny, David, Kim, Adrian, Jodi, Julie, Carolyn, Sa, Bruce, Louise, Tim, Jane, Gary, Janine, Marissa, Hannah, Hannah, Sophie, Ruby, Molly, Ailsa, Anna, Skye, Christie, Guy, Rosemary, Rosie, Caitlin & Steve........

THANK YOU, much love, good health, and we will see you next year.

oxoxoxox

the simpletons

Adelaide Fringe 2007 Is Now Done!!!!

2007-04-02T02:15:00.000-07:00

Our performing for this trip has ended!

We had our last performances for the Fringe out in the middle of Light Square on Saturday, and then moved everything down to Marion for their Sunday community festival. We had hundreds of people come through our set up, see the artwork that had been created here in Australia, along with the funny, sad, and down-right touching family stories and memories that people took the time to write down our our paper plates during our run here.

During the day we encouraged everyone to write down their stories to add to the boards, and we even had the chance to interview a number of people on our Park Bench. It was a great way for us to end our shows here in Australia. And the best part was we were parked right in front of a WONDERFUL old gum tree.

This week is our last week in Adelaide. We're busy taking apart all the bits and pieces of our set that we worked so hard to create, as well as make sure that we catch up with those who are near and dear to us...as we've not had much time to do so until now!

On Sunday we fly to New Zealand to catch up with some more friends, and try and make some future contacts (and new friends) so that we might possibly start performing there as well. If any of you know someone in New Zealand we should say hi to, let us know!!!

For now...we're going to take our HUGE box of plates, and start logging each and every one. Reading the stories offered by those who came to see our show is nothing short of humbling. It's good to be reminded that we are all family, and home can be anywhere you go in life.

Cheers,

Monique

Nearing the end of the day

2007-03-29T05:15:00.000-07:00

Cousin Moey here....thinking about sunsets, the end of the day and the nearing end of our time with Fringe 2007. (the pic above is from the sunset at Glenelg on Saturday)

We've got three days left of performing....Five shows and then a day of more "installation" art at Marion. The fringe has come and gone by fast....so fast that we haven't had much of a chance to even see other shows.

We taught a workshop today (a 6 hour class followed by performances! WHEW!) We had a FABULOUS class of 9 students who jumped in with both feet this morning. And by the end of the day the stuff that they had created together was so good, it looked like they had been working together for a month. I always find it refreshing to be fed in that way...teaching takes a lot of energy, but what you expend is (usually) replenished immediately when you see others get inspired and excited about what also inspires and excites you. We hope to remain in contact with most if not all of our new 'simpletons'.

As we end yet another day, all three of us are sitting here at a little street cafe doing our internet'y things and trying to remember all the things that have happened in the last 24 hours, as well as plan for the up and coming 24.

Tomorrow? We have another outing for Park Bench at the Adelaide Museum, followed by two performances of Caravan Chronicles. What we won't know until tomorrow is what wonderful variety of people we'll get to invite up on the park bench, or who in our extended 'family' will show up to share their stories....but I'm sure whatever tomorrow brings will be different and possibly more than we could ever expect.

Biography in motion

2007-03-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

Today we had the opportunity to see the final piece of our Adelaide artistic plan in action. Park Bench, the mobile story-sharing vantage point, conceived by Llysa and beautifully realized by Monique (and her Aussie posse, Graham and Andy), hit the streets. With Llysa perched atop, and Mo' and Drew bringing her willing participants, some dozen stories were told and recorded. As a slice of verdant visual art, the piece is a great success; catching the eye and slowing the stride of most passersby. As a performance platform, Park Bench is taking the us all to new, very community-driven places. With Llysa skillfully coaxing memories and opinions, people are actually able to perch four feet above their surroundings and truly ponder their environment. How did they get here? Where are they going? What made them who they are? Art and life intersecting on a small, grassy knoll-on-wheels. Perfect.

Come Rain or Shine!

2007-03-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

Monique here. (Or Cousin Moey as I've come to be known in OZ this time round)

We 've had quite another week of performances, with two Very Wet shows last Friday (the sky just OPENED UP and let loose for a good four or five hours---very welcome after such a long dry hot summer!) We got a couple phone calls from the Fringe asking if we were going to still do our shows that day. Of course, being from Seattle...why wouldn't we?

We got out as many umbrellas as we could find. But when we realized that even those were not going to be enough to keep the audience from getting soaked, we changed the show so that we would keep the audience inside the caravan the entire time, and we would pop in and out to do our pieces. Andrew even got the grill going and between us and the student cousins we toasted enough PEEPS to go around and then he brought into the caravan a plate for all the audience to share!

After we performed our second show that night we packed everything up as best we could so that Saturday morning would be at least a little bit easier. (as we needed to head on down the road to Glenelg to set up for our long weekend of shows down by the beach!)

We had 6 shows over the weekend, and all were very well attended! The students working with us did a great job trying to 'herd the cats' around to the different stations and we got some really great plates (haikus as well as memories).

The only downside of the weekend was finding one of our windows in the caravan broken Sunday morning. (someone got the idea that we might have actually put something of value in there!) But thanks to the great care that Rod (Glenelg city council extraordinaire!) he had a man out to fix the window before our first show even started! Thanks Rod!!!!

Yesterday was a beautiful day with a nice beach walk with Graham, and then Andrew and Llysa moved over to stay with me at Graham and Bernadette's (which meant GREAT food cooked by Bern, GREAT wine, from our trip out to the wineries, and some much needed rest!)

Now we are prepping for more park bench outings, teaching our last class with our student cousins and getting ready for our day long workshop as well as our VIP show and the last week of performances for the Fringe!

Hey! Opinions are being posted!

2007-03-20T03:55:00.000-07:00

Hiya~ Llysa here. Miss Information herself.

I thought you might be interested in seeing what people (in this case, theatre critics) are saying about CARAVAN CHRONICLES in Adelaide. If you've seen the piece, or participated in some way, we'd be interested in hearing from you. (And - I'll also say, if you comment just to swear or be rude in public, I'll edit you in the public forum. I'll still read what you have to say - just no one else will.)

The Adelaide Advertiser - Cousin Samela wrote:
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21406229-5012581,00.html

and the Adelaide Theatre Guide - I think it was Uncle Simon:
http://www.theatreguide.com.au/current_site/reviews/reviews_detail.php?ShowID=caravanchron&ShowYear=2007

AND - if you've seen the show, and want to comment on it = you can go to the Bank SA site for talkfringe http://www.talkfringe.com/index.php?view=act&id=294.
(In fact - Simon's review is linked here.)

Just a note: The shows at the Fringe Family day were great! Exhausting, and voice-rasping, but very faboo. "Cousins" were flung into the fray, and were quite fine - heard tell of some awesome stories. I am looking forward to actually doing the 'regular' length show, though. I feel there is so much more dimension with a little more time... Isn't this a cool pic of Sandy and a 'mingo?? Our Man in the Street and the Shop is 'Uncle Andy' Phillips, who also happens to be a gooooood photog. You'll be seeing more of his work anon.

Off and running - trying to make sure people know about the show tomorrow night....

to see our park bench in motion....

2007-03-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

Click on this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/moniquelk/ParkBenchVideo
then click on the black square that says "Park Bench"
wait for it to buffer and then enjoy ;)

-Monique (not so tech savvy simpleton)

Park Bench!!

2007-03-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

We had the chance to take our Park Bench Venue out on Friday. It’s a great new fun idea that we’ve added to our Trailer Tales piece (or as we call it here in Ozzie “Caravan Chronicles”). Basically we it is a mobile venue where the audience is the star. Our hope is to park our ‘rolling hill’ in urban settings and then invite those passing by to come have a seat with us on the bench and then share a story about their family. Llysa bought a very cool little recorder that we can use (it’s the size of an ipod, but even lighter!) Once we get a few fun stories, we will edit them into a podcast and post it here....Keep checking back here to listen to our first one!

Our first outing was a bit crazy as communication didn’t get through to all the people involved and there was some concern when we arrived down by the Council building that we were actually protesters instead of performing! Thankfully the policeman who arrived, within minutes understood exactly what happened and liked the idea of our piece so much that he is planning on coming to our family performances on Sunday!

And by the way, I tried to post a video above but it isn't working just yet...When it DOES work the cool music that you'll be hearing on the clip is composed by Chandra Cogburn! She’s a GREAT musician and composer working down in the LA area.
Thanks Chandra for letting us use your grooves!

Here: Try this link until I can get this placed on the blog itself! :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/moniquelk/ParkBenchVideo

All Simpletons Present and Accounted For…

2007-03-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Weds, March 14, Adelaide, AU

Andrew here.

theater simple is no longer a two continent operation. We are a team once more.
We have all finally made it to Adelaide; Monique, nine days ago; and Llysa and I just yesterday afternoon. From Seattle to Canada, Canada back to Seattle, Seattle to LA, and then LA to Australia, we arrived all punchy and ready to achieve. Which we did. The Day Two Energy Drop has happened, though. No way around it. Two and a half days of nearly continual travel culminating in 28 hours of pure transit takes it’s toll.

About those two and a half days: with Monique magnificently flying solo in Adelaide, Llysa and I finished packing and repacking all of our Oz luggage, only to leave it on the couch, take an overnight bag and our 52 Pick Up show bag and catch the puddle-jumper to Kelowna, in the interior of British Columbia. We knew that this would truly be the beginning of our overall journey as we would have only 4 more hours at home before jumping “the big puddle”. We were picked up at the airport and taken straight to a truly staggering B & B in Vernon, overlooking one of the many lakes, and run by the fabulous Alan and Gary (http://www.theeaglesnestbandb.com). Only one "problem" with the place: it was 30 minutes away from our performance venue with no transportation. So we were forced to spend the evening looking at the staggering view, eating a lovely meal cooked by Gary…..oh, and sitting in their awesome jacuzzi. A lovely calm before…..

The next day....the longest day. Truly surreal to be ready to leave on a big trip to do a big project, and to have to slice a large part of your consciousness free to achieve something else. 52 Pick Up is a show that is in our DNA. Like The Master & Margarita, we have performed it somewhere around 100 times. All of which makes it very easy to underestimate, and at some point during our technical rehearsal, we both just had to lock in and realize that in a few hours we were to be performing before our biggest 52 Pick Up audience ever (the Vernon & District Performing Arts Center, run by Michael Cade, had sold over 400 tickets!) on a huge stage in an auditorium that seats 700. And…….? Great audience, great space, great show, and a very fun discussion with about 60 folks afterwards. And just like that we were back to Alan and Gary’s for a 2.5 hour nap before returning to the airport for the start of the above-mentioned 28 hours of pure transit.

About the only hitch in all of this came right at the start. Daylight savings time had happened overnight (robbing us of a critical hour) and while freakin’ Y2K had been weathered by the airline industry with no problem, this move of the clock was more than the Alaska computer system could handle. So all was being done by hand. Now, this 6am flight was booked because it was the only one available that would allow us to make our connection…..to Australia!!!! After waiting for over an hour in line, we got to the desk to check in at the exact time that our plane was to take off! Not fun. But as there were a dozen of us in the same boat, they held the flight and we made it on.

And more than a full day of mind-numbing air travel later, we are in one of our favorite places on the planet, being looked after by great friends (some of whom we’ve known for a decade!), being blown away by the fruits of Monique’s labor, and ready to dive in.

Ta da!

2007-03-09T17:51:00.000-08:00

It’s Saturday morning here in Adelaide, and after a long four days of trying to get as much done on our site as possible before the Fringe officially opened, I’m enjoying a bit of a rest! And one of life's finest treats on a hot day (it's going up to 36 c today!) Iced Chocolate!!! Imagine chocolate milke with a bit of vanila gelati in it and smile!

That is one way to avoid jet lag….hit the ground running—then you don’t know if you’re tired from the trip or from all the work that you’re doing!

The site is coming along nicely though! And Park Bench is already creating quite a buzz! Last night was the first time we had public onsite and the very cool bar that borders our performance area was open as well. I was thrilled to see people reading the story plates and Haikus on the laundry line, and even more excited to read the first Australian additions.

Our first Australian Haiku was written by Ruby W.

(I’m going to guess her age is between 10-13)

In winter rain falls.
In summer not enough does.
Dry thirsty country

And our first story plate was inspired after a conversation about ParkBench and the fact that we are planning on driving it behind our friend Scott’s Moke!

The guy I was speaking to smiled and told me about a girlfriend that he once dated who had owned a Moke. “We loved driving it around with the top down, sunnies on….. She sold the car, and now we don’t go out anymore! Ha Ha!”

Many thanks to all the people who have been helping me out get this site ready! Graham and Bernadette! Corinna! Andy! Lisa! And the wonderful fringe volunteers (especially my flamingo base painter!)

I’m now looking forward to greeting Andrew and Llysa here in Oz next week!!!

The Traveling Show

2007-03-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

G'day all! Traveling Moe here....with my first of many Down Under posts!

Working in the theater allows you many new and different experiences. But even though most people would assume these experiences have to do attending parties and 'hob-nobbing' with the stars...most have to do with every day life and tasks.

Take traveling: Since we tend to travel quite a bit with our shows, we’re always putting together very interesting items in our luggage for custom agents to poke through. When we took The Big Time over to Oz in 2004 I was carrying the bag that had most of the funny costumes in it. When the customs agent pulled out a pink puffy vest that had bubble wrap attached to it, she gave me a very strange look and asked….”What is this for?”. I explained that she was holding the costume for the character Shampoo, and then I did a brief summary of the show.

“We all play house hold items that start a rock band and become house hold hits!” I explained. “I play a sock!” To which the customs agent took a long look at me and replied; “Your parents must be very proud.”

This year I was traveling with a bag full of large plastic pink flamingos, a number of packages of bunny and spooky cat PEEPS and bar-b-q skewers. (too mention just a few things)

As I went through Customs I began explaining again that I was part of a theater company, and gave a brief explanation of our show.

“It’s a theater piece staged as a family reunion. The audience rolls the dice when they arrive to see how they are related to the family, and then they are taken around to different performances within the site. One of the things that we get them to do is Bar-b-q a PEEP.”

“What is a PEEP?” the customs agent asked me. I pulled out a couple boxes from the bag and showed him as I explained; “they’re marshmallow candy covered in a colored sugar coating! We’ve brought both bunnies and cats with us, but they come in all sorts of shapes.” I then told him to come to Adelaide to see our show and we’d make sure he got a well roasted one!

After looking through the rest of the top part of the bag, he asked what was in the bottom. “Large plastic pink flamingos,” I replied smiling. “Do you want to see?” He gave me another long look, looked at the PEEPS in my hand and started shaking his head. “That’s quite a good bag,” he said. And then he told me to have a great time performing at the festival.

I can only imagine if they keep notes on these sort of things…what kind of comments would be on my traveler file!

Nice to know that we’re entertaining even when we’re not on stage!

here we go...

2007-03-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

We have news from Monique Down Under that people are already engaging with CARAVAN CHRONICLES and leaving story plates! YAY!
And that a four year old girl made friends with every single flamingo we had on-site, before taking the tire border for a horsie-ride! (4 half tires attached that we are using to divide the space- very decorated-white-trash action. And obviously a great alternate mode of transport of the imagination.)

Andrew and I (Llysa) begin the trip in less than 2 hours! Packing madly - hoping that whatever I foget(and I will forget something) won't be dire...
biggest stumbling points right now: getting some grants' support materials together... MAKES MY BRAIN WANT TO EXPLODE. And I just don't have time for that. And I'll needmy brain to keep up with the audiences. So there.

...tick...tick...tick...

2007-03-08T08:37:00.000-08:00

Well, while Andrew and I swivet about trying to cram all we need into many suitcases, (and speculating what losing an hour in the wee hours of Sunday morning will do to our crack-of-dawn flight from Canada back to Seattle to then get to LA), Monique is in Adelaide, whirling like a proverbial dervish getting things looking awesome ready for opening day of the Fringe. (Actually, being in Australia, she is whirling like a Disney cartoon from Tasmania...)

She, with the able help of Graham Norman, and a trailer from Graham's mum has been constructing PARK BENCH, our mobile point-of-view (yes there is a 4ft x 6ft trailer underneath that lush grass) that will be roaming the streets of Adelaide, and gathering interviews with willing passersby. It currently looks like a rolling hill. I kind think it's cool. Isn't that juicy looking astro turf? We'll post the finished product, and certainly one with it in motion/on the scene.
Imagine also a flower box, and a tree of some sort all sitting upon this little 'oasis' , parked across from the big towers in the Central Business District. You can step up from one artificial environment to another, and talk about how you got there, and what you want to do. Maybe a little about what you wanted to be or do as a kid. It'll be interesting, and it will be podcast. More on that later - DEFINITELY check the website.
See you around the world! (Whirled!)
And NOT ONLY does the Fringe start in Adelaide (a mere week after the fringe ended in Wellington, NZ - where we will go in April!) it is also WOMADelaide weekend! Non-stop things to do, see, buy, experience or ... I think I'll take a transPacific flight, myself... and a long nap. I am thinking there will be NO time for naps after we land, sprinting...
Llysa

countdown to Lift Off

2007-03-05T23:17:00.000-08:00

...or might that be lift OOF....

Llysa here. Monique is already in Australia, making Andrew and I crazy jealous that we are not.
We (A & I) instead are lingering in Seattle (admittedly enjoying BEAUTIFUL weather today) before we begin our travels on Friday.

Our schedule: drive ourselves to the airport Friday around noon - take small tiny plane to Kelowna, Canada. We have a performance of 52 PICK UP on Saturday at the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre, so we will fly in Friday, settle, then tech, perform and strike the next day.
THEN - taking into consideration the Daylight Savings Time is starting months early (!), we need to be at the airport at dark-thirty, as our flight is at half-past dawn! (6am!) So - if all goes well - and it HAS to - we'll fly home Sunday, drive ourselves back to the house, do a little laundry, repack a bag or two, maybe NAP (since we won't have had time for a snooze!) before we go BACK to the airport for our flight taking us to Australia via LAX. A theater simple first: three different international flights (not in transit) in a little over 48 hours. I wonder what our security numbers will jump to? [WHY, you may be asking, are we scheduled like this? Michael Cade in BC booked us first, waaay before the Fringe made the leap to annual. So - hither we'll go, before heading off yonder, leapfrogging borders for HONOR. And a good story.]

In Australia, we will be admiring all the handiwork of Monique and her minions, Graham and Andy in anticipation of CARAVAN CHRONICLES - our Trailer Tales show translated to Adelaide. Which I am totally excited about. Whee!
There will be many more comments soon about the Fringe, and our wee public project (not so small, actually - we perform LOTS) so keep checking back, and see who is writing what.
And write back - this is sort of a form of postcard, after all...
The pic, by the way, is Andy and Sandy. (Andy is the one with the Coopers beer in hand)

Inspiration from Bolivia

2007-01-20T04:55:00.000-08:00

Andrew here.

Been attending the Under The Radar Festival here in NY for the past couple of days. Sort of a food-for-the-soul way to gear up for the (potentiallly) impersonal madness of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference, the largest arts market in the world, where we will have a booth. Under The Radar is held primarily at the Public Theater down in the East Village and is a pretty amazing collection of like-minded artists and producers from around the country and a few from around the world.

Llysa had the foresight to get us signed up for the amazing symposium/day we had on Thursday. Four performances, a symposium, breakfast, lunch and a boozy champagne reception thrown by the British Council...all under one roof.

Truly the thing that is sticking to my brain most is this remarkable (and I am remarking on it) troupe from Bolivia, Theatro de los Andes, and their haunting earthquake docudrama, En Un Sol Amarillo. Using the simplest of theatrical conventions (no wonder we loved them) they created the most memorable imagery I have experienced in the theater in a long time. I'm still putting together in my head how to describe it without doing it an injustice. Here goes.

Lights up on a stage filled with floating furniture and a man in a poncho sitting on a chair. Yes, suspended by thick ropes on pulleys are a table, a window shutter and a picture frame. They sway as the man introduces the play. Suddenly, a rope and pulley that are attached to the chair he sits on is yanked violently and the chair flies out from under him and into the air. The rope is also (miraculously!) attached to his poncho and break-away pants, that also fly into the air, leaving the man shivering in his underwear while the world violently sways around him.

That's the first two minutes!!!! And it just goes on from there. Crazy and so very good.

Suffice it to say, it is a work that has remained in the forefront of my brain for several days now.

Oh. And it's completely in Spanish with subtitles.

Photo Slide Show for our 365 Days/ 365 Plays

2007-01-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

365 Days 365 Plays

A whole new year! (plus/minus a few weeks) - Looking forward, peering back

2007-01-14T01:50:00.000-08:00

Hey!
"Get out your calendar, Marge. theater simple is on the road!"
~ for much of 2007…
Maybe we’ll find ourselves in your neck of the woods, bend in the river or side of the road...

Roughly: (more info forthcoming)
FEBRUARY:
52 PICK UP
Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham Washington
http://www.mountbakertheatre.com/calendar.php#February
February 2, 9 and 16, 2007 at 8pm.

MARCH:
52 PICK UP
Vernon and District Performing Arts Center, Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
http://www.ticketseller.ca/
March 10, 2007

March 11 – we fly to Australia to meet up with Monique, for
CARAVAN CHRONICLES
our Australian variation and expansion of TRAILER TALES: Weekend Safari (keep checking back – lots of cool info about performances and classes upcoming)
At the
Adelaide Fringe Festival, Adelaide, South Australia
www.Adelaidefringe.com.au
March 18 – March 31, 2007

Glenelg Jetty, Glenelg, Australia
March 24-25, 2007

APRIL
CARAVAN CHRONICLES
Marion Cultural Centre, Marion, Australia
April 1, 2007

MAY
52 PICK UP
Orlando Fringe Festival, Orlando, Florida
May 18-29, 2007

JUNE
52 PICK UP
ArtsStation Theatre, Stone Mountain, Georgia
www.artstation.org
June 6-10, 2007

JULY AND AUGUST
Myth Understandings at various King County Libraries, from Federal Way up to Shoreline

Whew! And we’re still working on the rest of the year into 2008! Yippee!

Catching up on the simpletons adventures of the last few months...
Since the last major update, around June 2005, theater simple has done a thing or two… (OK – maybe one or two dozen, actually)
LET’S SEE… since June 2005…

~ theater simple made their SEATTLE SYMPHONY debut with My Musically Colored Days, adapted from Dr Seuss, conducted by Christian Knapp

~ King County Performance Network TRAILER TALES: WEEKEND SAFARI
4 communities in 5 weeks - Kent, Redmond, Burien and Duvall

~ Tennessee Williams’ CAMINO REAL had a four week run at Freehold Theatre

~ Returned to Australia for the seventh fringe in a row… AND
Taught for URBAN MYTH THEATRE OF YOUTH as the beginning of a three-year collaboration with youth in Seattle, Adelaide, and a few other places around the world.
Taught a masterclass with professional peers at the Festival Centre
Performed 52 PICK UP as a fundraiser for URBAN MYTH THEATRE OF YOUTH
Juggled performances of THREE PLAYS for the Adelaide Fringe

52 PICK UP (in 8 different theaters)
THE FEVER (in living rooms and theaters)
And created and premiered a new theater simple youth and family show –
MYTH UNDERSTANDINGS – which played schools and theaters

~ Taught and performed for the Adelaide Fringe’s Youth And Education program, our 7th time as part of that program.

~ theater simple and TRAILER TALES is asked by the Washington State Arts Alliance to be the Artists in Residence at the Washington State Cultural Congress at Sleeping Lady Resort, Leavenworth, Washington ~ a three-day marathon of stories, art, and fanTAStic haiku

~ 52 PICK UP had many performances, in Seattle, in the San Juans, in Adelaide, and in Charleston, SC, where theater simple made sixth appearance at the Spoleto Festival, part of the Piccolo Fringe, produced by the HAVE NOTS.

~ THE BIG TIME! had gigs all over the Seattle area

~ Myth Understandings makes it US PREMIERE at BUMBERSHOOT with performances on the Theatre Puget Sound Stage.

~ theater simple was part of an extraordinary year/marathon of plays – 365 Days/ 365 Plays by Suzanne Lori-Parks in December, presenting world premieres on the streets of Ballard..
365Seattle.com

No wonder I have less heair, and what is left is grey...
By the way - there are a few more things in the hopper, and yes - we are planning into 2008 already. Oooooohhhhhh yesss.

Llys

365 Days

2006-12-31T22:36:00.000-08:00

It's the last day of the 2006, and I'm finally getting to put some of my thoughts down from the whirl-wind week of shows from December 11th- December 17th.

Even before we read our plays for Week 5 of 365 Days/ 365 Plays, Andrew, Llysa and I thought it would be wonderful to present the shows in public places, speaking to the idea that 'Art is all around you'. After we had the opportunity to read through our seven plays we all agreed that our instincts were right, and that our stage would literally be on the streets, sidewalks, cafe's, library, etc...in Ballard.

While performing in public spaces you can always count on the unexpected to happen; we certainly did NOT expect to have so many special effects by Mother Nature! We had the usual rain and the cold of a Seattle December; however, that was joined by the monster wind storm on Thursday the 14th. Half of our cast couldn’t even make it to the performance location due to power outages and flooding! However, we kept firm to the motto of “show up and work with what you’ve got” and we glad that we did! (As were our audience members from Thursday night who showed up in full waders and boating gear!)

December 11th: What do you see? Was perfect for a cafe location. And thankfully right at the hub of downtown Ballard is the lovely Cupcake Royale. With the blessings of the manager there, we were able to set up camp every night of our week (as well as have access to acquire a number of cupcakes and cups of tea while we were at it!)

As the week progressed more and more audience members came with the intention of following the plays, but we even managed to convince a few unsuspecting cupcake connoisseurs to grab their coats and follow along!

I think my favorite thing about What Do You See was our integration of one the constants "Action in Inaction" which began outside on the ledge attached to the main window and then wove inside and into December 11th's play.

December 12th: Jaywalking was one of my favorite plays from the start. With it's fun banter and joyous release followed by it's dive down into despair, it was wonderful doing it out on the sidewalk where three different crosswalks convened. We announced the play's title with one of the characters using sidewalk chalk to write the date and title on the pavement in front of the audience.

After a long moment of seeing each of the characters facing their demons, the audience was called across the street by a "spot-lit" umbrella and a portable boom box. As the audience crossed the street, (not jaywalking!) facts were interjected relating to things and events that have taken place on December 13th through the years.

December 13th: Learning English we had originally thought of staging in a mirrored stairwell a few buildings down from our eventual performance site. As our first choice was not available for our use, we thankfully found a second choice and with great results! The acoustics in this building were phenomenal!

Learning English was the first of our plays that we did a lot of collaborative work on as an ensemble. We did free write exercises that delved into our personal takes on education as well as what we felt we needed to learn most in life. These exercises helped to shape our 'prologue' for this play. This coupled with our gesture work and the setting in our stairwell next to the Chamber of Commerce gave this piece the timeless and endless quality that it asked for.

Although we had hoped to have an original tune written for the song included in this day's text, we discovered with a few creative repeats, the lyrics worked beautifully sun to the tune of "Hard Times".

December 14th: Hippy led the audience through the lobby of the Ballard Health Club and up into a bright yellow alleyway where one actress announced the day's play by holding a sign up behind her while she stood with her hands on her hips. Spectators were allowed an intimate scene made public, along with the gym members passing through the action.

December 15th: 1000 South Kelly we set outside the Ballard public library. It's a beautiful building with a number of odd shaped metal chairs just outside the main entrance. By adding in a table, some candle light and some classic music, we were able to create a beautiful dinner setting. Again we used collective gesture work created by the ensemble to demonstrate the perfect table manners of this family unit.

We also did another round of free-write exercises on this play’s topic of prison. The lists that the cast came up with were inspiring and had to be incorporated into the piece.

Introducing December 15th’s play was a 'on-site' reporter who at one point instigated a call to the son on his cell phone interrupting dinner. She lured him out of his nuclear family with different technology toys and distractions until, too late, he was able to see that he was a prisoner. The family continued with their dinner gestures, but with the absence of the son, the table also disappeared. And now replacing the son in his chair, a television demanded the family's attention.

On our transition walk to our next location we led the audience via a chorus of cell phone rings and conversations over the phone while carrying lit shopping bags. Once we arrived at the bus stop on Market Street, the actors all went into their 365 tasks (Inaction in Action). This continued until a bus pulled up to the stop and with it arrived our actress who performed December 16th: This Is Probably Not A Play.

She stood up on the bench under the bus shelter and was then lit by cell phones, ipods and a flashlight. The simplicity and honesty of the text set in the darkness of the bus stop was stunning.

Immediately after the last line of December 16th play we moved right into the third Constant "Remember Who You Are". Sitting under a blanket on the same bench was “someone”; ready to watch over “someone else” as she slept. At the end of this play, ‘someone’ led the group of onlookers into a version of the song “The prayer for the one” which speaks to seeing God in all of us.

During the song lit umbrellas were passed out to cast members and then used to lead the audience forward to our final performance. The cast talked with audience members about their holiday decorations and traditions as they walked together.

December 17th: Tree was performed in the park on the corner of Market and Leary. In it are some wonderful art sculptures of trees high over head. These became our backdrop and potential holiday decorations for our ending couple.

The rest of the cast stood silently facing the street while standing on the park benches that arced around the corner of the park. And when it came time for the carolers to sing…“Angels we have heard on high” came floating over the audience.

At the end of the text, all were invited to join in. It was a lovely way to end our week of performances, in song, in the streets of Ballard with friends and strangers alike.

I hope that our cast will have the chance to post their comments and their memories from this week. They were a fantastic group of performers to work with!

Happy holly daze

2006-12-19T20:42:00.000-08:00

Llysa here.

Well, well, well... it's 4 months since we've posted... more than a season! Solstice approaches - we are mid-Hannukah, the 3 Wise Guys would be on their march following a star, theater simple has finished roaming Ballard with a our art-is-where-you-may-stumble-across-it take on Suzan-Lori Park's 365Days/365 Plays (I already miss the cast meet-up at Cupcake Royale and it's been one day) and Andrew is off at his Other Play - a radio-play version of It's A Wonderful Life, where he gets to delight one an all with his spot-on Clarence Oddbody, Angel Second Class, and Tommy, who "thcuse's" himself when he "buwps".

Can I catch my breath? No, not really. The Christmas Crush is upon us, I'm driving to California on Saturday, present-buying has me stymied, and I have friends who still don't have power after the Big Windy Blow here in Seattle last week.
Oh well. It will all work out.

Oh! Did I mention... we're also getting the company ready to go to New York to pimp our wares... AHEM - entice producers to purchase our performance services at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in January,(and go to the Under the Radar symposium at the Public Theatre) and do runouts of 52 PICK UP in February and March, before we return to Australia with a fabulously expanded Trailer Tales (which translates into Australian as CARAVAN CHRONICLES) for the Adelaide Fringe! For those of you unfamiliar with either title, it's a family reunion disguised as an intimate park show.
AND, we get to figure out a fantastic roving component we are calling Park Bench, that will whiz around the city (somehow - it will be on a small trailer) and we'll get to have conversations, and hopefully collect stories about a variety of topics. And maybe even PODCAST them. (We'll let you know how that goes.)

My to-do list includes updating the website (!), creating updated posters for APAP(!!) and figuring out the myriad of details involved in we simpletons creating a flexible show that also has rotating cast members that are somewhat improv, but also scripted and rehearsed.(!!!!!)
And then working these faboo people so they and we are all comfortable and secure in what the show is about, that we can collectively handle whatever the public might 'gift' us. Lucky for us, we'll be filling a chunk of our dance card with the stalwart denizens of Urban Myth Theatre of Youth in Adelaide. And hopefully others. I think it very important to have a range of ages in a family reunion.

But my actual original point ~ before I got sidetracked by the DETAILS ~ was that in terms of art, I find myself only getting to be immediately reactive to what has just happened, instead of having any time to think, or consider. It's all Blurt and Run. I hate feeling like that. It's like... if I just could hop off the merry-go-round for a little while - maybe only one ride - I could catch my breath, or refocus my eyes.. (Also on the To Do list: See the eye doctor.)

Actually, I am quite looking forward to driving for a long stretch. Once in the car, I can totally yak away with Bill (cousin) for 12 hours+, one way, no problem. But he also has an artistic heart that has gotten squinched and sqooshed lately, and I bet, after we clear the mental lint traps of the fuzz we have been accumulating, there will be some interesting art/poetry/movie/theater/music conversation, as well as some interesting considering silences.

[But just in case, I'm bringing a full ipod. Sheesh.]

But - I want to consider in the more than 36 hours I will be driving back and forth to and in Northern California - where is that inner space of time and distance to look close and far away at Big Ideas? And if you have somehow lost an inner perspective, how do you get it back? (And I say this in full recognition that the last time I asked a question anywhere approaching this, the universe answered with a Bang and compressed vertebra. That was a very effective and sobering way to reset. I don't necessarily recommend it, but your mileage may vary.)

I am currently thinking about: time, space and family tradition/ritual.
Question of the moment - What's your favorite present you have bought for someone this year? Why?

thoughts on the oyster, friends and time

2006-08-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

Well, well - it is nearly a week since the rampant creativity of an oyster bbq FUNdraiser - the 17th or 18th annual of the type for we theater simpletons. Fairly straightforward idea: throw a party, fire up several barbecues, make a bunch of food and invite friends to do the same, then add a keg of great beer, a few gallons of some infamous sangria, and 40 dozen oysters. Ask pasl to bring friends, more food, and something to toss into the piggy bacnk to help fund more theatrical escapades.
Repeat as necessary.
Andrew and I are of the opinion that a good party should always repeat, and have its variations. This year they were foodie and croquet. Lots more kids, a few less dogs, but wow- GREAT weather. (We'll put in our request for next year.

The hurdles this year were numberous, not the least of which was: WHERE THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO FIND OYSTERS?? A rare heat spell had temporarily closed ALL the local oysters beds - just as we made our order. But we found 'em, and we're keeping 'em a secret, or we might not have them next year.

many thanks, by hte way, to the sponsors of this years oysters (Mel Nyffler and DINETTE, the fantastic bistro on Capitol Hill) and to the sponsors of the BEER, which was a marvelous Maritime Pacific brew, courtesy of Lowell's in Pike Market, and Mark, their groovy manager. (Talk about knowing your audience - he knows from artists and beer, ohhhhh yeah.)

Llysa
who counts herself in the 'foodie' group. And who thinks Monique is right - we do theater merely so we can create art, make friends, then eat great, artistically inspiring food with our artsy friends. Ergo - making art and creating theater is ultimately just the mechanism... for eating! lol

Open a Page (August 1st)

2006-08-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Today's quote:

"Art, like life, is understood through experience, not explanations. As theater artists, we cannot create an experience for an audience; rather, our job is to set up the circumstances in which an experience might occur. Artists are always dependent upon the person at the receiving end of their work."

--Anne Bogart, A Director Prepares (page 69)

This passage speaks to one of theater simple’s core beliefs: that the audience is smart, and that they love the chance to use their own imagination to follow us into the worlds that we create.

It is very seductive to try and ‘explain’ while you are creating work for the stage. (“Will anyone get this?!?”) However, my favorite memories as an audience member have been when I’ve fought through a moment (sometimes longer) of disorientation and found myself not only enjoying an experience, but stumbling upon comprehension much like we do in life itself. And the chance to explore that journey with the other members of the audience is where the true magic is.

“The audience grows together and becomes a group. There is the impression of a journey undertaken together, and a goal achieved.” ---Alfred Brendel

Open a Page (or...Thoughts on a Random Quote)

2006-07-31T16:32:00.000-07:00

“Generally speaking, we can conclude that tradition, in the sense we use the word, means “frozen”. It is a frozen form, more or less obsolete, reproduced through automatism. There are a few exceptions, such as when the quality of the old form is so extraordinary that even today life remains in it, in the way that some very old people remain incredibly alive and touching. However, all form is deadly. There is no form, beginning with ourselves, that is not subject to the fundamental law of the universe: that of disappearance. All religion, all understanding, all tradition, all wisdom accepts birth and death…”

Peter Brook, The Open Door (page 59-60)

To get us started off blogging away. I thought it would be fun to literally "open a page". So today, I picked up a book that I had been meaning to re-read and opened it to a random page from which I pulled today's quote.

So, do you believe that there is a fundamental law in the universe that speaks to everything's eventual disappearance? And what about tradition? It is a solid foundation from which to draw from that allows us to achieve without having to re-invent the wheel? Or conversely is it a shackle that prevents us from dreaming, seeing, learning, or communicating in new ways?

Mr. Brook is referring, in the passage, to the benefits of not being ‘tied’ to traditional forms of generating or performing theater. Taken out of context, we can have a little more fun with it and make it even more personal.

In reading this passage, I'm reminded of the many ways that we try to 're-invent' ourselves every day: How people see us, what kind of person we strive to be, what kind of health or shape we're in.... but I don’t know that who we were, or what steps came before our current destination ever truly disappear. (We may wish that some would, but these are usually the things that cling tightest to us!)

It’s my opinion that we need question our past. We need to truly understand our traditions and habits. Be it from our parents, our heritage, our religion or just the daily life patterns we’ve led for year after year, we still need to strive to reach higher, or at least outside of the zone where we are used to functioning. One of my favorite things that Peter Brook ever said was that…”we need to allow each other to fail gracefully” because it’s in these failures that grand ideas will appear.

This is just one of the reasons that I love theater, the creation, fruition of and eventual release of ideas and labor to whatever end. We hope for our ideas and labors to support the best and the brightest, the creation of the “Aha!” moment for every single audience member who comes to witness what we’ve done. But truth be told, those moments are few and far between, and they usually lie within a flower bed of compost ideas that doesn’t always smell sweet. ;)

So this returns to my thought earlier. I don’t believe that things ever disappear (even traditions) Instead, I believe that they fade or breakdown into a ‘mulch’ of sorts that help support other ideas or methods that are just starting to sprout.

And we feebly begin...

2006-07-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

OK - months after I got all energized and created this(on my birthday no less) in Adelaide, Australia during our fringe time there, I am actually, for real and truly, POSTING to it. Lamely, feebly, and soon - much better. This is for all intents and purposes, merely a TEST.

So -

TEST.

One. Two. Zebra.

Thanks.

SOON - I promise - all sorts of mischief and creatively lazy plots will be revealed.

Llysa