Wherever you go....

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)

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)

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!!!!!!!

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"

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!

THE KCLS LIBRARY PROJECT

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"

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!

PARK BENCH: El Mirage

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....

...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

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

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 !!

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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!

Check out our 2nd episode of Park Bench!

New Titles

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??

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

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.