Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with theatre

Where to see Shakespeare?

BrokenEnglish — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:58:25 -0800

Where should I go in London or Southern England to see Shakespeare performed live in early 2010? I'm particularly interested if you have seen, or know of, any exciting performances by an excellent company, either well-known or not. It doesn't have to be a big-time production.

Recent plays?

beerbajay — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:53:24 -0800

What plays from the last 50-odd years should I read? Satire, black comedy, or scathing political criticism a plus. Also plays challenging the bounds of normal theater. Or, you know, whatever's good.

sites online offering theatre or other drama for streaming or downloading?

feelinglistless — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:28:23 -0800

I'm very impressed with LA Theatre Works and wondered if there were similar sites online offering theatre or other drama for streaming or downloading?

Festival Management 101

divabat — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:08:41 -0800

I'd like to start a festival. This time I actually have a plan and possibly some people. Where do I start? After being mildly frustrated at the local alt-arts scene, I made a plan for a fringe/indie/alt arts festival that showcases minority and culturally diverse performers. I've been inspired by the upcoming Shades of Burlesque festival and the Kaleidoscope Cabaret festival (both for burlesque performers of colour; Kaleidoscope has a more queer focus) and basically want to do something similar in Australia. It would be the first of its sort in my area, if not the country. (Kaleidoscope has a pretty good outline of how I want my festival to run)

I made up a quick plan outlining how the festival will run, a wishlist of people and resources, and further questions. I've got a few people interested, and just had a chat this afternoon with someone whose job is to help young people with their creative projects. I've also been collecting advice here and there.

Where do I start? My contact this arvo suggested I write a 1-2 page brief to the organisations whose involvement I'm after outlining the festival idea and what I need. Who should I go after first - venues, presenters, sponsors, all at once? It seems a bit chicken and egg.

I figure the earliest this festival will take place will be mid-late 2010. Right now people are finishing up year-end projects before going on holidays, so any major meetings will only really take place in January. What can I do between now and then that won't take up people's time? I anticipate that some of my presenters and brains will likely be from outside Australia - how do I plan for travel expenses and that sort of thing?

What resources have you found useful in festival planning? Any software, reading material, guides, people that are handy? Any grants or funding bodies that make good contacts? (I'm not a permanent resident yet so 99% of Aussie grants are off-limits to me; however, if I'm auspiced, the auspicing org could apply on my behalf) Any creative methods that have worked well for others?

(The plan is in a public Google document; MefiMail me if you'd like to take a look.)

The economics of classical entertainment

kandinski — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:41:51 -0800

Did ancient greeks pay for their tickets to the theatre? The Romans for their seats at the Circus? How was the Greek theatre funded? How were authors and players paid?

Getting new Win 7 Laptop this weekend for Home Theatre PC setup. Advice?

jcmilton — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:46:07 -0800

Best setup for a Win 7 laptop as HTPC? Currently we have a simple setup of an HDTV and a DVD player. No cable or antennae and frankly we're not interested in getting (and paying for) cable. But we do like watching Hulu/Netflix on the computer and since Win7 is coming out this week I thought we'd get a laptop with HTMI output so we can watch stuff on the "big screen."

Any suggestions for setting up a laptop to maximize our enjoyment and ease-of-use for using a Win7 laptop as a HTPC? I've heard that the Win7 Media Center is pretty good, but I've never used any version of Windows Media Center so I don't know what's possible.

Also, if you have suggestions for specific makes/models that would be great. Budget is around $700. But please no suggestions for a Netbook. For other reasons I need a 17+ inch screen laptop.

If Ibsen sauce is good for the goose...

mykescipark — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:16:11 -0800

Molière's Don Juan, Alan Ayckbourn's Norman Dewars, Shaw's Leonard Charteris. I am clearly missing some greats, but who are theatre's other great philandering characters, male or female? (Theatre only, please, no films or television.)

ISO: Cake Pan in shape of Comedy/Drama Masks

He Is Only The Imposter — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:49:29 -0800

I'm looking for a cake pan/mold in the shape of the traditional theater comedy/drama masks. This is for a gift, so I need an actual pan, not a workaround for making the cakes. Googling got me cookie cutters but no cake molds. Thanks!

If you say someone's funny are they doomed to failure?

Navelgazer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:06:20 -0800

Are there any examples of stories where a character is depicted as super-funny, and that actually comes through in practice? Oftentimes, in movies and plays and tv shows, the story will involve one character's skills being trumpeted. Now, if this skill is something like ass-kicking or hacking or janitorial equation-solving, that's easy enough to show off when the script requires it. Sometimes, though, the story will require the creator to summon the same degree of artistic skill that is ascribed to the character, which is where this gets dicey and obviously, quite risky.

Sometimes the risk pays off. In Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the song "Good Thing Going" is endlessly promoted as just the best thing you've ever heard, but Sondheim backs it up with an actually achingly beautiful song. In The West Wing, Toby and Sam are frequently touted as amazing writers, but Sorkin actually shows us the soaring, idealistic speeches they make, and they are, indeed, pretty awesome.

Where this always seems to fail, however, is with comedy. When Sorkin tried to do the same thing on Studio 60 with comedy writers, for instance, it became the primary reason for the show's quick demise, because none of the viewers agreed. The same is true for such misbegotten projects as Man of the Year and Mr. Saturday Night. I haven't yet seen Funny People, so maybe that's the exception to this, but my question is: are there any examples of fictional movies about supposedly great comedians/comediennes where the character in question is actually, you know, funny with their act? If so, which ones? If not, why not?

Opera N00b Performance Anxiety

hermitosis — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:51:53 -0800

I was just cast in an opera! Problem: I have never been in an opera before, and am not really a "musical" person. Please help me keep from falling flat on my face! Though I have landed a major role in an upcoming comic opera production, I don't know how to sing opera -- I have a lot of training as a performer but I haven't done any actual singing onstage in many years, let alone opera. The director and conductor have assured me that they have no problem with my character speak-singing most of his lines a la Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady, and that I was cast because of what I would hopefully bring to the character in terms of acting. I trust the director completely and think everything will be fine... eventually.

The director keeps reminding me that it doesn't really matter what notes I'm singing, it's all really about when I start and stop singing. I have the book, and cd's of both the whole score and the piano music. But really none of this stuff means anything to me. I can sight read enough to pick out a melody, but when I look through all these pages of music notation, I can barely tell what I'm looking at. It's an original opera, so I don't have like a cast recording I can listen to.

By the time we're done rehearsing I'm sure I'll have that down. It's the first week of rehearsal that has me freaked. Tonight is a read-through with the whole cast, all of whom will be real live opera people. I can't help dreading that I'm going to look like a total ignoramus and wind up slowing things down. I'm sure they'll wonder why I was cast instead of an actual tenor. I am planning to go in and be confident and friendly, but I'm a little psyched out at this point.

If you have any advice to help get me through this rehearsal process I'd be happy to hear it. I only have two and a half weeks, I'll do whatever I have to do to ace this.

Berlin cabaret help needed.

Xalf — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:22:14 -0800

We will be in Berlin from this Saturday until Wednesday. Please recommend a cabaret-type performance that will be comprehensible to non-German speakers, is not overly risque, and will make for a fun evening.

Cheapest MultiCam ever?

tropikal — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:23:23 -0800

Do security camera DVR's record all video channels simultaneously, or do they only record one channel at a time or the multiplex all on one screen? I ask because I'm looking to set up an ultra cheap multi-cam recording setup in a small theater. Security cameras and cheap "industrial" cameras are plentiful and all I need (manual focus, manual aperture, good low light)

I figure that 4 cameras with C-Mount Lenses (and adapters to decent second hand 35MM lenses) would allow me to not have to spend thousands on four high end mini-dv cameras that I'd have to have change tapes in the middle of a show.

Arts and Cultural Appropriation

divabat — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:19:50 -0800

How have issues of cultural appropriation, stereotypes, and diversity been tackled in art and popular culture? I'm in the early stages of working on a performance piece on cultural appropriation and identity in the arts, and I'm looking for inspiration from others that have done the same. So far I am only familiar with Guillermo Gómez-Peña and his Living Museum of Fetish/ized Identities, and the SF/fantasy RaceFail debacle.

I am especially interested in these issues as they occur in burlesque, circus, and theatre, since that's what I'm working with, but any creative field would be good too.

Make a sword safer?

grabbingsand — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:45:41 -0800

Stage Combat Question. Is it possible to take a bladed weapon and render it safe for use on-stage (without damaging the weapon itself)? I seem to recall from my days as a DragonCon volunteer that cosplayer's swords had to be taped* and/or bated (or else the sword had to be peace-tied so as to prevent its leaving a scabbard), but I can't find a description of the safety-making process. * - "Taped" might not be the right word at all, but it involved covering the edge in a way that left it wide and blunt, effectively.

Funding for a theatre nonprofit in Sri Lanka.

By The Grace of God — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:46:44 -0800

Any good leads for corporate or foundational funders for a youth theatre project for Sri Lankan refugees and orphans? It's a registered charity looking for leads. We will be doing a funder search but specific references or good websites or forums for this would be most welcome. Charity is registered in the UK.

How to go from a little girl with a guitar to a professional?

lhude sing cuccu — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:17:31 -0800

No one tells you how to be a musician in high school. What should I be doing? I feel like playing open mics and blindly sending out demos isn't the right way to do it. I can't even play at bars because I'm under 21. Any advice? So, I am only 18 but you don't stay 18 forever. David Bowie was releasing records with Decca when he was 17, and this haunts me every day. (David Bowie is kind of my template...the only part that's working so far is starting out solo and acoustic.)
I moved to Chicago when I was 17 because I wanted to get out of my town (Roanoke, VA) and network and become a musician. I ended up just making a long list of venues I could theoretically play at...when I'm 21 and with a backing band! I ended up doing nothing in Chicago, really. I met someone who started his own record label but nothing materialised, and I started kind of bands with a few people...but that never works out.

I grew up teaching myself about the music industry with outdated books from the library, and when I realised you can't just send a cassette and a picture to major labels to solve all your problems, my world just crashed. I can't keep up wih technology fast enough to know which path is the professional one, and which leads to being some hack in my room posting my songs online to an audience of 5.

So, it's just me, a little girl with a guitar, who aspires to be someone important. I've decided to put aside all my anxieties ("I get sick too often to tour!" "I need stable relationships too much!") and just try it, or hate myself forever. I've moved back from Chicago, and I plan to start getting credits in theatre, education, and/or French, but I don't know what I'd do with that degree. Then I want to move to Portland, OR (I've already started that venue list) and play open mics, any all-ages venues...alone, with my electric guitar and maybe a tape player...and ask around for a manager/agent.
This seems wrong. I've got a lo-tech website, and I could record a real demo if I wanted. But it all seems pointless and not right.

Any advice from musicians or other creative-types on what I should be doing? I know I'd need a "real" job, but the only other thing I want to do long-term would be working in theatre, but everyone knows that's just as bad a business. I have these ridiculous ideas on how to incorporate theatre into my music shows that don't exist yet, but I can't really do much, just me and my guitar, to really set me apart. I also like, and want to write, the kind of music no one else is really into but old men (who I don't really feel so good about working with, frankly). So I'm sort of just assuming the only way I will find anyone wanting to play with me is by just playing places and hanging out afterwards. I'm not really naturally extroverted either, so I'm not a big networker. But I have no idea how to start on that, either. ("Hey, stranger, do you know anyone who can help me with publicity?") I could put up my own 11x17 posters to my own little low-key solo performances and hope for the best, but that just seems sad.

I work best with concrete lists, and the world of music is anything but concrete, so anything resembling a list would be marvellous!

Writer needs to spend time with an Asperger's. In Belgium.

Baud — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:19:37 -0800

Writing an Asperger character : how can I get to know enough about Asperger's syndrom ? Please bear in mind that I live in Belgium. I'm in the research phase of a writing project. One of the characters must be an Asperger's. Now...

Research so far : I've read "I was born on a blue day" and "The curious incident of the dog". But words on a page are one thing, meeting a breathing person, getting to ask questions, discovering what kind of non-verbal language they is much more interesting to me.

Now, bearing in mind that I live in *Belgium* and that most of yo are living in US/Canada i.e. an ocean away from where I live, does the hive have generic advice on how to spend some social time with an Asperger ?

I don't want to betray the Asperger and I'm not centering the text around that characteristic. it's a narrative obligation that my character is an Asperger.

Oh, and if Barry - Rain Man - is lurking here, can he please direct-message me ? (I tried to contact him through Gersher agency's email address.
---
Standard MeFi caveat : english is not my mother tongue.

Precocious Children in Plays

stray — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:57:29 -0800

I'm looking for plays about precocious children. I need a monologue for an audition--the role is a very smart, very pressured, comical 12 year old. I thought the hive mind might have some ideas...I'm looking for something energetic, maybe something with that sense of being burdened that a lot of very precocious kids seem to have. Preferably female. Thoughts?

Give us a clue?

Beardman — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:09:58 -0800

Can you think of any films that include a scene where the characters play Charades, or a similar party game? I've been tasked with writing a screenplay for, and possibly shooting, a short film about a rowdy game of Charades at a party. I'd like to see how other movies have done this kind of thing, as much to avoid repetition as for inspiration. Examples from theatre or TV shows (though no game shows, please) would also be helpful. Thanks!

How early to wait for (cheap) Godot tickets in London?

Devoidoid — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:26:01 -0800

Can anyone recommend strategy/tactics for snagging cheap day seats for 'Waiting for Godot' in London? Will there be a snarling crowd at 10AM Saturday morning outside the Theatre Royal Haymarket? How early ought I arrive to ensure I'm in the front of the queue?

Where do these people hang out? Suggestions for online communities, please!

the latin mouse — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:13:09 -0800

I need to find talented people who are into both theatre writing and web technologies. They should live in Britain or Ireland. I have two weeks. Where should I look?

Looking for 1890's desk set for stage production, Toronto.

dirtynumbangelboy — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:48:17 -0800

Propsfilter. Looking for a specific prop to use in a Fringe production. Difficulty level: free, sourced in Toronto, 1890's period accurate (repro is fine). A friend of mine is production manager on a fringe production of Shaw's Candida. All props and sets are sourced, but for two outstanding questions:

1) They need a desk set--blotter, pen (not quill), inkwell, pencil holder, etc--for the entire show. Run starts in July, so there's some time left. We need to find a source for something--as I said, repro is fine--but it needs to be free or incredibly cheap. Any thoughts?

2) Were typewriter erasers used in 1890's London, and if so, where could we find one or how would we accurately reproduce one? Again, cheap or free.

My friend has extensive contacts in Toronto theatre, and is asking there as well.

There's nothing to do on Mars, or during the last week of school...

HeroZero — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:14:24 -0800

Good movies about theatre? I'm a high school drama teacher with one week left of school. Finals are over, grades are in -- time for moderately-educational film viewing!

I'm not looking for movie versions of stage plays, such as Streetcar Named Desire. I'm specifically looking for movies that show the process of making a play. An ideal example of this is Shakespeare in Love, which the students enjoyed and which inspired a lot of discussion. Obviously, that movie isn't meant as a faithful, realistic portrait of Elizabethan theatre, but it does give a sense of the creative, technical, and political elements of the process.

Let me know your theatre geek faves!

Hilarious Shakespeare?

5_13_23_42_69_666 — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:56:14 -0800

What is the funniest scene in a Shakespeare play? Inspired by a comment in a post about storyreading, I thought it would be fun to read out a scene from Shakespeare as a birthday present for a friend who is a big fan of his work. As much as I'd love to re-read them and pick one myself, I just don't have the time. Recommendations? Bonus points for sexy innuendo.

How to act like I know how to act

2or3whiskeysodas — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:48:16 -0800

Help me develop the skills needed to carry an (essentially) one-man stage show despite never having even vaguely considering acting. If I get the part, I assume we'll start rehearsals in late autumn. A local playwright and head of a successful theater troupe has asked me to audition for the lead in a production they'll be staging in December. If I get the role, I'll be portraying a still-living, quasi-legendary singer songwriter. The show is bound to be a big deal–this is the second production they've staged about this person and the last one was a huge smash.

The musical aspect shouldn't be too big a challenge for me. That said, it looks as though it's going to be pretty much just me on stage for the first half of the show, and I'm 100% clueless when it comes to acting. But I'm super excited to give it a shot! If I get the part, I'll talk to local folks about seeking classes and stuff like that. Otherwise, what resources can the Hive Mind recommend? I'm open to anything. Thanks!