"TRAGEDY"@ SOSE - 1/2 Tix available for a limited time!

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!
for the Los Angeles premiere of... TRAGEDY: a tragedy by Will Eno

October 17 - November 16, 2008
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8 PM
Sunday @ 2 PM
Monday performances on 11/3 and 11/10 @ 8 PM
(No performance on 10/31)

General Admission: $20
Student/Senior/Union: $18
90004/90028 Residents (with ID): $5

A limited amount of $10 tickets are available if purchased before 10/17!

For tickets please visit Brown Paper Tickets.


[Will Eno is] "... a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart Generation."
- New York Times

[TRAGEDY is] "... one of the funniest apocalypses of our time."
- San Francisco Chronicle

The sun has set. Night has fallen, perhaps for the last time. Journalists arrive in locations throughout the city to report on this disaster-of-darkness. As they search for newsworthy content to fill their televised program, the governor offers us encouraging and valiant words to sooth our broken spirits. All seems lost, yet the reporters must continue. If they don’t, they will have to accept that the worst possible scenario has become a reality: the sun will not come up and there is nothing left to say. TRAGEDY… reflects the most absurd moments of Bill O’Reilly, Anderson Cooper and the like, while also speaking to a universal fear of nothingness.
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Directed by Donald Boughton
Stage Managed by Jacob Holt
Scenic Design by Logan Wince
Lighting Design Brandon Baruch
Costume Design by Suzanne Scott
Sound Design by Ryan Poulson

Cast: Sarah Boughton, Daniel Getzoff, Matthew McCray, Frederick Ponzlo & Jonathan Williams

TRAGEDY: a tragedy by Will Eno Opens October 17, 2008!

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!
for the Los Angeles premiere of... TRAGEDY: a tragedy by Will Eno

October 17 - November 16, 2008
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8 PM
Sunday @ 2 PM
Monday performances on 11/3 and 11/10 @ 8 PM
(No performance on 10/31)

General Admission: $20
Student/Senior/Union: $18
90004/90028 Residents (with ID): $5

A limited amount of $10 tickets are available if purchased before 10/17!

For tickets please visit Brown Paper Tickets.


[Will Eno is] "... a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart Generation."
- New York Times

[TRAGEDY is] "... one of the funniest apocalypses of our time."
- San Francisco Chronicle

The sun has set. Night has fallen, perhaps for the last time. Journalists arrive in locations throughout the city to report on this disaster-of-darkness. As they search for newsworthy content to fill their televised program, the governor offers us encouraging and valiant words to sooth our broken spirits. All seems lost, yet the reporters must continue. If they don’t, they will have to accept that the worst possible scenario has become a reality: the sun will not come up and there is nothing left to say. TRAGEDY… reflects the most absurd moments of Bill O’Reilly, Anderson Cooper and the like, while also speaking to a universal fear of nothingness.
----------------------------------------
Directed by Donald Boughton
Stage Managed by Jacob Holt
Scenic Design by Logan Wince
Lighting Design Brandon Baruch
Costume Design by Suzanne Scott
Sound Design by Ryan Poulson

Cast: Sarah Boughton, Daniel Getzoff, Matthew McCray, Frederick Ponzlo & Jonathan Williams

RAPID - informal play reading, 8/26

SOSE is presenting an informal reading of a project we are considering for 2009.  If you would like to come hear the play and share your feedback, the reading is at our theater at 8pm, Tuesday 8/26.  Free admission.  Just come, listen and respond.

 

8:00pm-10:00pm

 

Son of Semele Ensemble

3301 Beverly Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90004

 

Director:  Matthew McCray

Cast:  Donald Boughton, Sarah Boughton and Daniel Boughton

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Partnership Production Application

SOSE is accepting applications for a front-of-week guest production slot at their 40-seat theater in Silver Lake. We are open to proposals for box office split arrangements, or discounted rentals, or any combination. Our production is going up Fri-Sun. The guest-production would perform Tues-Thurs, opposite our weekend production.

To propose a project, answer the questions below and submit them with the required documentation to Matt at matthew@sonofsemele.org. Deadline is September 1.

Projects must open October 28 or later, and can run 2-6 weeks.

If you have questions, contact Matt at matthew@sonofsemele.org.


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FALL PARTNERSHIP PRODUCTION APPLICATION

Son of Semele Ensemble (SOSE) is an ensemble company of 20+ artists that produce theater addressing emerging cultural questions. Our fall production of Will Eno's "Tragedy: A Tragedy" will run Friday-Sunday, October 24 - November 23, with the possibility of extending into December. Our set will be spare, lending itself to hosting another production on Tues-Thursday. The accepted project would working on our set and lighting plot. Our theater has central A/C and is a very intimate venue seating 40 people. The dressing room is 12' x 12' and the stage is 18'x 18' (sprung wood).

If you have a project that you'd like to propose for this partnership, please answer the questions below:

--------------------------------------------
CONTACT
Name:
Company/Organization Name:
Project Name:
Phone:
Email:

DETAILS
1) Dates/Times of Proposed Performances:
2) Cast size:
3) Aside from general lighting/sound, what are the technical requirements of the project:
4) What kind of financial arrangement are you proposing? We are open to a variety of arrangements including splitting box office revenue, a discounted production rental and anything in between. Tell us what you have in mind. We are most interested in arrangemetns that are mututally beneficial and that serve the proposed project.
5) Is there anything else we should know:

ATTACHMENTS
A) 1 page organizational background or your background if you are an independent producer
B) 1 page project description (artists, style, cast size, plot if there is one, etc.)

presenting free workshop production at Autry Museum!

This Sunday (July 13) at 11am, SOSE will be presenting the first public workshop of a new play about the Los Angeles Flood of 1938 and the political atmosphere of the era.  Among the cast of characters are the LA mayor of the time, Frank Shaw, and the founder of infamous Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria in downtown, Clifford Clinton. 

 

This event is TOTALLY FREE and presented in the Wells Fargo Theatre at the Autry Museum.  No reservation required.

 

Check out details here.

 

Hope to see you there.

 

 

2006 Production "King Cat Calico Finally Flies Free!" just published!

"King Cat Calico Finally Flies Free!", written by SOSE playwright in Residence (alright, that's me!) was just published by Original Works Publishing.

Since the play had its premiere at SOSE, many members are listed on the production staff page in the edition. Exciting!

The script (with a great cover by SOSE artistic director Matthew McCray) is available at discounted pre-order rate for a limted time at www.originalworksonline.com/kingcat.htm

Thanks SOSE!

Evidence of the Kaprow Happening

Want evidence that I really did spend hours and hours with a group of people taking a chair around the city...?

Here is a photo from the Happening.  The Polaroid was taken by Nancy Keystone and yes... that's me sitting in the chair in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel.  It was taped and left at the site, just as you see it here.

For more of the pics from the event, go to MOCA's website by clicking here.

Matt

The Kaprow Happenings

Yesterday (5/29) I helped create a "happening," coordinated by Museum of Contemporary Art and Nancy Keystone of Critical Mass Performance Group.  I helped Nancy as she re-envisioned one of Allan Kaprow's Happenings titled "Pose". 

 

Happenings, a term coined by Allan Kaprow in the late 1950s, define an art form in which an action is extracted from the environment, replacing the traditional art object with a performative gesture rooted in the movements of everyday life. "What is a Happening? A game, an adventure, a number of activities engaged in by participants for the sake of playing." –Allan Kaprow

 

From 4-8pm a small group of us moved a chair across the city of Angels (along Sunset Blvd. from downtown to the ocean).  Using primarily the #2 bus-line, we hopped out periodically along the way to offer passer-bys the chance to sit in the chair and have their Polaroid taken.  Two shots were taken:  one was left at the site and another will be used later by Nancy in a final presentation about the Happening.

 

Besides being quite fun, I was struck with the willingness of most people to participate.  Yes, we weren't asking much of them -- but I tend to assume the worst.  Is it a scam?  Am I being Punk'd and where is Ashton?  etc. etc.   Almost every single person we approached participated in Pose and seemed happy to do so.  A break in the monotony.

 

Today, somewhere in LA, Polariod pictures of random people lie along Sunset as evidence that on that street-corner, that bus-stop, that sidewalk, etc.... someone was here and something happened, and most importantly, they were not alone in it all.

 

Thanks to MOCA and the wonderful Ms. Keystone for this.  "Art as the simple-things-in-life" is a nice reminder of how simple it can be.

 

SOSE in the Center Theatre Group newsletter

"Fencerow to Fencerow," one of SOSE's works-in-development, was featured in the newsletter for Center Theatre Group's New Play Production Program.   Here is the article:

 

CTG Newsletter, May, 2008

Center Theatre Group New Play Production Program Newsletter - Spring 2008

New L.A. Company Partnership

CTG and Son of Semele Ensemble (SOSE) are developing a new play with the working title, Fencerow to Fencerow based on the Michael Pollan bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma. The piece combines both historical and fictional characters to reveal truths about the over-saturation of corn in our diets. Helmed by Matthew McCray and devised by SOSE, this new work will have its second developmental workshop this Spring at CTG. Matthew and company share their impulse for the piece.

SOSE was driven to develop "Omnivore" after reading the book The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, which explores many shocking realities about American agriculture. For some of our company members, Pollan's book was a "call to action" which drove us to create this play. Our creation process for "Omnivore" originated with games, discussion, and group improvisation, later growing into the creation of a text and eventually a draft. The elements found in agriculture (e.g. plant-life, corn, digestion, the food production process, etc.) were exciting to explore in physical and theatrical ways, and our adventurous style of theatre was a perfect fit for it. Also, we felt that the creation of this play was an urgent and pressing matter knowing that America's Farm Bill was up for revision in 2007. Unfortunately, as expected, the forces of agribusiness held strong to the status quo and the 2007 Farm Bill will continue to support systems of food production that damage our people and our planet. We need a change. Obesity and malnutrition are causing illness and death. Environmental damage from the over-fertilization of our land is killing the Gulf of Mexico. 75% of the grocery store is filled with products that contain corn. Where is the line and when will the forces of agribusiness no longer turn a blind eye to the damage of the industry? "Omnivore" is driven by questions like these that MUST be asked now before it is too late.

The "Fencerow" Workshop Recap...

SOSE recently completed a workshop of our new play Fencerow to Fencerow at Center Theatre Group (CTG). A cast of 10, director/writer Matt McCray, and CTG Literary Associate Mike Sablone met for 2-weeks, exploring text and movement. The focus of the workshop was on clarity and impact of both story and characters, as well as the physical world of the play.

The project was a thoroughly exhausting one that couldn't have been more rewarding. With new pages, new scenes and sometimes the swapping of actors in certain roles, everyone from playwright to actor was creating and re-creating each day. It became an exercise in patience and stamina, as well as listening (of course).

The seven SOSE members in the cast (Sarah Boughton, Don Boughton, Sharyn Gabriel, Danny Getzoff, Edgar Landa, Michael Nehring and Jonathan Williams) were joined by non-SOSE members (now friends) Jerry Hoffman, Shannon Holt and Greg Wantanabe. The workshop featured dances by co-choreographers Matt McCray & Kirsten Long, as well as new music and sound created by company friend and designer Ryan Poulson (sound design for Melancholy Play & Iphigenia).

The semi-public presentation of our work was presented at the CTG Annex on May 3 at 3pm. The play continues its development and there will be more to come about other public opportunities to see/hear it. To be notified of upcoming readings/presentations, please make sure to join our eblast. If you think you are on it, you can join again and you will only receive one email. Duplicates are immediately deleted.

Thats the scoop on "Fencerow to Fencerow". Thanks to everyone who made this workshop possible, especially the folks at CTG!!!

Fencerow workshop anticipation

Tomorrow Son of Semele Ensemble is starting a two week workshop of FENCEROW TO FENCEROW, the play we've been developing for the past 14 months.  (Workshop number three over the past year.)  As I sit here thinking about what may or may not be in store for us for the next two weeks, I feel so fortunate to have this time and support from so many people.  You know who you are!

 

My mantra for the next two weeks.... do not settle.  Keep the bar high, search for "better," make the tough choice,.... yada yada yada.

 

Thanks to the 20+ people over the past year who have helped in the creation of this play.  It's still going.  I can't believe it's still going....

 

Oh--- and I just saw the documentary KING CORN, which is very similar in topic to the play I'm writing.  What a wonderful documentary.  See it if you can.

 

Matt

Study of off-off Broadway budgets is encouraging for LA!

I just found this pretty interesting study on Off-Off Broadway Production Budgets. 

 

I found it encouraging for the small theatre scene in Los Angeles when comparing these statistics to some of the productions we've produced at Son of Semele Ensemble.  Not everything is eye-to-eye... but many areas are not far off.

 

Yes... like anywhere, I imagine, 99-seat theatre productions in LA can be both "well produced" or "poorly produced," however the majority I've seen are somewhere in the middle.  I imagine the same holds true for the Off-Off Broadway scene in NYC.  

 

If anyone knows of a study like this for Los Angeles 99-seat theatre, I'd be interested in taking a look at it.

 

Go here for the link to the file about Off-Off-Broadway production budgets.

 

Enjoy.

 

SOSE member Aaron Henne wins LA WEEKLY AWARD!

On Monday, April 7th, SOSE playwright-member Aaron Henne took home the LA Weekly Award for "Playwriting" for his play "Sliding Into Hades."   Congrats to Aaron Henne.  You can view more info about Aaron and his work at his website.

Congrats to "Boughton" SOSE members

SOSE members Sarah Boughton and Don Boughton (father/daughter) opened the West Coast premiere of "A Beautiful View" this month at the Son of Semele Theatre. The production is receiving great reviews and a wonderful response from audiences. It plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm until April 26th.

Information about the production can be found in the Back Stage West review at:
http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/other_news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003787792

You can view the trailer below.  Tickets available at the door or by going to Brown Paper Tickets.

Save the date -- 7/13/08. Workshop presentation of new play!

Son of Semele Ensemble is scheduled to perform at the Autry Museum on July 13 (time, TBA). We will be presenting the first public workshop performance of a new play devised by the company and written by Aaron Henne called RECORD STORM SPREADS RUIN!

RECORD STORM... uses the Los Angeles Flood of 1938 as a backdrop for the exploration of the the political climate of the age. Central to the piece is the Los Angeles Mayor, Frank Shaw, who later became the first Mayor of a major American city to be recalled.

Stay tuned to the SOSE website and join our eblast for email notification about the time of our presentation. There is only one workshop performance and it is followed by a brief discussion of the material. To see the production webpage, click here.

I have so many emotions running through my veins based on this article. My roots are in LA. I want to shout, "Fuck you NYC!" Because I lived in NYC for 4 years and while I loved acting there, I hated living there. And I did a lot of bad shows in NYC. A lot! People act like the work is so much better there. But that isn't true. There are still lazy actors who don't want to do the work and don't want to act professional and have drama etc. etc. etc. They just have fancy schools listed on their bios like NYU or Yale or Julliard etc. But they are all the same!

I found this article to be very discouraging. Especially for us trying to get grants. But like the article said, "artists find a way".

The weather here is amazing and the people here are so much happier because the weather is better. And well.... the weather is better!

Fantastic article about NYC perceptions of LA theatre

I just read this wonderful article about the perception of Los Angeles theatre from New Yorkers. It was published in the LA Weekly recently. For those like me, who haven't spent a lot of time in New York working and talking shop, it is a fascinating spin into the mind-set of a few New Yorker theatre-makers and critics.

You can find the article here:

http://www.laweekly.com/stage/theater/continental-divisiveness-new-york-and-la-theater/18624/

Matt