San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater announces the extension of its 11th season opener, a distinctive take on Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST. The production, originally scheduled to close November 28, has added additional performances December 2 through December 19 (added shows December 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 8pm; December 5, 12, 19 at 5pm). Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose helms this compelling tale of betrayal, revenge, and redemption, featuring Cutting Ball Associate Artists David Sinaiko, Caitlyn Louchard, and Donell Hill. THE TEMPEST plays now through December 19 (no performance November 25) at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. For tickets ($15-50) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 800-838-3006.
In THE TEMPEST, the exiled Duke of Milan uses sorcery to cause a shipwreck to take his treacherous brother to the enchanted isle he now calls home. But magic works both ways in this tale when the creatures of the island turn against the Duke and his daughter falls in love with his enemy's son. In the tradition of Cutting Ball's uniquely San Franciscan version of The Bard's The Taming of the Shrew and expressionistic Macbeth, Cutting Ball's three-person chamber version of THE TEMPEST gives an up close and personal look at the monsters lurking inside all of us.
About the production the San Francisco Chronicle said, "It's a neat triangle...Melrose's stagings are unfailingly attractive and at times arresting," while the San Francisco Examiner called the production "cleverly adapted" and "alluring," noting "this 'Tempest' illuminates the text in many lovely ways, capturing the play's exquisite lyricism." Stage and Cinema declared "[Cutting Ball] takes risks with Shakespeare's words and the payoff is inspiring," and The Huffington Post agreed, saying "Melrose has been able to pull off a high concept yet minimalist reinterpretation of 'The Tempest' with surprisingly effective scene changes that challenge the audience to ask if these changes take place in real time or in their minds. And the damned thing works!"
"Why mess with Shakespeare? Our version of The Tempest aims to illuminate the many connections between the characters and take more risks with Shakespeare's text and words," said Cutting Ball Artistic Director
Rob Melrose. "We are looking to present a contemporary interpretation of the play that is in conversation with
Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and the dream-like dramaturgy pioneered by
August Strindberg, now found in the films of David Lynch (Lost Highway, Mullholland Drive), Tarsem Singh (The Fall, The Cell), and
Christopher Nolan (Inception, Memento), as well as the novels of
Haruki Murakami (Kafka on the Shore, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle) and video installations of
Bill Viola." Continues Melrose, "For 10 years, Cutting Ball has re-envisioned classic works. Our goal is to create productions that focus on particular themes or obsessions within a play that an audience member might not see in a more conventional production. We feel very fortunate to have found an audience who has been willing to go on these risky explorations with us."
Following Cutting Ball's production of THE TEMPEST, the company presents Eugenie Chan's retelling of the Ariadne myth BONE TO PICK, which received its World Premiere in Cutting Ball's 2007-2008 season as part of Avant GardARAMA!; this provocative play, starring Paige Rogers, will be accompanied by a newly commissioned companion piece, DIADEM, in January. The company is also poised to present the Bay Area Premiere of playwright
Will Eno's LADY GREY (in ever lower light) and other plays in March, followed by RISK IS THIS...THE CUTTING BALL NEW EXPERIMENTAL PLAYS FESTIVAL in May. In addition to the mainstage season, Cutting Ball Theater continues its Hidden Classics Reading Series with five new installments. The entire 2010-11 season will be staged in San Francisco at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor.
Co-founded in 1999 by theater artists
Rob Melrose and Paige Rogers, Cutting Ball Theater presents avant-garde works of the past, present, and future by re-envisioning classics, exploring seminal avant-garde texts, and developing new experimental plays. Cutting Ball Theater has partnered with Playwrights Foundation, the Magic Theatre, and Z Space New Plays Initiative to commission new experimental works. The company has produced a number of World Premieres, West Coast Premieres, and re-imagined various classics. Voted "Best Theater Company" in the 2010 San Francisco Bay Guardian Best of The Bay issue, Cutting Ball Theater also earned the Best of SF award in 2006 from SF Weekly, was selected by San Francisco Magazine as Best Classic Theater in 2007, and received the 2008 San Francisco Bay Guardian Goldie award for outstanding talent in the performing arts. Cutting Ball Theater was recently featured in the February 2010 issue of American Theatre Magazine.
WHEN:
now through December 19
(added shows December 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 8pm; December 5, 12, 19 at 5pm)
Closes: December 19 at 5pm
All performances Thursday-Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 5pm
No performance on Thanksgiving Day (November 25)
WHERE:
The Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor, 277 Taylor St., San Francisco
TICKETS:
For tickets ($15-50) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call
800-838-3006; discounts available for students, seniors and groups.
