THE OLDEST PROFESSION, IPH Highlight Brava Theatre 2010-11 Season

Brava enters its 3rd season under the direction of Artistic Director, Raelle Myrick-Hodges, with exciting experiments including new work development, premieres and new collaborations. Brava Theater, located in the heart of San Francisco's Mission district, is gearing up for its 2010-2011 season with a series of seldom produced works, premieres and innovative outlandish projects. The upcoming season includes a tribute to Stonewall's 40th Anniversary with Come As You Are; the Regional Premiere of Colin Teevan's Iph, an adaptation of Euripides' Iphigenia at Aulis; a radio play with a killer ending directed by Meiyin Wang; a presentation of works by curated international choreographer Joe Goode; the regional premiere of Paula Vogel's The Oldest Profession and a series of New Work Development to combat the female playwright syndrome noted by writer Marsha Norman in the feature American Theater article Not There Yet. What will it take to achieve equality for women in the theatre? Visit brava.org for more information.

"This upcoming season is a celebration of the collaborations and strides Brava Theater has made in the past two seasons", states Artistic Director, Raelle Myrick-Hodges. The theater company underwent a huge leadership transition in 2008. It is beginning to find its footing again in the national American theater landscape. In two years, Brava Theater has produced over 20 projects ranging from World Premieres of musicals and non-musicals to experimental local/national artists to youth programming that promotes artistic growth rather than patronizing "youth education," all with miniscule resources and reduced funding.

"It's been difficult, sure, but two seasons ago, the financial scenario of the organization in correlation with the change in administration was phenomenally difficult to wrap our heads around. So many questions surfaced- "Do we produce the easy work or the experiments? Do we hide behind ‘educational work for youth' or do we create a standard that allows our youth to be treated like the artists we wish to inspire them to be? How do we grow an new younger audience of theater goers?' And, our largest question being ‘how can we make theater arts a viable and accessible place for our Bay Area community to see theatre as an adventure?" continues Ms. Myrick-Hodges.

"The past two seasons were filled with philosophical, emotional and financial challenges as we were producers rather than artists. I feel that I have the opportunity to create programming the company desires to see in the 21st century of theater rather than adhere to definitions of the past. They were good definitions, but not ‘future' definitions...And the National Theatre community is VERY different than it was when this company was started - and we intend to be part of the future of theater. Period."

The 2010-2011 Season is filled with dynamic collaborations. The two most prominent collaborations are the Fall and Winter Main stage productions. In September, Brava Theater will collaborate with the African-American Shakespeare Company (AASC) for the US Premiere of Colin Teevan's Iph, an adaptation of Euripides' Iphigenia at Aulis, featuring L. Peter Callendar celebrating his recent appointment as the new Artistic Director of AASC. When asked about the collaboration, Mr. Callendar stated, "We at AASC are excited to be working with a company such as Brava. Raelle has been a champion of my appointment and I am ecstatic to be able to have my first work as a producer be a collaboration with Brava."

"That's right, Bitches, Greek Tragedy!" Raelle says smiling while on the phone as she talks about the collaboration with a colleague in New York who looks forward to flying out to see the work in September. Adapted by Irish writer Colin Teevan and directed by Dylan Russell, Iph will feature C. Kelly Wright as Klytaimnestra, L. Peter Callendar as Agamemnon and introducing Traci Tolmaire as Iphigenia.

Prior to Iph, Brava Theater is honored to be chosen in the national participation to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall with Boston's Theater Offensive. This celebration, called Come As You Are, will feature a theatrical installation throughout the Brava Theater Center for ONE NIGHT ONLY. A nationally coordinated series of locally produced performance events from June 2009 through September 2010, which includes cities as large as Chicago and Miami and as small as Burlington, Vt and Anchorage, Alaska. The full list of cities also include Boston, New York, Minneapolis, Houston, Cedar Rapids, Orange County, Santa Monica. Come As You Are intends to recognize and give voice to the great diversity of queer sexuality. The role that sex and sexuality have played in the movement for queer liberation should not be ignored for this historic celebration.

Brava Theater's October production is sure to bring controversy to the company. The work, Reluctant, will have its west coast premiere at Brava Theater. This radio play is written and performed by Joel Israel, a NY based acting artist who has worked with greats such as Richard Foreman, and directed by Meiyan Wang, Associate Producer of the Under the Radar Festival (NY). Reluctant conjures the story of a man obsessed - with himself, and his terrifying aching need to kill. His victims are women and the story unfolds unnerving its audience by sheer fear that the man is so terribly charming. For Brava, this is an examination of how the company stays true to it's mission statement and also presents edgy-controversial work. "Look," Myrick-Hodges says sternly, "One it's Halloween, so relax. Two, Joel Israel is a great performer in this work. And, three, you name how many stage directors of Chinese descent get to see their work realized on stage when it isn't the Joy Luck Club? Meiyan is a dynamic, charismatic new voice in directing and I want to support her ideas - not our perception of what the world thinks work by women writers and directors ‘should' be like. She created this." The work had its world premiere at the HERE space in New York last season where the staff of Brava fell n love with Meiyan's stylistic story-telling.

Brava Theater continues its theatrical season with a second-year collaboration with Precarious Theater for The Kitchen Series. Developed in four installments throughout the Brava season, The Kitchen Series lifts the veil on the staged-reading and according to one audience member, "...allows for staged readings to be fun and more about the play than the actors". With the series including readings of work by local playwright Ken Slattery as well as classic work such as The Skin of Our Teeth and The Importance of Being Earnest, the Kitchen Series allows audience participants to literally be ‘up close and personal' with acting artists performing in readings. "The purpose of the series is to show the genuine need to discuss work prior to producing it in a public forum. Plus, when doesn't food, drink and theater not go together? ...it is to discover the deconstruction of the idea that theater is for the elite or ‘well educated'. We at Brava believe theater is for the masses - it's matter of making it accessible in an environment that allows an audience to discover hearing language on the stage." Hetal Patel, Managing Director of Brava Theater says, "It is one of my favorite offerings of our Brava season and I am so happy we decided to produce it for a second year. It sold out in the 2009-2010 season! As someone who doesn't have a theater background, I believe it's a great opening into ‘the creative process', which I believe is what will create new art audiences."

As the New Year begins, Brava is ecstatic to have our local dance choreographic superhero Joe Goode curate, Gush, which will feature Joe Goode Performance Group as well as two other local dance companies that Joe feels are groundbreaking Bay Area dance artists. "We at Brava would be foolish not to support the work of our dance community. " says Myrick-Hodges.

Bay Area's Evren Odcikin will be directing the Regional Premiere of Paula Vogel's The Oldest Profession in March. The Oldest Profession tells the story of five female senior citizens that are coming to terms with retirement - from prostitution. That's right. Prostitution! Vogel's commentary on age and sex will come to life in during Women's History Month and in correlation with Support Women Arts Now (SWAN) DAY on March 26th . Brava decided to produce this prolific and eclectic playwright's work that is not produced often because it's a great play, plain and simple. When deciding on a director for the work, Myrick Hodges state "Evren is one of the most interesting stage directors in the Bay Area. Period. Astute. Eclectic. Open, yet clear in vision... I want to support his career before the Tony comes his way a decade from now."

With a series of new works, Brava is producing/developing new works by internationally known playwright/essayist Cherrie Moraga, performance artist D'Lo and playwright/novelist Jewelle Gomez. With works discussing the migration of the Aztecs culture to the US (Moraga) to a depiction of James Baldwin grappling with the repercussions of writing Giovanni's Room (Gomez) to a discussion of queer stud youth (D'Lo). The playwrights chosen for New Play development have extensive biographies and we are excited about supporting all three of these works.

The serious commitment to develop work by women was reinforced by the reading of an article called, Not There Yet. What will it take to achieve equality for women in the theatre? by Marsha Norman, published in American Theater Magazine in November of 2009. The article, which discussed the lack of support of female playwrights and directors greatly disturbed the staff at Brava. "We had to do something. We feel developing work that will definitely be slated for future productions was our responsibility. We are hoping that female playwrights understand that Brava is in the business of supporting all artists of course, but the ladies will step through our doors first." Says Managing Director, Hetal Patel.

Brava's entire season is an experiment. Our past two years have been an experiment. We will continue to experiment. That is the purpose of theater. We hope that you will join us on the 2010-2011 ride.

2010-2011 Brava Season

Come As You Are
September 17, 2010

Press Night: Friday, September 17, 2010
Sex, Sexy, Sexual... It was forty years ago that Stonewall occured on the streets of New York and sparked an ongoing revolution of Gay Pride. Brava, in collaboration with Theatre Offensive in Boston, presents a series of short works about sexuality that celebrates this anniversary with live art, music and dance. Come As You Are will thrill and enthrall! ONE NIGHT ONLY. (Adults Only) Tickets on sliding scale. Suggested Donation $10

Iph (an adaptaion of Euripides' Iphigenia At Aulis)

In collaboration with African-American Shakespeare Company

Adapted by Colin Teevan, Directed by Dylan Russell

September 25-October 16, 2010

Press Night: Monday, September 27, 2010

You Don't Have to be White to be Greek... Deception. Sacrifice. Shame. Revenge. Fame. Agamemnon wrestles with an unthinkable choice: sacrificing his daughter Iphigeneia and appease the gods-or face defeat and shame his people. Featuring L. Peter Callender and C. Kelly Wright, this is a stunning new adaptation by Irish playwright Colin Teeven. Tickets $15-$35

Reluctant

Written and Performed by Joel Israel, Directed by Meiyan Wang, Music Composed by Mark Valadez

October 23-November 13, 2010 (Regional Premiere)

Press Night: Monday, October 25

Are You Reluctant to Kill?... Part radio play, part blues show, part confessional - a tale like no other. Set in a radio booth, Joel Israel takes on a journey sure to make your Halloween cravings be satisfied. Tickets $10-$25 Friday and Saturday performances at 10pm. LIMITED RUN

Gush

January 13-29, 2011

Press Nights: Thursday, January 13, January 20, January 27 (each week is a different performance group)

It's So Goode! Dance with a bold theatrical impulse. Curated by Joe Goode , a three weekend series including his Joe Goode Performance Group and two other groundbreaking artists from the Bay Area. Tickets $15-$35

 

The Oldest Profession

Written by Paula Vogel, Directed by Evren Odcikin

March 14-April 9, 2010 (Regional Premiere)

Press Night: Monday, Monday, March 16

You're Never too Old to be a Whore...Five beautiful women lounge on the beach discussing their Glory Days - you know - when they were prostitutes in their youth. Now, in their 60s, they reflect as life seems to have passed them by in that funny sort of way. Tickets $10-$25

 

Girltropolis

April 15 and 16, 2011

A show written, produced and performed by young female youth, Girltropolis under the guidance of professional theatre artists IS one of the best theatrical experiences the whole family should attend. Gritty, funny, disheartening, but altogether amazing, Girltropolis brings some of what goes on for young teens to life while shattering other myths about ethnicity and gender. Support the youth in our community by attending these free performances. Free

 

 

The Kitchen Series...

In collaboration with Precarious Theater

Curated and Directed by Matthew Graham Smith

Fun Fabulous Food Filled Nights!...Back by popular demand! A special series cooked up just like mom used to make. Join Precarious Theater and Brava for a new, intimate way of experiencing our greatest classics - join us on stage for a special reading with great actors, delicious free food, and great company! Be part of the magic as plays leap off the page and come to life! Tickets $20 advance/$25 at door

December 6, 2010 Truffaldino Says No, Written by Ken Slattery. A classical commedia character explores worlds of ridiculous stereotypes.

February 21, 2011 The Love of Don Perlimplín and Belisa in the Garden, Written by Federico Garcia Lorca, Guest Director Mina Morita. An erotic lace-paper valentine in a lusty romp about love.

April 18, 2011 The Skin of Our Teeth, Written by Thornton Wilder. Join the Antrobus family as they survive the ice age and other calamities, in this Pulitzer Prize winning classic.

June 13, 2011 The Importance of Being Earnest, Written by Oscar Wilde. A serious comedy for trivial people. In what may be the most perfectly funny play ever written.

Development: New Play Series

Waiting for Giovanni

Written by Jewelle Gomez

Feb 25, 2010

Experience a night with James Baldwin as he grapples with the censorship of his novel Giovanni's Room.

 

Boys That Pray

Written by D'Lo

Apr 4, 2010

Brava is estatic to be on the ground floor in developing D'Lo's new work. From the artist who brought you Ramble-Ations and Minor D'tails, you will want not want to miss this.

 

New Fire: City of Change

Written by Cherrie Moraga & Cecelia Rodriguez

May 30, 2010

In 2011, Brava will produce this new work by these extraordinary playwrights. In the meantime, join us for artist workshops and readings as we cultivate this piece for its World Premiere.

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