BWW Interviews: Emerson Theater Collaborative Breaks Open THE BIG BANK Starting July 21

In 2009, a director friend by the name of Joshua Lee Ramos told me that he was looking for a new play to submit to the Midtown International Theatre Festival.  Being a budding playwright, I naturally reached my hand into my bag and pulled out my as-yet-to-be-produced first full-length Gray Matters.  Ramos went off and read the play.  When he returned, he was excited that his friends at the Emerson Theater Collaborative had asked to meet with me.  Having worked in Connecticut's tightly-knit theatre community for two decades, my first question was, "Who or what is the Emerson Theater Collaborative?"  I honestly had never heard of them.  My first play might get produced and I was being snobby about who would be producing it - the nerve!  I was invited to a board meeting where all my questions would be answered.

Instead of visiting a grand Broadway-style theatre or a funky underground space, the meeting was held around the dining room table in the tasteful home of Camilla Ross, one of the founders and artistic visionaries behind Emerson Theater Collaborative.  We were joined by Ramos, the company's resident playwright and dramaturg Lisa Giordano, and ETC's resident graphic artist/designer Sarah Paolucci.  It was obvious that Emerson Theater Collaborative, created to utilize the training of Emerson College's drama graduates, was a relatively new start-up working in found spaces.  It was also clear that they were flying by the seat of their pants, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  Their can-do spirit has allowed them to produce more frequently than many new companies.  Their willingness to put theatre in unusual spaces - churches, restaurants, art galleries, among other found locations - has meant they are not bound to one location.  And their openness to new works and local playwrights has meant opportunity for writers like myself to see a professional company realize a mutual dream.

Emerson Theater Collaborative took on my play Gray Matters, and in a few short months we both had our New York debut and five festival award nominations.  ETC transferred the show to Mystic, one of their homebases, and subsequently Hartford, my home base.  Since the Summer 2010 production of my play, ETC has continued to produce work at a fast pace including revivals of Clifford Odet's Waiting for Lefty and Michael Bradford's Living in the Wind, along with remounts of their own world premieres Chestina Vanessa Poulson and Harriet Tubman's Dream.  Currently ETC continues to push itself further with the world premiere of The Big Bank, the company's first crack at a musical.  I grabbed a few moments with the busy producer of my play and The Big Bank, the indefatigable Camilla Ross, to find out more about the company and their latest undertaking.

WHEN AND HOW DID EMERSON THEATRE COLLABORATIVE COME ABOUT?

Emerson Theater Collaborative (ETC) came into existence in April of 2008 with three people who wanted to see and create a different kind of theater. ETC is a theater company that places an emphasis on youth, under-represented communities, artists and diversity.  We explore timely themes and issues through original works and modern theatrical classics.

WHAT IS EMERSON COLLEGE'S RELATIONSHIP TO YOUR COMPANY? 

Two Emerson College Alumni Camilla Ross and Emma Palzere-Rae, along with Lisa Giordano, a local playwright from New London CT, created the Emerson Theater Collaborative. ETC collaborates with the Emerson College Alumni and students by bringing alumni and Emerson students together to create productions that are innovative, thought-provoking and creative.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE MYSTIC-NEW LONDON AREA FOR YOUR COMPANY?

Mystic - New London region became our area of interest because we felt there was a need for the type of theater that we offer. Mystic has become a haven for us as a company, and because of this ETC, gives back to the community.  Part of the proceeds from each show goes to an area charity including Mystic Area Shelter and Hospitality (MASH), Union Baptist Church's Youth Group Mission to New Orleans to help Hurricane Katrina survivors, Operation Smile, Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Connecticut, and the local food pantry.  A portion of the profits of The Big Bank will go to help the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut.

FOR SUCH A NEW THEATRE COMPANY, YOU SEEM TO BE PRODUCING A LOT OF WORK.  HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO DO SO MUCH?

Emerson Theater Collaborative has a very supportive community, and it is because of the community and our board that we are able to do the work we do. As President and Producer of ETC, it has always been a welcome challenge to produce great plays written by local playwrights as well as others. We love to support our local playwrights.

WHAT MAKES A PLAY AN EMERSON THEATER COLLABORATIVE PLAY?

Emerson Theater Collaborative has a process by which we fully immerse the actors, directors, and tech crew in the making of a production. Each person has something to contribute and that is really important to us.  When we begin a production we become a family and create a nurturing environment for everyone working on the production.

HOW DID YOU COME UPON THE BIG BANK AND WHAT DREW YOU TO DO THE PIECE?

Lisa Giordano, our resident playwright, actually met the playwright's and composer's mother in a cab in NYC who raved about her sons' Jacob and Daniel and their work. So Lisa suggested that they send a copy of the musical to us, and the rest is history. As the producer, the timely truth of the musical drew me into the story. What made it more compelling is that the Seligmann brothers, Jacob and Daniel, wrote this musical when they were 19-years-old, and they are in their 30's now.

IS IT YOUR FIRST MUSICAL?

Yes.

WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FOR ETC IN MOUNTING THE BIG BANK?

Having not done a musical before, the greatest challenge was beginning the project. There were so many unknowns. Come and see the show to see and be part of the documentary.  Yes, we are creating a documentary of the process.

WHAT DO YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO GET OUT OF THE SHOW?

There are wonderful lines in this show, and we would love the audience to know that "Life is a Loan" - live it to the fullest and help those who are in need.

CURRENTLY YOU PERFORM IN MANY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.  WHERE ARE YOU PERFORMING THE BIG BANK?

We are performing The Big Bank at the First United Methodist Church, 23 Willow Street in Mystic. FUMC has welcomed ETC with open arms, just as the community of Mystic always has. They have given us a home, and that is why we want to make a difference in the community in which we serve. 

WHAT'S NEXT FOR ETC?

The Emerson Theater Collaborative will produce another original work called The Spitting Image by Sophie Klein. It will be coming to the First United Methodist Church in Mystic, CT in the fall of 2011.

Emerson Theater Collaborative presents The Big Bank July 21st through July 31st.  For tickets and information, visit www.emersontheatercollaborative.org.  See a video of the artistic team discussing The Big Bank here.

Photo courtesy of Emerson Theater Collaborative/Jack Ross.

 

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