PICKED Cast And Creatives Discuss The Human Soul May 1
By: Gabrielle Sierra Apr. 21, 2011
PICKED playwright Christopher Shinn, actor Michael Stahl-David and clinical psychiatrist Dr. Andrew Gerber set for panel discussion THE MEANING OF THE HUMAN SOUL IN THE LIGHT OF TECHNOLOGIES
Presented by Vineyard Theatre and Barnes & Noble Booksellers
SUNDAY, MAY 1 at 5:30 p.m.
A panel discussion -- free and open to the general public -- will be presented by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Vineyard Theatre and Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Barnes & Noble Union Square (33 E. 17 St.) on Sunday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m.
The panel discussion -- titled THE MEANING OF THE HUMAN SOUL IN THE LIGHT OF TECHNOLOGIES -- will be held following the May 1st 3 p.m. performance of Christopher Shinn's new play PICKED about a legendary, big-budget film director who submits his young leading man to a series of personal questions during MRI scans in the hopes of gleaning information about the actor's psyche that the director can use in the construction and direction of his newest film.
PICKED is being given its world-premiere by the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) in a production directed by Michael Wilson and running now through May 15. Michael Stahl-David portrays the young actor in PICKED.
THE MEANING OF THE HUMAN SOUL IN THE LIGHT OF TECHNOLOGIES will examine advances in neuroscience and neuron-imaging as a way of exploring what can and can't be known about the human soul. The talk back will also consider how artists will interact with a new era of brain research and what it may or may not tell us about the deepest reaches of human experience. As the digital world continues to move forward with technologies such as motion capture and performance capture (as exemplified in the movie Avatar), what is the role of the human actor and his capacities to express real human drama and conflict? If human expressions can be recorded, stored and remixed, what is the future of the actor- and what implications are there for all of us?
ABOUT THE PARTCIPANTS:
Christopher Shinn is a Pulitzer finalist (DYING CITY, 2008) playwright and a past Fellow of the American Psychoanalytic Association. Shinn's other plays include FOUR, OTHER PEOPLE, WHERE DO WE LIVE, THE COMING WORLD and NOW OR LATER. PICKED marks Shinn's return to The Vineyard following 2004's OBIE Award-winning WHERE DO WE LIVE. In addition to the Vineyard Theatre, Shinn's plays have been premiered by the Royal Court Theatre in London, Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons and South Coast Repertory, and have been performed at regional theatres across the country. Shinn teaches playwriting at the New School for Drama. He is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a NEA/TCG Residency and numerous other awards. Shinn holds a B.F.A. in dramatic writing from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. A native of Hartford, CT, Shinn graduated high school from the Greater Hartford of the Arts.
Michael Stahl-David who plays Kevin in PICKED is best known for his starring role in J.J. Abrams' monster-thriller "Cloverfield." Off-Broadway credits include: THE HAPPY SAD (SPF) and THE OVEWHELMING (Roundabout). He has also worked at Steppenwolf and The Goodman in Chicago, his hometown. Other film roles include: The Project and the upcoming Congress, with Robin Wright and Harvey Keitel. TV: "My Generation", "The Black Donnellys", "Kings", "Mercy", "Numb3rs" and "Law and Order: Criminal Intent". With Jeremy Beiler he co-created the critically-acclaimed web series "Michael Stahl-David: Behind the Star," a mockumentary distributed by Sony Television on Crackle.com. He has taught acting at the Cine Institute in Haiti and with The Unusual Suspects Theater in Los Angeles.
Dr. Gerber is Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry studying social cognition and affect as they relate to developmental psychopathology, particularly in Autism Spectrum Disorders, and psychotherapeutic change. He graduated from Yale College with a degree in Physics and completed a Master of Science degree in Developmental Psychology and a PhD in Psychology at University College London. There Dr. Gerber studied with Peter Fonagy, investigating the process and outcome of psychoanalytic treatments in young adults. He completed his medical and psychiatry training at Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Hospital, and Weill Cornell Medical College - Payne Whitney Clinic where he was Chief Resident.
Dr. Gerber then moved to Columbia University where he has studied neuroimaging of child psychiatric disorders under Dr. Bradley Peterson at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and completed a clinical fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Dr. Gerber is committed to scientific investigation of the role of genetics and experience on the neural processes that underlie our concepts of self, other, and narrative and believes that dualism (i.e., the Cartesian notion that "mind" and "brain" are separate entities) continues to negatively impact our understanding of human behavior and pathology. Dr. Gerber has written on and studies the neural basis of affective experience, free association, attachment, psychotherapy, and on the neural basis of personalized social schemas (a.k.a. transference phenomena).
Joining Mr. Stahl-David in the cast of PICKED are Mark Blum, Donna Hanover, Tom Lipinski and Liz Stauber.
One of the nation's leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to new plays and musicals and bold programming, The Vineyard Theatre has consistently premiered provocative, groundbreaking works including the Pulitzer Prize-winning productions of Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN and Paula Vogel's HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, Tarell Alvin McCraney's WIG OUT!, The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, Nicky Silver's PTERODACTYLS and RAISED IN CAPTIVITY, the Laura Nyro musical ELI'S COMIN', A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by Colman Domingo, Adam Rapp's THE METAL CHILDREN and most recently the acclaimed world premiere of Will Eno's MIDDLETOWN.
Vineyard Theatre is the recipient of the Tony Award for the musical AVENUE Q and continues as producer of the musical's current production at New World Stages in New York. The Vineyard produced the world-premiere of the musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS - with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, book by David Thompson, with direction and choreography Susan Stroman - in March 2010 and on Broadway. The Vineyard also produced the musical [title of show] both off and on Broadway.
Douglas Aibel is Artistic Director of the Vineyard Theatre; Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell is Executive Director.
For more information about Vineyard Theatre or PICKED, call the box office at 212 353 0303 or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.
For more information about Barnes & Noble Booksellers, call 212 253 0810 or visit www.barnesandnoble.com.
THE MEANING OF THE HUMAN SOUL IN THE LIGHT OF TECHNOLOGIES takes place on Sunday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Union Square, 4th floor Event Space (33 E. 17 St. Union Square North) The event is free and open to the public.
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