Kathryn Walat News

By the time you read this, another year's edition of PROTOTYPE--New York's two-week festival of new opera-theatre/music-theatre works different from most anything you've ever seen before--will be gone and it was another to be grateful for. The last event on my list was a totally original and stunning, immersive piece called THE ECHO DRIFT, with a scintillating score composed by Mikael Karlsson, and a brilliant environmental production by Elle Kunnos de Voss in their first collaboration.

Unexpectedly befriended by a moth (John Kelly) with an offer of freedom, convicted murderer Walker Loats (Blythe Gaissert) must choose between paying her dues or taking a shortcut that offers to rig the game in her favor in the new experimental opera from composer Mikael Karlsson and librettists Kathryn Walat and Elle Kunnos de Voss that explores the freewheeling nature of the mind when it is robbed of external stimuli and asks is it possible to act in a way that goes against one's nature? Duration 75 minutes

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Producing Artistic Director; Jaynie Saunders Tiller, Managing Director) will present two experimental plays in which sound design is intrinsic to story, text and theatrical landscape in rep together at The Flea Theater (20 Thomas Street between Church Street and Broadway), February 14-March 4

With less than a week until the opening of New York's PROTOTYPE 2018, I was Skype-ing with the producers--no, not Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick--but Jecca Barry (of Beth Morrison Projects, BMP) and Kim Whitener (of HERE), who seem pretty calm. (Actually, they're two of four producers, the others being the eponymous Beth Morrison and Kristin Martin of HERE.) What's to be nervous about? After all they only have 8 new-opera/new-theatre productions (plus other events) opening between January 9th and 20th, including a couple of world premieres.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Producing Artistic Director; Jaynie Saunders Tiller, ManagStaff Board 5ing Director) will present two experimental plays in which sound design is intrinsic to story, text and theatrical landscape in rep together at The Flea Theater (20 Thomas Street between Church Street and Broadway), February 14-March 4. The rep will feature the World Premiere of Sound House, written by Stephanie Fleischmann (Red Fly, Blue Bottle at HERE; Eloise & Ray with New Georges), directed by Debbie Saivetz (Our Dad is in Atlantis with Working Theater) along with the World Premiere of This is the Color Described By the Time, conceived and directed by Lily Whitsitt and created by Door 10. Tickets (starting at $25) are available for advance purchase at www.newgeorges.org.

The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) announces their spring 2018 season in the New York area, all following the theme of celebrating composer relationships, both past and future.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat in Englewood, FL and New York City's American Opera Projects (AOP) announce the second Opera Genesis Fellowships to composer Joseph N. Rubinstein and librettist Jason Kim. The award includes a six-week Hermitage residency, in which these two artists will work on their new opera Legendary, about the drag balls of the 1980s in New York City. The Opera Genesis Fellowship awards are presented annually to artists who have completed training in AOP's Composer & the Voice (C&V) training program which helps to develop contemporary American opera.

Beth Morrison Projects and HERE Arts Center have announced programming for Out of Bounds 2018, a series of short, free performances of new works in public spaces, presented in its second season as part of the sixth annual PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now, running January 7-20, 2018 in New York City.

Cincinnati Opera releases the live audio recording of the world premiere production of Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce's ravishing new opera, Fellow Travelers, directed by Kevin Newbury and featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Gibson (out September 15 (digital) and September 29 (physical) on Fanfare Cincinnati).

Cincinnati Opera releases the live audio recording of the world premiere production of Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce's ravishing new opera, Fellow Travelers, directed by Kevin Newbury and featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Gibson (out September 15 (digital) and September 29 (physical) on Fanfare Cincinnati).

Cincinnati Opera releases the live audio recording of the world premiere production of Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce's ravishing new opera, Fellow Travelers, directed by Kevin Newbury and featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Gibson (out September 15 (digital) and September 29 (physical) on Fanfare Cincinnati).

PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now invigorates New York City January 7-20, 2018, with the sixth annual showcase of progressive opera and music-theatre, curated by co-founding directors Kristin Marting (of HERE), Beth Morrison (of Beth Morrison Projects) and Kim Whitener (of HERE), along with newly appointed co-director Jecca Barry (of Beth Morrison Projects). Since its launch in 2013, the Prototype Festival has presented a phenomenal 32 new works across five seasons, propelling the industry forward as a first-rate presenter and influencer.

AOP (American Opera Projects) and Composers & the Voice Artistic Director Steven Osgood have selected six composers and three librettists to receive fellowships for its upcoming ninth season of Composers & the Voice. The 2017-2019 season will train, and present new works from, composers Matthew Browne, Scott Ordway, Frances Pollock, Pamela Stein Lynde, Liliya Ugay, and Amber Vistein and librettists Laura Barati, Kim Davies, and Sokunthary Svay. The primary focus of Composers & the Voice is to give emerging composers and librettists experience working collaboratively with singers on writing for the voice and contemporary opera stage.

AOP (American Opera Projects) and Composers & the Voice Artistic Director Steven Osgood have selected six composers and three librettists to receive fellowships for its upcoming ninth season of Composers & the Voice. The 2017-2019 season will train, and present new works from, composers Matthew Browne, Scott Ordway, Frances Pollock, Pamela Stein Lynde, Liliya Ugay, and Amber Vistein and librettists Laura Barati, Kim Davies, and Sokunthary Svay. The primary focus of Composers & the Voice is to give emerging composers and librettists experience working collaboratively with singers on writing for the voice and contemporary opera stage.

Red Bull Theater presents their next mainstage production: The Government Inspector, directed by Mr. Berger, which opened Off-Broadway at The Duke on 42nd Street (229 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues) last night, June 1st. 

The Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company will present the Eleventh Season of Keen Teens. 

New Georges will present the World Premiere of (NOT) WATER co-conceived by Sheila Callaghan and Daniella Topol, written by Sheila Callaghan and directed by Daniella Topol as part of Works On Water, a month-long, multi-disciplinary art event that presents multiple artistic perspectives on water in a global context, at the 3LD Art & Technology Center.

New Georges will continue their 25th Anniversary Season by presenting the World Premiere of (NOT) WATER by Sheila Callaghan, directed by Daniella Topol as part of Works On Water, a month-long, multi-disciplinary art event that presents multiple artistic perspectives on water in a global context, at the 3LD Art & Technology Center (80 Greenwich Street) June 5-30, 2017.

The Theatre @ Boston Court presents THE HOUSE IN SCARSDALE: A MEMOIRE FOR THE STAGE, a world premiere play written by Dan O'Brien and directed by Boston Court's Co-Artistic Director, Michael Michetti. The House in Scarsdale is presented on the Main Stage at Boston Court Performing Arts Center in Pasadena, CA.

spit&vigor has announced the workshop performance of NEC SPE / NEC METU, written by Sara Fellini (winner - 2014 Planet Connnections Award for Outstanding New Script, nominated - 2015 NYIT Award for Outstanding Full Length Script) and directed by Pat Diamond (Yale School of Drama, Manhattan School of Music).