MOTUS #mamaearth

 

The Italian company Motus brings Nella Tempesta to The Ellen Stewart Theatre in December - the third production of the TEMPEST 3 Series. In keeping with the La MaMa Earth Season, Motus created a #mamaearth video about the fight to keep a green space in Rome from being developed.

Don't miss Nella Tempesta and don't forget to share your own local #mamaearth video!

La MaMa presents
NELLA 
TEMPESTA
by Motus Theatre

December 11th - 21st, 2014
Thursday - Saturday @ 8pm; Sunday @ 4pm

The Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $30 Adults; $25 Students/Seniors; a handful of 10@$10 Tickets are still available for some performances

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

6 QUESTIONS: Mike Gorman

Mike Gorman's IF COLORADO HAD AN OCEAN... (the final play in his trilogy The Honor and Glory of Whaling) will play La MaMa's First Floor Theatre from December 4th through 21, 2014. We got to talk to Mike about the play, Lou Reed and working at La MaMa:

1. What was in initial inspiration in writing If Colorado Had An Ocean...?
My initial inspiration for writing "If Colorado had an Ocean … " was to capture the beauty and drama of a commercial construction site. The seed for Colorado was planted a long time ago. I was working on a hotel renovation one year while I was in college and I began to write a stream of consciousness story as a means of capturing my experiences on the job site and trying to communicate them to an audience. A construction site is actually a very dynamic place scenically. It is also a great place for dialogue. Not long afterward, I was working on another renovation for the summer in Gloucester, Massachusetts with my oldest brother who was a Master Tradesman with the local Finish-Workers Union (painting and plastering) and who was also an aspiring commercial fisherman. This period of time was a very difficult one for both the construction industry and the commercial fishing industry. The economy had collapsed, drugs filled the vacuum and I witnessed many people, including my brother, begin to fall prey to the lure of heroin. I became a witness to a growing epidemic of addiction amongst working people that has continued to this day. Perhaps the most captivating experience on a job site for an artist is the play of light, both natural and artificial; constantly changing and shifting, streaming, reflecting, casting crazy shadows on the walls. Along with the light, moods shift, and there is always a hint of darkness as well. In other words, there is plenty of room on a job site for the expression of both the mania and depression that underlies addiction. Colorado is my "job-site" play at long last, tied with my love for fishing and the Romantic escape that a commercial fishing boat represents.

2. If Colorado Had An Ocean... is part of a trilogy of plays entitled, The Honor and Glory of Whaling. How does this new play fit into the trilogy?
If Colorado had an Ocean … is the third play to be produced at La MaMa from my trilogy "The Honor and Glory of Whaling" that deals with the issue of opiate addiction in the commercial fishing industry—namely, the rise and fall of a young commercial fisherman through the intrusion of heroin. Colorado is actually the first play in the trilogy chronologically. So Colorado not only has to stand alone as a play, it has to set the stage for and help launch the trilogy. This was the challenge I faced but also the excitement I experienced while writing the play. Colorado was by far the most enjoyable play to write of the three. It's the start of an incredible journey and the anticipation of what lies ahead is always the most delicious moment.

3. What is the connection between commercial fishing and addiction?
There is a strong connection between commercial fishing and addiction for many reasons. For one, it is hard work that often results in injuries that require pain management through drugs. This reality can lead to an addiction which needs to be fed following cessation of treatment if the fisherman is genetically prone to addiction. Pain management, and its mismanagement, by doctors and the pharmaceutical industry is a major issue currently, and has been for a long time. 2) Fishermen tend to be both somewhat fearless and romantic. Part of the appeal of fishing is the pursuit of a high that is hard to find in many other occupations. There is an obsession with many fishermen of living close to the edge. a yearning for intense experience. Heroin can be seen as a way to pique that experience. 3) Fishing ports are obviously a natural entry point for illicit drugs.

4. Who has influenced you as a playwright?
The two playwright's who influenced me early on were the Irish playwrights J.M. Synge and Samuel Beckett. I was really drawn to the intensely vernacular culture and language in Synge's plays, having lived, myself, for several years on a remote Island off the coast of Maine that had similarities to the isolated cultures of Synge's Aran Islands and western counties. Beckett floored me with his absurdity and his characters. I had never read anybody so bleakly funny. Eventually, I read all of the absurdists and soon fell under the spell of Sam Shepard who was the closest thing to an American Beckett as there was. A little less bleak but just as funny. These were the playwrights that made me want to write plays. I am influenced as much by literature and music as by theater and two major inspirations to me have always been the novels of Maine writer Carolyn Chute and the music and words of rock and roll poet Lou Reed. I count Carolyn as a dear friend while regretting that I never got the chance to meet Lou.

5. If stranded on a desert island, what three albums/cds would you want to have with you?
If stranded on a desert island I would actually much rather have three great books than albums/cds, but if I had to choose, I would probably take Lou Reed's "New York", "Tim" by The Replacements and "Fishermen's Blues" by The Waterboys.

6. What does working at La MaMa mean to you?
For me, working at La MaMa means having a home to pursue my creative work to its fullest potential. It also means having an artistic family and being directly connected to an amazing culture and community. Writing and producing plays in the heart of the East Village of NYC? Who could ask for anything more? I have always viewed La MaMa as a cooperative venture, starting with my relationship with Ellen. "One hand washes the other" and "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" are two sayings that my father always used to use. There's a responsibility that goes both ways in building and maintaining a home and I pride myself as much in the contributions that I have made to both the buildings and the people of La MaMa as I do in the plays that I have put on stage.

La MaMa presents

If Colorado
 
Had An Ocean...

by Mike Gorman
directed by David Bennett

December 4th -21st, 2014

The First Floor Theater
74A East 4th Street
(Between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $18 Adults; $13 Students/Seniors; ten tickets are available (in advance only) as part of La MaMa's 10@$10 Ticketing Initiative.  These tickets are available to anyone, first come - first served, via web, phone or at the box office - but they are not available day of show!

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE 

Mokwha Repertory Company's TEMPEST has arrived in NYC!

 The Tempest is RECOMMENDED by Time Out New York this week!

...and featured on NY1's Your Weekend Starts Now 

(Watch Here)

"The Mokwha Repertory Company from Seoul, Korea, will only be playing Taesuck Oh’s adaptation of The Tempest until Sunday, November 23. The last time the director, playwright, and company founder was at La Mama was over 35 years ago—which may make seeing this refreshing, shortened version of Shakespeare’s play (it’s 90 minutes) something of an imperative. Oh is one of Korea’s leading theatre artists, and his productions have won awards and honors around the world—including a 2011 Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh International Arts Festival....There is a purity to this production no one should have wait almost forty years to see again on the New York stage." 

- Stage Voices

(Read the full review HERE)

"Mia Yoo has designed a series of programs titled LaMama Earth as a kind of response to Hurricane Sandy and our growing awareness of the power of, well, Mama Earth. This is an important production to have in the lineup. And more so than any Western production has the capability of, we are made aware of nature's hold on humanity. This Tempest is populated with a menagerie of animals with spirited, mischievous tendencies. What a wonderful thought to bring this obvious addition to Prospero’s magic island. They sing of the natural world and the errors of its abandonment. Along with Prospero’s final (and nearly only intact Shakespearean line) “let your indulgence set me free” we are told that whenever we are troubled, know there is a gentle breeze coming. The tempestuous winds that can harm in hellish ways will ease and subside into cooler, calmer times."

Keith Paul Medelis, Theatre Is Easy 

(Read the full review HERE)

La MaMa presents

Mokwha Repertory Company's

THE TEMPEST

part of TEMPEST 3: The Tide is Rising

Adapted and directed by Tae-Suk Oh 

November 20th - 23rd, 2014
FOUR PERFORMANCES ONLY!

Running Time: 90 minutes

The Ellen Stewart Theater
66 East 4th Street
(Between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $30 Adults; $25 Students/Seniors; All 10@$10 Tickets are sold out!

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

More Press For THE KING OF HEARTS!

Ted Merwin previews THE KING OF HEARTS IS OFF AGAIN for The Jewish Week.  The play, Based on the novel by Hanna Krall and directed by Piotr Borowski, comes to La MaMa's First Floor Theatre next week!

Just as in the novel, the 70-minute stage version (which uses supertitles in English) moves back and forth in time; it is told from the perspective of an elderly Izolda who is living in Israel but is frustrated by her inability to tell her story to her children and grandchildren because she does not speak Hebrew and they do not speak Polish. Four actors play a total of 22 parts; the stage floor is painted with the image of a Polish wooden synagogue. The music is based on motifs from the works of saxophonist-composer John Zorn.

Read the full article: HERE

La MaMa presents
THE KING 
OF HEARTS 
IS OFF AGAIN

Co-presented by Kulture +
Based on a novel by Hanna Krall
Directed by Piotr Borowski
Starring: Gianna Benvenuto, Waldemar Chachólski, Danny Kearns, Magda Czarny
Music: based on John Zorn's motifs

November 26, 2014 - November 30, 2014

The First Floor Theatre 

74A East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $18 Adults; $13 Students/Seniors.  Ten tickets priced at $10 each are available for every performance as part of La MaMa's 10@$10 Ticketing Initiative.  10@$10 Tickets are available via web, phone or at the box office - in advance only and are not available day of show.

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

First Look at Mokwha Repertory Company's THE TEMPEST

Mokwha Repertory Company's production of THE TEMPEST, the second in La MaMa's TEMPEST 3 series, begins performances at The Ellen Stewart Theatre on Thursday, November 20th for FOUR performances. 

Here are production photos from the show. Don't miss this visually enthralling work!

La MaMa presents
Mokwha Repertory Company's
THE TEMPEST
part of TEMPEST 3: The Tide is Rising
Adapted and directed by Tae-Suk Oh

November 20th - 23rd, 2014
FOUR PERFORMANCES ONLY!

Running Time: 90 minutes

The Ellen Stewart Theater
66 East 4th Street
(Between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $30 Adults; $25 Students/Seniors; All 10@$10 Tickets are sold out!

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

Happy Birthday Moby Dick!

Herman Melville's Moby Dick was published on this date (November 14th) in 1851. A three-day marathon reading of the novel will take place at the Ace Hotel beginning today.

Mike Goreman's new play If Colorado Had An Ocean..., coming in December to The First Floor Theatre at La MaMa, riffs on the Mellville novel as it tells the story of two friends seeking to escape the confines of their construction jobs and achieve the state of grace they have each experienced in their part-time jobs as a commercial fisherman .  The final play in his trilogy, Honor and Glory of Whaling, is a poetic drama that explores the punk roots of a commercial fisherman.

La MaMa presents

If Colorado 
Had An Ocean...

by Mike Gorman
directed by David Bennett

December 4th -21st, 2014

The First Floor Theater
74A East 4th Street
(Between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $18 Adults; $13 Students/Seniors; ten tickets are available (in advance only) as part of La MaMa's 10@$10 Ticketing Initiative.  These tickets are available to anyone, first come - first served, via web, phone or at the box office - but they are not available day of show!

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE 

THE SEAGULL at La MaMa is canceled due to flooding in Serbia.

A flooded area is seen in Obrenovac, Serbia. (AP Photo)

We are saddened to announce that the Serbian National Theatre will not be able to bring their production of THE SEAGULL to La MaMa this season, due to the financial difficulties caused by the recent natural disasters.

In May of this year, cyclone Tamara caused massive flooding and landslides in Serbia (as well as in Bosnia), and according to the BBC,  "Serbia's flood damage has been estimated as high as 1.5 billion Euros ($2 billion)." Funding that would otherwise go to the arts is now, necessarily, being used to provide aid for Serbians after this terrible natural disaster.

We decided to designate our '13-'14 season our "MaMa Earth" season after witnessing the effects of Hurricane Sandy on the daily lives of New Yorkers. The rising incidence of catastrophic weather events impacts everyone, in all places. We are all on Mama Earth together.

Critics Love WHAT TAMMY NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT GETTING OLDER AND HAVING SEX

Tammy WhyNot / Lois Weaver in her 'mmm' shirt.

"The lines between musical revue, variety show, and daytime talk show converge in this truly unique piece of theatre... The highlight of the show is the cast of 17 people in their 70's and 80's, called the WhyNets, that Tammy met by conducting research about sex and aging at several retirement homes in New York... Their willingness to talk about their sexuality so openly is both life affirming and inspiring... leaves us with an overwhelming sense of compassion that is well worth the cost of admission."

- Ken Kaissar, Theatre is Easy

"These New Yorkers are black, white, Latino, and Asian; they're gay, straight, widowed, celibate, and (surprisingly) libertine. But most of all they're hot — because experience always is.... Carmen and Jorge show off salsa moves. Tom reads his stunning poem. A geriatric couple recommends daily lovemaking. "I want to be that badass," said a twenty-something woman sitting near me."

- Tom Sellar, The Village Voice

"Lois Weaver brings fun for all ages...The hour-long variety show is a charmer--a little sugar, a little spice. Weaver doesn't so much break the theatrical fourth wall as completely ignore it...There's no resisting Tammy."

- Eva Yaa Asantewaa, InfiniteBody

La MaMa presents

What Tammy 

Needs to Know 

about Getting Old 

and Having Sex: 

The Concert Tour

Conceived and Directed by Lois Weaver

November 6, 2014 - November 23, 2014 

La MaMa First Floor Theatre
74A East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $18 Adults/$13 Students/Seniors.  There are ten tickets priced at $10 available for every performance as part of La MaMa's 10@$10 ticket program.  10@$10 Tickets are available in advance only via web, phone or box office - not available day of show.

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

Coming Soon: Mokwha Repertory Company's THE TEMPEST

First look at Mokwha Repertory Company's production of THE TEMPEST, coming November 20th - 23rd, 2014 to the Ellen Stewart Theatre.

La MaMa presents
Mokwha Repertory Company's production of
THE TEMPEST
by William Shakespeare
adapted and directed by Tae-Suk Oh


November 20th - 23rd, 2014
Four Performances Only!

The Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 East 4th Street
(Between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $30 Adults; $25 Students/Seniors; 10@$10 Tickets are SOLD OUT!

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

From The Vault: A Weekend Festival of Classic La MaMa Plays

Photo: Conrad Ward

George Ferencz curates a very special project of the Experiments Series: FROM THE VAULT - A celebration series of Classic La MaMa scripts.

Friday November 21st at 10:00pm 
MS. NEFFERTITI 
REGRETS 
by Tom Eyen
Unpublished libretto of legendary musical that originally stared a very young Bette Midler!

Saturday November 22nd at 10:00pm 
MEDEA AT 
THE LAUNDROMAT 
by H.M. Koutoukas
He received a Village Voice Obie Award for "Assaulting Established Tradition". 

Sunday November 23rd at 4:30pm 
THE SILVER 
QUEEN SALOON 
by Paul Foster
A Western love-duet between a mountain woman and a gun slinger
Includes discussion with author

Monday November 24th at 7:30pm 
BLUEBEARD 
by Charles Ludlam 
This Bluebeard is a vivisectionist bent on a path to create a third sex. Directed by Everett Quinton Includes discussion with the director

All readings are free, but reservations are suggested.

For Reservations and Information: CLICK HERE

La MaMa Earth Gala

The La MaMa Earth Gala will be Thursday, November 13th in The Ellen Stewart Theatre!

HONORING

Olympia Dukakis 

Award-Winning actress, veteran of stage and screen, director, teacher 

For her creative achievement in the arts and her work as an activist for social change 

- and -

Dan Kurtz 

Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom 

For his steadfast advocacy on behalf of nonprofit organizations

With appearances and performances by:

Olympia Dukakis
John Patrick Shanley

Austin Pendleton 

Reg E. Cathey 

Lois Waever as Tammy WhyNot 
Matt Dillon
The La MaMa Cantata 

Daniel Koren

Everett Quinton

Gala Chairs:  

Patsy Tarr & Joel Zwick

Gala Committee:

 Stuart Breslow & Anne Miller, Warren Leight & Karen Hauser, Donald Capoccia, Desiree Matthews, William M. Carey, Jeffrey Neuman & Patricia Machado, Frank Carucci, Jennifer Ortega, Ping Chong, Estelle Parsons, Douglas Dunham, Austin Pendelton, Jane Friedman, James Reynolds, Tim Fulham & Lise Olney, Wynn Salisch, Dr. Marjorie Fisher & Roy Furman, John Patrick Shanley, R. Scott Greathead & Juliette Bennett, Peggy Shaw, Matthew Hall, Sonya Soutus, Victor Kovner, Peter Swords, Neil LaBute, Lois Weaver, Seth & Sarah Lederman, Scott Wittman (committee in formation)

La MaMa presents
2014 
La MaMa 
Earth Gala

Thursday, November 13th at 6:30pm

The Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 East 4th Street
New York, NY 10003

SOLD OUT!

For more info: Click Here