Writer and director Edward Einhorn is the Artistic Director of Untitled Theater Company No. 61 and co-author and co-director of The God Projekt, which returns to La MaMa this month. Edward took time out from rehearsals to answer our 6 Questions!
1. How did The God Projekt come about?
Kevin approached me to help him transform some concepts from his earlier show, Bride, into a new piece. I was fascinated about its themes about the origin of monotheism, an interest of mine as well. I come from a Jewish background and reworking the bible through story, in or order to examine and critique it, feels to me like a very Jewish pursuit. I like that our different backgrounds, his being Catholic, brought very different perspectives to the story--and some similar ones. We progressed from a small scene at Dixon Place, to a large one at the Henson Carriage House, to a production in the 2013 La MaMa Puppet Series, to a reworking at an NACL residency last year, to this final version of the piece we are about to present. Each time I feel its development has led to new revelations and a deepening of the characters. I am very excited to have an audience see our current version.
2. What should audiences expect from the piece?
I hope the first thing they can expect is to experience a gripping theater piece that engages them emotionally and intellectually. It is a visceral piece, both tragic and funny at times, with powerful visuals provided by Kevin's puppets and by our talented group of designers. This is a story about God, and in our story God is failing. Seeing a great figure fall apart, no matter what his faults, is always a heart wrenching affair.
3. What have you learned from working on The God Projekt?
I have long has a love of puppetry, using it in many of my Untitled Theater Company No. 61 productions, but it has been a wonderful opportunity to work with puppetry on a different scale. What I most enjoy about working with Kevin's puppets is the depth of expression they are capable of, especially Adam. It has also been a learning experience to participate in this sort of collaboration, it's exciting to see what happens as a co-writer and co-director and how our two styles blend.
4. Who has inspired you?
When I was seven years old, my brother started reading me Ionesco (he was nine years older and reading it in class). We progressed to Beckett, and as an adult I had the extraordinary opportunity to work with Havel. I feel like everything I write comes from those old absurdist impulses to tell tragedy through comedy. My techniques may be different (and here I am inspired by directors like Breuer or LePage), but the object is essentially the same.
5. What was the last good book you read?
I am currently reading We, an century old Russian dystopian novel by Yvgeny Zamyatin. It's slow going, in the midst of production, but tow-thirds through and intrigued by the world he created.
6. What does working at La MaMa mean to you?
The first show I saw at La MaMa was Andrei Serban's The Trojan Women, playing in the Ellen Stewart Theater well before it was called that, because of course Ellen was still living. It was one of the most exciting pieces of theater I had ever seen. I had heard of La MaMa before and knew its place in history, but when I saw that show, I knew I wanted to be part of the tradition. To be playing in that same theater is a great honor.
La MaMa in association with
Untitled Theater Company No. 61 presents
THE GOD PROJEKT
By Lone Wolf Tribe
Conceived by Kevin Augustine
Co-written and Co-directed by Kevin Augustine and Edward Einhorn
September 30 - October 16, 2016
Thursday - Saturday at 7pm; Sunday at 4pm
- additional performance on Monday Oct. 3 at 7pm
Tickets: $30 Adults/$25 Students/Seniors; ten tickets priced at $10 each are available for every performance as part of La MaMa's 10@$10 ticketing initiative
For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE
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