Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom today with a review of new works by two established theater companies who've taken novel approaches to their pandemic-proscribed craft.
In Single Carrot Theatre's "Keep Off the Grass: [a guide to something]" the itinerant company has found a way to do a real-live theater production without violating COVID-19 public health restrictions. Single Carrot describes the piece, devised by the ensemble and co-directed by Alix Fenhagen and B. Kleymeyer, as "an outdoor, walking audio play [that] weaves original folktales with visual performances (at a distance) to delve into the ethical questions that we grapple with..."
Playwright Lola Pierson, with Acme Corporation, an innovative Baltimore theater company, has written and produced an unusual piece called The Institute for Counterfeit Memory: A play in a box. Each ticketed audience member receives a small box to open at home. The box contains various items, including a tiny mp3 player with audio files and earbuds, a music box, a mirror, some printed cards, a candle jar to illuminate a photographic slide, and other objects which are meant to be used according to the audio instructions. The interaction provides the user with a unique and moving narrative experience...
Also mentioned today: Everyman Theatre will be joining a growing nationwide consortium of over 80 theatres and performing arts venues in presenting a new adaptation of Berkeley Rep’s It Can’t Happen Here. Based on Sinclair Lewis' dark political satire -- which was written in 1935 as fascism was taking hold in Europe -- the drama follows the ascent of a demogogue who becomes president of the United States by promising to return the nation to greatness. The audio drama is due to stream on Tuesday, October 13 at 5PM PDT/8PM EDT via YouTube.
Everyman is also planning a treat for the Halloween season: starting this week, the company is releasing five Ghostly podcast episodes, produced and hosted by resident company member Danny Gavigan. Check it out here.
