Posts tagged Pamala Mijatov

A Mouse Who Knows Me

Book & lyrics by Scotto Moore
Music by Robertson Witmer
Directed by Kristina Sutherland

Thu-Sat at 8 pm, Oct 19-Nov 17 (Thu PWYC)
$15 general / $10 TPS, senior, military / $5 student
PWYC Industry Night: Monday, Nov 5

A Mouse Who Knows Me is a world premiere science fiction musical comedy with book & lyrics by Scotto Moore (Duel of the Linguist Mages), music by Robertson Witmer (of the band “Awesome”), & directed by Kristina Sutherland (artistic director of Macha Monkey Productions). In a genetics lab that is inserting human genes into mice to see what might happen, Dr. Audrey Whitman starts to believe that one of her mice has developed human empathy & intelligence and develops a strange relationship with the mouse she christens Romeo, to the chagrin of her colleagues in the lab. Her mentor secretly plots to use her intelligent mouse to breed a new form of war machine – but neither realize that the mice in the lab have their own plans for bloody revolution. It’s an inter-species West Side Story!

WHO’S INVOLVED

Scotto Mooreʼs previous plays at Annex include the Gregory-Award-nominated pair Duel of the Linguist Mages and When I Come to My Senses, Iʼm Alive!; interlace [falling star]; and Principia Discordia LIVE! (as well as having acted in such productions as The Front Page and Market Research Theatre). Mr. Moore is also the creator of the web series Cherub: The Vampire with Bunny Slippers and the forthcoming The Coffee Table, as well as a contributing writer to What the Funny (directed by Lynn Shelton, created by Wayne Rawley).

Robertson Witmer‘s recent work as a composer and sound designer includes I Am My Own Wife and Of Mice and Men at Seattle Rep; As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, and Hamlet for Seattle Shakespeare Company; and The Art of Racing in the Rain for Book-It. His recent performance credits include A Doctor in Spite of Himself (Intiman, Yale Rep and Berkeley Rep), Go, Dog. Go! (Seattle Children’s Theatre), and West (On the Boards). Rob also performs with many bands, including “Awesome,” the Love Markets and the Toucans.

Kristina Sutherland is the Director of Education at ACT and the co-founder and Artistic Director of Macha Monkey Productions. She is the author of several plays, most recently the critically acclaimed THEBES. She has also co-created four plays with Desiree Prewitt: Nancy, Frank, and Joe (nominated for the American Theatre Critics Association Award 2009 and a Gregory Award for playwriting in 2010), The Cowgirl Play, R (The Swashbuckling Tale of Anne Bonny and Mary Read) and Live Girls Do Elektra. Her recent directing credits include When I Come to My Senses, I’m Alive! by Scotto Moore at Annex Theatre, Franklin and Figaro by Kristina Sutherland at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, Kid Simple, a radio play in the flesh by Jordan Harrison at Macha Monkey Productions, Melancholy Play by Sarah Ruhl (2004 Footlight Award Winner) at Macha Monkey Productions, and Dukthul by Kristina Sutherland and Red Eagle Soaring.

Reviews of ‘A Mouse Who Knows Me’:

“One of the wittiest, funniest and most topical musicals I have ever seen…this world premiere is not going to die in Seattle, but I suspect will soon be on Broadway and the West End. Hurry and get your tickets now, before it gets sold out.” – Drama In The Hood

Reviews of ‘Duel Of The Linguist Mages’:

“Moore’s success here, as both writer and director, is finding the humor in confrontational moments… [It's] good entertainment, filled with thought-provoking notions and moments of sincere laughter.” – Seattle Weekly

“Moore’s writing is high-caliber, his dialogue and plot devices are smart, his concepts are clearly inventive. He’s one to watch, so this is recommended.” – Seattle Gay News

“‘Duel of the Linguist Mages’ is a nicely crafted PLAY with a clever theatrical format, witty dialogue, a topical premise and it’s smartly directed, designed and acted… the entire premise of the piece is original and highly charming and smart.” – Seattle Gay Scene

Reviews of ‘When I Come to My Senses, Iʼm Alive!’:

“One wants to see more plays like this in Seattle—smart science fiction about the amazing world we have found ourselves heading toward.” — The Stranger

“Fun, fascinating, thoughtful and delightful” — Seattle Gay News

Reviews of ‘interlace [falling star]‘:

“[Writer/director] Moore conjures a fairly logical extension of our wired world with geeky authority and comic flair.” — Seattle Times

“Beautiful imagining… Next to the shine of speculative nodes are jokes that snap, crackle, and pop… The presentation of this fantastic fusion, which also includes theological thought experiments and the narrative structure of a thriller, is strong all around… The pleasures of ‘interlace [falling star]‘ are more than plenty.” — The Stranger

PRESS PHOTOS

CAST
Sara Mountjoy-Pepka Dr. Audrey Whitman
Allison Standley Dr. Audrey Whitman (understudy, Oct 25-27)/Ensemble
K. Brian Neel Dr. Roland Grant/Romeo
Josh Hartvigson Dr. Robert Cramer
Pamala Mijatov Dr. Lorelei Meadow
Tadd Morgan D29-1/Ensemble
Leilani Berinobis Dr. Helena Warwick/D28-2
John McKenna Theodore Werner/D29-2
Amanda Lee Williams D29-3/Ensemble
Lissa Bak D29-4/Ensemble
MUSICIANS
Greg Fulton Guitar
Chris Monroe Drums
Dave Pascal Bass
Robertson Witmer Piano, accordion, woodwinds & percussion
CREW
Book & Lyrics Scotto Moore
Music Robertson Witmer
Director Kristina Sutherland
Assistant Director Catherine Blake Smith
Choreographer Allegra Searle-LeBel
Vocal Arranger Brian Kinyon
Concept & Genetics Consultant Jenny Rooke Ph.D.
Mouse Consultant Molly Nixon Ph.D.
Production Manager Meaghan Darling
Stage Manager Katie McKellar
Assistant Stage Manager Raymond Williams
Scenic & Props Designer Robin Macartney
Costume Designer Samantha Armitage
Lighting Designer Tess Malone
Sound Designer Robertson Witmer
Puppet Designer Paul Velasquez
Vocal Coach Allison Standley
Recording Engineer Pete Remine

Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors

Written by Alexander Harris
Directed by Jaime Roberts

Thu-Sat at 8 pm, April 20-May 19 (Thu PWYC)
$15 general / $10 TPS, senior, military / $5 student
PWYC Industry Night: Monday, May 14

Contains strong language.

The gleaming teeth and bulging muscles of America’s preeminent superheroes hide a dirty past and a fractured present.
HOW DID MADAME MAYHEM AND THE CAP’N GET THEIR POWERS?
IS MISS DIXIE AS SWEET AS SHE SEEMS?
WILL SHOCKWAVE’S MOVIE CAREER TAKE OFF?
AND HOW DO GORILLAS FIT INTO ALL THIS?
The same creative team that brought you Annex Theatre’s surprise hit Alecto: Issue #1, returns with another spandex-clad tale of media manipulation and super-heroics.
NEW PLOTS! NEW VILLAINS! NEW HEROES!

“Big, stupid fun done smartly and with tremendous intimacy… Anyone who loves theatre should see this show. Anyone who makes theatre should go learn something from it.” –The Sunbreak

“Cheeky and dark…delightfully self-conscious comedy.” –Seattle Times

“It’s definitely a night to enjoy, and you can puzzle out the deeper meanings later.” –Seattle Gay News

“The real treat of the evening was the main villain, ‘Chaos Theory’, superbly played with great comic timing by Rachel Jackson who also…enacts Chaos Theory’s Scottish Puppet Henchman/Lover ‘Randy’. Ms Jackson’s love scene between her own felt covered hand, and herself, was pretty damn brilliant.” –Seattle Gay Scene

CAST
Tracy Leigh Madame Mayhem
Jason Sharp The Cap’n
Nik Doner Shock Wave
Rachel Jackson Chaos Theory
Ashley Bagwell Ace Johnson
Jana Hutchison Black Swallow
Danielle Daggerty Miss Dixie
Angela DiMarco Melody Knox
Sam Hagen Vladimir/8
Ryan Higgins Mikhael/Dick Engelbert
CREW
Writer Alexander Harris
Director Jaime Roberts
Production Manager Kristina Volkman
Stage Manager Lisa Stahler
Scenic Designer Devin Petersen
Sound Designer Michael White Hayes
Graphic Designer/Geek Consultant Cole Hornaday
Fx Team Max Reichlin, Emily Sershon, Ian Johnston
Fly Master Mike Gilson
Projection Artist Dominick DiGregorio
Costume Designer Candace Frank
Assistant Costume Designer Jenn Hill
Lead Seamstress Meaghan Darling
Lighting Designer Regan MacStravic
Props Designer Amy LaZerte
Assistant Props Designer Jodi Sauerbier
Fight Choreographer Casey Brown
Assistant Director Katherine Karaus
Dialect Coach Pamala Mijatov
Videographer Ben Laurance

Gallery of Press Photos

The Strange Misadventures of Patty, Pattyʼs Dad, Pattyʼs Friend Jen and a Bunch of Other People


Written By Allison Moore
Directed by Amy Poisson

Thu-Fri-Sat at 8 pm, July 29-Aug 27
$15 general / $10 TPS, senior, military / $5 student
PWYC Industry Night: Monday, August 8

The Strange Misadventures of Patty (trailer)

Happiness is precarious in Allison Mooreʼs The Strange Misadventures of Patty, Pattyʼs Dad, Pattyʼs Friend Jen and a Bunch of Other People: Patty, a rising young economist whose best friend Jen has superpowers, has a life full of promise and dance numbers—which is abruptly derailed by the arrival of her estranged, alcoholic father, whoʼs just had a stroke. The Strange Misadventures of Patty juggles delightful fantasy, social comedy, economic theory, and harsh reality with vivid language and wild physicality. Directed by Amy Poisson.

CAST
Marianna de Fazio Patty
Jon Lee Patty’s Dad
Kelsey Yuhara Patty’s friend Jen
Samantha Camp Rhonda
Jason Pead Clark
Audrey Takisaki Mrs. Downs
Alec Wilson Jack
CREW
Assistant Director Pamala Mijatov
Production Manager Meaghan Darling
Stage Manager Anna Gustafson
Scenic Design Jennifer Zeyl
Lighting Design Jessica Trundy
Costume Design Christine Meyers
Properties Design Samantha Armitage
Montana Tippett
Composer Devin Rice
Sound Design Rob Witmer
Assistant Sound Design Evan Mosher
Movement Consultant Juliet Waller Pruzan
MORE ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT, ALLISON MOORE

Allison Moore
Allison Moore is a displaced Texan living in Minneapolis, where she is a Core Member of The Playwrights’ Center. Her plays include Hazard County, Eighteen, Urgent Fury, The Strange Misadventures of Patty, CowTown, and American Klepto. Her work has been developed or read at the O’Neill Playwrights Conference, Williamstown Theatre Festival, InterAct Theatre, and Manhattan Theatre Club; and produced at the Cherry Lane Alternative, Kitchen Dog Theatre, Actor’s Express, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Playwrights’ Center, among others. Ms. Moore has received two Jerome Fellowships, a McKnight Advancement Grant, and the Iowa Arts Fellowship. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, and received her MFA from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop.

PERFORMANCES, TICKET INFO, PRESS TICKETS & ABOUT ANNEX THEATRE

THE MISADVENTURES OF PATTY, PATTY’S DAD, PATTY’S FRIEND JEN AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE

July 29th through August 27th

Annex Theatre

1100 Pike Street East / 2nd Floor

The Performance Dates include:

July 29th, 30th

August 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 25th, 26th, 27th

*Please take note that we have added Thursday performances to our performance run and there is only one Monday night – Industry Night.

$15 General Admission: Advance / Door

$10 General Admission: Student/Senior/Military/TPS

PRESS TICKETS / PRESS PACKETS

If you are an editor or writer of any medium that would like to review this show, please contact our Marketing & Communications Director, Brian Peterson, at brian.peterson@annextheatre.org.

You will receive two complimentary press tickets for opening night, a press packet and a link to our online press photo gallery – which includes all press photos taken, our video trailer for the show.

The Tale of Jemima Canard

Written by Brandon J. Simmons
Directed by Carys Kresny

Fri-Sat at 8 pm, April 22-May 21
$15 general / $10 TPS, senior, military / $5 student
PWYC Industry Night: Monday, May 9

There’s something odd about Kilkin Farm. The ducks parade about in skirts and bonnets and carry on forbidden love affairs with the hounds. Badgers and foxes negotiate their bloody deals behind the henhouse, bartering for flesh by day, and stealing it by night. And Miss Potter, the farm’s indomitable mistress, is driven nearly to madness.

Only Potter can unlock the mysteries of this world. As she examines the hidden corners of her own past, layers of passion and regret weave themselves into a tale that blurs the lines between love and violence, food and sex, and ultimately, the artist and the art she creates.

Love! Whimsy! Terror!

The underbelly of Beatrix Potter comes to life in The Tale of Jemima Canard. A young innocent, capricious but willful, falls under the romantic sway of a predatory cad—but the characters are not Edwardian ladies and gentlemen; they are ducks, hounds, badgers, and foxes. As the author is interrogated by one of her own characters, layers of love, envy, jealousy, and much worse become revealed as the play delves into the deceptively whimsical lives of Jemima, her hard-as-nails sister Rebecca, the rugged but earnest St. Hubert brothers, the degenerate Tommy Brock, Miss Potter herself, and the elegant and alarming Tawny Whiskered Gentleman. Seattle actor Brandon J. Simmons makes his playwriting debut with this anthropomorphic dream-play, using Potterʼs The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck as a springboard to explore the nature of fate and time, blurring the lines between animal/human, love/violence, food/sex, and the artist and the art she creates. Directed by Carys Kresny, who previously dug her directorial fingers into dark and roiling emotions in The Changeling and Penetralia at Annex.

CAST
Mary Murfin Bayley Potter
Truman Buffett TWG
Danielle Daggerty Rebecca
James James Leroy/Brock
Martyn G. Krouse Roland
Jillian Vashro Jemima
CREW
Production Director Meaghan Darling
Stage Manager Katie Driscoll
Set Design Emily Reitman
Light Design Tess Malone
Costume Design Hannah Schnabel
Mask Maker/Props Design Cole Hornaday
Sound Design Erin Paige
Fight Choreographer Ryan Spickard
Dialect Coach Pamala Mijatov
Dramaturg Bret Fetzer
Technical Director Ian Johnston

Duel Of The Linguist Mages

written & directed by Scotto Moore

Jan 21 – Feb 19, 2010
Friday and Saturday 8pm
$15 general / $10 TPS, senior, military / $5 student

PWYC Industry Night: Monday, Feb 7

DUEL OF THE LINGUIST MAGES is a dark new sci-fi comedy by Scotto Moore, about two researchers who learn to hack the very structure of language at a deeper level than ever before. Their discovery of “power morphemes” – tiny particles of meaning that mean much more than they should – turns out to be unexpectedly dangerous, and shockingly easy to weaponize. As the two researchers gain unprecedented linguistic power, they turn against each other in a struggle to control their new technology. A hapless computer programmer is unexpectedly caught in the crossfire – can he stop the spread of “power morphemes” before all of human civilization is brought to its knees? Who will survive the DUEL OF THE LINGUIST MAGES? Join us at Annex Theatre to find out!

WHO’S INVOLVED

Scotto Mooreʼs previous plays at Annex include the Gregory-Award-nominated When I Come to My Senses, Iʼm Alive!; interlace [falling star]; and Principia Discordia LIVE! (as well as having acted in such productions as The Front Page and Market Research Theatre). Mr. Moore is also the creator of the web series Cherub: The Vampire with Bunny Slippers and the forthcoming The Coffee Table, as well as a contributing writer to What the Funny (directed by Lynn Shelton, created by Wayne Rawley).

Reviews of ‘Duel Of The Linguist Mages’:

“Moore’s success here, as both writer and director, is finding the humor in confrontational moments… [It's] good entertainment, filled with thought-provoking notions and moments of sincere laughter.” – Seattle Weekly

“Moore’s writing is high-caliber, his dialogue and plot devices are smart, his concepts are clearly inventive. He’s one to watch, so this is recommended.” – Seattle Gay News

Duel of the Linguist Mages is a nicely crafted PLAY with a clever theatrical format, witty dialogue, a topical premise and it’s smartly directed, designed and acted… the entire premise of the piece is original and highly charming and smart.” – Seattle Gay Scene

Reviews of ‘When I Come to My Senses, Iʼm Alive!’:

“One wants to see more plays like this in Seattle—smart science fiction about the amazing world we have found ourselves heading toward.” —The Stranger

“Fun, fascinating, thoughtful and delightful” — Seattle Gay News

More about ‘When I Come to My Senses, Iʼm Alive!’:

Scotto Moore on Putting Sci-Fi on the Stage (The Sunbreak)

Digital Emotions? Seattle Play foresees possible future of tech (Techflash)

Reviews of ‘interlace [falling star]‘:

“[Writer/director] Moore conjures a fairly logical extension of our wired world with geeky authority and comic flair.” —Seattle Times

“Just go see it and enjoy yourself.” —Seattlest

“The pleasures of ‘interlace [falling star]‘ are more than plenty.” —The Stranger

Sara Mountjoy-Pepka & James Weidman

CAST
James Weidman Nate Wells
Jen Moon Olivia Regan
Sara Mountjoy-Pepka Maddy
Curtis Eastwood Bradford Jenning
Beth Peterson Governor
Raymond Williams Bain / Candidate
CREW
Director Scotto Moore
Assistant Director Pamala Mijatov
Dramaturg Lesley Carmichael Ph.D.
Production Manager Noelle Wilcox
Stage Manager Heather Bernadette
Set Design Maridee Slater
Light Design Tess Malone
Costume Design Afton Pilkington
Prop Master Heather Wright
Music Kevin Nortness
Sound Design Christopher Overstreet
Choreographer Allegra Searle-LeBel
Fight Choreographer Don MacEllis
Assistant Set Designer Suzi Tucker
Poster Design Ryan Schmidt
PRESS
Press Photos Press Photo #1 – Jen Moon, James Weidman, Curtis Eastwood (photo by Ian Johnston)
Press Photo #2 – Sara Mountjoy-Pepka, James Weidman (photo by Ian Johnston)
Press Photo #3 – Raymond Williams, James Weidman, Jen Moon (top row), Sara Mountjoy-Pepka, Beth Peterson, Curtis Eastwood (bottom row) (photo by Ian Johnston)

Clubfoot

August 10-25, 2010 | Tue-Wed at 8 pm
$10 gen

Clubfoot is the harrowing, surreal and wildly funny experiences of an Emergency Medical Technician. Jump in the ambulance and be transported into a tripwire world of manic teenage wrestling in the middle of I-5, stroked out delusionals, cutters, car crash victims, flesh-eating bacteria and more! It’s an outrageously skewed view of humanity at its worst and at its best: fragile, resilient and accident-prone!

Written by Stephen McCandless and Bret Fetzer and directed by Bret Fetzer.

Featuring Chris Dietz, Pamala Mijatov, and Ray Tagavilla.

“An incisive view into the surreal world of first-responders…You should consider this required viewing.” – Seattle Times

Don’t miss this adrenalin-soaked night of theater!

Alecto Issue #1

Check out the Team of Heroes at http://facebook.com/teamofheroes

written by Alexander Harris
directed by Jaime Roberts

Jan 22 – Feb 10, 2010
Friday and Saturday 8pm
$15 gen / $5 stu

A troubled heroine with an incredible power discovers that the popular superhero team she’s joined has questionable notions of good and evil. Alecto, Issue #1 translates the world of comic books to the stage, mixing social satire, physical spectacle, sly comedy, and an imaginary pig.

CAST
Jessica/Alecto Maridee Slater
Diana/Greta Carrie McIntyre
The Cap’n Jason Sharp
Madame Mayhem Tracy Leigh
Shock Wave Nik Doner
Piggy Pigg Chris Bell
Melody Megan Ahiers
Nathan/Nigel Banton Foster
Baz William Hardyman
Chaos Theory Rachel Jackson

Tracy Leigh, Maridee Slater, Nik Doner, Jason Sharp

CREW
Stage Manager Noelle Wilcox
Assistant Stage Manager/Fly Master Mike Gilson
Set Design Ann Marie Caldwell
Light Design Allysa Thompson
Costume Design Afton Pilkington
Props Design Emily Sershon
Sound Design Michael Hayes
Sound Board Operator Regan MacStravic
Technical Director/Fly Engineer Ian Johnston
Production Manager Kristina Volkman
Graphic Designer/Geek Consultant Cole Hornaday
Fight Choreographer John Lynch
Dialect Coach Pamala Mijatov
Seamstress Meaghan Darling
SPECIAL THANKS

Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Teri Lazzara and Theatre Schmeatre, Jodi Sauerbier, David Baum, Meghan Darling, Mark Siano and the Freedom Dancers, Ouchey, Balagan Theatre, All the actors who participated in the many readings, Austin Elston, Emily Gallagher, Sue and Dick Harris, Jennie Harris, Angela Cherry, Washington Lawyers for the Arts, Arya Bahrami, James L. Vana, Ed Sershon, Bret Fetzer, Scotto Moore, Ben Laurance, Nicolette Butler, Joel and Cora Caldwell, Craig Bradshaw, Michael LoSasso and Stone Soup Theatre Village Theater, Rick Miller, Jane Stratton and Tom Champoux, Marilyn Fox, Jolene Obertin, Marty Spiegel, Jesse Card

Blind Spot

written by Bret Fetzer & Juliet Waller Pruzan
directed by Rachel Katz Carey
with songs by Rick Miller
Jan. 16 – Feb. 14, 2009

When 8 year old Kirsty Vanderkamp finds a hidden world in the nooks and crannies of her house — dust bunny farmers under the bed, a burlesque show in the butter compartment, a tabloid published in the china cabinet — she also finds herself caught up the wake of Aura Rotter, an ambitious social climber working her way up the rungs of society, and the lovelorn Iota Potts, a farmboy who risks everything that ever mattered to him to win Aura’s heart. Kirsty travels from the depths of the drains to the heights of the lighting fixture as she tries to make sense of this miniature world — and her own.

REVIEWS

“Blind Spot wends its way into your imagination… I found Blind Spot something of a revelation: I saw new life and new civilizations, and boldly went where no man had gone before. Way cool.” — Seattle Weekly

“The play reinvents the house in a childlike way as a rich, surprising place and satirizes all kind of adults, from the poor devout to the filthy rich.” — The Stranger


The cast of Blind Spot

CAST
Kirsty Vanderkamp Jennifer Pratt
Astor Potts, Sheriff Whilk, Escrow Deshabille, Dr. Churlish, Gamut Tawdry John Bianchi
Sella Stringley Potts, Deputy Gall, Peril, Jolly Deshabille, Summit Tawdry Sara Balcaitis
Iota Potts Joe Feeney
Onus, Vigor Potts, Tubly, Announcer, Luster Wedge, Waifish/Snit Seanjohn Walsh
Aura Rotter Alissa Mortenson
Bib Clad, Deputy Hisk, Burn, Escrow Deshabille III, Yodel, Spat Mayhap Daniel Christensen
Protestor, Volly Smirk, Dulcet Expiration, Fernel Spriggs, Pasty Sann Hall
Glee Patina, Booboo Expiration, Uvula Bestwick, Illicit Deshabille Ellie McKay
CREW
Production Manager Kristina Volkman
Stage Manager Meg Tully
Assistant Stage Manager David Roby
Costume Design Juliet Waller Pruzan
Pamala Mijatov
Lighting Design Matt Shannon
Properties Design Ashley Born
Set Design Bret Fetzer
Sound Design Brian Christian
Song Recording Michael Hayes
Build Team Ron Darling
Max Reichlin
Costume Team Jen Moon
K.D. Schill
Properties Team Sean Kauffman
Allison Lizott
Gabby
Meryl Roth
Poster Design Susannah Anderson
Bret Fetzer
Amber Zipperer
Special Painting Susannah Anderson
BUILD CREW

Chris Bell, Daniel Christensen, Chris Comte, Meghan Darling, John DeShazo, Ciara Griffin, Allie Hankins, Sandy Kopriva, Todd Kopriva, Jem Lewis, Gary Menendez, David Roby, Matt Shannon, Suja Hart, David Otten, and Kristina Volkman

SPECIAL THANKS

14/48, Wendy and Marc Barrington, Ruth Baugh, David Baum, Lyssa Browne, Nicholas Carey, Stanley and Arlene Cohen, Chris Comte, John DeShazo, Eglantine, Ilene Fins, Anne Fitzgerald, Ted Ford, Susan Freccia, the Katz Foundation, Nebunele Theatre, Alan Pruzan, Brandon Simmons, Crispin Spaeth, Roy Stanton, Alia Swersky, Theater Schmeater, theater simple (Llysa Holland and Andrew Litzky), Sulo Turner

The Moon Is A Dead World

written by Mike Daisey | directed by Christopher Comte
October 17 – November 15, 2008

This first play by acclaimed monologuist Mike Daisey (21 Dog Years, Monopoly!, How Theater Failed America) weaves a vision of the brutal history of the Soviet space program with an unbelievable premise: a dead cosmonaut is called back down to Earth on a radio wave when Americans in a remote Arctic base hear the beating of his dying heart. A dark and hilarious fairy tale set against the Cold War, it asks what we risk in the struggle between will and humanity, and what it means to love beyond death itself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Playwright Mike Daisey has been called “the master storyteller” and “one of the finest solo performers of his generation” by the New York Times for his groundbreaking monologues which weave together autobiography, gonzo journalism, and unscripted performance to tell hilarious and heartbreaking stories that cut to the bone, exposing secret histories and unexpected connections.

His monologues, fourteen and counting, include the controversial How Theater Failed America, the six-hour epic Great Men of Genius, the unrepeatable series All Stories Are Fiction, and the international sensation 21 Dog Years. Over the past decade he has performed his unique extemporaneous monologues at venues such as the Public Theater, American Repertory Theatre, the Spoleto Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the Cherry Lane Theatre, Yale Repertory Theater, the Noorderzon Festival, the T:BA Festival, Performance Space 122, and many more.

He’s been a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman, a commentator for PRI’s Studio 360 and NPR’s Day To Day, a contributor to WIRED, Slate and Salon, a web contributor to Vanity Fair and Radar Magazine, and his work has been heard on the BBC, NPR, and the National Lampoon Comedy Hour. His first film, Layover, is being distributed by Lars von Trier’s company Zentropa, and he stars in the Lawrence Krauser feature Horrible Child. His first book, 21 Dog Years: A Cubedweller’s Tale, was published by the Free Press and he is working on a second book, Great Men of Genius, adapted from his monologues about genius and megalomania in the lives of Bertolt Brecht, P.T. Barnum, Nikola Tesla, and L. Ron Hubbard.

He has been the recipient of the Bay Area Critics Circle Award, two Seattle Times Footlight Awards, and a MacDowell Fellowship. He lives in New York City with his director and collaborator, Jean-Michele Gregory. The Moon Is A Dead World is his first play.

REVIEWS

“[Playwright Mike] Daisey has a rich, restless imagination…. Moon is a small, sweet pleasure.” – The Stranger

“Director Christopher Comte has put together an entertaining production worthy of the script.” – Seattle Weekly

“Fascinating…. Annex’s production is an amazing display…. Crisp direction, great set design, and excellent sound support create a great reality for this unreal play. The four actors are all excellent. … This is one of the best efforts Annex Theatre has produced, and that’s saying a lot.” – Seattle Gay News

“If a new play of this caliber opened in Seattle every few weeks, we could stop going to see Hollywood crap or caring about how Christian Slater blows up Russians on the TV.” – Seattlest.com

Preview in the Seattle P-I: Full-length ‘The Moon Is A Dead World’ is a new phase for solo performer Mike Daisey

Interview on Seattlest.com: A Dialog with Newly-Minted Playwright Mike Daisey


The cast of The Moon Is A Dead World

CAST
Gregor Zachariah Robinson
Nimitz/Josef Jack Hamblin
Cal/Vassily Clayton Weller
Irina Pamala Mijatov
CREW
Stage Manager Meaghan Darling
Set Design Max Reichlin
Light Design Nate Redford
Costume Design Stacey Bush
Illustrator Susannah Anderson
Sound Design Michael Hayes
Asst. Stage Manager David Roby
Sound Board Operator Casey Bates
Production Manager Kristina Volkman
Photographer David Baum
SPECIAL THANKS

AFTRA Seattle Local, Cicada Bridal, Ron Darling, John DeShazo, A.J. Epstein, The Ethereal Mutt, Ltd., David Gassner, Teri Lazzara, Theater Schmeater, Frederick Vegas.

Annex Theatre wishes to acknowledge the generous contributions of 4Culture, The Flintridge Foundation, Microsoft Corporation, The Seattle Foundation, The Boeing Company, ActiveMac, and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs for their support of this production.

Keep The Light On

created by Max Reichlin | directed by Ellie McKay
written by Scot Augustson (1001), Elizabeth Heffron (Foxy Populi), Bret Fetzer & Juliet Waller Pruzan (ElectriCity)
Feb 8-March 8, 2008

To keep spirits high after a world-changing catastrophe, a small group of hardy survivors have put together a theatre troupe to entertain their community. This evening of three new plays is presented using only the electricity created by two human-powered generators operated by the actors.

Each of the three scripts in Keep the Light On takes a different approach toward entertainment in a disastrously changed world, offering a variety of ways “to remember, and to forget”:

  • 1001 by Scot Augustson celebrates the act of storytelling as a young delivery boy falls into the path of danger and has to talk his way out of it. Tales fold in on each other like origami, featuring sudden kisses, pearl-handled revolvers, dust on the ceiling of a Thai hotel, and a Mexican widow with a Castilian lisp.
  • Foxy Populi by Elizabeth Heffron is a wild musical that looks back to the extravagent days before the apocalypse when we all had iPods, SUVs, and stock options.
  • ElectriCity by Bret Fetzer and Juliet Waller Pruzan takes us on a journey with a mother and her daughter as they visit the last amusement park on earth.
ORIGINS

Keep the Light On began as an experiment in human-powered lighting. The show’s creator, Max Reichlin, wanted to discover what could be done on stage when all electricity is provided by actors pedaling custom-made generators.

“It turns out that it’s tricky – people don’t make much power,” Max said. “So the show would look different from a traditional play in terms of the lighting.”

This line of thinking led Max to a conclusion about the content of the show:

“I thought ‘When would people actually use people to power a theatre?’ I’ve always enjoyed apocalyptic literature and I realized that in a post-apocalyptic world, with no electricity, somebody just might perform theatre this way. So that’s why the evening is composed of three plays presented by an imaginary, post-apocalyptic, theatre company.”

OFF THE GRID

Keep the Light On will provide a total-immersion experience in the world of the future, according to director Ellie McKay:

“Our dream is to take Annex Theatre ‘off the grid’ for each performance,” she said. “This means that the moment the audience enters our space, there is no outside electricity entering the building. To light the hall, we will hook up a car battery to some lights. Actors will be riding the generators on the stage to light the audience’s seats. Bathrooms will be lit by the users providing light with hand-crank flashlights. Instead of programs we will have a wall with hand-written information on recycled paper for people to read.”

SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Watch a 5-minute television feature about the Max and the show from KING-5 TV’s Evening Magazine by reporter Jim Dever, broadcast February 8. Click here to watch.
  • Listen to a February 6 interview with Max on Seattle’s NPR station KUOW. Click here to listen to Max’s segment in Real Player format. Or visit KUOW’s web site for an MP3 of the entire broadcast.
  • Read the January Spotlight at GreenIsSexy.org for an extensive interview with Max and Ellie!
  • Check out the YouTube video of Max demonstrating a generator in action!

REVIEWS

Misha Berson, The Seattle Times:

“If you gotta have a gimmick, the one Annex Theatre employs in Keep the Light On is an eco-friendly dandy. … What a novelty, in an age of digital and automatic everything, to see the cheerful, muscle-toned cast members take turns whirring away on stationary bikes.”

Foxy Populi “is a hilarious, sharp-fanged satire on the downfall of Western civilization, through the meltdown of a crazed blond pop star…, a swift, smash-mouthed portrait of celeb self-destruction. … Even people who wouldn’t be caught dead reading People magazine at the supermarket should know enough about Britney Spears to find this whipsaw version of her saga smart, funny and horrifying.”

1001 is “a skein of surreal scenes spun by a Scheherazade-like delivery boy who tangles with a one-eyed pharmacist, a homicidal client and a lisping Mexican widow.”

ElectriCity is “sweet and twisted, a puppet/human chronicle of a curious child and her mother visiting the world’s last remaining amusement park.”

“Bravo to Annex for continuing its irreverent explorations – and for ‘going green’ in a whole new way.”

Miryam Gordon, Seattle Gay News:

Foxy Populi is “fast and furious and sad and strange. … Megan Ahiers channels Britney [Spears]…as if Britney had suddenly shown up to be in this play.”

ElectriCity “had the most intriguing contexts and the best acting from Pamala Mijatov as a little girl who visits this strange amusement park. She has a particularly haunting little girl voice, as she observes too much for her own good.”

Keep the Light On is “a worthy effort, an interesting evening and a challenge to think about.”

Joe Adcock, Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Keep the Light On “is an exercise in anti-conventional comedy…. The show is made up of three darkly comic one-acts…overwhelmed with shadows.” Keep the Light On “is a uniquely theatrical take on the familiar theme of a dystopian future…. Six plucky performers struggle to put on a show. Their hands, faces and clothes are smudged with dirt, but their creative spirits are unblemished.”

Neil Corcoran, Seattle Weekly:

Keep the Light On is “a well-done and novel sort of play-within-a-play which channels three curious vignettes of imagination and moral wonder.”


Foxy (Megan Ahiers) and her asset manager Jett Alamo (Alex Garnett) feel each other, while Sam Wilson pedals for power.

CAST
Megan Ahiers
Deniece Bleha
Alex Garnett
Ciara Griffin
Pamala Mijatov
Beverly Ann Thompson
Julie Westlin-Naigus
Sam Wilson
CREW
Stage Manager Kristina Volkman
Set Design Max Reichlin
Light Design Max Reichlin
Costume Design Emily Carlsen
Props Design Alex Harris
Sound Design Jason Miller
Dramaturg Brendan Healy

SPECIAL THANKS

Annex Theatre’s 21st Season is generously supported by: 4Culture, Flintridge Foundation, Seattle Foundation, the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Microsoft, and The Boeing Company.

Thanks to GreenIsSexy.org for featuring KTLO as their Spotlight of the Month for January 2008!

Special thanks to Wright Brothers Cycle Works in Seattle for their support and donations to this project.

Thanks to Cranked Magazine for blogging about KTLO.