the week of january 18-22, 2021
Welcome to Nothing for the Group, the newsletter where one dramaturg rounds up one week in theatre news, reviews, and takes.
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Identity design by Elizabeth Haley Morton.
virtual theatre
Rebecca Martinez’s The Nourish Project streams January 28 - February 7 for WP Theatre. Using music, dance, and poetry curated through a framework of the five senses and four natural elements, The Nourish Project hosts a space for audiences to follow their curiosity and explore their own paths during the experience.
Rajiv Joseph’s illustrated short play Red Folder starts streaming at Steppenwolf on January 27. (It features Carrie Coon and is only 10 minutes!)
Portland Area Theatre Alliance’s Fertile Ground Festival runs January 28 - February 7. The 11-day virtual festival of new works will feature 40 projects available for free.
The Playwrights’ Center will stream Dominic Taylor’s Cell Surface on January 22 at 7 PM CST. The presentation is part of In The Lab, a new online development and performance project series.
St. Ann’s Warehouse, Landmark Productions, and Project Arts Centre will present Mark O’Rowe’s The Approach, livestreamed from Dublin’s Project Arts Centre, on January 21, 23, and 24.
Manhattan Theatre Club announced their upcoming virtual offerings. The line-up includes Alexis Scheer’s Ritual: A spell for healing and transformation (directed by Scheer and Gabrielle Carrubba), Liza Birkenmeier’s Please Welcome Our Guest: A personality test/performance (directed by Trish Harnetiaux), Camille A. Brown’s Camille A. Brown: A glimpse behind the curtain, Qui Nguyen’s Untitled Vampire Cowboys Project: An original treat for pop culture nerds everywhere (directed by Robert Ross Parker). MTC will also present virtual readings of past productions, including Richard Wesley’s The Past Is the Past, Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain, Charlayne Woodard’s Neat, and Nilo Cruz’s Beauty of the Father.
assorted news
The Black Seed, a national strategic initiative focused on creating impact and “thrivability” for Black theatre institutions, has announced that close to 100 Black theatres across the country will receive one- or two-year grants ranging from $10,000 to $150,000.
The See Lighting Foundation, which launched last year by offering monthly grants of $500 to 60 immigrant theatre artists, has raised $141,422 since June. The organization is still raising funds and has a revised goal of $180,000.
EST’s Marathon of One-Act Plays, co-curated by Mike Lew and Colette Robert, is now seeking one-act play submissions from BIPOC writers. There’s an info session this Tuesday.
2021 season updates
Studio Theatre’s 2021 season will be entirely digital, with five filmed plays. The season includes a remount of Mike Bartlett’s Cock (directed by David Muse), Dael Orlandersmith‘s Until the Flood (directed by Reginald L. Douglas), Lisa Kron’s 2.5 Minute Ride (directed by Joanie Schultz), Will Power’s Flow (directed by Psalmayene 24), and George Brant’s Tender Age (directed by Henry Godinez).
Raven Theatre canceled its entire 2020-21 season, with hopes to resume performances in the fall. The canceled productions include Mat Smart’s Eden Prairie, 1971; Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing; and Melissa Ross’ The Luckiest.
The Court Theatre revised its 2020-21 season. The theatre will present Theatre for One: Here We Are, a “series of digital microplays designed to be experienced one-on-one and written, directed, and performed by artists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).” The project, co-created by Christine Jones and Jenny Koons, will feature Before America Was America, by Delanna Studi; Here We Are by Nikkole Salter; What Are the Things I Need to Remember, by Lynn Nottage; whiterly negotiations, by Lydia R. Diamond; Vote! (the black album), by Regina Taylor; Pandemic Fight, by Carmelita Tropicana; Thank You For Coming. Take Care., by Stacey Rose; and Thank You Letter, by Jaclyn Backhaus.
things I read this week
Jess Barbagallo’s review of the Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival (Artforum)
Jess Rahman-González’s review of Overflow at the Bush Theatre, Travis Alabanza’s play about friendship and toilets (Exeunt)
Rob Weinert-Kendt’s conversation with NYT critic-at-large Maya Phillips on her process and philosophy on cultural criticism (American Theatre)
It’s hard to pick my favorite Bernie inauguration meme, because I could mainline Big Vermont Energy all day long, but this is the most relevant one for this crowd:
