Students
in on Ground Floor of Theater Production
Students at Smith and the
other Five Colleges are working alongside the Epic Theatre
Ensemble this week in the New York City company’s latest
residency on campus, from January 11 to 19. The Epic Theatre
Ensemble, in collaboration with students, is producing four
projects, including new plays by Dominique Morisseau and
Ken Urban; an interactive event by Mark Harris; and the play Born
With Teeth, drawn from Shakespeare’s Richard
III.
A scene from Epic Theatre Ensemble's award-winning Shakespeare
Remix after-school program. |
The is a company of actors and theater professionals in New York
City who produce socially mindful plays Off Broadway. More
than 40 students from the Five Colleges are working with
Epic members Ron Russell, Melissa Friedman, James Wallert
and Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr., in developing the stage projects.
This is the Epic Ensemble’s fifth January residency at Smith.
Participants in the residency
work in groups, in various rooms in the Mendenhall Center,
focusing on the early-stage theater works, and taking part
in workshops on playwriting, directing and acting. Participants
also conduct research and engage in improvisation and creative
brainstorming to assist with the development of the theater
projects.
The Epic residency is made possible
by funding from the college’s
Alumnae Association, Lecture Committee, and the theatre department.
Remaining public presentations,
which are free and open to the public, will take place:
Mend,
a new play by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Kamilah
Forbes, starring Cherise Booth and Nikiva Mathis.
Born
With Teeth,
directed by Ron Russell, with James Wallert as Richard
III.
(Presentations of Ken
Urban’s play A Guide
for the Homesick, and Mark Harris’ interactive work took
place on January 13 and 14.)
A cornerstone of the Epic
Ensemble’s
mission is to develop socially conscious works for theater,
with the intention of inspiring dialogue and interaction
around social issues. The company, which opened on September
11, 2001, was a recipient of the 2009 Coming Up Taller Award,
presented by First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as two OBIE
Awards, Off Broadway’s highest honor, and numerous other
awards. |
