The Hat: One of the 27 objects in Ed Schmidt’s interactive one-person play Edward, now playing at bookstores around New York, is a beat-up copy of The Catcher in the Rye. Edward, whose life is narrated through a series of his belongings, was a high-school English teacher. Over the course of the evening, several objects — an Arthur Miller playbill, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, a hotel ashtray — demonstrate, in his words, “the vital role that reading literature plays in the development of a well-rounded life.”
4 comments:
This is such an interesting and cool way to stage something! I’ve never seen any kind of production that was as site-specific as this. I have to wonder how producers go about asking how to stage this show in independently owned bookstores. This kind of staging almost reminds me of a TV show in the sense that the actors are in a more accurate recreation of a space, because movie sets tend to be more literal than theatre sets. This almost feels like a movie you are literally an extra in, except not because it’s theatres. I find it interesting that despite how site specific this production is, it’s not explicitly tied to bookstores and could be staged outside of a bookstore. The location of the set adds to the story, but it does not make it up entirely. Seeing the set for The Bookstore gives such a different experience compared to if it was staged inside an actual bookstore.
This article was so interesting, and the connectin it makes between bookstores and theaters is not something I had really thought about before, so it was cool that it made me think about how they relate to each other. I love forms of theater that are different than the traditional ways that theater is produced and interactive theater is one of my favorite alternative forms of theatre. I think that staging an interactive show inside of a books store is so freaking awesome. The fact that the story of this show revolves around objects from throughout the main characters life is awesome and such an interesting way of telling a story. The setting of a bookstore is perfect because many of these objects are infact books and also this character is an english teacher which adds a layer to the story. I’d love an opportunity to see more theater like this its so interesting and has so much potential.
The thing that really stands out to me about this production is the non-traditional location. I have always been so fascinated by shows that happen outside of what we think of as traditional theaters. I think so much of what we do as theater artists is to ask how we can transport the audience members into the actual stories so that they can connect to the content and in some ways I don't think there's a better way to do it than to actually put them in the space. This really reminds me of the things Quantum theater here in Pittsburgh does. especially because they are a site specific theater that stages all of their works in very cool and unique places. I also think staging shows in places like this brings their own logistical challenges that I also find super engaging. I think coordinating for the challenges of a space that are not traditionally made to hold an audience is a super interesting problem to look at. I also have always thought interactive theater is super interesting, I haven't really gotten to experience any but I'm definitely curious about it.
I found this piece interesting because I had never considered how comparable indie bookstores and Off-Broadway theaters are. The essay discusses how both are about community and physical space, which I believe is accurate. Both bookstores and small theaters are locations where people go not only to buy or watch movies, but also to feel like they are part of a creative community. They're both hurting as a result of the internet and giant corporations, yet people care about them since the experience is unique compared to simply ordering a book online or streaming Netflix.
I also found the section on the Drama Book Shop very interesting, particularly how Lin-Manuel Miranda worked on In the Heights there. That demonstrates how bookshops may serve as creative venues in addition to commerce. Overall, I believe the essay is stating that bookstores and Off-Broadway theaters exist for the same reason: people enjoy being in creative environments with others, which the internet cannot replace.
Post a Comment