Project #4 - Unconventional Theatre Practices

1. Nalaga'at Center - The "Do Touch" Theatre for the Deaf-Blind

The Nalaga'at Center for the deaf-blind has recently had its first anniversary in operation. The theatre features all deaf-blind actors who perform the play, as well as a cafe which is served by blind people, and a restaurant called "The Blackout Cafe" where the waiters are blind and the meal is served and eaten in total darkness. Their first show, Light is Heard in Zigzag was a play that was written for the eleven deaf-blind actors to be able to share their life, hopes, dreams and ambitions.

This theatre is unconventional for many reasons. The scene change cues are by drums, not for the sound, but for the vibrations. While the show is a play, the actors are getting to be personal with the audience. The show does have a full set, props, lights and sound effects for the audience. All of the actors are deaf-blind, which is having both deafness and blindness. Most of the actors were born with a condition causing the blindness and deafness, but a few were born blind and later lost their hearing, or visa versa.

Nalaga'at Theatre Video

2. Nearly Naked Theatre
The Nearly Naked theatre is a theatre in Phoenix, Arizona that produces what we know as traditional plays, however, they are a theatre company that ONLY produces shows that are considered to be for adults, and not family friendly. The shows of their previous seasons include:

Season 1:
Lilies or The Revival of a Romantic Drama
by Michel Marc Bouchard
Arizona Premiere

Season 2:
'night, Mother
by Marsha Norman

Salome's Last Dance
by Ken Russell
Arizona Premiere

Sexual Perversity in Chicago
by David Mamet

Season 3:
The Torch Song Trilogy
by Harvey Fierstein

The King of Infinite Space
by Andrew C. Ordover
Arizona Premiere

The HotHouse
by Harold Pinter

Season 4:
The Shape of Things
by Neil Labute
Arizona Premiere

Equus
by Peter Shaffer

Baylin's Monster
by Michael Grady

Valparaiso
by Don DeLillo
Arizona Premiere

Season 5:
Shakespeare's R&J
by Joe Calarco
Arizona Premiere

The House of Yes
by Wendy MacLeod

Gilgamesh
by Andrew C. Ordover
West Coast/Arizona Premiere
Season 6:

The Rocky Horror Show
by Richard O'Brien

Hurlyburly
by David Rabe

Les Liaisons Dangereuses
by Christopher Hampton

Sexual Perversity in Chicago ('05)
by David Mamet

E2: a heretical adaptation of Christopher Marlowe's Edward the Second
by Damon Dering
World Premiere

Season 7:
Marvin’s Room
by Scott McPherson

Valhalla
by Paul Rudnick
Arizona Premiere

Sordid Lives
by Del Shores
Arizona Premiere

The Who’s TOMMY
by Pete Townshend & Des McAnuff

Season 8:
Take Me Out
by Richard Greenberg
Arizona Premiere
The Night of the Iguana
by Tennessee Williams

Betty's Summer Vacation
by Christopher Durang
Arizona Premiere

Bat Boy: The Musical
by O’Keefe, Farley & Flemming
Arizona Premiere

Season 9
Snake in Fridge
by Brad Fraser
Arizona Premiere

Metamorphoses
by Mary Zimmerman
Arizona Premiere

As Bees In Honey Drown
by Douglas Carter Beane
Arizona Premiere

Reefer Madness
by Dan Studney & Kevin Murphy
Arizona Premiere

Typically, I wouldn't include such a long listing of shows, but the season listings show the continuity of 'adult content' in the shows. At a theatre like the Nearly Naked Theatre, you would never see a show like The Secret Garden, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Brighton Beach Memoirs, etc, as they are shows that would be appropriate for families. I would rate this theatre company as being unconventional because it is daring to create a theatre house that does not produce shows that all have 'adult content.' While I'm sure they have a consistent audience base who doesn't mind the nature of the plays being produced, I can imagine more conservative audience members having poor things to say about the theatre itself.

Nearly Naked Theatre Mission Statement:
"JUST WHO ARE AND WHAT IS NEARLY NAKED THEATRE?Nearly Naked Theatre is a not-for-profit group of local artists: actors, writers, directors, designers and technicians, seeking a new voice in Valley theater, free of censorship and artistic stifling, who wish to produce thought-provoking and challenging theater! It’s not as easy as it sounds."

Equus

3. The Silent Theatre Company

The Silent Theatre is a theatre company that performs plays without words and everything is in black and white. It started in Chicago with the play, LULU. After a success in Chicago, thirteen of the ensemble members bought a school bus, and transformed it into an on-tour home, and they traveled to New York to take part in the NY Fringe Festival. After winning an award, they traveled to San Francisco to perform in the Victoria Theatre. The troupe was self-sustained and had to continue performing to get back to Chicago.

The Silent Theatre Company has been able to continue in performing Silent Plays since 2006.

The Silent Theatre Ensemble

Their Shows Include:

Chicago Confiedential

Kane

Noir: A Shot and Chaser

LULU

This theatre is unconventional because it has no dialogue, and is performed as if it were a silent film, from the costumes to the set, everything is in black and white. This creates a unique and different theatre experience for audience members.

4. ANTENNA THEATER
The Antenna Theater is based out of Sausalito, CA and is a theatre that produces only original theatre works. Created in 1980, The Antenna theatre works to create theatre pieces that use sound, sculpture and live performance to communicate a story.

Past works include:

-Transforming Art (2008)
-Big Brother (2007)
-High School (2006)
-Fire and Ice (2006)
-A Body of Water (2005)

This theatre is considered to be unconventional because they, as a company, work to create and produce plays and performances. This is unlike a conventional theatre as a conventional theatre would perform plays that have been written and produced before by other theatre companies and playwrights.

5. THEATRE RHINOCEROS
"The Oldest Queer Theatre in America"

Theatre Rhinoceros' mission statement is. "Theatre Rhinoceros develops and produces works of theatre that enlighten, enrich, and explore both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of our queer community."

All of the shows of course involve issues surrounding homosexuality, but to celebrate, not condemn.

The 2008-2009 Season includes:

The Rhino Christmas Panto
The Marga Gomez New Year's Eve Spectacular
Falsettos
A Beautiful View
A Necessary Evil
Three on a Party
Suzanne Westenhoefer

The Rhino Theatre is unconventional because everyone involved is gay, lesbian or transgendered, which is different than your 'conventional' theatre companies. The nature of the plays also surrounding homosexuality makes it unconventional.