Below is a recent press release sent out by Audacity Theatre Lab in Dallas, Texas. It is CLEARLY really good news.
Life is good.
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DALLAS – Audacity Theatre Lab is proud to announce a special commitment to Philadelphia-based playwright Greg Romero. Called 3P/3Y, Audacity has pledged to develop and produce three of Mr. Romero’s plays over the next three years.
3P/3Y kicks off this May with ATL’s production of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LULLABY YOU’VE EVER HEARD. First produced off-off Broadway by City Attic Theatre in May 2007, the play received a second production with Specific Gravity Ensemble in Louisville, Kentucky, in September. This will be the play’s Regional Premiere in Dallas. A semi-finalist for the Princess Grace Award, LULLABY is a non-linear exploration of a young couple’s relationship as they journey through their broken pasts, broken futures, broken skin, and across worlds to find the beautiful place together inside of the knives.
"LULLABY comes to Audacity Theatre Lab at a perfect time in the play’s life. Having been through two productions with it, it’s time now to discover how well the play stands up on its own without too much of my parenting. I feel fortunate to be able to hand the play off to the folks of Audacity Theatre Lab, who I completely trust to carry the play through this particular rite of passage with a daring and brave production," comments Romero.
In 2009, Mr. Romero and ATL will develop and produce his play THE MILKY WAY CABARET, a work originally commissioned and produced by The Cardboard Box Collaborative in Philadelphia, of which Mr. Romero is currently a Resident Artist. THE MILKY WAY CABARET is a wonderfully careening piece with assassin clowns, an alcoholic magician, an ex-hula hooping homecoming queen, a dildo-wielding club owner and a daughter who travels back in time, through black holes, to try to save her father’s life.
Romero says," I highly anticipate the work ahead on MILKY WAY. ATL’s production of this play will be MILKY WAY’s second time before an audience and, through collaboration with ATL, I look forward to using what I learned from the play’s original production to create an improved draft of the play. Brad and I have already begun talking about ideas for further development of the script, how to build workshop time into the production process, and for the best ways to tackle the play’s second journey. A larger, more sprawling play than LULLABY, MILKY WAY will be an opportunity to work with more of an ensemble and to involve myself more within the collaboration. THE MILKY WAY CABARET is the ideal play for a second production with Audacity Theatre Lab.
The third installment in the three-year plan is an as-yet-unnamed project commissioned especially for and in collaboration with Audacity Theatre Lab.
"Of the three plays with Audacity, I might be most excited about the third one. This third production will be an opportunity to create something from scratch, inspired by the artists I am currently working with. It will be an opportunity to write something for the specific strengths (and fears) of the company, an opportunity for a deeper collaboration with the talented artists of Audacity, and a way for me to continue to stretch myself by writing a little bit inside of the performer’s voice," says Romero.
ATL Artistic Director Brad McEntire says, "I believe important, dynamic art often grows out of fruitful, mutually beneficial artistic relationships. That’s what we want with Greg."
"I am highly excited about 3P/3Y." says Romero. " As a working playwright for the past eight
years, I have learned the importance of creating artistic friendships that are built on trust, truth, and continued inspiration. Brad and I (and actor Jeff Swearingen) share a similar commitment to our work, our work ethic, and our vision for the theater. We are embarking on a brave commitment to continue an intense artistic conversation together over the course of three years and through the production of three plays. It is my hope and expectation that this engagement will stretch and challenge all of us in ways that will help us all become braver, sharper artists."
"It is admittedly a bold step for a new company, but we believe in Greg. He has a wonderfully unique and very theatrical way of writing and isn’t afraid to tackle big themes. That’s the kind of theatre we want to explore here at Audacity. It’s a good fit," adds McEntire.
"I wish this kind of agreement between playwrights and producers was more commonplace and not that out-of-the-ordinary. Then again, we don’t mind being trail-blazers…," McEntire slyly winks. Romero adds, "It is also my hope that our commitment to 3P/3Y will serve as a successful and dynamic model for other companies and playwrights to engage with each other in the development and production of new work."
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LULLABY YOU’VE EVER HEARD plays Wednesdays thru Saturdays, May 7th to 17th at the Risk Theatre Initiative Space , 3605 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75204. Tickets are $10 - $15. Student and Senior discounts available. Call (214) 621-9683 for more information or to make ticket reservations. Additional information about ATL can be found at www.myspace.com/audacitytheatrelab.
Audacity Theatre Lab is dedicated to the development and production of dynamic new works for the stage. Whether bold new interpretations of existing works or the incubation and exploration of original works by emerging playwrights, Audacity seeks to present relevant, engaging stories that challenge and enrich our cultural community.
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