I know it has been a long time since I have updated this, and for that, I must apologize. There has been much going on with my family's health (unfortunately) but now that it seems things are settling out, I have more time to devote to the company.
There have been many things in the works for upcoming shows, and much paperwork has been settled to allow me to finally announce what will be taking place coming up this, and the beginning of next year.
First of all, Theatre Sans Serif will be taking part in Relative Positions, a performing arts residency that will create site specific work within the Union Project in East Liberty. The performance for that will be July 6th. I am very glad to be a part of this, as it seems like the natural next step for Theatre Sans Serif to create fully experimental work.
Following that, in August, we will be producing one of the staged readings at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival. The meeting to select the plays for the festival was last night, and while I can't announce the particular play we will be doing yet, I can say that I am very satisfied with the selection.
The one smaller bit of news is that we will be producing a reading of "8" with the American Foundation for Equal Rights, and Broadway Impact in March of 2013. I am really looking forward to this, as I feel this is a very important subject to be discussed right now. 8 is the theatrical version of the Perry vs. Schwarzenegger trail, written by Dustin Lance Black in response to the blackout order on the trial, over whether Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. I wanted to produce this play very badly, as this issue is one very close to me. I think that bringing this issue to light, and discussing it in the public forum is the only way to change minds.
Finally, in keeping with the idea of bringing the arts to the public, I have decided to launch a new project under Theatre Sans Serif, tentatively titled "Commedia for the Community." The main thrust of this project will be to construct a trailer based stage, which can be easily set up. This stage will then allow us to take a portable theater to the heart of lower income communities in the Pittsburgh area, where a wide variety of classical texts (our predominate focus includes Moliere, Goldini, Ben Jonson, and of course, Shakespeare) will then be performed. This approach of bringing the theater to the people will allow us to serve a large community which otherwise might not have the exposure to the arts. As an additional benefit, having a mobile theater will lower our operating costs greatly, so that these performances can continue to be offered free to the community. This is definitely an open ended project, and any help would be greatly appreciated. If you can offer any assistance, be it ranging from goods, (the things to build a theater, i.e. wood, a trailer base, etc...) services (actually building the trailer) or anything in between, please do not hesitate to contact me at theatresansserif@gmail.com I will keep everyone up to date here on the blog as things progress. I hope to see you all at the events coming up!
-Andrew
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
With Great Funding Comes Great Responsibility.
It seems as if the theatre community in Pittsburgh is in a general uproar over the decision of the Pittsburgh Opera to honor Governor Corbett for his contributions to education. That being said, his main "contribution" to education in Pennsylvania was to cut the school budgets by almost a billion dollars. Therein lies the rub, why would the Opera honor a politician for his axe?
I believe this situation deals largely with the delicate position most theatre companies, (and indeed all artists face) when dealing with funding. This instance can trace its origins to a simple conflict of interest. It is the role of the artist to act as a provocateur, but many donors in the private sector (especially corporations) have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. This places the artists in a precarious position, having to choose between artistic integrity and financial solvency.
In this particular instance, I do understand the financial goals of the Opera. Governor Corbett and his wife have been involved with the company for the past decade, and it is natural that the Corbetts would expect some sort of thanks in regards to their previous contributions. It would naturally follow that with those honors going out, the Opera would expect further contributions from the Governor in the future. Nothing is truly notable about this, as this sort of situation occurs in the arts constantly.
The issue becomes a problem, however, as a company picks up the baggage that comes with a donation. This is not a legal situation, but strictly an ethical one. A company has a need to maintain relationships with their donors, as a relationship is an excellent way to establish continued funding. However, in most situations, the need to maintain this company-donor relationship is to make some sort of artistic concession. For a completely hypothetical example, say I had received funding from a far right religious organization. I imagine that would have a few problems if I then decided to stage Agnes of God, Doubt, or The Laramie Project. Most likely, they would threaten to pull their funding for the next time. Therefore, I would be left with a choice, to have financial backing (which does make everything much easier) or to maintain artistic integrity, and personal agency, to be allowed to act as the provocateur that an artist needs to be?
I realize I am oversimplifying the situation, and this may very well be the case. While it is easy to kick sand in the face of the Opera at a time while they are already under fire, I refuse to sit here and state that I would not make the same choice that they did. Artistic Directors are human as well. While I do not think the Opera made a very good decision, I do understand their reasoning. I would like to think that I would have chosen a different path, but who doesn't? I won't make such a statement until both paths are laid out. In the end, yes, the Pittsburgh Opera did damage their reputation slightly as artists. However, by remaining solvent, they ensured that they will continue to produce in the future. The Pittsburgh Opera made a choice, and they must now live with it. This is the danger of receiving funding from the private sector, as the once free artist is now burdened with a debt they must repay.
I believe this situation deals largely with the delicate position most theatre companies, (and indeed all artists face) when dealing with funding. This instance can trace its origins to a simple conflict of interest. It is the role of the artist to act as a provocateur, but many donors in the private sector (especially corporations) have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. This places the artists in a precarious position, having to choose between artistic integrity and financial solvency.
In this particular instance, I do understand the financial goals of the Opera. Governor Corbett and his wife have been involved with the company for the past decade, and it is natural that the Corbetts would expect some sort of thanks in regards to their previous contributions. It would naturally follow that with those honors going out, the Opera would expect further contributions from the Governor in the future. Nothing is truly notable about this, as this sort of situation occurs in the arts constantly.
The issue becomes a problem, however, as a company picks up the baggage that comes with a donation. This is not a legal situation, but strictly an ethical one. A company has a need to maintain relationships with their donors, as a relationship is an excellent way to establish continued funding. However, in most situations, the need to maintain this company-donor relationship is to make some sort of artistic concession. For a completely hypothetical example, say I had received funding from a far right religious organization. I imagine that would have a few problems if I then decided to stage Agnes of God, Doubt, or The Laramie Project. Most likely, they would threaten to pull their funding for the next time. Therefore, I would be left with a choice, to have financial backing (which does make everything much easier) or to maintain artistic integrity, and personal agency, to be allowed to act as the provocateur that an artist needs to be?
I realize I am oversimplifying the situation, and this may very well be the case. While it is easy to kick sand in the face of the Opera at a time while they are already under fire, I refuse to sit here and state that I would not make the same choice that they did. Artistic Directors are human as well. While I do not think the Opera made a very good decision, I do understand their reasoning. I would like to think that I would have chosen a different path, but who doesn't? I won't make such a statement until both paths are laid out. In the end, yes, the Pittsburgh Opera did damage their reputation slightly as artists. However, by remaining solvent, they ensured that they will continue to produce in the future. The Pittsburgh Opera made a choice, and they must now live with it. This is the danger of receiving funding from the private sector, as the once free artist is now burdened with a debt they must repay.
Monday, February 27, 2012
War Is Child's Play: The News is In!
Photo By Nancy Hart
War Is Child's Play received a great write up in Pittsburgh Urban Media. The link can be found here: Pittsburgh Urban Media. Be sure to stay tuned for future events from Theatre Sans Serif later this year.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
War Is Child's Play
WAR IS CHILD’S PLAY: AN ARTISTIC COMMENTARY ON WAR THROUGH TOYS
New exhibition to show in the Spinning Plates Gallery in February 2012
Pittsburgh, PA- Theatre Sans Serif’s Artistic Director, Andrew W. Huntley II will be hosting an exhibition at the Spinning Plates Gallery in early February 2012 until March 2012.
This gallery exhibition will be showcasing sculptures completed by Mr. Huntley- featuring sculptures using children’s toys to illustrate the introduction of war into society at a young age. Other pieces to be featured are paintings and installation pieces by Huntley to assist his commentary. The Gallery opening on February 11, 2012 will be featuring an opening reception with food and wine as well as a soundtrack by a wide variety of composers and musicians featuring themes of military and warfare.
Huntley has had artwork featured in The Autumn Harvest Art Show with Most Wanted Fine Art and his clients have included the National Aviary, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the National Society of Precision Manufacturers. Huntley is an artistic visionary with amazing skills and has created a thought-provoking and almost chilling exhibit that will leave audiences disturbed and dazzled by the intricacy and the use of what normally would be considered play-things as artistic and sculptural medium. This is Huntley’s first solo art show and his first long-term exhibition at the Spinning Plates Gallery.
“So many people accept military toys as just a matter of play-things, but when people take the time to think about it the ideas behind them are actually much darker than it would first appear,” said Huntley.
War is Child’s Play’s opening on February 11, 2012 will begin at 7 p.m. and will be open until 12 a.m. at the Spinning Plates Gallery 5720 Friendship Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15206. No admission fee, but donations appreciated.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
"My Dearest..." Thoughts from the Front- World War Two
Jasmine Goldband | Tribune-Review
Theatre Sans Serif has made the Tribune Review for it's series with Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum! The article can be found here. Come check out the reading this Saturday,January 15th, at 2 p.m. I hope to see you there.
-Andrew
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
2011 Brought in with a Bang!
It's often said what you are doing at the beginning of a new year presages what will occur for the rest of the year. If that is the case, I certainly hope it is true. Theatre Sans Serif celebrated the New Year hard by performing 24 Hour Theatre with First Night Pittsburgh. Within 24 Hours, we created four brand new plays, never before seen. The shows included:
One Way to Woo by Joanna Lowe,
Directed by Lora Oxenreiter, and starring Sara Fisher and Larry Scott
Adrift by F.J. Hartland
Directed by Joanna Lowe, and starring Courtney L. Smith and Liz Pegg
5 Minute Romeo and Juliet by Andrew W. Huntley II
Directed by Tara Lyn Zynel, and starring Ivy Steinberg and David Conley
Beans, Beans, Beans by Tara Lyn Zynel and Courtney L. Smith
Directed by Vince Ventura, and Starring Kaitlin Mausser and Tara Lyn Zynel
Just as a recap for the parameters of the event, no writing was allowed on the play before 7pm on December 30. In order to make sure this didn't happen, there were two surprise elements that each play had to include, a mystery prop, and a line of dialogue. In this case, the mystery prop was a ukulele, and the line of dialogue, "What could possibly go wrong?" The writers made hilarious work of both prompts. For the three shows of the evening, all three performances were standing room only. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard on this production.
And of course, things keep rolling right into the new year on January 15th with the next installment of "My Dearest...": Thoughts From the Front- World War II. It is going to prove to be another exciting reading, and a fitting beginning to the new year, and a new era for Theatre Sans Serif. See you at the show!
-Andrew
One Way to Woo by Joanna Lowe,
Directed by Lora Oxenreiter, and starring Sara Fisher and Larry Scott
Adrift by F.J. Hartland
Directed by Joanna Lowe, and starring Courtney L. Smith and Liz Pegg
5 Minute Romeo and Juliet by Andrew W. Huntley II
Directed by Tara Lyn Zynel, and starring Ivy Steinberg and David Conley
Beans, Beans, Beans by Tara Lyn Zynel and Courtney L. Smith
Directed by Vince Ventura, and Starring Kaitlin Mausser and Tara Lyn Zynel
Just as a recap for the parameters of the event, no writing was allowed on the play before 7pm on December 30. In order to make sure this didn't happen, there were two surprise elements that each play had to include, a mystery prop, and a line of dialogue. In this case, the mystery prop was a ukulele, and the line of dialogue, "What could possibly go wrong?" The writers made hilarious work of both prompts. For the three shows of the evening, all three performances were standing room only. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard on this production.
And of course, things keep rolling right into the new year on January 15th with the next installment of "My Dearest...": Thoughts From the Front- World War II. It is going to prove to be another exciting reading, and a fitting beginning to the new year, and a new era for Theatre Sans Serif. See you at the show!
-Andrew
Friday, December 17, 2010
December and the Holidays
First of all, Happy Holidays to everyone from Theatre Sans Serif. It's been a crazy year, and it's still going strong right until the stroke of Midnight New Year's Eve. We still have one more performance of A Christmas Carol, Sunday December 19th, in the English Nationality Room at the Cathedral of Learning. Then, things kick into high gear for the 24 Hour Theatre Experiment with First Night Pittsburgh.
From the website:
"4 Directors. 4 Writers. 8 Actors. And 24 Hours to create brand new theatre art. While a play may "normally" take weeks or months of writing and rehearsals, Theatre Sans Serif will be premiering 4 brand new (literally) one act plays. At 7 pm, the writers begin writing, and have 12 hours to complete the script. At 7 am, it's pencils down, as the directors and actors have 12 hours to memorize and rehearse, all in preparation for the 7 o'clock opening of the first show. Three showings only.
Performances at 7, 8:30 and 9:45 pm."
Also this month, we had our monthly reading series at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, where we were joined by author Alan Simon.
Finally, we completed the first performance of A Christmas Carol, an original reading to benefit the food bank at this time of year.
From the website:
"4 Directors. 4 Writers. 8 Actors. And 24 Hours to create brand new theatre art. While a play may "normally" take weeks or months of writing and rehearsals, Theatre Sans Serif will be premiering 4 brand new (literally) one act plays. At 7 pm, the writers begin writing, and have 12 hours to complete the script. At 7 am, it's pencils down, as the directors and actors have 12 hours to memorize and rehearse, all in preparation for the 7 o'clock opening of the first show. Three showings only.
Performances at 7, 8:30 and 9:45 pm."
Also this month, we had our monthly reading series at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, where we were joined by author Alan Simon.
Finally, we completed the first performance of A Christmas Carol, an original reading to benefit the food bank at this time of year.
Ivy Steinberg, Bob Scott, and David Conley
"My Dearest..." Thoughts From the Front, December 2010
David Conley, Bob Scott, Elizabeth Brinkley, and Tara Zynel
A Christmas Carol
Join us for the rest of this year's great programming, and get ready for next year! We'll be bringing you theatre like you've never seen it before!
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