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The works of Käthe Kollwitz, an artist and activist of great renown today, were labeled degenerate during the Nazi regime. Wendall, branded a sexual degenerate, joins a subversive group that makes copies of condemned paintings to save the originals. He and Käthe become friends and support each other in their causes. 8 actors. Produced at The Invisible Theatre in Tucson, Arizona.
“A powerful examination of the social and artistic oppression many faced during the Nazi regime, is told with an intriguing blend of history and imagination.” “A beautiful piece of work about a wretched time in history.” “Pointedly proves that concerns about artistic freedom, the oppression of homosexuals, women’s rights and abortion may never be moot.”
34 brief, dramatic moments in the life of Peggy Guggenheim, a famous collector of modern art. Peggy was a colorful and conflicted character; she was married several times, had an affair with Samuel Beckett, and had a tumultuous relationship with her children. Peggy was, in many was, a contradictory character; she was generous and tight-fisted, opinionated and open to suggestions, forgiving and a bearer of grudges. She was intimate friends with a vast assortment of famous American and European artists and writers. 6 actors.
“The Collection was stunning. Truly. I just love how the paintings were physically used in [the] storytelling. Bravo.” "This [is] a very intense and significant work.” “The plot strands reach across the timeline of her life, characters return, themes see different treatments and updates, and the writing stays smart, pushing the scenes to satisfying conclusions.” “We loved it—the writing, acting and stage setting were superb!” “The play was fabulous, fascinating, and beautiful, standing room only, sold out everywhere it is being shown.” “Am still reveling in that wonderful production! My friends were thrilled, too. Truly amazing!” “[The] incorporation of the art was ingenious.” “It is brilliant and wonderfully performed.” “A home run”
Tobias, a playwright, is exiled from Athens after he assaults Sophocles. Accompanied by his wife and children, Tobias travels though time with his cart of belongings. The family is transformed by the characters they meet: Strangers with Red Hands, Merchants on the Silk Road, Godot and his Nurse, Van Gogh’s Roommate, Lord Elgin, The Weird Sisters, and a Comedia Dell’arte Troupe. A celebration of theatrical conventions and characters. 7 actors. Winner: Art Inspires Grant.
“This is a complex and multi-layered play. You don’t need to know the details of time and place to experience it on the level of the story of a family evolving through its experiences.” “Writer-director Schnupp has a knack for the uncanny.”
The natives of an idyllic island have been enslaved by a band of foreigners. When the island begins to sink into the sea, King Egar, the hedonistic ruler, ignores the crisis as pandemonium ensues. 14 actors.
“A hilarious, bawdy, socially conscious play about a people moved to desperate measures when faced with disaster.” “A wonderful fantasy…absolute, sheer fun.”
A collage of six classic myths with a contemporary twist: Medusa, who turns men into stone, Daedalus, sculptor and builder of the labyrinth, Zeus, whose father was tricked into swallowing a stone, Orpheus, whose music animates stones, Prometheus, bound to a rock for his generosity, and Teiresias, who was transformed into a woman after tossing a pebble at a snake. 9 actors.
“Genuinely creative, modern and well performed.” “An eighty-minute review of classic mythology…as clear as Cassandra’s crystal ball. In a Herculean performance by just nine thespians, the scores of characters are surprisingly easy to follow.”
Dr. Roth, a neurotic scientist, travels the world to isolated research stations with his crew of misfits. The doctor’s wife, a crazed but insightful poet, accompanies them. While on assignment excavating toads, a bizarre stranger arrives; this visitor wields absolute power over the group, prompting them to reveal horrific secrets. 7 actors. Produced at the American Theatre of Actors in New York City. Produced by Ivy Productions at Walkerspace in New York City.
Daedalus is a gifted sculptor and celebrated inventor who designed the labyrinth. The real source of Daedalus’ inspiration, however, is his saucy model, Lydia. His son, Icarus, is a sweet and insightful simpleton. His agent, Takus, is an ineffective capitalist. His most loyal customer, King Minos, plagues him with unusual demands. What more could go wrong - imprisonment, a misguided escape and life as a fugitive. A comic saga of a man who creates problems that others must solve. 10 actors.
It is 2012. In the small town of Mayhem, a committee of ten eccentric people meet in city hall. Their task is to plan the celebration of their town’s anniversary. Among their duties, they are to design a time capsule, select items to be placed into the capsule and plan the internment ceremony. As they deliberate, the characters reveal secret passions, obsessions, prejudices and repressed rage. They also commit acts of kindness and generosity in the midst of identifying the soul and character of their town. 10 actors.
A collection of eight folk tales from around the world. One is performed with marionettes; one is presented as a shadow puppet piece. 8 or more actors.
“Merrywinkle possesses a special charisma” “Schnupp’s inimitable sense of humor and style.” “Its characters are ageless.” “The stories are laced with enchanting spells, tales of trickery, rogues and trolls, heroes and heroines.”
Maxie convinces her husband, Zero, to campaign for leader of their country. With Horace as Campaign Manager, the trio embarks on a whirlwind of fundraising, cover-ups, debates, makeovers and scams. Meanwhile, Inspector Oodles assumes a variety of disguises to uncover the true identity of Zero and his cohorts. An outrageous fable, in the spirit of King Ubu, that lampoons politics. The dialogue is filled with invented words and malapropisms. 10 actors. 14 scenes. Presented at KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival) Region 8 Festival.
“Totally zany and delightful.” “An incredible play.” “A brilliant story that emphasizes the role that sex, money, and media play in controlling a society’s opinion and eventually their vote.” “Truly resonates the ideas and flaws of the current political conventions.” “Outrageously creative.” “A wonderful fantasy….it’s absolute, sheer fun.” “A not-to-be-missed affair.”
The amazing journey of legendary artist and activist, Ivy Bottini. Ms. Bottini, an Art Director for Newsday, was married for sixteen years and had two children. She became involved in the women’s movement and was co-founder of the NYC Chapter of NOW (National Organization for Women). After coming out as a lesbian, Ms. Bottini was expelled from NOW, at the urging of Betty Friedan. Ivy moved to Los Angeles and continued her activism. She fought California Proposition 6 (A initiative to expel gay and lesbian teacher from the classroom) and Proposition 64(A initiative to identify persons who were HIV+ and possibly quarantine them). She toured the country with a one-woman show, and hosted the radio show, “It’s a Gay Life.” Ms. Bottini is the recipient of the Morris Knight Lifetime Achievement Award and has been profiled in the film, “On These Shoulders We Stand.” The play is written in rhyming couplets and features 17 poems/songs.
“Amazing work. I so enjoyed the script (so well-crafted), story, acting and choreography/blocking – remarkable! Kudos!” “Opening night was incredible…the audience was so supportive.”
A group of young adults react to the shooting death of their friend, Trevor. Although their reactions vary - from destructive behavior to brutal honesty to political activism - they support each other with acts of kindness and courage.
An adaptation of the brilliant drama by Sophocles. The play about civil disobedience is interwoven with letters from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; these letters are haunting, gripping mementos, prayers and expressions of grief. A portrait of loss, honor and reconciliation. 12 actors.
“A stunningly beautiful and powerful production.” “A brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed production…very powerful and deeply moving.” “The most moving performance I have ever attended.” “I left feeling really sentimental and touched, but more than anything, really patriotic.” “Moving and heartfelt.” “Schnupp’s adaptation so gracefully dances.”
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