Hot Topic, Hot Links

Posted by DCA Theater on October 5, 2009 in July-December 2009 Season, INCUBATOR Series: LiveWire Chicago Theatre

by Joshua Aaron Weinstein, director of Lower Debt

“One holds property only by the courtesy of those who do not seize it.” - Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

“Lower Debt” takes place in the here and now, present day America.  With the current economic crisis and its residual effects touching us all, “Debt” intends to mirror this place in time and tell the story of a group of citizens who have no other place to live except in a tent or on the ground atop a vacant lot beneath the scorching sun out west.  The collective of artists involved in the workshop were tasked with an assignment over the past couple days to bring in stories, articles, music, pictures, videos, etc., to expand the conversation that the characters in the play spark.  We’ll continue to bring in resources over the course of the process.  Below are some of the links we’ve gathered together that aims to inspire and guide us as we sprinkle texture and add depth to the piece.

AP Article:

In hard times, tent cities rise across the country

NY Times Article:

Aware of the Homeless? Well, You Could Say That

Time Article from 1975:

Can Capitalism Survive?

Chicago Public Radio Story:

Homeless in Chicago: Calling a Patch of Grass ‘Home’

Documentary Clip:

Dark Days by Mark Singer

Poem:

Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes

Additional resources can be found at the LiveWire blog

“Lower Debt” Workshop Day #1

Posted by DCA Theater on October 2, 2009 in July-December 2009 Season, INCUBATOR Series: LiveWire Chicago Theatre

by Joshua Aaron Weinstein, director of Lower Debt and Executive Director of LiveWire Chicago Theatre

“He that dies pays all debts.” - The Tempest (3.2)

Welcome!  LiveWire Chicago Theatre is extremely grateful for the opportunity to workshop “Lower Debt,” a new play in development by Joshua Aaron Weinstein here at the Chicago DCA Theater.  Below are a few pics from our first day and already the conversation is flowing…

...And the community is growing together.  Check back here often over the next couple weeks as we offer a behind the scenes look at the process of melding our collective mind around this piece.

More pics of our first day can also be found on our LiveWire blog.

Post mortem

Posted by DCA Theater on October 1, 2009 in July-December 2009 Season, INCUBATOR Series: Striding Lion Interarts Workshop

by Karen Louis, co-director

Ah, DCA, parting is such sweet sorrow…

Striding Lion InterArts Workshop thanks you from the very bottom of our hearts for this month of free space, and the opportunity to come together to develop new work for this upcoming season!

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The big shebang

Posted by DCA Theater on September 29, 2009 in July-December 2009 Season, INCUBATOR Series: Striding Lion Interarts Workshop

by Karen Louis, co-director

Well, here it is! The big shebang! The fruit of a months labor in incubation! The juggle of scripts, pieces and play are in order and ready to go! 

We are waiting, and we have plans…big plans…

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Final week

Posted by DCA Theater on September 24, 2009 in July-December 2009 Season, INCUBATOR Series: Striding Lion Interarts Workshop

by Karen Louis, Pioneers co-director

During our final full week of the INCUBATOR series, we lions have collected images and ideas from our environment, written our personal perspectives gleaned from observation and layered with experience, structured bits and pieces of performance and songs, and have come to the place where we are facing the final showcase with anticipation and excitement and the empty stage.

There is something exciting and daunting about walking into a theatre, as a performer, and greeting the space in which you are about to texture.  This is the blank canvas, and the work has been done to prepare to fill it.  The initial sight can bring a quick twinge in the stomach, a jump in the chest, and a moment to center and breathe.

There is also something about walking into a space and finding tables full of wigs, props and costumes.

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