Storied

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Today we look at Storied, a dramedy for high schools and middle schools where three teenagers enter a magical dimension and are pulled into a conflict between Good and Bad Ideas from classic tales. Who is to blame for the bad idea? Over the course of their adventure, they encounter Alice and the White Rabbit from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Snow White’s formerly evil stepmother, the witch from Hansel and Gretel, Lady Macbeth, Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice, Santa Claus, and others. In an exploration of the nature of stories, characters, and the responsibilities of creators to their creations, the trio begins to wonder… could they be characters in a story themselves? Why did we publish this play? There’s lots to love about Storied. I love plays that take characters from one genre and put them in another. Elizabeth Bennett and Santa Claus aren’t supposed to be in the same play, but what happens when they are? I also love plays that take unexpected turns. This play has a lot of humour, a wild ride (not unlike Alice down the rabbit hole) but things don’t end well for every character. Storied takes its subject seriously and that’s what moves it to a whole new level in terms of quality. Well worth a read in terms of interesting characters and exposing students to a work that prompts a lot of discussion. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? Initially, I was drawn to the concept of a world populated by famous fictional characters because it gave me a big toy box to play in. But the toy box was so big that I was struggling to find a direction. But when it became apparent that I needed to kill off one of the main characters (because she was dominating the script more than I intended) the play suddenly found its direction as I began writing about the role of stories in life in death and the nature of the ideas that those stories contain. ** 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences.** Storytellers have a responsibility to respect their ideas, because ideas are real things. ** 3. What is the most important visual for you in this play?** A sniper in a tutu menacingly baring his soul to two teenagers while the body of the girl he just killed lies a few feet away. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Aside from the obvious-yet-I-can’t say-it-often-enough-because-it’s-such-a-common-problem “be loud enough for the audience to hear you,” I would have to say, “There’s a lot going on in this play–crazy outlandish stuff and really big, deep ideas–but it all coheres in the end. So embrace the absurdity, embrace tragedy, and give it all 110%.” 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Storied offers powerful acting moments and challenges students to rethink how they view the act of artistic creation.

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays For…Ensembles! It’s not about the leads and the chorus, it’s about the ensemble. The definition of the word ensemble is to have parts that come together as a whole and are only considered in relation to the whole. It’s all about working together to make a great production. Here are 10 plays that explore the concept of the ensemble. Click the link and you’ll be taken to the webpage for each play. There you’ll get the details and read sample pages. All the best with your search! The Blue and the Grey This play starts with the sound of drumming and the words of Walt Whitman. This sets the tone of the play and lets us know what to expect. This is the work of the ensemble. In this play of ghosts, the past, and those left behind – The ensemble creates the aural world in The Blue and the Grey – haunting, necessary. Finishing Sentences Sometimes an ensemble is needed to populate the world of the play. In Finishing Sentences Kendra finds herself surrounded by camp life – that’s what the ensemble provides. And besides, you can’t have a colour war without them! (even if the blue team can’t get their chant together) Storied Quite often, the world of the play is, well, out of this world. It’s built in the imagination of the playwright, and in order for the audience to buy in, they need to see characters who also buy into the world. Storied takes place in a magical dimension inhabited by characters from fiction. Everyone from Javert to Santa Claus to Elizabeth Bennett lives there. The ensemble is crucial to the audience leaving the real world behind as they watch the play. The Happiness Shop In this play an ensemble of “Roppets” – robot puppets litter the stage. They are on stage for the entire play. They visual demonstrate “happiness.” They smile, they laugh, they hi-five all the time. It isn’t creepy at all. Aren’t middle schoolers happy all the time? They’re too young to have problems…. The Scarlet Heart The Scarlet Heart is a commedia dell’arte piece which can be played as scripted or off of scenarios. To play off a scenario means a group really has to know each other, listen to each other, improv often together. They’ll have to become a true ensemble. Being Bianca: The Semi Complete Guide Being Bianca has a huge cast – it can include up to 50 actors. And that means everyone has to be on the same page and working toward the same goal. Bianca has to do some community service. She decides the best service is to teach the world what it’s like to be her. Who wouldn’t want to be Bianca? Ariadne’s Thread: The Adventures of Theseus and the Minotaur Ariadne’s Thread has an ensemble in the classical sense of the word – a greek chorus. Again it’s all about creating the world of the play and in this tale of Minotaur’s and mazes the greek chorus observes and comments. They are the voice of the audience and they share that voice in perfect unison. Stupid is Just 4 2day We can’t avoid stupidity. It happens. To everyone! But it’s just temporary. The characters in this vignette play are all named after orchestra instruments. And that’s because all the transition pieces are performed like music rather than theatre. Everyone speaks, and gestures in unison. Win the Best Ensemble award! Chemo Girl Camille is given a video game system from her mom as a form of recovery therapy for cancer. The ensemble creates the video game for Camille as she is drawn into the world and takes on the name “Chemo Girl.” Think video games can’t be done in the theatre? The ensemble makes it happen. Anonymous In Anonymous everyone is just trying to get along, get by, make themselves heard. It’s hard when you don’t have a face or a voice. The teens in this play have no names because they’re everyone. The ensemble brings this theme to life.

Episode 20: Bradley Walton InterviewCraig spoke with playwright Bradley Walton at the Virginia Theatre Association Conference. Bradley talks about how he started out as cartoonist and transformed into a writer.