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SOCIETY
OF REPEAT DEFENDERS EVENTS 2004-2008
Members of the SOCIETY
OF REPEAT DEFENDERS have exclusive opportunities to meet and
mingle with our community of artists, the Usual Suspects, season artists,
staff members and other supporters of NYTW. In many cases, they were
the first to hear breaking news on the Workshop or see a new work-in-progress.
Reservations required.
Past
Repeat Defenders Events
Tuesday,
June 10, 7:30pm-9pm
Wine & Cheese Reception – The Jenin
Freedom Theatre
Juliano
Mer Khamis, artistic director of the Jenin Freedom Theatre, and Dr.
Mervat Aiash, Board Chairperson, spoke about the current activities
of The Freedom Theatre, a children’s theatre program located in
the middle of the refugee camp in Jenin (Occupied Palestinian Territories).
Mer Khamis, a controversial actor, director and political activist,
created and directed the award-winning documentary “Arna’s
Children,” which shows his mother’s work with children in
Jenin and its destruction by the Israeli Army in 2002. Dr. Aiash, professor
of fine arts at the Arab American University in Jenin, provides an important
model for the girls in the theatre and is a link between the theatre
and the university community.
Monday,
June 9, 7pm
Presentation of THE BIG BOOT By Jenny Allen, directed
by James Lapine
Jenny
Allen’s work-in-progress, THE BIG BOOT, is her story of the harrowing
tailspin of being diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer -- and the
collateral damage of her illness on her family. But it’s funny
too. Jenny
Allen is a writer and performer, whose profiles, essays and reviews
have appeared for years in many magazines, including The New York Times,
New York, Esquire, and Vogue. James
Lapine, distinguished as both a writer and a director, has been nominated
for eleven Tony Awards, winning on three occasions. His work has also
been recognized with six Drama
Desk Awards, an Obie Award, and the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Ms. Allen and Mr. Lapine have been collaborating on THE BIG BOOT since
the summer of 2007and
showed their work-in-progress at White Oak in March of this year.
Friday,
May 23, 2008 6:45pm - 7:30pm
Special pre-show discussion in conjunction with THE PROGRAM.
David
Cote conducted a pre-show conversation with director John Collins about
THE SOUND AND THE FURY (APRIL SEVENTH, 1928). They discussed literature
on stage, adaptation and the work of Elevator Repair Service. THE PROGRAM
consists of Helen Shaw, David Cote and Jeffrey Jones - two reviewers
and a playwright-cultural critic-who want the widest possible audience
to feel welcome at the widest range of dramatically ambitious work.
Armed with pre-show discussions and supplementary dramaturgical materials,
THE PROGRAM roams from theater to theater, providing context to audiences
at selected experimental productions.
Monday,
May 12, 2008 7:30-9pm
NYTW 25: Two-and-a-Half Decades of Serving The Artist (Part
II)
The final
event in New York Theatre Workshop’s special series of 25th Anniversary
public programs continued the discussion of “workshop” initiatives,
with a focus on our Artists of Color Fellowships and our Companies-in-Residence
Programs. The panel was moderated by Moises Kaufman of Tectonic Theater
Project, and participants included Moe Angelos of the Five Lesbian Brothers,
John Collins of Elevator Repair Service, Ruben Polendo of MITU, Najla
Saïd of Nibras, and Chiori Miyagawa, who launched the first fellowships
at NYTW.
Tuesday,
April 22, 2008 6pm at New York Theatre Workshop.
Repeat
Defenders Evening at The Sound and the Fury
Join Artistic Director James Nicola, Repeat Defenders Chair Julie Denny,
and members of our artistic community for wine and hors d’oeuvres
at Cucina di Pesce (87 E. 4th Street) at 6pm, then attend the play at
7pm and stay for an AfterWords discussion.
Monday,
March 24, 2008 7:30-9pm Location: 79 East 4th Street
NYTW 25: Two-and-a-Half Decades of Serving the Artist
New York Theatre Workshop’s special series of twenty-fifth anniversary
public programs will be a discussion exploring the “workshop”
component of our activities.
February
26, 2008
Repeat Defenders Evening at Liberty City
Artistic Director James Nicola, Repeat Defenders Chair Julie
Denny and members of our artistic community gather for wine and hors
d'oeuvres, then attend the play and stay for a lively AfterWords post-performance
discussion.
January
29, 2008
Fireside Chat
A panel discussion exploring the social and political conditions that
fueled the 1980 Miami riots and the larger picture of black activism
in the latter half of the twentieth century featured Jessica Blank,
co-author and director of Liberty City; April Yvette Thompson,
co author and performer of Liberty City; Dr. Farah Jasmine
Griffin, Professor of English and Comparative Literature and African-American
Studies and Director of the Insitute for Research in African-American
Studies at Columbia University; and, April Silver, a social entrepreneur,
community leader, and writer who founded Akila Worksongs, a Brooklyn-based
organization that provides consulting services to artists and activits.
December
11, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at Beckett Shorts
Repeat Defenders mixed and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail hour at
Cucina di Pesce with Jim Nicola and several NYTW trustees. An AfterWords
discussion with Jennifer Tipton, Lighting Designer; Andreea Mincic,
Assistant Set Designer; Mirit Tal, Video Designer; Efran Delgadillo,
Technical Director followed the performance that evening. Download
a recording of that conversation
November 27, 2007
Fireside Chat
Director JoAnne Akalaitis and Composer Philip Glass discussed their
careers, collaborations and their work on NYTW’s production,
Beckett Shorts. Moderated by NYTW’s Associate Artistic Director,
Linda Chapman. Download
a recording of that conversation
November
5, 2007
NYTW
25 Special Anniversary Event: New Directors Project (1983-1989)
Alumni discussed the Workshop’s support of their early artistic
development and how it shaped their careers. Panelists included Liz
Diamond, David Esbjornson, Michael Greif, Brian Kulick, Jean Passanante,
Lisa Peterson, and Bartlett Sher.
October 22, 2007
Repeat Defenders Evening at the movies
In conjunction with the production of The Misanthrope, Repeat
Defenders and their guests attended a private showing of Ariane Mnouchkine’s
rarely seen 1978’s movie Molière.
October
9, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at The Misanthrope
Repeat Defenders attended a pre-theatre cocktail hour at Cucina di Pesce
with Jim Nicola and several NYTW trustees, where Jim opened the floor
to a theatrical Q & A! An AfterWords discussion with the cast of
The Misanthrope followed the performance that evening.
September 24, 2007
Opening Night of The Misanthrope
Repeat Defenders at the Courageous and Diligent levels attended the
opening performance of Ivo van Hove’s The Misanthrope,
and then joined the cast and creative team in the transformed 3rd Floor
Rehearsal Hall for cocktails, dinner, video and art installations, and
revelry.
September
5, 2007
Fireside Chat
Exploring Molière. In preparation for the production of The
Misanthrope, NYTW hosted a panel discussion exploring traditions
and innovations in the productions of Molière’s plays,
featuring two members of the NYU French faculty: Dr. Judith Miller,
Department Chair and specialist in French and Francophone theatre, Dr.
Benoît Bolduc, specialist in 17th century French history and performance,
as well as Bart Van den Eynde, Ivo van Hove’s dramaturg for the
production of The Misanthrope. Download
a recording of that conversation
July 31, 2007
Opening Night of The Black Eyed
Repeat Defenders at the Courageous and Diligent levels attended the
opening night performance, and then joined playwright Betty Shamieh,
director Sam Gold, the cast, and their celebrity guests at the after-party!
June 12, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at Horizon
Repeat Defenders mixed and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail hour at
Cucina di Pesce with Jim Nicola and several NYTW trustees. An AfterWords
discussion with the cast of Horizon followed the performance that evening.
Download a recording of that conversation.
May 7, 2006
The Benefits of Building Green
Sustainable design and construction for a better city. This town hall
meeting held at our theatre was open to Repeat Defenders, local arts
organizations, and other community members. Moderated by NYTW Managing
Director Lynn Moffat, panelists included NYTW’s architect Mitchell
Kurtz, Peter Blom of Con Edison Solutions, and Mark McCracken, who sits
on the board of the U.S. Green Building Council. Manhattan Borough President
Scott Stringer delivered the opening remarks.
May 5 & 6, 2007
ASWAT: Voices of Palestine Public Programs
The first
collaboration between NYTW and company-in-residence Nibras, an Arab-American
theatre collective, this reading and discussion series was produced
in partnership with the Drama Department at New York University, and
was held at the Loewe Theatre at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Eight
plays highlighting the Palestinian experience were read and discussed
over the course of two days. Repeat Defenders were invited to attend
along with NYTW Trustees, Members, and guests of Nibras and NYU.
April 30, 2007
Repeat Defenders Workshop Presentation: Sliding Into the
Beast
Repeat Defenders and Usual Suspects were invited to attend this exclusive,
one-night only performance. Sliding Into The Beast is a collaborative
project of New York University Graduate School of Drama students in
their second year, based on the book “Beast of No Nation”
by Uzodinma Iweala about child soldiers in Africa. The company tells
the tale in a “township-workshop style” theatrical form
that flourished in South Africa in the 1980’s.
April 15, 2007
Opening Night of All The Wrong Reasons
Repeat Defenders at the Courageous and Diligent levels attended the
opening night performance, and then joined John Fugelsang and his guests
at the after-party.
April 10, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at All the Wrong Reasons
Repeat Defenders mixed and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail hour at
Cucina di Pesce with Jim Nicola and several NYTW trustees. An AfterWords
discussion with John Fugelsang followed the performance that evening.
April 5, 2007
Fireside Chat
Theatrical Collaborators. NYTW Usual Suspect Anne Bogart hosted a lively
discussion with director Ivo van Hove, designer Jan Versweyveld, and
actress Elizabeth Marvel. Together with the Repeat Defenders, Usual
Suspects, and prominent members of the theatrical community, these artists
explored the remarkable creative process that Ivo, Jan, and Elizabeth
have developed together, shared the back-stage stories of favorite past
productions, and talked about their upcoming production of The Misanthrope
at NYTW in the 2007/08 Season. Download
an excerpt recording of that conversation
February 26, 2007
25th Anniversary Party And 365 Days/365 Plays
Repeat Defenders joined the members of NYTW’s artistic
community for an exclusive party celebrating our 25th Anniversary Season.
Attendees mingled with Usual Suspects, artists from our season productions,
and cut the 25th Anniversary cake. Also that evening, NYTW hosted a
night of readings for Susan-Lori Parks’ 365 Days/365 Plays
Festival, to which attending Repeat Defenders were invited.
February 6, 2007
Opening Night of All That I Will Ever Be. Repeat Defenders
donating at the Courageous and Diligent levels attend the opening night
performance, and then joined the cast and creative team for the after
party at Ludo Lounge.
January 30, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at All That I Will Ever Be
Repeat Defenders mixed and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail
hour at Cucina di Pesce. An AfterWords discussion with playwright Alan
Ball followed the performance that evening.
December 4, 2006
Opening Night of KAOS
Repeat Defenders donating at the Courageous and Diligent levels attend
the opening night performance of the Pirandello Project, and then joined
the cast and creative team at the party afterwards.
November 30, 2006
Fireside Chat
Theater Architecture. NYTW Architect Mitchell Kurtz, Artistic Director
Jim Nicola, and Managing Director Lynn Moffat discussed theatrical architecture
and NYTW’s evolving look. Beverages and snacks served in front
of a roaring fire!
November
21, 2006
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at KAOS
Repeat Defenders mixed and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail hour
at Cucina di Pesce with Martha Clarke and her collaborators, as well
as the staff and trustees of NYTW. An AfterWords discussion with the
creative team followed the performance that evening.
November
1, 2006
Dinner with Jim
Repeat Defenders at the Courageous level were invited to the home of
a fellow supporter for an intimate dinner with Artistic Director Jim
Nicola and Repeat Defender Chair Julie Denny, who shared the behind-the-scenes
stories of New York Theatre Workshop and its artists.
October
28, 2006
The Two Way Street: Immigration and the Individual
An important theme common to all of the plays the 2006/07 season
was how the individual is shaped by migration and movement. New York
Theatre Workshop, in sponsorship with the Vera List Center for Art and
Politics and the Wolfson Center for National Affairs at The New School,
presented an afternoon of two panels. The discussions addressed the
experiences of different immigrant groups in a multi-faceted way, with
speakers that included scholars, historians, community organizers, and
artists. Repeat Defenders received priority booking notice and complimentary
tickets.
October
17, 2006
Fireside Chat
International Collaborations. Up in the cozy 3rd Floor Rehearsal Room,
Giovanni Papotto, Italian dramaturg of Martha Clarke’s KAOS,
led a discussion with the four actors who have joined the production
from Italy to talk about the life of the Italian actor, and the vast
differences between the theatrical arts in America and Italy, including
funding, attendance, and artistic freedoms. Repeat Defenders and Usual
Suspects enjoyed refreshments and an engaging, intimate discussion with
these guest artists.
October
11, 2006
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at ¡El Conquistador!
Repeat Defenders met and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail hour at Cucina
di Pesce, our neighborhood hangout. An AfterWords discussion with the
show’s creators followed the performance that evening.
October 3, 2006
Opening Night of ¡El Conquistador!
Repeat Defenders at the Courageous and Diligent levels attended the
opening night performance of ¡El Conquistador!, and then
joined the cast and creative team at the celebration afterwards.
September
18, 2006
The Telenovela and The Media!
In partnership with the Colombian Consulate in New York, the Workshop
produced a panel featuring the creators of ¡El Conquistador!,
and several media scholars, including Hanna Rosin, staff writer at The
Washington Post and author of a recent New Yorker piece
on socially conscious telenovelas. Panelists explored the overwhelming
phenomenon of the telenovela in Colombia, and its influence on and shaping
of media images of Hispanic people.
May
16, 2006
Repeat Defenders Cocktail at columbinus
Pre-theatre cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the private dining
room of Cucina di Pesce with Artistic Director Jim Nicola. An AfterWords
discussion with the show’s co-authors, PJ Paparelli and Stephen
Karam followed the performance.
April
17, 2006
Repeat Defenders Exclusive Reading
Floodgate by Larry Gelbart, directed by Moises Kaufman. Larry Gelbart’s
satirical look at Washington’s investigation of the aftermath
of hurricane Katrina. The reading featured: Dylan Baker, Guy Boyd, Reed
Birney, Bob Dishy, Michael Emerson, Buck Henry, Judith Ivey, Pia Lindstrom,
Stuart Margolin, Bronson Pinchot, Remak Ramsay, David Rasche, Robert
Vaughn, and Harris Yulin.
April
11, 2006
Fireside Chat
Exploring Documentary Theatre. Repeat Defenders enjoyed snacks and wine
and heard from PJ Paparelli and Stephen Karam, co-authors of columbinus,
on the intricacies and challenges of drawing from real-life events to
create a theatrical discussion. The authors also spoke about their trips
to Littleton, CO. This fascinating discussion was moderated by The Civilians’
Steve Cosson.
February
7, 2006
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at The Seven
Pre-theatre cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at Cucina di Pesce, the
performance, and an exclusive AfterWords discussion with playwright
Will Power and director Jo Bonney.
January
12, 2006
Repeat Defenders Reading
NYTW hosted a reading of Aeschylus’s Seven Against
Thebes, directed by Kevin Kuhlke, the Chair of the Drama Department
at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Repeat Defenders were treated
to a fascinating talk NYU professor of classics Michael Peter Bolus,
who discussed the historical, social, and political context of the Greek
classic that inspired Will Power to create The Seven. The talk
was followed by the lively reading, performed by a stunning cast of
professional actors, and several undergraduate students from Tisch’s
Drama Department.
December
13, 2005
Fireside Chat
The Making of The Seven. As NYTW prepared for the January 2006
production of Will Power’s The Seven, Repeat Defenders,
Usual Suspects, and invited guests joined playwrights Charles L. Mee
and Power for a conversation about the many challenges and rewards of
adapting Greek mythology for contemporary audiences. Chuck interviewed
Will about his background, his path as an artist, and his upcoming projects.
This conversation became the basis for American Theatre’s
magazine March 2006 cover story on The Seven.
November
8, 2005
Repeat Defenders Cocktail at Bach at Leipzig
Pre-theatre cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at Cucina di Pesce,
the performance, and an exclusive AfterWords discussion with playwright
Itamar Moses and director Pam MacKinnon.
October
26, 2005
Dinner with Jim
Artistic Director Jim Nicola took several “Courageous” Repeat
Defenders out to an intimate dinner at Angus McIndoe’s restaurant
in midtown Manhattan. These outstanding supporters had the opportunity
to hear the behind-the-scenes stories of the Workshop, and met others
who share their commitment to the theatre, its artists, and its productions.
October
24, 2005
Fireside Chat
Historical Subjects, Contemporary Voices. This conversation with playwrights
Amy Freed (The Beard of Avon, Safe in Hell), Charles L. Mee
(Vienna:Lusthaus (revisited), Belle Époque), Itamar
Moses (Bach at Leipzig), and Doug Wright (Quills, I Am
My Own Wife), was moderated by NYTW Founding Trustee Stephen Graham.
The lively discussion explored the reasons these playwrights choose
historical subject matter to express their very contemporary points
of view.
October
3, 2005
Wine and cheese reception
The 2005 Act French Festival, which brought a season of new theatre
from France to New York City, drew an international crowd to the Workshop
when NYTW presented a staged reading of two contemporary English adaptations
of the works of the French comic master Marivaux, under the direction
of French director Marc Paquien. Repeat Defenders were invited to a
wine and cheese reception before the event.
September
19, 2005
Repeat Defenders Reading
What I Heard About Iraq: A Cry For 5 Voices. A stage version
of Eliot Weinberger's provocative article from The London Review
of Books, adapted by Simon Levy and directed by Michael John Garcés.
The play utilizes verbatim quotes from elected officials, military leaders,
American soldiers, and Iraqi citizens to explore the unfolding human
drama behind the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and was performed before an
audience of Repeat Defenders, Usual Suspects, and NYTW Board and Staff.
May
16, 2005
Cuban Arts Festival
Two special events presented in conjunction with the 3rd Annual Cuban
Arts Festival New York, showcasing two of the Workshop’s Usual
Suspects: Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas (a reading of his play Bird
in the Hand), and María Irene Fornés (a birthday
celebration, readings from selected plays, and a sneak preview of The
Rest I Make Up: Documenting Irene by Michelle Memran).
May
4, 2005
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at Score
Pre-theatre cocktails, the performance, and an exclusive AfterWords
discussion with Score creator Anne Bogart, the actor Tom Nellis
(who portrayed Leonard Bernstein in the piece), and Bernstein’s
daughter Jamie Bernstein Thomas.
April
18, 2005
Fireside Chat
How to Pick a Season. Hosted by Repeat Defenders Chair Julie Denny and
moderated by the Executive Director of Theatre Communications Group
Ben Cameron, this panel discussion with NYTW’s artistic staff
took Repeat Defenders on a step-by-step journey through the season selection
process.
April
12, 2005
Our Front Porch
Family Portraits from Queer America, presented at the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, with playwright Paul Rudnick
and New York City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez. The panel was hosted
by Usual Suspects Christopher Murray, a counselor at the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Community Center and the Co-President
of Lambda Independent Democrats, Brooklyn’s LGBT political club.
March
15, 22, and April 5, 2005
Hard Times with Mark Crispin Miller
Repeat Defenders and Usual Suspects were invited to join Miller as he
shared his latest piece, which focuses on the myths and the realities
of post-election America, in the intimate 4th Street Theatre.
March
29, 2005
Reading
Kenneth Jedding’s Time and the King, a new play exploring
ways that fascism takes a society by surprise, set in Germany in the
early twentieth century and America in the twenty-first. Trustees, Repeat
Defenders, and Usual Suspects were invited to attend.
March
7, 2005
An Evening with John Waters
Mr. Waters performed his one-man-show to a packed house at 79 East 4th
Street, and then opened up the floor to questions about his long and
fascinating career. Select supporters were invited to attend.
March
3, 2005
Workshop Presentation
The Seven, a work-in-progress. This Jonathan Larson
Lab focused on the new Hip-hop musical by Will Power based on Aeschylus’s
The Seven Against Thebes, directed by Jo Bonney. Select supporters
were invited to attend.
January
19, 2005
Fireside Chat
Designing for the Stage. Hosted by director Michael Greif (Rent),
with costume designer Gabriel Berry (A Number) and scenic designer
David Korins (Oedipus at Palm Springs).
November
22, 2004
Fireside Chat
NYTW Season Sampler for 2004/05. Artistic Director James Nicola’s
talks about the upcoming NYTW season with artists James Macdonald (A
Number), Mildred Ruiz, Steven Sapp, Paul Thompson (Eyewitness
Blues), and Mark Campbell (Songs from an Unmade Bed).
October
18, 2004
Stuff Happens
A staged reading of David Hare’s controversial Bush Administration
drama, featuring Len Cariou, Reg E. Cathey, John Guare, John Benjamin
Hickey, Arliss Howard, Donald Moffat, Gloria Reuben, Wallace Shawn,
and Debra Winger.
September
1, 2004
Republican National Convention
Mark Crispin Miller’s Patriot Act, a funny and frightening exposé
of threats to American democracy and freedom, plays to a packed house
at the 79 East 4th Street Theatre.
August
30 & 31, 2004
Republican National Convention
Reading of Tony Kushner’s Only We Who Guard the Mystery Shall
Be Unhappy with Holly Hunter, Cynthia Nixon and Lisa Kron. Repeat
Defenders received exclusive invitation to attend the RNC events.
May
24, 2004
Myths & Realities
The Homeless in New York City. A panel of experts, moderated by The
New York Times journalist Nina Bernstein, led the NYTW patrons and Usual
Suspects in a candid discussion of the city’s homelessness problem
in conjunction with the production of Kia Corthron’s moving story
of life on the streets, Light Raise the Roof.
Panelists included Steven Banks, Associate Attorney-in-Chief of the
Legal Aide Society; Mary Brosnahan Sullivan, the Executive Director
of the Coalition for the Homeless; Michael Hess, Senior Managing Partner
of Giuliani Partners; and Martin Oesterreich, the former Commissioner
of the Department of Homeless Services.
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