PEP | Performers Exchange Project

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Some PEPsters have been busy this summer working on THE MADWOMAN PROJECT, directed by Kay Ferguson. Siân and Kara are performing, and Martha led the ensemble in physical and vocal training. The text is the 1943 French satire, The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giradoux. It’s been a pleasure to have the time to train on a regular basis, and to collaborate with a strong team of talented artists, some we’ve known a long time, some we’ve never worked with before.

NOW THROUGH SEPT 30.
Note early start time in the evenings
6pm Thursdays-Saturdays
+ 2pm Sunday matinees on Sept 16th & 30th

You can catch Act 1 for FREE on the Downtown Mall (corner of 3rd ST NE), and then follow the parade to The Haven on Market St for Act 2. Pay-What-You-Can at the door only. Suggested Donation $20 (half of all proceeds go to the Haven).  In case of rain, Act I will be in the Haven as well.

Here is the website with performance times/dates, photos, text about the vision, the process, bios of the performers and production team, etc.
www.madwomanproject.org

If you are in the Charlottesville VA area in September, come check out a performance!

Hello friends-

Here is an update on the current projects of PEP. We are not working on a group project at the moment, but we still have some irons in the fire.

Our very own Doreen has wrapped up all her hard work on her MFA in Shakespeare and Performance at Mary Baldwin College, which culminated in her first foray into film. Her thesis project was a silent black and white film based on Shakespeare’s A Winters Tale. Kara and Siân got the chance to participate in the roles of Hermione and Paulina. As a result of all her efforts, Doreen has been hired to create a brand new position at Mary Baldwin College, as the Company Manager/Director of Training for the Master of Letters in Shakespeare/Performance program. We are so thrilled and can’t wait to see the work she will make with the masters students there.

In June, Siân, Martha and Kara began work on The Madwoman Project, directed by Kay Ferguson. You might remember Kay as our guest performer for the initial run of Our American Ann Sisters at Live Arts in Charlottesville. Now she is producing and directing this new project and will be working with her cast of six through the summer to build a show that opens in September in Downtown Charlottesville. Martha is working with the actors on physical and vocal training, work that is based on the training she and Siân originally learned and worked with as company members of Theatre Du Jour in Washington D.C. As I write this, the cast (including Sian and Kara) and designers are hard at work. It is a huge luxury to get to spend time four nights a week training!

Jennifer has been working as Executive Director of CLAW USA for the last year.  CLAW, the philanthropic, theatrical ladies arm wrestling league that started here in Charlottesville (Founded by Jennifer and our friend Jodie Plaisance) in 2008, has sprouted leagues all over the country, which, collectively, have raised over $200,000 for donation to women’s organizations and projects. Just this month, the first annual SUPER CLAW, a smack down between all CLAW USA’s member leagues, took place in Charlotttesville and raised over $12,300 to be split among the eight wrestlers’ chosen causes.

Last November, Martha received a grant from the Winston-Salem, NC area Arts Council to publish her 60-minute version of Romeo and Juliet.  The book, titled The Shakespeare Guru’s Guide to Getting Shakespeare Alive offers tips aimed at teachers and directors for bringing Shakespeare’s plays in general and Romeo and Juliet in particular to life in a classroom or on stage.  It is now available online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Clearly, the PEPsters have a lot brewing.  We will do our best to keep you up to date on all  the details…

Happy new year everyone!

Sian, Jennifer and Kara will be performing in THE UNEARTHING, an international exchange and site-specific installation dance theater performance directed by our friend and colleague Zap McConnell. She is an extremely creative and inspired director, choreographer, installation artist and activist. Her work is always worth experiencing. Come see us!

Wed- Sun Feb. 1-5
Wed- Sun Feb 8-12
8pm
Charlottesville, VA in the old gymnasium at the Ix complex downtown, next to PlayOn Theatre.

Here is the website for info about the project, specific dates/times and how to buy tickets:
http://www.theunearthing.com/

If you are in the area, I hope you can check it out.
love, PEP