Poetic Theater Productions is an NYC theater company working with poets & playwrights to create a visceral, poetic theater

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Goliath Tour kicks off on Veterans Day!

Submitted by Alex Mallory
on Wed, 11/07/2012 - 11:43

Goliath will have its first tour performance in honor of Veterans Day on November 11th at the recently renovated Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center in Orange County, NY. 

Friend and Vietnam veteran Everett Cox wrote a beautiful letter published in the Warwick Advertiser urging the community to see the show in honor of our country's veterans. The original article can be found here. 

'Honor the Sacrifice'  published in The Warwick Advertiser Letters to the Editor on Nov 6, 2012


The play “Goliath” will be performed Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center. 

Honor a vet by seeing it. 

Honor a vet by bringing a vet with you. 

It is not for children but older teens, especially those considering enlistment, would learn much.

It may be silence and invisibility more than PTSD killing our vets.

Silent vets. 

Silent families. 

Silent communities. 

Silent nation. 

Eighteen suicides a day. One every 80 minutes; 65,000 suicides a year.

There is always a war after the war, after every war. 

Goliath is based on the true story of a young American soldier in Iraq but much of it also tells every soldier’s story. Every day there are vets going to their graves with their stories never told or heard. Please don’t let silence dig their graves. There are an estimated 28,000 vets in Orange County. Most are silent. Most are invisible. 

We, as a nation, are constantly at war, but we don’t talk about it much. The personal silence of vets is compounded by the silence of communities and of the nation. Not talking about the consequences of war in our lives – and it affects most of us – perpetuates the culture of war.

The sign on the door at Walter Reed Army Hospital reads: “I gave my face for my country. What did you do?” 

What does it mean to serve your nation, to defend your country, to go to war? 

It begins with the word service. Choosing to serve your country in the military is a very complex decision, one that often affects us the rest of our lives. Goliath explores the war before the war, the war and then the war after the war with great insight and respect. 

If you have a vet in your family, if you love a vet, if you honor vets go see Goliath. Take a vet with you. The performance will be followed by a discussion.

Speaking and writing about the unspeakable begins to transform the unspeakable, take away its power to silence. 

Please see the play. Please talk about it. 

Silence and invisibility after war is often self-destructive. There are 30,000 military coming home from Afghanistan between now and Christmas. 

How are you going to greet them? 

With a cliché? “Thanks for your service”

Honor the sacrifice. Ask about the positives. Engagement is key. Reach out. Keep reaching out. Bring a vet home for a meal. Ask your religious leaders to not only take the time to publicly acknowledge veterans but to set some time aside to meet and greet.

Maybe our towns and villages could issue special wrist bands or buttons for vets. Wearing one would be an invitation to talk. Many vets do not want to self-identify but with some encouragement might. 

Some veterans can’t speak for themselves and some speak so quietly we may not hear them. Please, dear civilians, do not be deaf or blind to them. May the eyes and ears of our hearts be open to vets.

Everett Cox

Monroe

 

For November 11th show details, visit sugarloafpac.org

Vote for GOLIATH for the New York Innovative Theatre Awards!

Submitted by Alex Mallory
on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 12:32

New York IT Awards

Our production of Goliath is registered with the New York Innovative Theatre Awards. We are eligible for several awards listed below. You can vote for us at www.nyitawards.com. Just click “Cast Your Vote”! 

Outstanding Production of a Play
Outstanding Short Script Takeo Rivera
Outstanding Director of Play: Alex Mallory
Outstanding Lighting Design: Brad Peterson
Outstanding Ensemble Performance
Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role: Nabil Viñas
Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role: Dontonio Demarco
Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role: Kenneth Heaton
Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role: Edgar Eguia
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role: Monique Paige
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role: Samantha Cooper
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role: Natalia Duong
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role: Iliana Inocencio

Voting will be open until June 10th. 

One more week to catch Goliath before its gone! Get your tickets now!

 

Goliath Trailer

Submitted by Alex Mallory
on Sat, 05/05/2012 - 20:55

Watch now!

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Poetic Theater Productions Remounts GOLIATH, 5/23-6/3

Submitted by Alex Mallory
on Thu, 05/03/2012 - 23:22

 

Poetic Theater Productions remounts Goliath by Takeo Rivera, recipient of the 2011 Planet Connections Award for Outstanding Overall Production of a New Play, May 23rd-June 3rd at the Wild Project (195 E 3rd St). Goliath is once again directed by Alex Mallory (2011 Planet Connections Award for Outstanding Direction) and features return ensemble members Samantha Cooper, Dontonio Demarco, Natalia Duong, Edgar Eguia and Monique Paige (2011 Planet Connections Award for Outstanding Ensemble) and newcomers Kenneth Heaton, Iliana Inocencio and Nabil Viñas. The production features lighting design by Brad Peterson, fight choreography by Jim Cairl and stage management by Sarah Livant.

Told from seven different perspectives, Goliath tells the tale of one young soldier’s war story, from home to the front and back again. Using a poetic landscape inspired by Ntozake Shange, a Greek chorus and spoken word in the style of Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry, Goliath is a theatrical meditation on war and masculinity; a glimpse into what we do during times of war and of what it means to love when violence is part of the norm.

Goliath was previously presented as part of the 2011 Planet Connections Theatre Festivity where it received five awards including Outstanding Production of a New Play, Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Playwriting, Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress, and Outstanding Lighting Design. Goliath was named to Show Showdown’s Top Ten of 2011.

Poetic Theater Productions is a New York theater company working with poets and playwrights to create a visceral, poetic theater. Founded in 2010, the company has worked with more than 200 artists and presented work by 75 poets and playwrights. Past productions include Caroline Rothstein’s faith and Eboni Hogan’s Foreign Bodies for Culture Project’s Women Center Stage 2012 Festival and a workshop production of Edward McWilliams’ Underground for Poetic License, the company’s annual festival of new poetic theater. For more information visit www.poetictheater.com.

Poetic Theater Productions is partnering with Drew Cameron and the Combat Paper Project to present art created from military uniforms and other threads in the theater’s art gallery throughout the run. Poetry written by war veterans as part of Warrior Writers, a community of military veterans, service members and allies, will be presented before each performance.

Goliath runs May 23 - June 3, Wed. - Sat. 7:00pm, Sun. 3:00pm. The Wild Project is located at 195 E. 3rd Street b/w Aves A. & B. Tickets are $18, available on OvationTix at http://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/913252 or by calling 866-811-4111. For more information visit www.poetictheater.com/goliath.

Tickets for U.S. Veterans and active military are $5. An additional performance of Goliath will be presented on Memorial Day also at 7PM. Veterans can receive free tickets to the Memorial Day performance by RSVPing to [email protected].

 

 

March4Word 2012

Submitted by Jeremy Karafin
on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 19:29

 
Monday, March 12th, we present our annual showcase of the year ahead!  This year marks a special milestone as we preview our entire 2012 season! 
March4Word 2012
Monday, March 12, 8PM at the Wild Project - 195 E 3rd St
 
Tickets are $25, VIP tickets available for $100. All ticket sales go directly toward costs for the show of your choosing! 
 
Featuring excerpts from:
faith by Caroline Rothstein
Foreign Bodies by Eboni Hogan
Goliath by Takeo Rivera
Underground by Edward McWilliams
black girls don't smile mosaic in front of strangers by Mahogany L. Browne
and more! 
 
Performers include Keith Alexander, Mahogany L. Browne, Samantha Cooper, Dontonio Demarco, Natalia Duong, Edgar Eguia, Kenneth Heaton, Eboni Hogan, Joell Jackson, Wade Ray, Caroline Rothstein, Candace Tabbs, Nabil Viñas, and more. 

Love, Redefined Tonight!

Submitted by Alex Mallory
on Sat, 02/25/2012 - 13:28

non-commercial, non-traditional love. 

Don't miss Love, Redefined tonight at 8PM at the Wild Project - 195 E 3rd St! 

Get your tickets online now or buy them at the door - only $10! 

Join us for a thrilling One Night Only evening of new work with inspiration from Pablo Neruda, Audre Lorde, William Shakespeare, Sappho, Rumi and more created and performed by 40 wonderful poets, playwrights, choreographers, directors, composers and performers!

Featuring:

Poets: Suzen Baraka, Aziza Barnes, Mahogany L. Browne, Lorraine Currelley, Darian Dauchan, Brian “Omni” Dillon, Ishmael “Ish” Islam, Joell Jackson, Iris A. Law, Mindy Levokove, Hjordy’s Matos, Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai, William Lowell Von Hoene, Leal Vona
Playwrights: Mickey Bolmer, Megan Cohen, Kate Foster, Christine J. Schmidt
Composers: Jeremiah Bornfield, Thomas Deneuville
Directors/Choreographers: Nicolette Dixon, Natalia Duong, Rachel Klein, Sara Lyons, Daniel Roberts
Performers: Kilusan Bautista, Dana Berger, Ashley Bozian-Murtha, Andrew Casanova, Samantha Cooper, April Dayok, Flor De Liz Perez, Dontonio Demarco, Eden Foster, Teniece Divya Johnson, Joe Munley, Brisa Areli Munoz, Robyn Neilsen, Sara Hunter Orr, Wade Ray, Jennifer Rabbitt Ring, James Sprang, Quinn Warren

 

A few quotes:

"kiss/ to kiss/ kissing/ a conjugation worth consider ing" - Mahogany L. Browne, "conjugate", performed by Teniece Divya Johnson

"I am always no more than the body that gave your ghost away" - Brian “Omni” Dillon, "Sonnet One", performed by Kilusan Bautista

"I'm sick of complaining about parties that lasted too long, part time work that lasted too long, I want to complain about life lasting too long, or not lasting long enough" - Kate Foster, "In Winter", performed by Samantha Cooper

 

GOLIATH on two Best Of 2011 Lists!

Submitted by Alex Mallory
on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 20:57

GOLIATH was listed in two end-of-year "Best Of" lists!

Wendy Caster's Top Ten of 2011 on Show Showdown: 
http://showshowdown.blogspot.com/2011/12/wendys-top-ten-of-2011.html

and David Lawson's 20 Productions I Loved in 2011:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/david-lawson/20-productions-i-loved-in-20...

So proud of everyone involved!! Three more chances to see GOLIATH Jan 4, 7 & 8 at the Wild Project!! 

GOLIATH nominated for TEN Planet Connections Awards!

Submitted by Alex Mallory
on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 16:50
We are incredibly proud of the whole cast and crew on receiving TEN Planet Connections Award Nominations for GOLIATH!
 
OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION OF A NEW PLAY
OUTSTANDING PLAYWRITING FOR A NEW SCRIPT (Takeo Rivera)
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION (Alex Mallory)
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE (Samantha Cooper, Dontonio Demarco, Natalia Duong, Edgar Eguia, M. Scott Frank, Elmer King and Monique Paige)
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY (M. Scott Frank)
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY (Monique Paige)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY (Elmer King)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY (Samantha Cooper)
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Brad Peterson)
PLANET ACTIVIST AWARD for our work with VFW's Operation Uplink, Urban Word NYC and Warrior Writers
 
Click here to see the full nomination list.
Winners will be announced Sunday, July 24th.

GOLIATH Opens! And the press is excited!

Submitted by Jeremy Karafin
on Fri, 06/03/2011 - 07:34

GOLIATH is a New York Times Community Affairs "Pick of the Week"!

Playbill.com says "GO see Goliath"!


GOLIATH is an "Editors' Pick" in the Lantern Review: A Journal of Asian American Poetry!
 
"Powerful... I urge you to see this play. It’s not something you want to miss!" - Lantern Review

GOLIATH opened Wednesday June 1st at the Robert Moss Theater.  Wade Ray and Quinn Warren started the evening by reading poems written by Iraq War veterans from the Warrior Writers Project. GOLIATH's first performance started and ended with a bang- and met with powerful audience responses, including laughter, tears and some great post-show conversations.

6 more performances.  Get Your Tickets Now!
9:00 PM - Sat, June 4th - Featuring Special Guest Poet Akua Doku
1:15PM - Sun, June 5th - Featuring a Special Guest Poet
6:15PM - Tue, June 7th - Featuring Special Guest Poets from Urban Word NYC
6:15PM - Sat, June 11th - VFW - Operation Uplink Benefit Performance
4:00PM - Thu, June 16th - Featuring Special Guest Poets from Urban Word NYC
2:00PM - Sat, June 18th - Includes Post Show Discussion with Playwright Takeo Rivera

Donate Now!

Poetic Theater Productions is fiscally sponsored by The Field, meaning that all donations are tax-deductible. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!