Theater Labrador Inc

THEATRICAL PRODUCTION OF NEW PLAYS BY WOMEN AND TRANS/GENDER-NONCONFORMING ARTISTS.

MAJOR ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES. IN SUMMER 2020, WE BEGAN TO HEAR FROM ARTISTS THAT, AFTER THE FIRST CONFUSING MONTHS OF SHUTDOWN, THEY WERE READY TO CREATE AGAIN. SINCE THEIR NASCENT PROJECTS TOOK MANY FORMS, WE DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A TIERED STRUCTURE OF ARTISTIC FEES AND COMMISSIONS, PERMITTING US TO RAPIDLY SAY "YES" TO COMPELLING IDEAS THAT KEPT ARTISTS FEELING CREATIVE, PRODUCTIVE, AND SIMPLY LIKE THEMSELVES. THIS DIRECT SUPPORT OF ARTISTS AND THEIR RECONFIGURED INGENUITY LED TO A SURPRISINGLY VIBRANT SLATE OF PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT IN FY21.THIS INCLUDED: A VIDEO "CALLING CARD" FOR LEGERDEMAN, BY LYNN ROSEN, DIRECTED BY JULIE KRAMER. LEGERDEMAIN, A NEW PLAY DEVELOPED IN OUR AUDREY RESIDENCY PROGRAM, WAS EASILY RE-CONCEIVED AND REWRITTEN FOR A PANDEMIC CONTEXT (IT'S AN ODD AND FUNNY PLAY ABOUT LONELINESS AND ISOLATION); LYNN AND JULIE CONVENED THEIR ORIGINAL CAST TO MAKE AN HOUR-LONG VIDEO EXCERPT FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTRODUCING THE PLAY TO THEATERS AROUND THE COUNTRY; JANUARY 2021 (PRODUCERS). AN INITIAL ITERATION OF 1ST AND 15TH BY DAAIMAH MUBASHSHIR. IN THIS DIGITAL PROJECT, SHORT MOVING-IMAGE WORKS BASED ON DAAIMAH'S EVERYDAY AFROPLAY {EDAP} WERE PRESENTED TO A SMALL AUDIENCE THE PLAYWRIGHT SURVEYED AND SELECTED ON THE 1ST OF EACH MONTH; ON THE 15TH, ART MAKERS AND ART TAKERS CAME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT: ART; FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 (START-UP SUPPORT/MENTORSHIP). DREAM/HOME, AN OBJECT- AND MAP-BASED THEATRICAL EXPLORATION OF YOUR OWN HOME AND SURROUNDINGS CONCEIVED AND DIRECTED BY EMERIE SNYDER; AS PART OF POST THEATRICAL, A NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PLAYS BY MAIL; APRIL 2021 (CO-PRODUCERS). ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS COMMODORE MATTHEW PERRY COULD HAVE DIED BEFORE OPENING JAPAN BUT DIDN'T, BY JULIA IZUMI, COMMISSIONED/WRITTEN FOR LIVE VIDEO PERFORMANCE AND CO-PRODUCED WITH THEATRE IN QUARANTINE (JOSHUA WILLIAM GELB AND KATIE ROSE MCLAUGHLIN, CO-CREATIVE DIRECTORS); PREMIERED APRIL 29, 2021, REMAINS AVAILABLE ON TIQ'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL (COMMISSIONERS/CO-PRODUCERS). BOOK CLUB, A SERIAL PLAY WITH AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IN A NEW ADAPTATION FOR ZOOM, BY MOE ANGELOS, DIRECTED BY NICOLE A. WATSON. ZOOM READING IN MAY 2021, DEVELOPMENT IS CONTINUING (PRODUCERS). AFROFEMONONOMY // WORK THE ROOTS, A GROUP ACTIVATION OF BLACK FEMME THEATER ARTISTS IN CELEBRATION OF EACH OTHER, LED BY PLAYWRIGHT/PERFORMER EISA DAVIS. THROUGH COMMUNITY CARE AND LIBERATORY PRACTICES, ALONG WITH THE EXPLORATION OF DAVIS THE ESSENTIALISNT AND A QUARTET OF UNPRODUCED ONE-ACTS BY THE LATE PLAYWRIGHT/FILMMAKER KATHLEEN COLLINS, THEY MELT DOWN SYSTEMIC OBSTACLES TO THEIR HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLBEING. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS INCLUDED OUTDOOR LIVE OFFERINGS AROUND THE BOROUGHS, MUSIC, SHORT FILMS AND AN INSTALLATION; IN RESIDENCE AT PERFORMANCE SPACE NEW YORK FROM MARCH TO JUNE; PRESENTATIONS AT PSNY AND AROUND TOWN THROUGH JUNE, 2021 (CO-PRODUCING PARTNERS).ONGOING PROGRAMS: THE NEW GEORGES JAM: OUR WORKING LAB FOR EARLY-CAREER PLAYWRIGHTS AND DIRECTORS CONTINUED TO MEET BIWEEKLY ON ZOOM THROUGH MAY 2021, SUPPORTING ITS MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY AND IN COLLABORATION. THE JAM KEPT TO ITS BIENNIAL ADMISSIONS SCHEDULE, ADMITTING 14 NEW MEMBERS IN DECEMBER 2020 FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFULLY RE-IMAGINED APPLICATION PROCESS. THE AUDREY RESIDENCIES: TRADITIONALLY, OUR CORE PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OFFERS 3 WEEKS OF SPACE IN THE ROOM, OUR WORKSPACE, TO DEVELOP A NEW PLAY PROJECT OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, ALONG WITH A MONTHLY MEETING OF RESIDENTS. DUE TO LOCK DOWN, WE EXTENDED THE RESIDENCIES OF THE ELEVEN MEMBERS OF THE 2020 COHORT THROUGH 2021. MONTHLY RESIDENCY MEETINGS HAVE CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, AND WE'VE PROVIDED ONGOING BUDGETARY AND ARTISTIC SUPPORT TO ANY ASPECTS OF RESIDENTS' PROCESSES THAT COULD OCCUR REMOTELY.