Embedded Files
9th, 10th, 11th and 12th of May 2012
at the West Side Studio
Business Lunch at the Russian Tea Room
by Christopher Durang
Summary
Chris, a writer, has a business meeting at the Russian Tea Room with a new Hollywood hotshot, Melissa Stearn. At the Tea Room, Melissa pitches insane ideas to Chris, who really just can’t wait to leave the meeting. A comical look at the Hollywood machine through the eyes of an over the top script developer and a struggling New York writer. The audience will howl as Chris helps Melissa make some of her characters come alive in this fun filled parody by Christopher Durang.
About the author
CHRISTOPHER DURANG is a playwright whose plays include A History of the American Film (Tony
nomination, Best Book of a Musical, 1978), The Actor’s Nightmare, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Obie award; off-Bway run 1981-83), Beyond Therapy (on Broadway in 1982, with Dianne Wiest and John Lithgow), Baby with the Bathwater (Playwrights Horizons, 1983), The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Public Theatre, 1985; Obie award, Dramatists Guild Hull Warriner Award), Laughing Wild (Playwrights Horizons, 1987), Durang/Durang (an evening of six plays at Manhattan Theatre Club, 1994, including the Tennessee Williams’ parody, For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls), Sex and Longing (Lincoln Center Theatre production at the Cort Theatre, 1996, starring Sigourney Weaver), and Betty’s Summer Vacation (Playwrights Horizons, 1999; Obie award).
Durang is also a performer, and acted with E. Katherine Kerr in the N.Y. premiere of Laughing Wild, and with Jean Smart in the L.A. production. He shared in an acting ensemble Obie for The Marriage of Bette and Boo; and with John Augustine and Sherry Anderson has performed his crackpot cabaret Chris Durang and Dawne at the Criterion Center, Caroline’s Comedy Club, Williamstown Summer Cabaret, and the Triad, winning a 1996 Bistro Award.
In movies, he has appeared in The Secret of My Success, Mr. North, The Butcher’s Wife, Housesitter, and The Cowboy Way, among others.
He has a B.A. from Harvard College, and an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Yale School of Drama.
Cast
Chris, a playwright - Carlo Ghisi
Margaret, his agent - Claudia Tranquilli
Waiter - Asha Parmar
Melissa Stearn - Hayley Letori
Patrick- Daniel Lakey
Moishe - Michael Morgan
Directed by Bonnie Smith
Crew for both shows
Assistant Director Melanie Zander
Stage Manager Mark Grundy
Stage Crew Ulrike Johnstone, Andrew Johnstone, Michael Hawkshaw, Rauno Ots
Lights & Sound Mark Grundy, Melanie Zander
Set Construction Nigel Link et al
Make-up Carlo Ghisi
Poster & Program Bruno Sousa
Costumes & Props Moira Grundy, Bonnie Smith, Bruno Sousa & cast
Ticket Sales Members of the Theatre Group
Water under the bridge
by Bruno Sousa
Script available for sale here. Video in full length of the performance in the FEATS Fringe (26-05-2012) in Antwerp available here.
Summary
What if, for some reason, you haven’t been in speaking terms with someone that, by forces beyond your control, is very close to you, and you suddenly realise that the opportunities to make up are irremediably threatened? How do you go about dealing with the past and how will that influence the future? This is the play’s proposition and it unravels in the form of a disturbed Mother-Daughter relation in face of a terminal condition. Water under the Bridge is being played for the very first time and it’s Bruno's first play ever to be staged. The play will also be performed as part of the Fringe program of the FEATS festival 2012 in Antwerp on the last weekend of May.
About the author
I am father of two small boys by good fortune and a spacecraft operations engineer by choice of profession. Writing and acting in plays is a very gratifying hobby that I squeeze in between those two. Seeing your play coming to life is beyond gratifying, it feels like magic. Which means that I am especially privileged to have this opportunity. Therefore I take this space to acknowledge all those that made it possible. And I start with the ESOC Theatre Group committee, in particular Mark Grundy and Melanie Zander for their support and encouragement; then with the people that helped shape the text into its final presentable form: Melanie Zander, Ruth Armstrong and Alastair McDonald; then with my beautiful cast of actors and supporting staff for dedicating their own time and great talent to making it into something pleasant to watch; then to you dear audience for your trust that it will entertain you; and last, but by no means least, to my loving wife Nic for the precious gift of your support to make this fit into our busy lives.
I sincerely hope you enjoy our show. Bruno
Cast
Mother - Claire Beadman
Daughter - Hayley Letori
Nurse - Rauno Ots
Counsellor - Michael Hawkshaw
Doctor - Daniel Lakey
Directed by Bruno Sousa
Performance - Original video
Performance - FEATS in Antwerpen
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