And in honor of opening night, we’ve posted a new video introducing you to the Graces in our play.  It’s something you won’t want to miss.

One of my first Tango instructors from Buenos Aires pointed out to me that the real Tango is not about sex, or romance, or even seduction. That pervasive stereotype often includes over the top images of lovers

Donnie Mather and Mirabelle Ordinaire. PHOTO BY- Carol Rosegg

passing flowers from mouth to mouth which has nothing to do with the original form. Tango, she told me, is about memory. When one is dancing, one is remembering–not only their past but their present and future. So, Tango is really about longing whether it is the longing for the future or the regret of the past.
I was excited to hear this for many reasons. As an actor, I’m reminded that the Theatre also plays on our memory. It is unique however in Tango that the act of remembering is both intensely private for each of the dancers while also being a sublimely shared experience. Tango is, after all, two people moving together as one–two individual events entirely connected. These contrasts (private yet shared, isolated and intimate, solitary and mutual) are rich for any performer. Tango requires a heightened sense of listening which changes the performers’ presence. I completely identify with this as an actor because presence is about listening and listening is acting.
I’m so thrilled to be asked to collaborate on the upcoming production of FETES DE LA NUIT at the Ohio Theatre in New York. FETES DE LA NUIT is a joy ride through Paris by the playwright Charles L. Mee, Jr. This non-linear play challenges the audience’s expectations by mixing both authentic French sensibilities as well as our American perceptions of Paris. The play is filled with lovers, music, coffee, smoking, dancing, fashion, eating, drinking, and philosophizing. The director of the production, Kim Weild, has invited me to collaborate with her in making Tango a part of this glorious world by performing with the lovely Mirabelle Ordinaire. In collaboration with choreographer Mariana Parma as well as with Mirabelle and myself, Kim Weild has integrated Tango as a kind of anchor for the entire play. FETES DE LA NUIT is largely about communication. Likewise in Tango, there is a dialogue happening in the heat of the moment. At times sexy or humorous. Or even sad and mournful. There are sophisticated politics inside the dance form. Everything is a negotiation. One must make space as well as time for the other. It is inherently dramatic. There is such a fine line between fighting and dancing, or between leading and following.
In WeildWorks‘ production of Fêtes de la Nuit, Tango is the metaphor for the essential requirement for all of our life relationships, and that is presence. True, honest, and emotional presence. Charles Mee’s Fêtes de la Nuit is about the joy and the difficulty of connecting between different worlds, whether between two lovers, two nations, or two cultures. This is definitely a play for the 21st Century.

Tickets are on sale through Brown Paper Tickets for $18 per seat and runs from February 8 through February 27th, with ASL interpreted performances on February 20 and 24 at 8 p.m.

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I was asked, as someone who’ll be taking his clothes off in the show, to write a little bit about being

Khris Lewin doing a tango move in rehearsal

naked on stage. I’m not much of a blogger– aside from a few overly expository Facebook comments, I don’t think I’ve ever blogged before– but I’m willing to give it a go; as with taking one’s clothes off, I suppose you just do it one pantleg at a time.

I’ll start by saying that I’ve heard a lot of people–and I don’t disagree with them– say that when they see nudity in the theatre, they often find it distracting; and by distracting, I mean that, in such cases, one has been drawn into a story, and has to some degree lost oneself in the lives of the characters onstage, when suddenly, one is startled out of it all at the sight of a bare boob. I’m not sure why it happens that way… and, of course, there are so many different scenarios in which people have gotten naked onstage.  I don’t want to generalize.  That said, I’ll try and venture a few ideas.

Many times, I think it’s because it just doesn’t feel organic to the scene.  It’s as if the playwright and/or director said, “she takes off her clothes at this point,” and when I see the show, the stage direction is so transparent that I can almost hear the playwright/director’s voice, calling for it. I’m reminded of a story in which the British director Peter Hall was having some trouble with a ten-hour Greek epic, and candidly made a plea to the chorus, saying something along the lines of, “you all signed a nudity clause in your contract. I’m aware you may not want to do it. But we need it. This show needs it. And with that in mind, I need… three volunteers.” And boy oh boy, if any scene in that play seemed contrived, that was sure it.

Or– having mentioned Peter Hall, now I’m thinking of Peter Brook– maybe it’s because of the empty space– here we all are in the same big room, and someone with whom we are sharing a mix of nitrogen and oxygen starts removing their clothes.  It can be a little jarring.

Bryen, the dungeon master of this virtual Fêtes de la Nuit online world, asked me, if I wanted to address it, to write a little as well about the gratuitousness of nudity in films versus how it’s portrayed in theatre; but having thought about it, I don’t think there’s that much of a difference.  I mean, of course, in the theatre, people are getting naked right in the same room as the audience; and in the movies, sometimes it’s Kate Winslet  or Halle Berry (or even John Malkovich, for the few of you who saw The Sheltering Sky) who’s getting naked… and in the movies, there’s obviously a ton of money on the line… but overall, I feel it’s not that different.  When I don’t buy it, I don’t buy it, regardless of it being on the stage or screen.

Sometimes, of course, it’s not bad at all.  Sometimes it really works.  The human form is, after all, quite miraculous in its beauty; and when it’s revealed to us in a way that seems authentic, and in the world of the play as it’s being presented to us, in such cases the experience can be transformative… for the performer and audience alike.  Without too much elaboration– (I really dislike “spoilers,” in movies or in plays) — I think this may be one of those shows. I don’t know why exactly… something about the very honest set of situations that Chuck Mee has created, in conjunction with Kim’s  pristinely clean aesthetic, and, of course, the work of the entire ensemble that makes it all come together.  Like I said, I don’t know. But I believe in it, and I hope that if you’re reading these words, you’ll get a chance to decide for yourself.

If you haven’t ordered your tickets yet, you can go to Brown Paper Tickets.  Seats are only $18 and the show runs from February 8 through February 27, with American Sign Language performances on February 20 and 24 at 8 p.m.

Tip: Click on a photo to see the full image.

Rehearsals are taking place at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City and Spotlight was there to witness the first week of rehearsals and get to know members of the production.  Stay tuned as we bring you into that experience when we post the first batch of photos from rehearsals.  Our photographer, Jill Usdan, has taken some stunning shots that totally reflect the mood and dedication within the rehearsal space.

We asked Director Kim Weild for her thoughts as rehearsals began:

Beginnings are always nerve-wracking for me… even when revisiting a piece.  I tend to be very self-conscious.   I’m loaded up with ideas and inspirations and, like a kid on the first day of a new round of show and tell, I wish to excitedly share them with everyone.  Usually, I have to remind myself to slow down.  As we start rehearsals, I’m reminded of Ben Okri’s quote “The greatest stories are those that resonate our beginnings and intuit our endings, our mysterious origins and our numinous destinies, and dissolve them both into one.”

And that’s a journey Spotlight is going to take you on.  But before we begin that journey, let us tell you about this storied Armory where the story of FetesNYC begins to take shape.

The production is blessed and grateful to be the Park Avenue Armory’s Artist in Residence (AIR) for the month of January.  The Armory is a very special place nestled within the City of New York. In its heyday in the late 1800’s, it was both a military facility as well as a social club for  the social elites of its time, like the Roosevelts, the Van Rensselaers and many others.  And each room was commissioned and designed by artists like Stanford White and Louis Comfort Tiffany.  As you enter the rooms, you’re struck by the thoughts shooting out of your mind as you observe completely wood-paneled  walls, unique wallpaper designs, floors still worn from years of traffic, grooves deeply embedded by the boots of soldiers and the high heels of society, and the way the light shines through the windows, almost purposely directing you to the treasure that this building offers.  And walls covered with plaques, old and worn but still readable, commemorating the soldiers from this Armory who have died in battle, their names reminding us why this country of ours is so special, even when the people who have installed those very plaques have themselves, long since passed.

PHOTO CREDIT- Photograph by Elliott Kaufman

Just LOOK at this picture and you know what most of us feel every time we enter the building for another evening or weekend of rehearsals, If you’re a history buff at heart, just climbing the monumental staircase to our floor, imagining a Roosevelt once climbing these very same stairs, retiring to socialize in one of the rooms and conferring with a Harriman or Livingston about events of the day or planning some important event for the City, you know what we feel.

Or if you’re an artist at heart, seeing the beautiful chandeliers hanging everywhere, the intricate attention paid to detail in the woodwork, the inlaid designs of the flooring, the unique wallpapers.  Each room created by an important designer or architect in their young and budding years.  People like Tiffany, White, Herter Brothers, Pottier & Stymus.  Familiar names today, but new and relatively unknown back then.  Just like the AIR program sponsored by the Armory today.  It is history repeating itself in the best possible way.

If you ever have the opportunity to be invited to visit the Armory, do NOT pass it up.  It truly is an experience you’ll never forget.  And if you can’t visit the Armory, visit their web site at http://armoryonpark.org.  FetesNYC thanks Rebecca Robertson, President/CEO, and all the staff at the Armory for their wonderful invitation to use their space.

And so begins our journey together, you and Fêtes de la Nuit..

]]> http://www.fetesnyc.com/spotlight/quiet-fades-into-cacophony/feed/ 2 http://www.fetesnyc.com/spotlight/not-that-quiet/ http://www.fetesnyc.com/spotlight/not-that-quiet/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:40:02 +0000 Fêtes de la Nuit http://www.fetesnyc.com/spotlight/?p=359 It’s the Holiday season, that time between Christmas and New Year’s when all seems quiet.  The hallways seem vacant and the offices are dark as everyone takes time off from work to enjoy the season with their loved ones, and yes, play with the new toys they got for Christmas.  (What did you get?)

Things may seem just as quiet here on Spotlight.  But looks can be deceiving.

Emails are flying across the internet, scripts are being read and re-read, phones are ringing off the hook, sketches are being scribbled furiously, bold and exciting ideas passing around and evolving into forms never envisioned when the idea first popped into someone’s head.  Cast!  Creatives!  We’re all brimming with the suspense!

And all in preparation for that one BIG day next week.  When FINALLY, we all get together in one room for the first time as one big happy Fêtes Family, ready to work our craft, and bring you into the exciting and sensuous world of Dance…Drama…Love…PARIS!

And when rehearsals start next week, Spotlight will be there to begin our journey together, you and Spotlight, towards Fêtes de la Nuit in February.

So, really, it’s not that quiet around here.  Honest!

(In the meantime, PLEASE have a very SAFE New Year’s Eve.)

So what exactly is Spotlight?  It’s a place where you can go to get a behind-the-scenes look as we progress to Opening Night.  But it’s more than just a place to watch us.  It’s also a place for you to get involved and create a personal relationship with the project.

As we post articles, you’ll be able to add your comments.  And we’re making it easy for you to follow us via Twitter, Facebook, RSS and many other services.

So why are we doing this?  Read Director Kim Weild’s Notes, and you’ll come to realize that Fêtes is about communication and a deep sense of interaction with one another.  We don’t feel that sense should only be confined to something you will see on the stage, but also here on Spotlight. It is here where you and Fêtes will engage in a conversation that we hope lasts beyond the time you spend sitting at the Ohio Theatre.

So please, join us in this great conversation by bookmarking Spotlight or by following us through one of our many social networking services.  If you have something to say already, give us a comment below.  We look forward to meeting you in person in February.

The Fêtes de la Nuit Creative Team

WeildWorks Presents NY Premiere of Charles L. Mee’s enticing

Fêtes de la Nuit

at the Ohio Theatre, Directed by Kim Weild

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(December 21, 2009) New York, NY – WeildWorks is pleased to announce the New York Premiere of Fêtes de la Nuit, Charles L. Mee’s sexy meditation on lust, beauty and the divine experience of love. Fêtes de la Nuit is directed and choreographed by Kim Weild, who incorporates American Sign Language into a production that features three Deaf actors. The show runs from February 8 – 27, 2010 in a limited engagement at the Ohio Theatre, located at 66 Wooster Street (between Spring & Broome) in Soho, NY. Previews begin February 8 for a February 11 opening.

Performances are Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8pm with additional performances on Monday 2/8 at 8pm, Tuesday 2/9 at 8pm, Saturday 2/20 at 3pm and Tuesday 2/23 at 8pm. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006. The performance includes strong language and nudity – no one under 15 years old will be admitted. Trains: R, W to Prince St. or 6, C, E to Spring St. For more information on the show visit www.FetesNYC.com.

A deliciously naughty valentine to Paris, Fêtes de la Nuit celebrates life, love and all things Parisian, weaving together a pulsating collage of dance, live music, tango, language, video and drama. Set in a sidewalk café in 21^st century Paris, Fêtes reveals that from first kisses to eternal bonds, a quiet truth remains: it is always love that makes us human. Fêtes de la Nuit, translated as “celebrations of the night”, sensually expresses the beauty, complexity and passion of the human condition in relationship to the divine experience of lust and love.

Critical acclaim for Berkeley Repertory Theater’s World Premiere of Fêtes de la Nuit

“A sweet, creamy little dessert of a show…Bon appétit.” ~ East Bay Express

“Funny, provocative, wildly inventive and exceptionally well performed…engagingly sensual.” ~ San Francisco Chronicle

“Fêtes de la Nuit surprises and delights.” ~ Oakland Tribune

Charles L. Mee’s works include Big Love, True Love, First Love, bobrauschenbergamerica, Hotel Cassiopeia, Orestes 2.0, Trojan Women: A Love Story, Summertime and Wintertime, among other plays. His plays have been performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, American Repertory Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, the Public Theatre, Lincoln Center, the Humana Festival and Steppenwolf, as well as in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Brussels, Vienna and Istanbul. Mee is the recipient of the gold medal for lifetime achievement in drama from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is also an historian and the former Editor-in-Chief of Horizon magazine. Mee’s work is made possible by the support of Jeanne Donovan Fisher and Richard B. Fisher. His complete works are available on the internet at www.charlesmee.org.

Kim Weild has worked extensively as Associate Director to Michael Blakemore, including on the Broadway revival of Blithe Spirit, which starred Angela Lansbury, Terrence McNally’s Deuce, which starred Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes, and Mark Twain/David Ives’ Is He Dead? She has also associate directed for Tina Landau on Tarell McCraney’s WIG OUT! at the Vineyard Theatre and Charles Mee’s Iphigenia 2.0 at The Signature Theater. Weild’s other work includes Kaddish (or the Key in the Window) by Allen Ginsberg, Andrea Lepcio’s A Peddler’s Tale: Buttons, Guts and Bluetooth (The Women’s Project) and Free Range Thanksgiving (Foundry Theatre). She is the recipient of a Kennedy Center Directing Fellowship, Shubert Fellow, 2006 Williamstown Theatre Festival Foeller Fellow and is a Women’s Project alumna.

The eighteen member cast includes three Deaf actors; Alexandria Wailes (Mother Courage and Her Children with The Public, TONY Award winning Big River at Roundabout with Deaf West, Pippin at Mark Taper Forum with Deaf West), Jubil Khan and John McGinty, along with Jodi Dick, Corinne Edgerly (Drama Desk Award winning All The Way Home with Transport Group), Babis Gousias, Jessica Green (Dralion with Cirque du Soleil), Ana Grosse, Garrett Hendricks (Miss Evers’ Boys/Audelco Award nominee), Devon Jordan (Evanston: A Rare Comedy at P.S. 122 and HERE), Kyle Knauf (Obie winning Benten Kozo at The Flea Theater), Khris Lewin (Time Is the Mercy of Eternity at the West End Theatre), Donnie Mather (Trojan Women: A Love Story directed by Tina Landau), Luis Moreno (The Age of Iron and The Misanthrope at Classic Stage Company), Mirabelle Ordinaire, Rumiko Oyama and Kiat-Sing Teo.

The design and production team consists of Jamie Forshaw (Producer), Lewis Merkin (American Sign Language Consultant), Henry Hewes Design Award winner Brian Scott (Set Design), Charles Foster (Lighting Design), Lisa Renee Jordan (Costume Design), Christian Frederickson (Sound Design), C. Andrew Bauer (Video), Ismael Ramirez (Film), Mirabelle Ordinaire (Dramaturg) and Victoria Flores (Stage Manager).

WeildWorks is a newly established non-profit company that seeks to explore and develop theatrical events through cross-cultural collaborations. The NY Premiere of Charles Mee’s Fêtes de la Nuit is its inaugural show.

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718-721-7907 or david@darrpublicity.com