Planet Connections Q&A: Cake / Revolution!

by The Happiest Medium on June 22, 2010 · 0 comments

in Festivals, Interviews, Manhattan, Off-Off-Broadway, Theatre

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Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York City’s premiere eco-friendly theatre festival, connecting artists and audiences with diverse dynamic charitable organizations. The Planet Connections experience entertains, enlightens and informs.

The Happiest Medium (proud sponsors of The Planet Connections Festival), will be running Q&A throughout the festival.

Today we ask one question each of Leah Bonvissuto, director of Cake (written by Felipe Ossa) and Anne Berlin writer of the book and lyrics of Revolution! These two  plays both deal with politics but take on the topic in very different ways.  Let’s take a look . . .

cake

Cake

answers by Leah Bonvissuto

Here’s Antonio’s question -

If you would have to single out a quality between dialogue, plot or character, which one is the strongest in your play/piece, and why?

In Cake, each character is rooted in intense ideology or passion and they express this through frighteningly funny and quick dialogue, which elevates the plot well beyond a conventional political play. All three elements, in turn, support and destabilize each other in a way that’s impossible to separate them out.

Here’s Karen’s question -

What has been the most surprising or unexpected thing that’s happened during this play? Did that wind up taking the play in a new direction?

Having such amazingly smart and talented actors who’ve pushed the darker parts of the play deeper than Felipe (the playwright) and I expected, while also taking the comedy to the sort of hilarious heights that are rare for a play this thoughtful.

Here’s Anne’s question -

What do you think is the central theme and reason this play was conceived?

We’re really interested in the changeability of ideology and how politics are all too often determined by the personal.

Here’s Stephen’s Question -

Why should the audience (we) go to your play? What will the audience learn about the “human condition” by going to your play?

I suspect a lot of our audience will be walking in expecting to have their beliefs validated. We hope they are surprised, delighted and taken to unexpected places during the piece and come out the other end with questions as well as a nice little aftertaste.

Here’s Sarah’s Question -

What is your favorite line from the play?

(Adorable assailant with crossbow in hand): “Fear. My favorite fragrance.”

Here’s Diánna’s Question -

What about this play do you feel most drawn to personally, and because of that, what message do you hope the audience walks away with?

I’m quick to make judgments depending on what side of the fence another person’s politics fall on. This play makes you question that.

* * *

revolution

Revolution!

answers by Anne Berlin

Here’s Antonio’s question -

If you would have to single out a quality between dialogue, plot or character, which one is the strongest in your play/piece, and why?

REVOLUTION! is a unique, new musical whose premise is revolution. In every revolution there is a beginning, middle and end. My musical is comprised of a trio of interconnected musicals that focus on the Russian, French and American revolutions. They playfully seek to deconstruct these revolutions but with whimsy and charm. The stories are told in three parts: “Liberty”, “Equality” and “Fraternity.” The characters are matryoshka dolls, chess pieces and toy soldiers.

I feel how I’ve conceptualized my musical, my way of story telling and the plots themselves are the strongest element to my show.

Here’s Karen’s question -

What has been the most surprising or unexpected thing that’s happened during this play? Did that wind up taking the play in a new direction?

The most surprising thing that happened was that when I was writing this musical, the French revolution musical changed. I felt it needed much less music than the American and Russian revolutions and cut the score in half.

Here’s Anne’s question -

What do you think is the central theme and reason this play was conceived?

The central theme to my musical is revolution. It was conceived because of the radical changes we have seen since this new century was born.

Here’s Stephen’s Question -

Why should the audience (we) go to your play? What will the audience learn about the “human condition” by going to your play?

More than anything REVOLUTION! is in simpatico with the “human condition.” We deal with liberty, equality and fraternity. In one revolution the musical deals with a family coming apart by the social changes happening around them, in another revolution the “human condition” and the rights of man are dealt with and the last revolution the fraternity of friendship and the “human condition” which suffers, but is strengthened.

Here’s Sarah’s Question -

What is your favorite line from the play?

Favorite line: “By George you did it!” Colonel Baylor to General George Washington.

Here’s Diánna’s Question -

What about this play do you feel most drawn to personally, and because of that, what message do you hope the audience walks away with?

The playful way I have told my stories which I hope sheds light on the ‘human condition’ in an interesting and original way. I wanted to be bold, and experimental.

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