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Wednesday, October 7, 2015

In Context: texts&beheadings/ElizabethR



texts&beheadings/Elizabeth R, Karin Coonrod’s inventive deconstruction of Queen Elizabeth’s writings, comes to BAM on October 21. Context is everything, so get even closer to the production with this curated selection of articles and videos related to the show. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought below and by posting on social media using #textsbeheadings.

Program Notes

Coming soon!

Read

Q&A
UpClose: Karin Coonrod (DCTheatreScene.com)
“I hunger—like many of us, I believe—for transformational theater,” says Coonrod, “something where Dionysus is present, grinning, and you walk away different from how you walked in.”

Q&A
John Conklin: A Man of Drama, By Design (BostonGlobe.com)
The texts&beheadings designer talks about his work, retirement, dramaturgy, and more.

Website
Gina Leishman (GinaLeishman.com)
Learn more about the texts&beheadings composer.

Readings
Writings by Queen Elizabeth (Luminarium.org)
Elizabeth opineth on fortune, religion, and much more.

Readings
On Queen Elizabeth, Writer (PoetryFoundation.org)
Count mastery of oration and epistle among her many writerly gifts.

Watch & Listen

Video
On Compagnia de Columbari (YouTube)
“What Karin [Coonrod] does is bring language to life in ways that make us hear the ideas in ways that we’ve never heard them before.”

Worthwhile Words...

In Defiance of Fortune
Elizabeth I 
Never think you FortĂșne can bear the sway
Where virtue's force can cause her to obey.

Now your turn...

What did you think? Do you have a new appreciation for all things “Elizabethan”? How did Coonrod’s directing illuminate Elizabeth’s texts? Tell us what's on your mind in the comments below and on social media using #textsbeheadings.

1 comment:

  1. Sometimes it pays to take a risk. That's what I did tonight when I went to see this show. This was one of those performance ideas that was either going to succeed or fail embarrassingly. I am happy to report it worked quite well. I am fascinated by the Tudors, and have devoured every book written by the author Philippa Gregory, so I am pretty up to date on my knowledge about Elizabeth I of England. This fascinating play featured four diverse women, each playing Elizabeth, and each woman spoke the words that Elizabeth I actually uttered or wrote. It was like experiencing Queen Elizabeth in surround sound. These talented actresses were also lovely singers, and the words, letters, music and prayers of the queen were deftly woven together in this entertaining one hour performance by Compania de' Columbari (directed by Karin Coonrod.) I was riveted. I wanted more. I wanted it to somehow go even deeper. I feel like they only scratched the surface of this intriguing queen. The simple, regal costumes designed by Oana Botez added lushness to this perfectly spare -- and sometimes bawdy -- production. I also want to thank the concession staff at the Fishman Space for some exceptionally excellent customer service tonight.

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