Herstory – “The Bluest Eye” Turns 42

by moxielicious

It’s hard to believe it’s been just over 42 years since Toni Morrison wrote “The Bluest Eye.” If the book were a woman she would just be beginning to come into her prime, and with renewed attention on the novel since it made the Oprah book club list in 2000, and then in 2005 was adapted for the stage, perhaps “she” is. When first released in 1970 the book was considered controversial and many attempts were made to ban “The Bluest Eye” from the shelves of libraries and schools because it dealt with the subjects of racism, incest and child molestation so honestly. Now that Toni Morrison is so widely viewed as one of the greatest American authors, it’s easy to forget that “The Bluest Eye” was considered very experimental  when it was first released. The image to the left is actually the original cover of the book which was simply an image of the first page of text! Since that time it has become required high school reading at many schools across the country.

Toni Morrison began writing the book when she was teaching at Howard University and raising two sons as a single mother. She wrote “The Bluest Eye” because she wanted to make sure that in the wake of all the racially uplifting work being written by her colleagues, that nobody ever forgot what if felt like to believe you were ugly because of the color of your skin. She was afraid that history would white wash how painful it was for the children who grew up without anyone telling them they were as beautiful as they were.
The title of the book comes from its central character Pecola’s desperate wish that she had blue eyes. Pecola is a young black girl growing up in the Great Depression in Ohio. She has suffered through abuse and poverty and is now living with a foster family. Claudia Macteer, one of the daughters of the foster family Pecola stays with, is the narrator of the story. Unlike Pecola, Claudia rejects the white racial standard in her community, perhaps because she grows up in a more stable home. Toni Morrison wanted the story to include the perspective of girls who were more like she was as a child, girls who possessed a greater sense of self worth, which is why Claudia and her sister play such pivotal roles in the storytelling.
In 2005 Steppenwolf Theatre commissioned Lydia Diamond to adapt the novel into a full length play for the stage. In 2006 it premiered off-Broadway in New York and the adaptation is now being translated into French. MOXIE Theatre and Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company’s co-production begins Feb 2, 2013 at MOXIE Theatre and plays through Mar 3, 2013. For more information and tickets visit www.moolelo.net or www.moxietheatre.com or call 619-342-7395.

“A must-see production … an altogether superb (and harrowing) world premiere stage adaptation.” —Hedy Weiss,Chicago Sun-Times

“Diamond’s sharp, wrenching, deeply humane adaptation … helps us discover how an innocent like Pecola can be undone so thoroughly by a racist world that, if it sees her at all, does so only long enough to kick the pins out from under her.” —Chicago Reader

“A spare and haunting play … The playwright displays a delicate touch that seems right for the theme spiraling through the piece: that of the invidious influence of a white-majority nation not yet mature enough to validate beauty in all its forms.” —Washington Post

MOXIE and Mo’olelo Reveal the Creative Team for “The Bluest Eye”

by moxielicious

Have you heard that MOXIE and Mo’olelo are teaming up
for an exciting co-production of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, adapted by Lydia Diamond? The play, about the legacy of racism on a young Black girl, begins previews on February 2 and runs to March 3, 2013, at MOXIE Theatre, located at 6663 El Cajon Blvd. Suite N, San Diego, CA, 92115, with a Press Opening on Friday, February 8 at 8:00 

 

Now we’re giving up the goods on who will be working on this exciting project. The Bluest Eye will be directed by MOXIE’s own fearless leader Delicia Turner Sonnenberg.  Leading the storytelling of The Bluest Eye will be UCSD MFA alumnae Lorene Chesley as Claudia, last seen in Mo`olelo’s Stick Fly by Lydia Diamond, and Marshel Adams as Frieda. Local actor Cashae Monya plays the delicate Pecola; and returning to San Diego for the first time since appearing as Ater in The Old Globe’s Since Africa is Warner Miller. He portrays the complex character of Pecola’s abused and abusive father, Cholly. Abner Genece,Chair of San Diego’s Actors’ Equity Association’s liaison committee, will portray the poignant Soaphead Church and Daddy. Rounding out the cast are Melissa Coleman-Reed, a member of one of San Diego’s newest companies Circle Circle dot dot, as Mrs. Breedlove, Kimberly King as Mama, and Chelsea Diggs-Smith as Maureen Peal.

 

The creative team includes Brian Redfern (Scenic Design), Luke Olson (Lighting Design), George Yé(Sound Design), Emily N. Smith (Costume Design), Angelica Ynfante (Properties Design/Technical Director), Missy Bradstreet (Wigs and Make-up), and Elizabeth Stephens (Stage Manager).

 

“It is an honor to work with this talented ensemble and dynamic production team on Toni Morrison’s classic story adapted by one of America’s hottest contemporary playwrights, Lydia Diamond.” says MOXIE Artistic Director, Delicia Turner Sonnenberg.

 

The Bluest Eye and its concurrent arts education program, Three Part Arts, are made possible with support from The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, The James Irvine Foundation, QUALCOMM Foundation, Nordson Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and Dea and Osborn Hurston.

 

Tickets & Information: www.moxietheatre.com  or www.moolelo.net or call 619-342-7395.

 

Hickroydickory and the Big Question

by moxielicious

At the beginning of the rehearsal process for Hickorydickory the actors were asked to consider whether or not they would look at their mortal clock to see the time of their death if given the opportunity.  Looming in the background of all the fun the cast has had working on the show, an awareness of time has permeated each individual’s life. Perhaps that’s in part to the 60+ clocks that adorn the set. This is what we love most about theatre, the time it gives us to reconsider our own humanity. Cast member Justin Lang takes a moment to share his thoughts on the big question.

Is it better to know, or not to know?

Working on Hickorydickory is bringing to my attention the awareness of how I am appropriating my time. I feel this play telling me to listen better. Listen to what people are saying and how they are saying it. In what context we are having the conversation, what our “room” is and what the speaker is trying to give me. I’m finding that I’m interested in how much knowledge I can get from being observantly engaged in conversations. Fully and truly listening and taking in information. Sharing with someone what feels like  ”proper time.” This enhanced process of listening makes for quicker and deeper connections with the cast onstage, as well as tapping into the wealth of ideas and depth of emotion that Jen is bringing to the direction of the story.

In every line, from the first to the very last, I am aware of the careful effort that Marisa put into writing this play. Hickorydickory is saying you have some time but you have to be cool with not knowing how much time you or others have left. The knowledge that your time may be up at any moment can be scary, but don’t blame the knowledge, blame the behavior of people in the presence of the knowledge. Knowledge gives you the opportunity to act.

I think to answer my own question, yes, it IS better to know. It’s better to know that you don’t know and to act accordingly.  And it is better that you come see this show! Tickets available at http://www.moxietheatre.com/hickorydickory or at the box office 858-598-7620 HICKORYDICKORY plays through Dec 16, 2012 at MOXIE Theatre.

Photo Credit: Justin Lang in HICKORYDICKORY. Photo by Daren Scott

A View From a Bridge of Fart Jokes – A Journey Through HICKORYDICKORY

by moxielicious

I have a confession to make.  I’m a 28 year old woman who still thinks farts are the most hilarious thing on the planet.  I can’t help it.  If I hear someone rip one…….I’m doubled over laughing uncontrollably.  It makes me feel like marching off to Neverland with the Lost Boys singing “I don’t want to grow up.”  Some may call my behavior “childish” or “immature”……but I like to think I am embracing these moments in life that keep us young at fart.  I mean, heart.

I am fortunate enough to be playing a vulgar and flamboyant 17 year old girl in Moxie’s production of “Hickorydickory.”  My parents just call it “type casting.”  Tapping into this childish and strong willed girl has effected me in more ways than I would have imagined.  10 months.  That is all the time she has left before she dies.  How does she make the 3 trimesters (plus a little) worthwhile?  Does she go sailing?  Does she make a baby?  Or does she just scroll Instant Netflix for hours on end?…….. The final life decisions this young girl must face before her time is up, has greatly changed my outlook on day to day life.  I leave rehearsal wanting to call my parents to tell them I love them, wanting to share a beer with the friends I adore, and wanting to hug my boyfriend a little longer.  These are the moments in life that are precious and dear to me, and I have this 17 year old girl with a gas problem to thank for the reminder.

I am so proud to be a part of this show with such a fantastic cast and an inspiring director.  I have realized that being at the theatre is how I want to spend my months.  So jump in your DeLorean and enjoy an experience that may take you to your future, back to nostalgic childhood memories, or to your present beautiful ones.  I leave you with a quote from one of my favorite philosophers, Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast.  You don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

Pollyanna’s ruminations on the/our/your “depression”

by moxielicious

 

Jo Anne Glover, MOXIE founder and star of our upcoming production Hickorydickory, takes a moment to talk about viewing our world through the MOXIE lens, as inspired by our most recent productions. Take a moment out of your day to take a breath and regain perspective.

de·pres·sion  noun

1. the act of depressing.
2. the state of being depressed.
3. a depressed  or sunken place or part; an area lower than the surrounding surface.
4. sadness; gloom; dejection.
5. Psychiatry: a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason.

MOXIE’s recent production of “The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek” has left me ruminating on the Great Depression.  This is one of those portions of American history that I remember always sounding so sad and scary and thank God it could never happen again! And I know that we’re still a ways from breadlines and the awful reality of the 1930’s, but there is an energy of fear and depression in America right now and I feel just tastes of what the country might have been like.

So much of our identity is connected to our jobs. And, so many are out of work these days.  Even more common, though, are those who still are working, but are working harder for less. That sense that we might not be able to provide for our families or ourselves is so paralyzing.  And hope for a bright future begins to give way to panic and fear.

I found the above definition number 5 interesting.  Who decides what is “any objective reason” for sadness?  Part of what is so disheartening and frustrating right now is that most of us still grew up believing in the American values of hard work, honesty and persistence.  And, while we don’t want to abandon those, it’s hard to keep faith when it feels like adhering to those values has not gotten us to the place or the world that we were promised it would.

So, what to do?  Stay in bed?  Shrivel up?  Drink?  Throw ourselves in front of a train?

I’m not really sure, but I do know that none of those options (which, I’ll confess, with the exception of the train all sound tempting) will actually get any of us where we want to be.  I believe that the only way around is through. That we do have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, as hard as that might seem.  But, also, we must find a way to lean on and be there for each other.  I have always been a devotee to the “It Takes a Village” mentality, and it seems more important than ever now.  And, I know that it’s VERY hard to initiate when you feel like you can barely keep your own head up, much less offer anyone else a boost.

In working on MOXIE’s next production, “Hickorydickory” we’re all exploring the themes of life’s limited time.  It running out, how we spend our time, whether or not we would give our own away for those we love.  And, truthfully, none of the characters in the play, when faced with the option, hesitate to go there.  When it comes to brass tacks, we all would give up even our most precious resources to our children or our partners.

So, why can’t we give up the things that cost little or no money to our village?  Energetic boosts for each other that might help us weather this storm.  Some examples: smiles, helping hands, hugs, babysitting for friends, potluck dinners, emails or phone calls, cheap dates like walks in the park, at home coffee dates, truly listening to someone for 10 minutes.  It may sound trite or Pollyanna-ish.  Of course none of these things are going to put cash right into our bank accounts.  But, it seems to me the danger right now is the loss of our spirits and energy.  If we can find a way to help each other not lose that, then perhaps we can keep moving forward towards the financial recovery we’re hoping for.  At the very least, it will help us to not feel so alone and abandoned.

I challenge you to begin consciously giving things that cost you nothing.  Perhaps every day, find just one friend or stranger to make one small gesture towards infusing their spirit.  And, also, truly receive those gestures when they are offered to you.  Let’s focus on breathing rather than that panic that threatens to overtake us.

Okay – Pollyanna over and out.

OH, and please buy a ticket to “Hickorydickory.”  You won’t be wasting your time or money!  And, please stick around afterwards so I can give you a free hug.

“Hickorydickory” by Marisa Wegrzyn plays Nov 17 – Dec 16, 2012 tickets available at www.moxietheatre.com/hickorydickory or call 858-598-7620

Let The Audience Blog!

by moxielicious

Bruce Underhill usually ushers for MOXIE which means he sees the shows for free in return for his service.  When Bruce saw that the usher spots for Opening Night were filled, he decided to buy a ticket and come anyway. He was inspired to send us this message about his experience and agreed to allow us to publish it. Here are some excerpts from that. Thank you Bruce. You have no idea how well timed your message was. Patrons like you are the reason we do what we do.

Bruce Underhill

Wow – went to the opening night performance of ” … Pope Lick Creek” – what a privilege to be in the presence of such excellence … all the more so in the small theater setting. You can appreciate everything even more when it’s so up close and direct an experience.  I absolutely love it when such distinct characters come so alive. 

Amanda Osborn in “The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek”. Photo by Jennifer Eve Thorn

Amanda brought Pace so alive it was an incredible ride to be with everything she was going through.  And it was a pleasure to be on the receiving end of Naomi Wallace’s writing.  Points were made but they were so fundamental, so universal, and so brought to life amidst the gut-wrenching drama of moment to moment existence….

What a team and spirit you’ve all put together – there’s a chemistry inside those doors that seems to permeate all who participate and yet everyone seems so sweet, open, and down to earth.  I was so glad there were no usher openings – happy to pay the full price to do at least a small part to keep this all going.  In fact, I’m moved to send a contribution to lend at least a small hand to your current fundraising efforts.  I’ll head to your website for that…
 
CHEERS … Bruce …
 

8 Down & 33 To Go – Casting Season 8

by moxielicious

We’re not cast. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Season 8 is a beast. 5 shows and according to the scripts there are 41 parts to be cast. We cast another actor today, a first timer to the MOXIE stage!  Congratulations to Michelle Brooks who we met in one of our classes. We can’t wait to work with you!

That’s 8 down and…33 to go. That’s a big ol’ job.  People always ask how we find our actors. Here is a
little taste of what goes into casting at MOXIE.

The casting director, who in MOXIE’s case is also the Associate Artistic Director and Marketing Director a.k.a me (Jen Thorn), begins a conversation with the director of each show, which in two cases this season is again – me. This year I am lucky enough to have the support of a Casting Associate, Jennifer Berry, who is also a Subscription Coordinator and works in the box office. Where was I…oh yeah, we start a conversation with the Season 8 directors Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, Dana l. Harrel (Associate Producer at the La Jolla Playhouse) and myself. We ask:

1. Are there any actors you have in mind that you want to see immediately?
If there are we call them in asap. It’s way easier to cast a show out of your favorites
who you imagined when you read the play.

2. Tell us how you see these characters. What type are they?

Then we take those answers and set up a first call. We bring in a mix of people we know and love and people recommended to us by other trusted sources. Favorite sources include: The San Diego Rep, Ion, North Coast Rep, Intrepid Shakespeare Company, Diversionary and New VIllage Arts. They send us names of people we may not know that they saw at an audition or in a show. We find a day when the majority of those people can be in one place at roughly the same time, this is nearly impossible by the way, and they read. Think of a lobby full of jittery actors hopped up on coffee pouring over scripts and wondering “why do I do this to myself?”

The actors come into the theatre one at a time or in pairs, ushered this year by our fabulous assistant Jennifer Berry, holding their head shot and resume and they take the stage.

“Welcome” the director says “Do you have any questions about the sides?”(Oh yeah, that’s shop talk for the pages from the script you were given to prepare for the audition.) The actors usually say “no” or sometimes a clever actor will ask the director to tell them about how they see the character and presto…they get the inside scoop before they waste time doing just the opposite of what the director was looking for. Then they begin reading. Scripts in hand, they jump right in. Sometimes they’re crawling on all fours, they kiss complete strangers, they burst into tears, they open themselves up in the most vulnerable way to be judged and usually they have about 5 minutes in which to do so. “Thanks,” the director says, “that was great, thanks for coming in.” And sometimes it’s as short and abrupt as that. We don’t mean to be cold but you were right or wrong and we knew that in the first 30 seconds.

Casting isn’t always about talent. It’s often just about type. The actor is thinking hard about how they approach the scene and meanwhile we’re thinking: “She looks too young to play the mother of that other actress we cast.” Hours go by. We sit as pair after pair come in and out. Some leaving inflated by the feeling it went well, others leaving deflated because they had imagined it differently.

Then we talk about them…or don’t. The door shuts as they exit, “Holy cow, he was perfect,” or “That’s too bad, I hoped she would read better.” By the end of the day there is a game plan. We need a call back, we need to see more people or, in rare cases, we’re done and we found all the right people so let’s call them and offer them roles.

We’ve got a season audition coming up on the 14th of this month and you can bet your bottom we’ll be casting people we see that day. Will you be there? Email us to schedule an appointment: jenberry83@gmail.com.
Learn more about what we’re looking for here: http://moxietheater.com/AuditionSeason8

MOXIE and Mo’olelo partner to bring San Diego “The Bluest Eye”

by moxielicious

We’ve been keeping the third show in our season under wraps but now we’re proud to finally reveal our co-production partners, the fabulous Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company, and the very exciting project we’ll be producing together, Lydia Diamond’s adaptation of Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning Toni Morrison’s classic American novel, “The Bluest Eye” playing Feb 2 – Mar 3, 2013 at MOXIE Theatre.

“The Bluest Eye” is Toni Morrison’s first novel, written in 1970 when she was teaching at Howard University. It tells the story of a year in the life of a young black girl living in 1940s Ohio. Eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove wants nothing more than to be loved by her family and schoolmates. Instead, she faces constant ridicule and abuse. She blames her dark skin and prays for blue eyes, sure that love will follow. Adapted by playwright Lydia Diamond in 2005, “The Bluest Eye” explores the legacy of racism and standards of beauty.

The play was originally commissioned by Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 2005. Playwright Lydia Diamond, who was introduced to San Diego through Mo`olelo’s 2011 production of Stick Fly, will return during the run for post-show talks with the audience.

This Mo`olelo/MOXIE co-production will be helmed by MOXIE’s Artistic Director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg who comments “Whether or not you’re a woman of color, the habit of equating your personal self worth with your visual appearance is a problem all girls and women face. However smart and educated we are, many of us believe that if we don’t fit a certain standard of beauty, as it’s portrayed in the media, we’re less valuable to society and less deserving of love. We need to see this play now as much as we ever did, and it fulfills MOXIE’s mission to create more diverse and honest images of women for our culture on a number of levels.”

“I approached Delicia about the possibility of a co-production of this play a few months ago,” shared Mo`olelo’s Executive Artistic Director, Seema Sueko. “On our own, it would be too expensive to produce; together, I know we can do the play justice, and Delicia is the right director for the project.” Central to Mo`olelo’s mission is its commitment to producing plays that include significant roles for actors of color and that allow the Company to engage communities that are traditionally underserved by mainstream American theater. With the support from a grant from The James Irvine Foundation, Mo`olelo and MOXIE will build upon Mo`olelo’s strong relationships with San Diego’s diverse African American communities and explore how this production can serve a variety of community needs.

Is your interest peaked? Reserve Your Seats Now or call the MOXIE box office at 858-598-7620

About that MOXIE – No more delay!

by Esther Emery

Ladies and gents, I have a new computer, and the delete key works, and the space bar works, so I’m able to sit at the computer again without reaching for the nearest hammer.  (Whether for my head or the dysfunctional keyboard, I’m not sure.)  So…I’m back.

And today, I’m here to tell you about Dustin Long.

This is Dustin.

He’s our TD. That stands for Technical Director. TD’s are legendary for being grumpy, and I should know, since I’m married to one, but Dustin breaks that particular mold. He’s very, very funny. 

And he collects shoes.  

I’m not making that up. The subject arose during a production meeting for The Sugar Syndrome, and he admits to having a closet full.  Maybe that bit of delicious self-care is the way he avoids the stereotypical grumpies.

When not collecting shoes, Dustin works full time for his family’s cabinet shop, Equity Cabinets. For MOXIE, he is nothing less than an alchemist. He takes a set model and some drawings and a fixed (small) amount of money, and he makes it all into a set.

He might start by making a 3 D computer model like this one.

Then he tells us how much it is going to cost, suggests cuts or adjustments to get the project within budget, and finally builds it. All of it. He hires any crew that he needs (and we can afford) to get the build done on time, and then leads the MOXIE team in assembling it all on site in a few very long, thrilling days just before we open.

And then we all start taking notes.  That means Dustin has to keep working, making small adjustments right up until opening.

Most people who do what TD’s do will tell you that nobody really knows what all they do.  Honestly, I know that’s true.  But I also know that we appreciate it.

Thanks for being a MOXIE, Dustin!

Thanks for the Love!

by Esther Emery

This is for anybody who missed our Choose Love! fundraiser on Monday, co-produced with ion theatre, and featuring a reading of Caridad Svich’s The Labyrinth of Desire. 

Here’s the set up…

Rehearsal with Jo Anne…

And the finished product… 

 

I’d like to give some Love to our incredible design team. In a single day, about one hour of which was actually tech, and with almost no attention from the directors, Ross Glanc gave us those gorgeous lights. 

The entire remainder of the production was designed by Jennifer Brawn Gittings, also known as the MOXIE Design Badassador, with technical direction by Adam Lindsay and essential support from Claudio of ion, Bret at Diversionary, Kristianne at NVA, and our pals Nick and Neil. 

Gwen Fish was our stage manager, Missy Bradstreet ran the sound, and Chelsea Whitmore took the photographs. 

Thanks for the Love!