Ambitious Collaboration Pulls
Local Theatre Groups Together for Ten-Day Schedule of Events
By Keith Waits
Entire contents are copyright ©
2012 Keith Waits. All rights reserved.
Louisville hosts a rich and varied
theatre scene, with a wider variety of companies, both professional and
non-professional, than the average citizen might assume. A new festival seeks
to help increase both awareness and active participation with at least some of
these semi-professional theatre companies in the inaugural year of a
challenging theatre arts festival.
The SLANT Cultural Festival is an extension of the SLANT series of
contemporary plays that Walden Theatre Managing Director Alison Huff initiated
four years ago under the direction of Associate Artistic Director Alec Volz;
but Walden Artistic Director Charlie Sexton was also inspired by his memories
of visiting the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1987. While he is
careful not to draw too direct a comparison to that legendary arts event, he is
clear enough in defining what the ambitions for the festival are: “…This is a fest that fits those
parameters and virtually every city our size and larger has a fest of the ‘fringe’
variety, some hugely successful.” Mr. Sexton
continues: “We
feel strongly that grass roots theatre and theatre that hires local
professionals has been steadily growing and improving in Louisville and it has
attracted a diverse following. We hope this brings a good deal of attention to
this trend and the younger audience we are hoping to attract will take note.”
That younger audience, and
Walden’s mission for theatre arts education, is key to the philosophy behind
SLANT, which takes as its signature motif a test tube angled to promote greater
growth – a “slant culture.” Ms. Huff, who as Festival Producer had the idea of
placing a range of groups and styles in such close proximity, hopes to
cultivate a hothouse of creative energy and artistic exploration that forcefully
reinforces the growth experience for Walden students and extends that
challenging environment to the broader audience. It is a potent formula that
festival organizers hope will deliver a unique experience for attendees.
There are certainly many groups that would be a great fit for
the SLANT Culture Theatre Festival; but for the pilot year, Walden has concentrated
on inviting companies with very close ties to the organization to participate
as Producing Theatres (some of the groups share staff and/or Board members): Le
Petomane Theatre Ensemble, The Louisville Improvisors, Savage Rose Classical
Theatre Company, and Theatre [502]. At press time, presentations by Squallis
Puppeteers and ART+FM had just been added to the schedule. In the coming years,
once they get a handle on the logistics and build momentum, Walden plans to
open up the process and take submissions with participants chosen through a
juried process.
As to what the value of such a
festival is to the participating companies, as well as to the theatre-going
public, Gregory Maupin of Le Petomane believes it will cross-pollinate each
group’s core audience: “A festival like this feels like it really has the
potential to bring several audiences together that might not normally
intersect and experience things that they'll get a great deal of pleasure out
of. I don't know that the people who go see The Louisville Improvisors or shows
done by Walden students come out to a lot of Le Petomane shows or Savage Rose
shows. For example. I mean, surely there's overlap – this is not a huge town in
that respect – but it's not as much overlap as you'd think. And this is a
chance for us to say to Le Petomane's audience, "Hey, you've enjoyed us so
much over the years – been going to these Theatre [502] shows? You really
should."
The material being presented
includes the Louisville premiere of D.W. Gregory’s new play Salvation Road by Walden; a rare
production of Luigi Pirandello’s The Man
With The Flower in His Mouth from Savage Rose; an evening of
improvisational comedy built around a book-reading by various local authors
from The Louisville Improvisers; and remounts of past productions by Theatre
[502] and Le Petomane Theatre Ensemble.
There will also be a variety of other activities, beginning with a Gala
Opening Night Event on November 8 featuring music by Cheyenne Marie Mize and
Joel Henderson & the Forty-Gallon Baptists; and each evening will include
an After Party at various alternating venues, including The Bard’s Town, Decca
and Meat. Different types of workshops and other items were being added to the
schedule. Check the SLANT website for updates on the schedule:
Le Petomane Ensemble Theatre
Presents 5 Things
“…Well-timed wit and intellectual buffoonery typical of a Le Petomane
performance, carefully balancing a celebration of geeky self-absorption with a
healthy satirical perspective.” –
Arts-Louisville review of the original
production
It will be such fun, I think, to
take something we do – our own little brand of original
comedy/music/whatever-it-is – and put it in a context of such different
performance styles, so many companies, with very different methods of putting
things together. The only real regret I have about participating is that
it will significantly eat into my festival-going time. – Le Petomane member Gregory Maupin
 |
| Gregory Maupin, Abigail Bailey Maupin & Kyle Ware in 5 Things. Photo by Brian J. Lilienthal. |
Theatre [502} presents The Debate Over Courtney O’Connell of Columbus, Nebraska
“In just one year
Theatre [502]'s audiences have grown exponentially, and we're excited to
remount our first production, Mat Smart’s The Debate Over Courtney
O'Connell of Columbus Nebraska, so we can share our flagship show with new
fans.
Everyone involved would like to see the Festival become a new
Louisville institution. It certainly has the potential to become a sought-after
performance opportunity for every theatre company in Louisville and eventually
a way to bring work from across the country to our audiences. I would like to
see this become a regional destination for artists and audiences." – Theatre
[502] Co-Artistic Director Gil D. Reyes
 |
| Playwright Mat Smart. |
The Louisville Improvisors Presents Buy the Book
"After we all toured the
Amazon together for the USO last year, we have been itching to work together
again, and this festival was the perfect opportunity to do that. Besides we
still have all our shots. Our goal
for the festival is the same as always, to do great shows, hang out with our
friends, have fun and most of all reshape the world in our own image." – Louisville Improvisors member Chris Anger
 |
| Jenni Cochran, Chris Anger, Brian Hinda & Alec Volz. Photo by Lily Bartenstein. |
Savage Rose Classical Theatre Company Presents The Man with the Flower
in His Mouth
Set in an all-night café, two men explore in words and silence the
tactile world around them. The infinity of imagination and the finality of life
can be found in a ribbon, an armchair or even a handful of grass. The Man with the Flower in His Mouth is
a beautiful and compelling piece of theatre presented in an intimate setting,
allowing each member of the audience to be both on-looker and participant.
 |
| Playwright Luigi Pirandello. |
Walden Theatre Presents Salvation Road
Two guys. One rusted out Honda. Twenty-four hours
to separate a girl from her guru. The road to Hell was never more fun. When his hip older sister Denise
disappears with members of a fundamentalist church, 17-year-old Cliff Kozak struggles
to hold it all together, pretending that he isn’t hurt by her decision to cut
him out of her life. But a year later, a chance sighting of Denise at a New
Jersey strip mall leads Cliff and his best buddy Duffy on a road trip into the
heart of a deepening mystery. Why would a smart and talented girl like Denise
fall for the hollow promises of a sleazy preacher? Could it be that blind faith
is just another term for a desperate need to belong?
 |
| Playwright D.W. Gregory. |
The Louisville Improvisers Presents Ricketts
and Randy
It's Timmy's birthday and
you're invited to a party!
There will be games, party favors and Ricketts and Randy! Nearly beloved children’s entertainers Ricketts and Randy have been entertaining children throughout Kentuckiana for over 20 years. Known for their clean, highly original and time-tested comedy magic, Ricketts and Randy’s shows are carefully blended combinations of comedy, illusion and audience participation that will not only keep everyone on the edge of their seats, but are also guaranteed to make them laugh out loud as they scratch their heads in wonder. |
 |
| Chris Anger and Keith McGill are Ricketts and Randy. Photo courtesy of Louisville Improvisers. |
SLANT
Culture Theatre Festival
November
8-18. 2012
Walden Theatre
1123 Payne Street
Louisville, KY
(502) 589-0084
