Spring Training & Performance with Raina von Waldenburg
This Spring we offer a crazy and titillating vision of having a Performance Workshop where participants receive advanced personalized training that is directly funneled into application and rehearsal, leading to a high production level performance. The innovative and compelling piece of theatre planned is written by Raïna von Waldenburg, and is one in which participants are challenged to execute highly precise and completely authentic, risky performance.
This ambitious program necessitates a collaboration or co-operative effort on the part of participants and faculty, including fundraising to pay for production and to reduce tuition costs. Pursuant to student feedback we are offering the option described below.
Das Kaspar Theatre, Synopsis
Marlene accuses her aristocratic German-immigrant organic goat farming grandparents of sexual abuse. As she does her mind suddenly explodes into the myriad of inner voices that have been repressed for years. (I AM ONE WHO fest!) These bold and surreal characters literally crawl out of Marlene’s grandmother’s puppet collection in the basement (where the abuse happened) to deal with the urgency of Marlene’s confrontation. It is a humorous, vulgar, candid, and beautiful investigation of repressed memories (a play filled with more questions than answers) and how a family struggles to deal with it. There is no moral to the story… except maybe… forgiveness.
PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP
Saturdays 3 – 6
Sundays 2 – 6
Mondays 7 – 10
Dates: April 19 – June 15 (9 weeks, Training & Rehearsals)
Please note that this date range may push by one week, dependent upon studio and faculty availability.
Open house in-studio performances: Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14
Final feedback session on Monday, June 15
Formal Rehearsals for theatre production: TBA (approximately August 10)
Performances: TBA (late August is our expectation) Two evening performances plus one matinee
Prerequisite: Previous training with Raïna von Waldenburg. No auditions.
12 – 16 participants
Raïna von Waldenburg — Writer/Director/Choreographer/Teacher
Leannie Aalgaard — Producer/Assistant Director/Choreographer
Venue: TBA, potentially Anza or Havana
Tuition: Please contact us or attend the program discussion on Sunday, Feb. 15th 5-8pm – RSVP
Payment plans are available (over 3 – 10 months)
We propose a crowd-funding campaign (launched and managed collaboratively) to address lower student tuition and further raise production value.
Contact Blue Egg for further information and registration, toll free 1.844.258.3344 (1.844 BLUE EGG) or info@BlueEggStudios.com or email Raïna, rainavon@gmail.com.
Review of Das Kaspar Theatre (slightly edited for clarification):
“Puppetry of the Dark”
Eugene/NY Theater Company returns with Das Kaspar Theatre article by Anna Grace
Trial by Fire Theatreworks is back in town with an edgy new production of living puppets and perversion.
The play is written by NYU professor Raïna von Waldenburg, originally produced at The Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU, and later at hotINK’s International Festival of Play Readings in NYC.
The plot: Marlena’s grandmother’s puppets were locked away in the basement for years, stewing in memories of abuse and denial. When Marlena unlocks them, she unleashes the fragmented parts of her mind as she faces the nightmares and fairy tales that made up her childhood.
This play is uncomfortably real and raw, exposing the struggle with repressed memories of sexual abuse and twisted family dynamics. Do not expect a tidy road to recovery with a nice, red ribbon signifying healing at the end.
This open collaboration is not always easy, but a powerful way to bring the story to life, the actors say. Julie Fether says it is the most challenging play she’s done in 30 years on stage. To begin with, four characters in this play are realistic, and the rest of them are surrealistic, living puppets. This calls for extraordinary physical and vocal acting skills on the part of the actors. All of the characters in this play are multidimensional, neither good nor bad but gritty and true. Cast members used the word “important” over and over. Difficult, at times horrifying, the work challenges the cast to bring all of their skills, bravery and passions to the table.
Why is Newman devoted to such dark material? He says that taboo subject matter is not necessarily “sick.” This play, he believes, is not about abuse — it’s about hope. Newman suggests that Das Kaspar is more brave than preachy, more heartfelt than heavy. And he says that although the material is difficult, its chaotic nature, truth, and humor make it beautiful.