The North/South Plays: An Introduction

By Alex Meda

I wanted to take some time to introduce you to our new blog series: Collaboration In Action. We want to archive, document and create more public dialogue around our unique development process for creating new works as a collective in general. We kick off this ongoing series by discussing and attempting to process — while in action — our first ever “co-production”: The North/South Plays. We hope you follow along and jump in the dialogue as we go along our shared development path with co-producers, Bailiwick Chicago, on our world-premiere production: The North/South Plays set to open October 26, 2011 at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts.

ABOUT THE PLAY: THE NORTH/SOUTH PLAYS, a collaboration between dynamic theatre companies Bailiwick Chicago and Teatro Luna, is an ambitious original play that discusses the current state of borders in North America as they exist ten years after the fallout of the 9/11 tragedy. Infusing Bailiwick’s mastery of the musical with Teatro Luna’s trademark wit and humor into real and imagined stories, THE NORTH/SOUTH PLAYS bring to life the imaginary lines of the United States borders. Travel the intersections of three countries teetering on the edge, as the Lunáticas and Bailiwick Chicago ask, “What comes next for us?”

THE PROCESS SO FAR:
The initial process of development engaged Bailiwick Chicago and Teatro Luna in a collaborative writing workshop November of 2010. At this workshop, Bailiwick Chicago and Teatro Luna’s collective and artistic associates challenged each other with questions based on key themes from both Mexico and Canada. Both companies then created writing teams to lead the creation of  two separate pieces over the next 5 months. Both companies came back together in Jan/Feb for preliminary table readings of the separate pieces they were working on. A second reading followed, after extensive conversations within each writing group.

In March the two writing teams came together and began working together to try to create one singular piece both from what was written individually and based on new prompts, ideas, and inspiration. Bi-monthly writing workshops with a few table readings in between were arranged between March and July.

In April of 2011 Teatro Luna was invited to the Arizona State University’s PERFORMANCE IN THE BORDERLANDS PROJECT to spend a week developing our SOUTHERN BORDER pieces and perform a sneak peek performance after four intensive days of interviewing, writing, and experiencing Phoenix. THIS WAS THE TIME OF OUR LIVES and a pivotal moment for us in our work in this project. Check out past blogs and photos from this trip here!

Private and open workshops began in July as the directors and lead developers started working with actors to get the script ready for the next phase of this project….In August we move into a month long workshop with actors as part of our Incubation period at the Department of Cultural Affairs. The workshop culminates in a one night performance August 29, 2011. Soon after, the second phase of rehearsal will begin towards an October World Premiere at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts in Chicago’s West-side.

EVENTS:
There will be three cultural events related to The NORTH/SOUTH PLAYS.

- July 30, 2011 we are throwing a party at the Den Theatre at 7 pm called FIESTA SIN FRONTERAS– a music fest featuring three live bands, sangria and drinks, and of course DANCING!
- Workshop Performance at the DCA August 29, 2011 at 7 pm
- North America Now – a panel with leading professionals, artists, academics, and politicians about the current state and relationship of Canada, United States, & Mexico interwoven with performances and cocktails

We hope you’ll not only attend these events (and the world premiere production set to open October 26 at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts) but also give us your feedback as Teatro Luna’s North/South Lead Developer & Co-Director Miranda González blogs about the process she is currently undergoing and leading with this project. Guest bloggers will also chime in, so stay tuned!

xox,
Alex Meda
Executive Director

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