Being a Kid After 9/11

Young performers in New York City explore what it means to grow up after the world changed

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Cast members rehearse for their debut on September 10.

People around the country are preparing to observe the 10th anniversary of the tragedy known as 9/11. On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States and more than 3,000 people died. A group of young people in New York City, where the terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, are remembering the event in their own way. Together, they wrote a play to explore the impact of Spetember 11 on their lives.

The final play is called Ten Years Later: Voices from the Post-9/11 Generation Speak. Co-director Ashley Marinaccio told Scholastic News, “It is completely youth driven. It focuses on the cultural aftermath of what it means to be a kid after 9/11.”

The writers and performers range from 9 to 23 years old. The youngest members of the group were not yet born when the events of 9/11 occurred. Others were children or young teens. Together, they interviewed community members, participated in writing exercises, and wrote songs to create an original play based on their experiences in New York following September 11.

A DIFFERENT AMERICA

Heightened security in buildings and airports and U.S. involvement in wars in the Middle East are a few of the ways the 9/11 terrorist attacks changed life in the United States. Many young people growing up in the past 10 years don’t clearly remember what life was like before the tragedy.

“My first view of the Manhattan skyline was without the towers,” cast member Emily Rupp, now 21, says in the play. “When I first saw it, I just tried to imagine what it could’ve looked like. . . . My Manhattan skyline will always be an unfinished puzzle to me.”

Shortly after 9/11, the U.S. sent American troops to Afghanistan to try to find those who had planned the attacks. Thousands of troops remain there. Many cast members do not remember a time when the United States was not at war. The play explores this through monologues and scenes. Other themes include the meaning of patriotism and increased security in American life.

The first performance will take place on September 10 at Pace University in New York City as part of a larger memorial program. This performance is just one way people around the country are preparing for the anniversary. On September 11, a memorial honoring victims will be dedicated at Ground Zero, the site where the Twin Towers once stood.

Ceremonies of remembrance will also take place at the two other sites where the terrorists crashed hijacked planes—at the Pentagon, near Washington, D.C., and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Scores of other services and events will mark the day around the nation as Americans seek to honor the memories of the victims.

Read more about how people across the United States are commemorating the 10th anniversary of September 11.

Co-Op Theatre East (COTE) is casting two ensemble devised projects: "El Otro" by Miguel de Unamuno, directed by Robert A. K. Gonyo and "What to Do In Case You Miss the Rapture", devised by an ensemble of writers and actors, directed by Ashley Marinaccio .

Adaptation of Miguel de Unamuno's 1926 play EL OTRO, to be performed in both Spanish and English. Actors must have proficiency in both Spanish and English (fluency in one, and at least basic 200s college-level conversational ability in the other); and, must be comfortable developing a performance in an ensemble setting.

Synopsis: One of two twin brothers lies dead in the basement, killed at his brother's hand — but the killer is mad, refusing to reveal his identity. While the housekeeper, the doctor, and the twins' respective wives try to piece together the truth of the crime, they get little help from the living twin, who refers to himself only as "El Otro:" the Other. Working with the text in the original Spanish, in English translation, and something in between, we will use Unamuno's riff on the story of Cain and Abel in an attempt to get at the sense of "other-ness" in our country. Within the context of the American experiment, what does it mean to democracy when one "group" or another is seen as the "other"? Unamuno noted that the play explores "the intimate, profound truth of the drama of the soul;" as such, we will attempt to plumb the American soul.

Rehearsals for this work will begin in early December 2011, to culminate in a workshop performance in April or May 2012.

What to Do in Case You Miss the Rapture (… and other Apocalyptic Tales) is an ensemble-devised piece illustrating the obsession with the “End of the World” and impending “Dooms Day”. Writers and Actors will be creating text based on news headlines, interviews, pop culture and/or their own experiences with 'dooms day' enthusiasts.

Seeking 8-10 Performers, all ages and types who are comfortable with writing and contributing to an ensemble devised piece. Must be team players. Writing workshops for “Rapture” will begin in late October, public performance/workshops in May.

You may submit for EITHER El Otro or Rapture (not both). Auditions will be held onThursday, August 18th from 7:00 to 10:00 pm at the Looking Glass Theatre - 422 West 57th Street, NYC. Please do not submit if you cannot make the audition time or will not be in town for the performance months. To submit, please send a headshot/resume with the title of the show your submitting for in the subject line and information about yourself, your background and why you want to be part of the particular project to:cooptheatreeast@gmail.com.

This is an excerpt from a piece I did during a COTE "Home and Garden" rehearsal. The prompt was "Why Do You Go to the Theatre"?

A friend of mine, who’s a pretty well respected Manhattan therapist recently asked me, “Ashley – why are you in theatre?” and my response was “I imagine it’s the same reason you’re a psychotherapist.”

This threw her off guard.

“And that is?”

“I have a lot of unanswered questions about myself and the world that can only begin to be explored through art.”

“Oh?” Her eyes got big and invested like she had hit gold. I probably should have stopped there, but apparently since I like to “test boundaries” (something she often brings to my attention) I add, “Yeah. And I’m sick of being lied to…”

I have no idea where this even came from but I think that’s what she was looking for because she smirked. Not a big grin, but just enough that I could tell she’s onto something. She’s totally baiting me but I’ve been around too many therapists for far too long to fall for this so I make an allusion to “In Treatment”.

“Don’t Paul me..” I say.

“Paul?”

Paul is the psychoanalyst on HBO’s drama “In Treatment”, Gabriel Byrne’s character, the role he should have received the Emmy for… God, there’s nothing I like more than making obscure television references to make awkward situations slightly more… awkward.

Of course, she brings me back down to earth or back to the conversation at least.

“Who’s lying to you?” She asks it sweetly at first and I pretend not to hear which only makes her ask it again with more motivation, “Who’s lying to you?”

I shrug. Alright, I admit, that was the wrong can of worms to open. Now I would be forced to give an explanation. I should I give her something deep, something worth pondering. Something about my childhood. Therapists love that shit. It’s like on that episode of the X-Files where Mulder undergoes hypnotic regression that totally brings up severe childhood traumas stemming from when his sister was abducted by aliens … I digress.

“Well, you see, as a kid my only solace in my broken home was through becoming someone else. It was the only place I could find my true self, my many selves…” Insert “United States of Tara” reference right here.

I guess there’s no need to manipulate. Perhaps she really does want to know why I feel I have been so mislead by my family, my country, my government, the whole damn world that the only place I can be free is on stage – whether it be through the characters I develop as a playwright, breathe life into as an actor or the incredibly deep worlds I invent as a director, the worlds that most of the time I wish I could dive into and live in forever. The truth is, for a number of reasons, I don’t feel safe exploring the controversial and sensitive material that my work deals with outside of my “workspace”. Blame it on whatever you’d like, the twenty six death threats I received in my e-mail box after speaking on CNN World or the third “terrorist watch list” my name was added to after directing a show about Palestinians, and no not Hamas fighters, just the regular day to day happenings of life under military occupation.

“Have you heard the saying ‘Politicians use lies to cover the truth while artists use lies to tell it?’ It’s in the film V for Vendetta. I’ve seen too much truth and the only way to even begin to scratch the tip of the iceberg of rage I’m feeling is through theatre. I am one angry mother fucker. And if I didn’t have an outlet for it, I guarantee you I’d be painting a white padded cell with my own blood and shit… like Miguel Alvarez in Oz. Oh, don’t tell me you missed Oz… I’m not talking about Dorothy’s Oz either…

Okay.

Maybe I “go to” the theatre to avoid the hard stuff.

In recent months I’ve become so good at transforming my pain to paper that I’ve forgotten how to feel.

I don’t pretend to think this is a good thing.

Or a funny thing.

Or something I should be particularly proud of.

Well, it’s not entirely a bad thing either.

There’s no shame.

It just is.

It is.

It is perhaps the only way I have been able to get through the day.

It is a survival mechanism of sorts.

I once played this character who was incarcerated for arson. She would get mad and just light shit on fire in her cell. She was bad ass. Crazy, but bad ass.

I want to be bad ass.

Jolene Shatila, a character I penned, handled the illness of her beloved life partner a lot better than I have my mother.

I want that courage.

And assistant directing Ragtime made me almost forgot how abandoned I feel by my own father when the curtain falls.

I go to the theatre when I can’t go home.

At some point I learned that it’s easier to have the dialogue I want to have in real life through my characters. You know what dialogue I’m talking about, the one that most recently has been ending with me making references to obscure television shows…

I guess you didn’t expect to hear that, huh?

Some highlights from this past month's theatrical activities:

COTE Tales. Co-Op Theatre East's new play reading series.

Trojan Women dramaturgy rehearsal.

Reading of my play "Documentary: A Suicide Narrative" at the Brecht Forum

Co-Op Theatre East Ensemble Photo Shoot

Encore performance of "GirlPower: Survival of the Fittest" at the Estrogenius Festival

(Above and Below) Scenes from Radio COTE, new socio-political radio plays

I'm debuting 2 new radio plays in COTE's 2010-2011 Season Kick-off called "Radio COTE" on October 6th, "Live from Pod 305" and "Standing in Front of 9/11 Waiting for the End of the World", a collaboration with my creative partner, Robert A.K. Gonyo. It's going to be a fun night filled with some of COTE's favorite performers and playwrights. Check out the info below and meet the cast here, http://www.theateronline.com/PB.xzc?PK=25817.

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Co-Op Theatre East presents:

Radio COTE
New Radio Plays on Current Events
(with a Revisionist Twist)

Written by
Jacob Dickerman, Robert A. K. Gonyo*, Ashley Marinaccio* and Mariah MacCarthy

Directed by
Andi Cohen, Robert A.K. Gonyo, Veronique Ory and Katherine Sommer

Featuring
Hannah Rose Barfoot*, Kerrie Bond*, Mike Callahan*, Tyrus Cucavac*, Theresa Christine*, Jacob Dickerman, Jessica Greer Morris, Tony De Meglio,Robert Gonyo*, Alex Herrald*, Ashley Marinaccio*, Lauren McCullough, Todd Meredith, Michael Rehse, Anna Savant*, Lynn Spencer*, Laurence Waltman, Ruis Woertendyke

* member of the COTE Ensemble

Admission is free but there is a suggested donation of $5. All donations collected at the door will go to the Stefanos Tsigrimanis Memorial Fund established at NYU’s Department of Performance Studies, to sponsor future projects by departmental students that embody the spirit of Stefanos’s own work. Contact Laura Elena Fortes at the Department of Performance Studies at LF65@nyu.edu for any questions regarding the fund.

About the Plays

Live from Pod 305
Written by Ashley Marinaccio and Directed by Andi Cohen
Featuring Anna Savant, Ashley Marinaccio and Jacob Dickerman
At the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, two pod mates discuss the concepts of revisionism and escape through a nightly grassroots radio broadcast from Pod 305.

Bachelor/Bachelorette
Written by Mariah MacCarthy and Directed by Katherine Sommer
Featuring Hannah Rose Barfoot, Lauren McCullough, Theresa Christine,
and Tyrus Cucavac
On the eve of her wedding at her bachelorette party, Dani is torn between an androgynous stranger and a call from her future wife.

Conference
Written and Directed by Robert A. K. Gonyo
Featuring Kerrie Bond, Mike Callahan, Alex Herrald and Todd Meredith
In the midst of delicate negotiations for a new health-care bill, a seasoned Congressman learns that his re-election campaign just got alot more complicated— voting has been made mandatory. Over a conference call, he & his campaign staff strategize through this turn of events, and weigh the costs of winning on Election Day.

Unus Populus Fidens (A Nation Without Fear/A Confident Nation)
Written by Jacob Dickerman and Directed by Véronique Ory
Featuring Lynn Spencer, Laurence Waltman, Jessica Greer Morris, Ruis Woertendyke, Michael Rehse and Tony De Meglio
In the wake of alterations to the Texas Social Studies curriculum, the US of A realizes the freedom that can be had when we subjugate our reason to our desires.

Standing In Front of 9/11 Waiting for the End of the World
Written by Ashley Marinaccio and Robert A.K. Gonyo
Performed by Ashley Marinaccio and Robert A.K. Gonyo
Toby and Rachel are professional disaster tour guides in need of some quick cash. While standing in front of the World Trade Center site they attempt to create a business plan that will demolish the competition of the surrounding street vendors and 9/11 memorabilia peddlers.

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About Co-Op Theatre East
Founded in April of 2008, Co-Op Theatre East (COTE) believes in the power of art to foster a dialogue for social change. COTE provides an entertaining performance forum in which to ask evocative, challenging questions of artists and audiences on our way to creating collaborative answers. www.cooptheatreeast.org

About the COTE Ensemble
The COTE Ensemble are the resident artists of Co-Op Theatre East. The company membership exists to develop and expand both the performance technique and social consciousness of the individual artist, provide a supportive and safe atmosphere to create new work, and present new theatre that challenges the stories being told in dominant culture.

Another exciting review of "Decadent Acts" from Show Business Weekly:
http://www.showbusinessweekly.com/archive2010/599/dec.shtml

and in other news, "Decadent Acts"/COTE has 2 nominations in the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Awards:

Anna Savant for Outstanding Lead Actress (for her work as Dr. Jolene Shatila)

and I am nominated for the Planet Activist award.

Great summer so far!

Gearing up for "GirlPower: Survival of the Fittest" in the Fringe Festival this August! It's going to be a fantastic show as well!

Decadent Acts received a nice review from Erik Haagensen of Backstage magazine (http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-ny-theatre-off-off-broadway/decadent-acts-1004099237.story). Overall, it's very fair and I'm very appreciative for both the criticism and positive feedback. It's a great place to start (and end, this round). Haagensen has provided me with a valuable set of critiques which I can't wait to hopefully work on and change for not only the next phase of Decadent Acts but future plays.

I'm thankful Backstage had the chance to check it out and hope that they will come back to see GirlPower: Survival of the Fittest in the NY International Fringe Festival this summer. I would LOVE to receive such thoughtful criticism and feedback such as this for PGPC because it's a wonderful way to think about how to frame work int he future (especially with a project like GirlPower that's ongoing). So, thank you Erik/Backstage and I hope to see you again in August back at the Robert Moss Theatre (dates TBA!)

I have been invited to speak on a panel this Friday that will be exploring diversity in the independent theatre world. It's part of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (in which COTE is currently producing "Decadent Acts"). The festival has been a wonderful experience for us so far. If you haven't had the chance to, you should check out some of the exciting work being done. Of course, you should check out Decadent Acts too. We've made quite a lot of changes since our April production and are in great shape. Looking forward to an exciting run.

For more information on the panel, check out Martin's blog. I have copied and pasted the information from there, below. http://nytheatre.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/talking-about-diversity-in-indie-theater/

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On Friday, June 18 at 2:00pm, at the Robert Moss Theatre, I will be hosting a panel on diversity in Indie theater. The panel is part of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, of which nytheatre.com is a media sponsor.

I’ve put together a really interesting lineup to join me on the panel:

• LEAH BONVISUTTO is the director of Felipe Ossa’s Cake at Planet Connections
• ROI “BUBI” ESCUDERO is the creator/director/designer of 11 Seconds of Ecstasy at Planet Connections
• ASHLEY MARINACCIO is the author/director of Decadent Acts at Planet Connections
• MONTSERRAT MENDEZ is a playwright, director, actor, and a reviewer for nytheatre.com

We’ll be talking about the breadth and depth of diversity in the indie theater community–which is certainly exemplified by the panel, which includes three women who direct and two who write plays; one of our panelists is from Argentina and another from Puerto Rico. Diversity will be defined very broadly in this discussion–not just in terms of gender or ethnicity, but also in terms of subject matter, theme, genre, and form. Why is indie theater the platform for so much more exploration in these areas than elsewhere in the NYC theatre world?

We’re also going to be talking about why diversity is important–not just for the various groups/ideas that are represented, but more significantly for the audience. Why should theatregoers of every stripe stretch themselves and move out of their comfort zones to experience diverse kinds of theatre?

I expect a fascinating and lively discussion, and I hope you will join us! It’s free. Post your thoughts here and I will bring them to the panel!

On Tuesday, January 26th 2010 at 8:00pm Co-Op Theatre East will present its first annual networking event and fundraiser! Join COTE and your fellow actors, directors, producers, and theatre-lovers for cocktails, food and great conversation with others who share your love of the theatre arts (future collaborators!?!?). Sketch comedy troupe, Think Pound will be performing in addition to an acoustic set from Reconsider and a solo set from thingNY's Paul Pinto. The event will be held on Tuesday, January 26th, 8–11pm at Jimmy's No. 43 (43 E. 7th Street, Manhattan). RSVP for the party by e-mailing us at cooptheatreeast@gmail.com. The asking donation is $15, and will go directly toward making the rest of our season a reality. Co-Op Theatre East believes in the power of art to foster a dialogue for social change. We provide an entertaining performance forum in which to ask evocative, challenging questions of artists and audiences on our way to creating collaborative answers. For more information on COTE visit us on the web at http://www.cooptheatreeast.org/.

Co-Op Theatre East (www.cooptheatreeast.org) is presenting some exciting new street theatre this weekend at various locations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens called "Democracy in America". Come check us out! "Democracy in America" explores the nature of contemporary democracy in the United States, with a focus on the New York City mayoral election. Curated and directed by Robert A. K. Gonyo, the piece is brimming with questions of civic participation, spectatorship, the politics of art, and the art of politics. The locations are listed below. We definitely hope to see you as you're out and about this Halloween weekend.

Happy Halloween!!!!

DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA SCHEDULE
SATURDAY OCTOBER 31st

BROOKLYN
Between 12:30 and 1 p.m.Fort Greene Park, Dekalb Ave. @ Washington Park, Brooklyn, NY, 718-398-4024 http://fortgreenepark.org

MIDTOWN - MANHATTAN
Between 2:30 and 3 p.m., and 4 and 4:30 p.m.:A.D.A.’s World’s Largest Block Party FREE Madison Ave between 42nd and 57th Sts (nycstreetfairs.com). Subway: 42nd St S, 4, 5, 6, 7 to 42nd St–Grand Central; N, R to Fifth Ave–59th St. 10am–6pm.

THE VILLAGE - MANHATTAN
Between 5:30 and 6 p.m., and 6:30 and 7 p.m.36th Annual Village Halloween ParadeFREE Sixth Ave from Spring St to 23rd St (halloween-nyc.com). Subway: A, C, E, D, F to W 4th St; C, E to Spring St; F to 14th or 23rd St; L to Sixth Ave. 7–10pm.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1st

MIDTOWN
Between 12 and 12:30 p.m., and 1 and 1:30 p.m. Sixth Avenue Autumn Fair FREE Sixth Ave between 34th and 42nd Sts (nycstreetfairs.com). Subway: D, F, N, Q, R to 34th St–Herald Sq; D, F to 42nd St–Bryant Park; 7 to Fifth Ave. 10am–6pm.

JACKSON HEIGHTS - QUEENS
Between 2:30 - 3:00 pmJackson Heights Greenmarket, 34 Avenue between 77 & 78 Streets, and on 78 St between 34 Avenue and Northern Blvd. 7 to 74 St/Broadway; E, F, V, R, G to Jackson Heights/Roosevelt. http://www.cenyc.org/node/278

UNION SQUARE - MANHATTAN
Between 5:00 - 5:30 pmUnion Square Broadway FestivalFREE Broadway between 17th and 23rd Sts (clearviewfestival.com). Subway: L, N, Q, R, 4, 5, 6 to 14th St–Union Sq; R to 23rd St. 11am–6pm.