Producing Artistic Director Jerry Manning on The 39 Steps

Tech begins this week for The 39 Steps. We’re officially underway on the 2009-2010 season. I won’t bore you with the typical “I’m so excited about this” and “It’s a unique theatrical experience” blather about the show. I’ll refer you instead to two links that say it better than I ever could from The LA Times and The New York Times, respectively.

This I know: We’re announcing today that The 39 Steps is extending. We’ve added five dates to the end of the run because ticket sales are so strong already. I loved the play when I saw it. You will love it too.

The 39 Steps, a la Hitchcock, is a favorite movie of mine. It presages what was to follow as Alfred’s career unfolded. It heralds North By Northwest and its epic chase. It is torqued like Psycho—seriously twisted. Start with this fact: Salvador Dali was the production designer on the flick. That’s a huge statement on Hitchcock’s part—what you’re about to see is in the realm of the surreal. Risky choice.

Here’s the point. The 39 Steps is an adaptation for the stage. This adaptation draws more generously from the original novel than from Hitchcock’s movie. So, here we have a stage adaptation based on the book and filtered through the lens of Alfred Hitchcock.

And our adaptation is just one of what seems like a confluence of theatrical adaptations playing now or soon in Seattle. We have Wicked, a musical play based on a book, which itself is loosely based on a seminal movie (The Wizard of Oz), which itself was based on Frank Baum’s still treasured books. We have Book-It doing a stage adaptation of A Confederacy of Dunces (I cannot wait to see Brandon Whitehead in the role). And in the spring the Rep will present an original adaptation of The Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare from Robert Fagles’ definitive English language adaptation

What do these things have in common? Easy. Hitchcock was a storyteller. Homer was a great storyteller. Fagles, Baum, the Rep, Brandon, Book-It—we’re all storytellers. Some stories are worth telling again and again. Great stories, universal stories deserve to be retold and respun into all kinds of different narrative structures.

Re-Introducing Athol Fugard to Seattle

From Jerry Manning, Producing Artistic Director

In early September—two days after I was appointed Producing Artistic Director— it became clear that a planned production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot was not going happen. Skittish outside producers and wavering directors derailed the play. What were we going to produce in its stead?

The Road to Mecca immediately sprang to mind.

In the late 1980s into the early 1990s it seemed that South African writer Athol Fugard had a new play every season. My Children! My Africa! and Valley Song were mounted by companies around the country. Fugard’s work always carried strong political content—most specifically about the oppression of apartheid and the effects that the South African social system exacted on both white and black people. His plays told simple, personal stories of people struggling with racial segregation.

The Road to Mecca is set in South Africa during the time of apartheid, but in this play Fugard deals with a myriad of themes, with race only a tangential focus. How does one define independence? What constitutes art and who determines such? What role does religion play in our lives, and at what point does religion undermine our self-expressiveness? What moral obligations exist between young and old folks?

The generational themes struck me particularly as I re-read The Road to Mecca. Every year the Rep takes on as many as a dozen interns, recent graduates from some of the country’s best schools. I asked one of the new interns to pull some information on Athol Fugard and apartheid—I was met with blank stares. People now in their early 20s have no recollection of it. No recollection of Robbins Island and the Krugerrand. No real knowledge of Athol Fugard’s work. We thought it time to change that.

I am pleased to welcome back to Seattle Rep Leigh Silverman who staged Blue Door here two seasons ago. I am also delighted to welcome back to this theatre Marya Sea Kaminski (last seen here as Rachel Corrie), Terry Moore, and Dee Maaske who last appeared at the Rep in The Caucasian Chalk Circle. And I am pleased to re-introduce Athol Fugard to this community.

The Road to Mecca is currently in rehearsals and opens Jan. 15.

Joyride

From Joanna, Communications Manager

There's a preview article about boom in the Seattle P-I today. Director Jerry Manning talks about the show and his role as Producing Artistic Director of the Rep, now and beyond.

"I'm the only person who can do this job right now," Manning said without hubris, and is glad to lend his history and credibility to the theater. But he recognizes that long-term survival will require new blood.

When his work is done, he said, "It's time to give the keys to the kids."

Woohoo! Joyride!

Read the full article here: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/theater/387690_theater14.html

Post-election: Is the apocalypse still relevant?

From Joanna, Communications Manager

The Seattle Weekly just ran this preview of boom, talking with playwright Peter Sinn Nachtrieb and director Jerry Manning about whether or not audiences want to think about the end of the world now that things are starting to look up (thank you, Obama). I think: yes. This play deals with environmental apocalypse. While we hope President Obama will turn things around on a global warming front, it's still an issue. But more than that, boom is a comedy with a surprisingly optimistic ending and a healthy dose of sex. It's not like the end of the world is a total downer.

A quote from Jerry in the article: "This script avoids what a lot of plays about 'people in the bunker' fall into," says boom's director Jerry Manning, who's a fan of end-of-the-world stories—like that great old Twilight Zone episode with Burgess Meredith in which a meek reader who survives a nuclear war finally gets time for all of his favorite books. "Usually, you can't really sustain suspense with that scenario, and Peter did. There's not a butt-numbing moment in it."

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-11-12/arts/boom-time/

The end of the world in four hours

From Joanna, Communications Manager

Boom director Jerry Manning just emerged from tech to check in with life outside of the Leo K.

His inside scoop: "It took four hours to blow up the world."

From the Rehearsal Room: An octopus + hilarity

From Hillary, boom Assistant to the Director/Casting Intern

Fresh off of The Three Musketeers, I’m now in rehearsal for boom. Halfway through our second week of rehearsal, I feel ready to give you a glimpse into our world.

Our world is bigger than the theatre. To get a taste of the marine biology that plays such an important role in the play, we took a trip to the Seattle Aquarium where we bonded with Roberta (our tour guide) and Emrich (a Great Pacific Octopus). Roberta even gave us a “backstage” tour of the labs in the aquarium’s basement.

Our world is a hysterically funny one. As we work our way through the show, our actors sometimes have to take a moment to laugh and enjoy each other’s performances before getting back into character and continuing.

Our world is an extremely collaborative one. I’m in daily contact with the playwright Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, who is sending us re-writes and thoughts as we share with him our questions and discoveries from rehearsal. Our fearless leader (i.e. director) Jerry Manning encourages everyone in the room to contribute—each actor, each designer, our stage managers, and even me!

From where I’m sitting right now, the view is looking good. I’ll be back with more updates soon.

Midwest Sweetie

From Kiki, Audience Development Intern

Buckle up, we have a new guest blogger.

My name is Kiki Abba (a cooler or more Scantron-friendly name has yet to be found) and I started three weeks ago at the Rep as the Audience Development Intern. Don't worry, I don't really know what that title means either, but we'll figure it out together. I'm literally The Lady From Dubuque, and just graduated from the University of Iowa with a double major in Theatre Arts and Communication Studies. I have found the Midwest to be a wonderful place to grow up. It is full of early bedtimes and Yeild to Cows signs. But I'm happy for a change in scenery and where better to go than the home of Grey's and Fraiser?

As I heave another mouthful of cupcake down my gullet, I can't help but feel the responsibility to let you all in on a secret: Jerry Manning, our Producing Artistic Director, is in love with Cupcake Royale. The torrid affair started years ago, and for anyone that has tasted these petit slices of heaven, you'll understand completely.

Here's what I know for certain: 1.) Today he brought in four cupcakes and left them carelessly on a counter top, basically asking, "Hey Kiki, would you mind stealing one of these?" One thing you'll learn about me is that I always follow orders. I did a sly walk-and-grab and have been feasting on this cupcake for the past 5 mins. You know it's hard out here for an intern.

2.) About two weeks ago MetroMart advertised that they were going to be giving away FREE Cupcake Royales at 4:00pm on a Friday. Manning sent an e-mail to everyone at 9:30am asking, "Should we go en masse? They're good cupcakes...." To say the least, the Rep shut down for about 10 mins as we headed across the street to get out sugar fix. Who needs a watercooler when you have a grocery store stocked with free cupcakes? This is where we bond.

3.) It's probably just a rumor, but I heard that he had a spam e-mail address entitled: cupcakesugardaddy@gmail.com. But that's just what I've heard.

I rest my case.

Seattle Weekly on Jerry Manning

John Logenbaugh just wrote a column in Seattle Weekly about our new Producing Artistic Director Jerry Manning. Here's an except:

"I think it's time that we put the 'Seattle' back into Seattle Rep," he says, then spends several minutes expounding on the wealth of acting talent that's here and constantly emerging from the UW and Cornish. This is very encouraging: When he speaks about "local talent," it's not the cant of a newbie buttering up his board, it comes from a guy who probably knows more actors, both Equity and non-Equity, than any artistic director working in town.

What the Rep also needs, he says, is younger people—not just in the audience, but onstage and maybe even running the show. "If I were to have my say, I think these institutions, not just the Rep but ACT and Intiman and the Arena and the Goodman, should be run by younger people, artists in their 20s and 30s. There's a smart way to do it and a dumb way to do it. But I think for the future of theater in this country it's going to have to be done."

Continue reading the article...

Jerry Manning Promoted to Acting Artistic Director

If you haven't heard already, our current Artistic Director David Esbjornson announced a few months ago that he would be stepping down after three season here at the Rep. We are about to launch an extensive search for a new AD, but in the interim longtime Casting Director Jerry Manning will take over as Acting Artistic Director. Here's the official word:

Seattle Repertory Theatre announced today that Jerry Manning will take the helm as Acting Artistic Director at Seattle Rep. Manning has been with Seattle Rep for over eight years where he has served as Casting Director while juggling multiple assignments in producing the work on all three of the company's stages. Manning directed Thom Pain (based on nothing) leading off the Leo K. Theatre season in 2006 and will direct Boom this year. Before joining Seattle Rep in 2000, Manning served as Artistic Associate at the New York Theatre Workshop. While Manning will be assuming the position of Acting Artistic Director, Braden Abraham will assume responsibilities as Manning's principal associate in addition to those that he currently holds as Literary Manger.

The theatre is currently evaluating its organizational model to determine the appropriate artistic and business management structure for the future. That process will be completed before beginning a search for a new artistic director. Current Artistic Director, David Esbjornson, had announced earlier this spring that he would not be renewing his contract. "David has contributed significantly to the growth and strength of our artistic productions and to the caliber of the work we present to our audiences," says Board President Jane Zalutsky. "As we begin this leadership transition, we are confident that Manning will support Seattle Rep's artistic vision with his characteristic passion and diligence and his considerable experience as a theatre practitioner. With his strong ties to the community, we are assured that Jerry will lead this organization through an exciting season, which will further secure Seattle Rep's position in the forefront of Seattle's theatre community."

Can you mid-size that?

From Joanna Horowitz, Communications Department

So, I've been letting Paul do most of the talking (typing?) about The Lady from Dubuque process, and maybe you've been thinking, "Where's Joanna? I can barely live without her!" (well, a girl can dream). Here I am.

First off, John Logenbaugh had an article in last week's Seattle Weekly about whether or not Seattle is really a theatre town. You can read it here. I've been thinking a lot about what John says, essentially that Seattle is seeing a severe deficit in mid-sized theaters and that's hurting us. Now that the Empty Space is closed, there's a sizable gap between fringe theaters (and there are lots and many of really high quality) and the "big houses" like us at the Rep. This clearly affects those of us working in theatre--it means less places to work that can afford to pay actors, directors, etc.

The question I have is, how does the lack of mid-sized theaters impact us as audience members. Will the gap change what we see on stage? I don't feel completely confident in answering these questions, being relatively new to the Seattle theater scene and to the Rep. But my very knowledgeable boss Cynthia Fuhrman may have some answers.

According to Cynthia, who also just had this same conversation with Rep Casting Director Jerry Manning, widening the gap between fringe and large theaters will mean Seattle will be less likely to retain the young actors who move here or stay here after school. They will act in fringe theaters like WET and Theater Schmeater, but most won't be able to make the leap to ACT, INTIMAN or the Rep without the stepping stone of a theater like Empty Space. That means eventually you'll see fewer local actors on the big stages.

It also means you won't have the opportunity to see an actor like Lori Larsen in a fantastic production like Frozen in an intimate 120-seat venue. Someone like Lori can't really perform with a fringe theater because of Equity contracts and the fact that most fringe companies can't afford to pay. So, with mid-sized theaters dwindling, your opportunity to experience professional quality theater with really great veterens in an intimate setting also dwindles.

Finally, it's a pretty common belief, said Cynthia, that the more theater that is available, the more people to see it. It's more accessible (if there's theater in your neighborhood, you're more likely to go see it), and you have broader options to match up with your taste. And once you see enough that you connect with, the more you get in the habit of going (like heroin, Cynthia said, but I think she was joking).

So what can we do to try to slow and reverse this trend? Well, for one, don't stop going to theater. All kinds of theater. We say now in hindsight, "Wow, I wish I would have gone to the Empty Space more." So, go to the mid-sized theatres in Seattle: Book-It, Seattle Shakespeare Company, etc. And go to the smaller fringe theatres, especially the ones that you think have a potential to grow: maybe WET, Theater Schmeater, Seattle Public, Balagan. With our support, they may be the next generation of mid-size theatres.

Ok, off the soapbox for the day.