Mecca Opening Night=Cocktails

From Joanna, Communications Manager

Happy opening! You know it's an opening night around here because our IT Director comes to work in a suit. You know you work at a non-profit theatre when someone showing up in a suit signals a special day. And today is special because I hear we're having tea cocktails and little cakes for the opening night party tonight. Yes that's girly, and I am a girl and I love it.

The Road to Mecca is gorgeous, so beautiful and personal. I saw it last night by myself, and I'm glad I went alone so I could just have room to take it all in. It's a quiet play in that even though there are some intense emotions on stage, it has a sense of being really gentle. Is this making any sense? I guess I'm still soaking it in.

I can say that I am so jealous of our Associate Artistic Director Braden who just got back from a trip to South Africa. After doing research for The Road to Mecca (which takes place in a tiny town in the South African desert called The Great Karoo), I am so fascinated by the country. If Braden took pictures, I'll try to get some to post here (although I don't think he made it to The Owl House, the house that the play takes place in).

I have a blog from The Road to Mecca director, Leigh Silverman that I'm going to post in a second. We also got some photos of Leigh hanging out with set designer Rachel Hauck in our green room (photo by Miryam Gordon). Check it out:

A force of nature

Last night was the official opening of The Cure at Troy. Amidst baklava and ouzo cocktails there was a lot of talk about the show. Clearly that's usually what happens at an opening night party, but this play seems to be causing much more conversation. It's a piece that some people are loving fiercely, calling the best piece of theatre they've ever seen. Other people aren't sure what to make of it. The show, after all, turns a Greek myth on its head.

These seem to be universal truths, though: Boris McGiver, playing Philoctetes, gives one of the most raw, gut-wrenching performances you'll ever see; the lighting design is out of this world, from the breaking of dawn at the beginning to the rock show ending; the set is epic and rooted in the story of the play—not just huge or novel for the sake of being huge or novel; and director Tina Landau has made some big, bold choices. It's a force to be reckoned with.

So. Thus ends our season. With a bang.

More info about Troy here.