The Production Workshop's annual play festival "Three Chairs, Two Cubes" embodies the group's mission to bring student-run theater to Brown by putting on short plays that are written, performed and directed by undergraduates.
The festival strives to focus on the writing and the acting of the play. To this end, sets can only include three chairs and two cubes and can only run from five to 20 minutes in length.
The project, therefore, requires a unique collaboration between writer and director. "Unlike in most plays, where playwrights finish writing and hand their play off to a director, this is almost a workshop," said Hillary Dixler '08, the festival's dramaturg, who facilitates play development. "Playwrights are welcome to give feedback and speak with the cast," she added.
For this year's festival, the PW board selected five pieces out of the 27 submitted that best demonstrate "fresh writing," Dixler said.
"All of the plays chosen are very different. Some plays question what theater is whereas others have great thematic content. Some stand out for dialogue," she added.
The chosen plays depict a variety of events. For example, "Rubbing Elbows: An American Courtship" by Angela Thurston '07 tackles contemporary political issues through conversations between people walking in Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C.
On the other hand, "A Man Walks into a Bar" by Benjamin Struhl '09 explores the meaning of ambiguity and uncertainty when a man walks into a bar looking desperately for someone.
Because plays are submitted anonymously, the festival opens up the somewhat insular world of Brown theater to fresh talent. Most of the playwrights have never been involved with PW, and some use "Three Chairs Two Cubes" as an entry into Brown's theater community.
"It's a really great way to get involved in theater," said Nina Mozes '08, whose play "Think Box" was selected.
Though most of this year's selected plays were adapted from pieces written in LR 11: "Playwriting I" or LR 21: "Playwriting II," the festival gives undergraduate playwrights the unique opportunity to see their words acted out.
"To watch actors build a history from reading 10 pages of my writing was rewarding in that they could believe that much in my writing," Mozes said.
Struhl agreed.
"The most exciting thing is to see how people react to it," he said.
Indeed, directors were chosen specifically based on how they reacted to potential scripts.
"PW posts plays online, you pick three plays and write how you would approach it as a director," Dixler said. The PW board then made selections based upon those submissions. Playwrights were not able to choose their directors. However, they were able to sit in on auditions for actors as well as rehearsals.
With new talent, a sparse set and no costumes, "Three Chairs Two Cubes" creates a highly collaborative and innovative atmosphere. "I think this festival is an important opportunity for the directors, playwrights and actors," Thurston said. "It allows for a lot of experimentation and no pressure from having a production team."
This year's festival will run from Oct. 27 to Oct. 30.
