READING SALON
Hunger & Thirst believes it is important for theater artists to always be forming bonds with each other so we created the Reading Salon, a play-reading series that allows a large pool of artists the opportunity to gather and read a play in a relaxed setting. Not only does this communal activity give actors an opportunity to work on their craft, but it also allows them to meet and work with their fellow artists.
While we no longer continue the Reading Salon tradition on a regular basis, we feel it is an important part of the company's history and encourage other artists to create their own salons. Hunger & Thirst does occasionally gather to read plays together; if you would like to be informed if/when we do, please contact us.
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JANUARY-APRIL 2014: GRAB BAG CYCLE
For this cycle, each company member selected one playwright that he/she admires. Then, each company member will be randomly given another playwright to research and select a play from that playwright's canon. The end result promises to be a diverse, fun mix of plays that are ideally suited for our reading salon!
Plays in the cycle included: Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, Courtship by Horton Foote, and I Am A Camera by John von Druten.
For this cycle, each company member selected one playwright that he/she admires. Then, each company member will be randomly given another playwright to research and select a play from that playwright's canon. The end result promises to be a diverse, fun mix of plays that are ideally suited for our reading salon!
Plays in the cycle included: Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, Courtship by Horton Foote, and I Am A Camera by John von Druten.
Natalie Hegg and Jordan Kaplan read Eurydice
Zak Risinger and Emily Kitchens read Courtship
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PARTICIPATING ACTORS
Andy Baldeschwiler Sheila Bandyopadhyay Britannie Bond Katie Consamus Jessica Crandall Nathalie Frederick Natalie Hegg Jordan Kaplan Marc Andrew Hem Lee Patricia Lynn Alana Rader Eli Sibley |
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2013: THE LAST 50 YEARS
Since we've been focusing on classical text over the past few months, Hunger & Thirst members decided to center this cycle around modern works and selected our favorite plays from each decade over the past fifty years.
Plays from this cycle included: The House of Blue Leaves by John Guare, The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein, Three Tall Women by Edward Albee, Brief Encounter adapted by Emma Rice, based on a film by Noel Coward, and Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang.
Since we've been focusing on classical text over the past few months, Hunger & Thirst members decided to center this cycle around modern works and selected our favorite plays from each decade over the past fifty years.
Plays from this cycle included: The House of Blue Leaves by John Guare, The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein, Three Tall Women by Edward Albee, Brief Encounter adapted by Emma Rice, based on a film by Noel Coward, and Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang.
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PARTICIPATING ACTORS Heather McDevitt Barton Britannie Bond Mary C. Davis Sarah Hankins Natalie Hegg Judith Ingber Daniel Johnsen Jordan Kaplan Emily Kitchens Lauren Lubow Patricia Lynn Katie Parker Ralph Petrarca Alana Rader Eli Sibley Kevin Paul Smith John Tracey |
Natalie Hegg, John Tracey, and Mary C. Davis read The Heidi Chronicles
Kevin Paul Smith and Natalie Hegg read Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike
Heather McDevitt Barton and Daniel Johnsen read Brief Encounter
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MAY-JUNE 2013: MOLIERE CYCLE
In preparation for our summer production of The Misanthrope, the Reading Salon will focus on Moliere's most memorable works. By doing so, we hope to gain further appreciation for 17th century French theatre, commedia dell'arte, and of course, the infamous rhyming couplets.
Plays in this cycle included: The Learned Ladies, The Miser, and The Imaginary Invalid.
In preparation for our summer production of The Misanthrope, the Reading Salon will focus on Moliere's most memorable works. By doing so, we hope to gain further appreciation for 17th century French theatre, commedia dell'arte, and of course, the infamous rhyming couplets.
Plays in this cycle included: The Learned Ladies, The Miser, and The Imaginary Invalid.
Emily Kitchens and Kevin Paul Smith read The Learned Ladies
Evan Hernandez, Matthew Ellis Murphy, and Emily Kitchens read The Miser
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PARTICIPATING ACTORS
Heather McDevitt Barton Britannie Bond Natalie Hegg Evan Hernandez Jonathan Horvath Jordan Kaplan Emily Kitchens Lauren Lubow Patricia Lynn Matthew Ellis Murphy Kevin Paul Smith Eli Sibley Kymberly Tuttle |
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2013: FROM OUR BOOKSHELVES
Hunger & Thirst company members rummaged through their bookshelves and compiled a list of engaging, heartfelt plays that we would love to share with you in the Reading Salon environment. Focusing primarily on contemporary playwrights, Hunger & Thirst is excited to explore a wide assortment of plays selected straight from our personal libraries.
Plays in this cycle included: The Last night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry, Translations by Brian Friel, Coastal Disturbances by Tina Howe, The Animal Kingdom by Philip Barry, Wonder of the World by David Lindsay-Abaire, and A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard.
Hunger & Thirst company members rummaged through their bookshelves and compiled a list of engaging, heartfelt plays that we would love to share with you in the Reading Salon environment. Focusing primarily on contemporary playwrights, Hunger & Thirst is excited to explore a wide assortment of plays selected straight from our personal libraries.
Plays in this cycle included: The Last night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry, Translations by Brian Friel, Coastal Disturbances by Tina Howe, The Animal Kingdom by Philip Barry, Wonder of the World by David Lindsay-Abaire, and A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard.
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PARTICPATING ACTORS Heather McDevitt Barton Britannie Bond Vichet Chum Nick DeMarco Natalie Hegg Judith Ingber Jordan Kaplan Patricia Lynn Marianne Miller Rebeca Miller Matthew Ellis Murphy Jenna Panther Kristin Parker Lauren Pennline Alana Rader Max Rosenak Kyle Schaefer Ricardo Sebastian Brian Sheppard Kevin Paul Smith Kymberly Smith Amanda Sykes John Tracey |
John Tracey and Natalie Hegg read Translations
Ashley Wickett, Max Rosenak, Heather McDevitt Barton read The Last Night of Ballyhoo
Patricia Lynn reads The Animal Kingdom
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OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2012: GOTHIC CYCLE
Hunger & Thirst selected dramatic works dealing with dark and supernatural elements from a wide array of genres. As the nights grow colder and longer, Hunger & Thirst will explore these horrifying, unique, frightening, (and perhaps hilarious?) works in the comfort of our cozy salon.
Plays from this cycle included: Mary Stuart by Frederich Schiller (adapted by Peter Oswald), Dracula adapted by Steven Dietz (based on the novel by Bram Stoker), Henry VI, Part II by William Shakespeare, Fortinbras by Lee Blessing, Safe in Hell by Amy Freed, and The Haunted (Part 3 in the Mourning Becomes Electra cycle) by Eugene O'Neill.
Hunger & Thirst selected dramatic works dealing with dark and supernatural elements from a wide array of genres. As the nights grow colder and longer, Hunger & Thirst will explore these horrifying, unique, frightening, (and perhaps hilarious?) works in the comfort of our cozy salon.
Plays from this cycle included: Mary Stuart by Frederich Schiller (adapted by Peter Oswald), Dracula adapted by Steven Dietz (based on the novel by Bram Stoker), Henry VI, Part II by William Shakespeare, Fortinbras by Lee Blessing, Safe in Hell by Amy Freed, and The Haunted (Part 3 in the Mourning Becomes Electra cycle) by Eugene O'Neill.
(from L. to R.) Patricia Lynn, Jenna Panther, Jordan Kaplan, and Vichet Chum read Henry VI, Part II
Matthew Ellis Murphy and Kristopher Infante read Fortinbras
Marianne Miller, Kristin Parker, Matthew Ellis Murphy, and Sarah Hankins read Safe in Hell
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PARTICIPATING ACTORS Raife Baker Britannie Bond Christopher Bonewitz Vichet Chum Jessica Crandall Marisa Duchowny Sarah Hankins Natalie Hegg Kristopher Infante Benjamin Kahre Jordan Kaplan Emily Kitchens Patricia Lynn Marianne Miller Matthew Ellis Murphy Jenna Panther Kristin Parker Alana Rader Max Rosenak Eli Sibley Kymberly Smith |
JULY-AUGUST 2012: ACTOR'S CHOICE CYCLE
Each play included in Cycle Two will be specifically selected for members of HTTC company and Reading Salon regulars. Hunger & Thirst actors will therefore have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of genres, playwrights, and theatrical works in just a few weeks time.
Plays in this cycle included: A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare, Summer and Smoke by Tennessee Williams, Love Song by John Kolvenbach, Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen (translated by Brian Friel), A Dream Play by August Strindberg (translated by Carl R. Mueller), Blood Wedding by Frederico Garcia Lorca (translated by Lillian Groag), Life is a Dream by Pedro Calderon de la Barca (translated by Kenneth McLeish), Cowboy Mouth, Icarus's Mother, and Fool for Love by Sam Shepard, and The Seagull by Anton Chekhov (translated by Curt Columbus).
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PARTICIPATING ACTORS
Raife Baker Britannie Bond Christopher Bonewitz Timothy J. Cox J.C. Ernst Natalie Hegg Evan Hernandez Judith Ingber Jordan Kaplan Emily Kitchens Patricia Lynn Brian Keith MacDonald Matthew McGloin Rebeca Miller Kristin Parker Rich Price Alana Rader Max Rosenak Jacques Roy Kyle Schaefer Brian Sheppard Kymberly Smith Kevin Paul Smith Amanda Sykes John Tracey |
Brian Keith MacDonald and Britannie Bond read Hedda Gabbler
Evan Hernandez, Matthew McGloin, and Emily Kitchens read Icarus' Mother
Patricia Lynn and Brian Keith MacDonald read A Dream Play
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February-April 2012: THE CHEKHOV CYCLE
In preparation for our production of Ivanov, The Reading Salon focused solely on all of Chekhov’s full-length plays in order to find patterns in themes, characters, and other literary elements that will strengthen our understanding of this Russian genius.
In preparation for our production of Ivanov, The Reading Salon focused solely on all of Chekhov’s full-length plays in order to find patterns in themes, characters, and other literary elements that will strengthen our understanding of this Russian genius.
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PLAYS EXPLORED INCLUDE:
The Seagull (translated by Paul Schmidt) Uncle Vanya (translated by Paul Schmidt) The Three Sisters (translated by Paul Schmidt) The Cherry Orchard (translated by Paul Schmidt) Platonov (translated by David Hare) |
PARTICIPATING ACTORS
Britannie Bond Christopher Bonewitz Vichet Chum Timothy Cox Jessica Crandall Robin Galloway Sarah Hankins Per Janson Jordan Kaplan Emily Kitchens Paul Kite Lawrence Lesher Patricia Lynn Brian Keith MacDonald Matthew McGloin Rebeca Miller Adam Nosak Kristin Parker Eli Sibley John Tracey Ashley Wickett |