Amanda Grace Ewing

BoxFest Detroit, 2013

Peaches by Kelly Rossi
Directed by Amanda Ewing
BoxFest 2013

Show times
Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Friday, August 9, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 3:00 pm

BoxFest Detroit is an annual theatre festival that showcases and creates opportunities for women directors. Though the main focus of the event is the directors, BoxFest Detroit creates a festive energy by including special opening and closing night events and by using the lobby to create an art gallery for female inspired art. Proceeds from the event are given to two directors as a scholarship to help further her career and the winner of the audience vote competition is given the opportunity to direct a show with Planet Ant Theatre’s Late Night Series.

“Peaches” is a twenty-minute one-act centered around familial tensions. Written by BoxFest Detroit’s Executive Director, Kelly Rossi, this show highlights how the smallest misunderstandings can cause the biggest upsets. Starring Elizabeth Jaffe as an amateur writer, and Kez Settle as her motherly cousin, the two women attempt to make amends after a fight about peaches.

EncoreMichigan.com Review
“Amanda Ewing kept a firm hand on the tiller, and the visuals are compelling. It’s a play with a moral: Communication is the key to conciliation, no matter what strange form that communication takes.”

BoxFest Detroit 2013. “Peaches.” Picture courtesy of Kelly Rossi. Pictured: Elizabeth Jaffe.

Kez Settle & Elizabeth Jaffe

Elizabeth Jaffe

New Position

I’m excited to announce that I have joined the Office of New Student Programs at the University of Michigan as the Educational Theatre Production (UMetc) Assistant/Program Coordinator.

The position assists with the direction and coordination of the UMetc, which utilizes a company of undergraduate actor/peer educators and performs thought the year including undergraduate orientation programs. This position assists with the script development and editing; administration of the audition process; schedule and attend all performances; manage prop preparation and set-up; oversee sound and lighting; represent the company in administrative activities; coordinate personnel functions including processing of payroll; prepare monthly and annual reports of program activities; and evaluate performances. In the absence of the Director, this position would also run rehearsals or direct performances.

I’m really excited about this position as the convergence of my academic, teaching, administrative, theatre production, and theatre for social change interests in one full time position.

Directors Lab West

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to join directors from around country at the Pasadena Playhouse for Directors Lab West. The Directors Lab is a program initially created by Anne Cattaneo at Lincoln Center and the DLW is mentored by that program.

It was a wonderful week of workshops, panels, and conversations over dinner with other early career directors.

While I made a lot of wonderful connections at DLW, the thing I’m keeping with me is the idea of finding your tribe. Make theatre with people who get excited about things just like you do. People who want to make the kind of work you do. People who challenge you and excite you to think in another way.

UM Interarts Performance

On Friday I closed the University of Michigan, BFA Senior Show “Mind Your Head” at the Duderstadt Video Studio. It was a pleasure to work with these wonderful students on their projects and to be a part of their culminating BFA project. Here are a few photos from the show, courtesy of Nikki Horowitz. Pictured: Hayden Nichol, Brian Garcia, and Sean Horner.

Dael Olandersmith: Institute for the Humanities

Last week I was honored to be a part of Pulitzer Prize Finalist Dael Olandersmith’s visit to the University of Michigan. She performed her new one woman play, “Forever.”

The performance was incredible – Olandersmith was genuine, honest, and a powerful moment of live theatre. The performance has lingered with me for a week, and I’m sure it will stay with me for quite some time. Do yourself a favor and go see it if you ever have the opportunity to. It was amazing.

Check out a video clip of the performance and a review here.

Frank Pahl @ Kerrytown

On November 19th, I was lucky to be the Production Assistant for Frank Pahl’s performance with the University of Michigan’s Living Room Series at Kerrytown. The concert was fantastic and The Lovely and the Wretched were amazing to work with. I have included a video from the event below.

“This is an excerpt from an 11/19/2015 performance by The Lovely and the Wretched. This is the end of a longer suite in five parts. Each section features a nasty three note combination, hence the title, “Three Bad Notes.” It will also be used by Little Bang Theory to accompany the silent film “Laugh Clown Laugh” when the suitor is present. The Lovely and the Wretched are Abby Alwin, Clem Fortuna, Tim Holmes, Frank Pahl, Mary Riccardi, Terri Sarris and Doug Shimmin.”
Video courtesy of Frank Pahl Vimeo. Video by Bob Teagan.

A Picture Screen Stands in Solitude

On February 18th, the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities presented Paul Dresher’s “A Picture Screen Stands in Solitude.” This musical composition is based on an essay written by a prisoner at the San Quentin Prison. The event included a performance of the piece, a conversation between Paul Dresher and Nigel Poor (the prison teaching artist), a second performance of the piece, and a talkback.

I was honored to be the Production Assistant on this very special event. We had a very quick two day load-in, tech, and performance – I was sorry to see this project go. It was an absolute pleasure to work on and as an artist with a focus in community engagement, this project really touched me. I’ve included a video of the performance at a different location for reference.

A Picture Screen Stands in Solitude – Paul Dresher. Text by Michael Nelson, with special thanks to Nigel Poor. Video property of Paul Dresher.

Lysistrata: Highlights Reel

This is a highlights reel from the musical numbers in Lysistrata provided by the choreographer, Alexa Kornas.

Enjoy!

Metro Detroit’s must-see theater for the 2015-16 season

By Martin Michalek
Read the whole article here

With another polar vortex probably on the way, take comfort in the knowledge that metro Detroit’s theater lights are heating up. The 2015-16 theater season has a little of everything: sex-withholding feminists, a world premiere by Jeff Daniels, and that play about gentrification you’ve been waiting for.

Lysistrata by Drue Robinson (adapted from the comedy by Aristophanes)

Playwrights have adapted Lysistrata as a condemnation of war and patriarchy numerous times since its debut in 411 B.C. However, Drue Robinson’s version is notably different: One, this version of Lysistrata is by a woman — not a 2,400-year-old man with opinions about women. Two, Robinson’s Lysistrata is the only modern adaptation written entirely in rhyme.

Here’s the gist: Lysistrata is an Athenian woman with the poise and command of Nicki Minaj. Fed up with the Peloponnesian War, she organizes the women of Greece into a sex strike. The message is simple: “No peace? No nooky!” Then, in a move reminiscent of Occupy Wall Street, the women seize the treasury and demand a farewell to arms. It’s an irreverent and timely spin on feminism and pacifism — or as the kids say, perfect fodder for your next Tumblr post!

Runs Oct. 9-18 at Bonstelle Theatre; 3424 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313- 577-2972;bonstelle1.com; tickets $15 and up.

Bonstelle provocatively brings human rights awareness in ‘Lysistrata’

Review from “The South End” written by Anjelica Dudek. This review features interviews with the students involved in the production. Read the whole article here.

“The first scene opens up with the protagonist, Lysistrata, performing a solo burlesque to a sultry feminine cover of James Brown’s “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” She eventually “strips” down to a sparkly magenta bra and matching bow tie and hat underneath a black suit coat and dress pants. She is the only character in the show who is contemporarily dressed, which represents her strong leadership skills and her modern viewpoints on society.”

“With the burlesque theme going hand in hand with the idea of a sex strike, we explore sexual agency as well,” said Hannah Butcher, who plays Lysistrata in the play, “because the women ultimately are in charge over how much of their bodies are exposed and when and how they use their sexuality. When they say no, they mean no, and this answer is respected — a huge subject for modern times.”

“Throughout the entire show, the audience is constantly exposed to verbal and physical carnal, which created an abundance of laughter, hoots and whistles–something that Ewing and the cast themselves all encouraged. This show may draw viewers in with its raw sex appeal and energy, but they will leave remembering the often forgotten voices of women, elders and trans-persons everywhere.”