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So, the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts brought the New York Neo-Futurists to Texas A&M.
The neo-futurists are a theater group originally conceived in Chicago, and the TMLMTBGB production started there something like 20 years ago. They don't do 'acting' they way you might think of in a typical play - everything in the theater is real, the people are real, the audience is real, and you are all there together sharing an experience. I mean, this is true in general, but they make it explicit, and make it part of the performance.
The show is actually made up of 30 different plays, and they only go for an hour - there is a big darkroom clock on the wall, and they start the show, they set it to 60 minutes. And when it stops, the show is over.
The audience (who are all renamed for the experience - you show up and are greeted by Neos with microphones wearing big ear protection who loudly ask your name, don't hear it, and then write you a whimsical name tag - I was Baby Alligator) are given a menu of plays, and shout the number of the one they want to hear when the performers call the end of the last play (code word: Curtain!). The plays are all short and very fun! Well, some of them are more sad or poignant, but most are pretty funny. I am very good at shouting quickly. But really, we got to see all of them, because they'd come so far to put on the show for us. They'd named someone Damocles, and they let her decide, after the timer ran (with three and a half plays to go) if they would keep going and how much time to put back on the clock. I've kept my menu, anyway - some of the plays they did are on the website.
So... I am familiar with them in reference to Night Vale, because as far as I can tell the NYNFs are what all the main players have in common. Jeffrey Cranor and Cecil Baldwin are both currently members, as is Meg ....her last name starts with B but I can't find is... who is, as I like to think of it the Voice of Commonplace Books. I was curious about the NYNFs, in any case, because of this connection, and figured that by association it was bound to be a pretty cool show. And then Jeffrey Cranor was actually here tonight, wooh! I thought it would be cool to see his performance and writing in a different context, and was pleased (perhaps slightly relieved?) that I still enjoyed it immensely. It it a very different project, but definitely worth it.
I also got to talk to him (eee) after the show and managed to do so, I think, without being overwhelming or super awkward! I talked to one of the other Neos too (Cara), but peeps were waiting on me so I didn't get to meet them all, alas. But hey - maybe they will come back? I would 100% recommend that anyone who has a chance check out the show, anyway! It is always different...
The neo-futurists are a theater group originally conceived in Chicago, and the TMLMTBGB production started there something like 20 years ago. They don't do 'acting' they way you might think of in a typical play - everything in the theater is real, the people are real, the audience is real, and you are all there together sharing an experience. I mean, this is true in general, but they make it explicit, and make it part of the performance.
The show is actually made up of 30 different plays, and they only go for an hour - there is a big darkroom clock on the wall, and they start the show, they set it to 60 minutes. And when it stops, the show is over.
The audience (who are all renamed for the experience - you show up and are greeted by Neos with microphones wearing big ear protection who loudly ask your name, don't hear it, and then write you a whimsical name tag - I was Baby Alligator) are given a menu of plays, and shout the number of the one they want to hear when the performers call the end of the last play (code word: Curtain!). The plays are all short and very fun! Well, some of them are more sad or poignant, but most are pretty funny. I am very good at shouting quickly. But really, we got to see all of them, because they'd come so far to put on the show for us. They'd named someone Damocles, and they let her decide, after the timer ran (with three and a half plays to go) if they would keep going and how much time to put back on the clock. I've kept my menu, anyway - some of the plays they did are on the website.
So... I am familiar with them in reference to Night Vale, because as far as I can tell the NYNFs are what all the main players have in common. Jeffrey Cranor and Cecil Baldwin are both currently members, as is Meg ....her last name starts with B but I can't find is... who is, as I like to think of it the Voice of Commonplace Books. I was curious about the NYNFs, in any case, because of this connection, and figured that by association it was bound to be a pretty cool show. And then Jeffrey Cranor was actually here tonight, wooh! I thought it would be cool to see his performance and writing in a different context, and was pleased (perhaps slightly relieved?) that I still enjoyed it immensely. It it a very different project, but definitely worth it.
I also got to talk to him (eee) after the show and managed to do so, I think, without being overwhelming or super awkward! I talked to one of the other Neos too (Cara), but peeps were waiting on me so I didn't get to meet them all, alas. But hey - maybe they will come back? I would 100% recommend that anyone who has a chance check out the show, anyway! It is always different...
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