Jim Smith was called upon to introduce the speaker. Traditionally July is Chautauqua Program presentations – started by John Hamilton. Later this month our Rotary scholarship winner, Joanna Wang, University of Michigan violinist will be speaking and performing the last Monday of July.
Today we welcome Lily Wolff, in her second year as New Works Associate, her third year at Chautauqua. She is a director by trade specializing in new plays by living writers, but also practice creative producing, dramaturgy, and arts administration.
Lily was formerly the Literary Manager of the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, where she ran the Alley All New Initiative, the theater’s new play program.
Lily is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England.
Lily focuses on new plays – almost everything scheduled at Chautauqua this year is new, introducing and keeping the industry relevant to what people are doing now. Six of the seven plays this year are new. The shape of the season has huge changes happening this year at Chautauqua. Education of course has always been a key pillar– an acting conservatory of nine MSA level actors in training come and spend the entire summer training in their craft and immersing themselves, with faculty members from around the country participating in their training. In addition, design, lighting, sound and projection fellows are immersing themselves in all things’ theatre. This year, two directing fellows and two playwriting fellows are coming this year.
Three new play reads are in development this summer – the actors are reading the lines of the play from scripts in their hands while the writer is still there simultaneously rewriting and reworking on the play. So, if you come to the first performance and then return for the third, you may see a very different play. The first new play this year – the writer completely rewrote the opening of the play after the first read. In support of these new playwriting fellows, two additional shows – New Play Labs – were established with an extra week of rehearsals, where the other fellows (not actors) walk around the set and flesh out the production.
All this exciting theater will be taking place in the new Roe Green Theater Center. The theater company can create and be a hub all in one place.
The Chautauqua Theater Company will feature two main plays this season, The Best for Baby – by playwright Sharyn Rothstein who was paid to create this play by the New York State Council on the Arts. It is about the Johnson & Johnson talcum powder scandal. Wole highly recommends it saying it is hilarious, highly theatrical – and features an adult baby in a diaper for two hours.
The second play is How I Learned What I Learned – by August Wilson. It is a classic solo piece that follows Wilson’s journey through the streets of Pittsburgh’s Hill District, capturing the moments that forged his identity.
Wolff reminded everyone that when you buy a ticket you can access the grounds for 3 hours before and one hour after the performance and enjoy many of the pleasures of the Institution.
Questions included:
Do you get returning actors from prior years – YES, very important to Chautauqua.
Do theatre companies ever want donations of vintage clothing? YES, and she will leave contact number.
What did Roe Green do? – She is a huge supporter of the establishment of several theatres focusing especially on new works and regional theaters hoping to expand. She also created a safe house for those suffering from abuse.
Why should we come to the workshops? – Come to the new play labs because you see the up-and-coming new generation learning collaboration in the theater. These are the next faces of Broadway.
Ahoy-Hoy was fabulous and was performed July 2 – 4 and The Motions coming July 30-Aug.1 are two of the New Play Workshops. The last is As You Like It, a musical featuring Bandits on the Run that is a hoot and features live music right on the set. Don’t miss it Aug. 13-15.
Thank you, Lily.
