The True Tale of an Intern

By Amalia Queller

I love the theatre, but I hate being onstage. This led me to look for an administrative internship, so I would have the opportunity to work with the people who run the theatre. I looked through the internship guide in last fall's PxP and wrote my first resume and cover letter. Luckily, my parents gave me a hand. I sent out what felt like hundreds of emails and slowly started getting responses. The Women's Project asked me to come in for an interview and I was so nervous.

Fear, excitement and anxiety pulsed through my veins as I approached the offices. A little voice in my head told me to turn around, but luckily, I kept going because they hired me! That day began an incredible experience. I found an amazing group of people who were a fountain of information.

The first day was a mixture of intense fear of making a mistake and pure excitement. I gradually learned how things worked and got to know the people I worked with.

My intern experience showed me many of the different paths available in theatre: development, dramaturgy, artistic direction, stage management (check the glossary for definitions). I was also able to see shows for free (such as Aliens with Extraordinary Skills), meet all kinds of amazing people in the field and learn how to put on plays.

Aliens With Extaordinary Skills

By Mariana Quinn-Makwaia

Have you ever...taken a chance to follow a dream?

Where are you from? And where are you going?

Aliens With Extraordinary Skills is the heart-warming tale of a clown from Moldova,“the unhappiest country in the world,” who illegally immigrates to New York City in order to find work. Nadia searches Manhattan for clowning gigs and green cards.

The actors used a combination of clowning and perfect comedic timing to tell a captivating story. Who knew what could be done with just a suitcase of balloon animals?

Nadia’s roommate, Lupita (an aspiring actress who works as a stripper), delivers a monologue about working in the enter-tainment business that I can see myself ranting in ten years. Each bad job or situation is “just another role youplay,” Lupita convinces herself and the audience.

Aliens With Extraordinary Skills is a delightfulmix of physical comedy and the rough reality of green cards and immigration. I spoke with play-wright Saviana Stanescu about what Nadia sacri-ficed in order to be a clown. Saviana told me that passion is what’s important: “Believe in yourself as an artist,” she said. “Say what you have to say.”

Aliens With Extraordinary Skills by Saviana Stanescu at the Women’s Project.

$20 rush tickets 1 hour before the performance - Julia Miles Theater, 424 W. 55th St. Visit www.womensproject.org for schedule and more information.

Saviana Stanescu, the playwright of Aliens with Extraordinary Skills talked with ploggers after a recent performance of her show.

PXP: What inspired you to write Aliens with Extraordinary Skills?

SS: I read an article anout a Romanian and a Ukrainian who got arrested in 2006 because they created a bogus circus. They smuggled hundreds of people from Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia into the US under fake circus visas. I found that funny and sad at the same time. Most of these people worked illegally in carpentry and housecleaning, but a few worked as clowns for birthdays and parties on the side. They all got deportation letters.

All of these "clowns" had dreams of a better life when came to the US. They love America and come here with lots of enthusiasm and trust in this country's democracy and socio-political economic system. The fact that America is a country of immigrants is constantly forgotten or ignored.

PXP: How would you describe the style of your play?

SS: Parts of the play are in a surreal, dream-like style. The rapid-fire dialogue represents Nadia's inner conflicts and fears. I always like to dramatize the inner life of a character. I think we miss a lot by not seeing that on stage but only as a subtext or in what the character says to other characters.

The play can be seen as a big circus show, a tragecomedy with "aliens" in leading roles. It's a realistic play at the same time, dealing with the important issues of immigration and love. I hope I don't sound pretentious saying that.

PXP: What do you imagine audiences will take away after seeing Aliens with Extraordinary Skills?

SS: I hope they will have fun, I hope they will find the joy of theatre, and I hope they will learn something about what life is for an immigrant. With its hardships, its despair, its fears, but also its hope and joy.

PXP: What advice do you have for young artists?

SS: Find your truth. Believe in yourself as an artist. Say what you have to say.

For more on Saviana Stanescu visit www.saviana.com

13

Have you ever…had the chance to recreate yourself?

by Sarah Abdalla

Do you remember being 13? The stress of not being a child, but definitely not being an adult either. Friendships change, parents become weird and school becomes more of a headache.

13, a new musical performed only by teenagers, captures some of these changes. After his parents divorce, Evan has to move from New York to Indiana while planning the best Bar Mitzvah* party ever. He begins at a new school and has the chance to reinvent himself.

Evan has the chance to choose between friends who care about him and friends who don’t. After attempting (and failing) to be popular, Evan finally realizes who his real friends are—the two who come to his Bar Mitzvah. I was hoping that more classmates would show up, but maybe this is more realistic.

Some of the jokes in 13 were based on stereotypes. When the audience laughed, it was a wake-up call. I was able to understand that these jokes were meant to point out offensive stereotypes, but other people might not. I hope that audience members are aware of the humor in this play.

13, Music & Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, Book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn

How to See the Show:
$25 student rush tickets with ID • Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St. Visit www.13themusical.com for schedule and more information.

Kindness

By Monikha Reyes

Have you ever...had to care for a caregiver?

Kindness begins with the backside of Dennis. He is watching porn and masturbating in a hotel room in midtown Manhattan. His mom, Maryanne, hears his screaming and runs in. Talk about awkward.

Maryanne has cancer and wants one last weekend of fun with Dennis. He is a bratty teenager and caring son—a very difficult combination. Maryanne leaves and Frances, a stranger from the hotel, sneaks in. She brings secrets and danger and weaves her way into Dennis and Maryanne’s lives.

Dennis is a disturbing yet vulnerable character. It was heartbreaking to watch him care for his mother. Dennis is responsible for a lot of Maryanne’s medical care. Their relationship is different from the traditional form of parent and child, but one that is pretty common today. Dennis has a strained relationship with his father, who is a gambler and doesn’t see Dennis frequently.

You don’t want to miss Kindness. I guarantee you that there will be at least one moment that shocks you.

Kindness by Adam Rapp at Playwrights Horizons.

$15 student rush tickets. Visit www.playwrightshorizons.com for schedule and more information.

In Conflict

By Brenda Grande

Have you ever…fought for something that you didn’t believe in?

In Conflict is a play about 15 young American soldiers who served in the Iraq War. The actors tell their stories directly to the audience through monologues adapted from interviews of young Iraq veterans.

All of the actors from In Conflict are either college students or recent college graduates, which made them seem so similar to me. One of the actors looked right at me as he spoke about his experience enlisting in the military, and it sounded so different coming from a peer. Some soldiers were excited to leave for Iraq, but others only joined the army so they could pay for college. When they returned from war, many soldiers had a difficult time readjusting to the American lifestyle, in addition to dealing with injuries and nightmares. Family and friends had a difficult time understanding what happened in Iraq and many soldiers did not have the words to describe their experiences.

I spoke with the author, Yvonne Latty, about her process of creating In Conflict. Ms. Latty interviewed veterans and wrote a book, which was then adapted into a play at Temple University with the young people I saw perform.

Culture Project presents Temple University’s production of In Conflict, based on Yvonne Latty’s book, adapted by Doug Wager.

$15 student tickets with ID• Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow St. Visit www.cultureproject.org for schedule and more information.