PoliglotTheater

The Set

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 03:33:28 +0000

Neither Heaven Nor Earth began as an exploration of walls being built around the world. The wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, proposals for walls between Sunni and Shia neighborhoods in Baghdad, the Separation Barrier between Israel and the West Bank — each seemed part of an epidemic of literally walling off problems and people.

As we researched these walls further, the Israeli/Palestinian situation demanded a play all its own. And so, in the fall of 2008, we traveled to Israel and the West Bank for three months to collect the interviews that eventually became Neither Heaven Nor Earth.

The set for Neither Heaven Nor Earth recreates the Separation Barrier that initially inspired us – emblematic of the breakdown of communication and the mentality of fear that in part perpetuates the conflict. The panels of the Wall are mobile, suggesting a variety of locations throughout the play – a checkpoint, an airport. Through its use as a projection surface, the Wall comes to represent yet more ideas and locations, from a monstrous bulldozer to the home it demolishes.

The Riot Act

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:58:51 +0000

The Riot Act 2008 marked Poliglot’s first festival of new works, one blow-out night of readings from some of the hottest young voices working in political theater: 30 Patriot Actors: Playing Real People by Erin Browne, Latter Days Fall by Poliglot’s own John Hansen-Brevetti, The Pain in Blessing by Ken Kaissar, and Then Waves by Kevin Anthony Kautzman. The plays addressed a variety of issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Iraq, post-traumatic stress disorder in returning vets, and American identity post-9/11. We were thrilled to pack the theater and give voice to these impressive new political works.

Witness:

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:57:31 +0000

A journalist driven to the edge of insanity kidnaps a Pretty White Girl and brings her to the midst of an unnamed war zone, in the hopes of drawing the media’s attention to the ongoing slaughter. An exploration of the commonalities between American masculinity and American imperialism, the play incorporated firsthand accounts from present-day Cambodia, interviews with survivors of the Rwandan Genocide, court transcripts from the trials of American serial killers, and blogs from soldiers serving in Iraq. Poliglot’s most ambitious mainstage to date, Witness also utilized movement and projection to create a haunting and provocative collage that asks why it is we value one life more than another.

Pleaching the Coffin Sisters

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:56:31 +0000

In 2007, based on the success of The Laramie Project: Revisited, Poliglot was invited to produce Pleaching the Coffin Sisters at the Long Wharf Theater as part of the annual New Works New Haven Theater Festival. Audiences awarded Poliglot “Best Production” for its edgy take on this grim, post-apocalyptic anti-war piece.

The Laramie Project: Revisited

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:55:26 +0000

In 2006, Poliglot embarked on a journey across the American midwest from New York City to Laramie, Wyoming. Our goal was to investigate the current state of American homophobia and intolerance ten years after the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student at the University of Wyoming, rocked the nation. A reworking of Tectonic Theater Project’s seminal documentary theater piece, Poliglot’s The Laramie Project: Revisited included portions of the original text interwoven with new voices in a dialogue on how far tolerance in America has come, and how far we’ve yet to go.

Karesia Batan

admin — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:18:28 +0000

Karesia Batan (Dancer) has been professionally dancing in NYC for four years. She has danced with Push Factor, Roxanna Lola Movement Machine, and currently with Neville Dance Theatre. She has performed in an abandoned convent, rooftops, parks, and is always interested in doing more new and different projects. Karesia loves experimental movement, cultural dances, traveling, and being outside. Thank you to Poliglot for the opportunity to be in this show, and congratulations to the cast!

Adam Boncz

admin — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:17:02 +0000

Adam Boncz (Itamar Shapira, Soldier) received his training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He was a company member of the Szeged National Theatre in Hungary, where he performed roles such as Arthur Rimbaud (Total Eclipse), Georgie (Clockwork Orange), Alyoshka (The Lower Depths). He recently appeared in International WOW’s Reconstruction (dir. Josh Fox). Other New York credits include: International WOW’s Auto Da Fe, Weller: Moonchildren, Alagic: Zero Hour.

Nina Burns

admin — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:16:12 +0000

Nina Burns (Laila) Credits include: Mistress Overdone/Friar Petra, Measure for Measure (The Drilling Company); Alice, Closer (Adam Roebuck Prod.); Kelly, The Drowned World (New Visions Festival); Frau Kurten, Normal (New Visions Festival); Ophelia, Hamlet (Windowless Room Prod.); Terry Randall, Stage Door (The New School for Drama). MFA, New School for Drama.

Gamze Ceylan

admin — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:15:47 +0000

Gamze Ceylan (Rima Hamdan) Gamze is a recent graduate of the William Esper Studios two-year acting program under the tutelage of Mr. Esper. She’s very proud to be part of Neither Heaven Nor Earth. Her recent credits include: The Third Seat – BoCoCa Arts Festival, Linus & Alora and The Director at the Flea Theater, Twelfth Night – Lincoln Center Int., The Female Terrorist Project, by Ken Urban, Cats Can See the Devil – NY Fringe Fest. Films: “Wishing” and upcoming “The Naked Search.”

Chaelon Costello

admin — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:13:44 +0000

Chaelon Costello (Maytal Goldman), a Buffalo native, just completed her MFA in Acting from The New School for Drama. Favorite acting credits include: 4.48 Psychosis (Zeta), Amazons and Their Men (The Frau), Richard III (Lady Hastings), Hamlet (Laertes/ Guildenstern), Barron, CA (Avila) at the Samuel French Festival, The Illusion (Melibea/Isabelle/Hippolyta) at The Cell Theatre. Extreme love to my amazing parents and my mentors (you know who you are) for always showing me the way, and the NSD 2010 family.