Review Fix chats with Tempest Tossed creative director Craig Bacon, who discusses the production and more.
About Craig Bacon:
CRAIG BACON (Artistic Director) is a director, actor, and voice teacher designated by Kristin Linklater. He has taught at the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University and other faculty appointments include SUNY Purchase, Columbia University, Fordham University, NYU (Atlantic Theater Company), National Theater Institute (US and UK), The Actors Centre (London), The Linklater Center, and Shakespeare & Co. Some of Craig’s directing work includes The Mercury Theatre in England (Macbeth, The Tempest, The Crucible); SUNY Purchase (The Winter’s Tale, By the Bog of Cats, and LAByrinth Theater Company’s One-Acts co-directed with Richard Crawford).
About Temprest Tossed:
TEMPEST TOSSED is a chamber adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, where the play’s action is beautifully focused with an original live score by music director Flavio Gaete, as well as a magical Butoh-inspired movement led by Yoshiko Usemi. The performance creates an immersive island, where Caliban’s mother, the powerful witch Sycorax, finally has a voice, offering a fresh perspective on this story of justice, restoration, freedom, and forgiveness.
Review Fix: Why does The Tempest Still Matter?
Craig Bacon: At its heart, The Tempest is a story of justice, restoration, freedom and forgiveness. Prospero, the wronged former Duke of Milan, uses his magic art to set his world right; his journey leads him to acknowledge his own wrongs and ultimately to discover how to let go and simply be himself through love. And I believe that self reflection and love matter now more than ever.
Review Fix: Why do you think it’s so timeless?
Bacon: I feel in my bones that magic has always been a crucial element of being human. The magic of make-believe as a child and the magic of knowledge and/or faith has always been central to our stories throughout history. And this story beautifully explores the essence of art and life. With a line like, “we are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep” how could it not be timeless?
Review Fix: Who inspires you creatively?
Bacon: Yoyo Ma. The depth of the connection to his music moves me. There seems to be no space or distance between him and what he plays; the cello radiates his soul through the music. In my work as an actor and director, I strive for that connection.
Review Fix: How else is this production different or special?
Bacon: This adaptation of The Tempest, called Tempest Tossed,while being faithful to Shakespeare, brings Caliban’s mother, the witch Sycorax, to life, giving her a voice, adding a powerful female energy to the story. Flavio Gaete’s powerful live score blends classical and contemporary elements, featuring harp, viola, electric guitar and bass with vocals from the cast, and brings a unique immediacy to the production. And lastly the beautiful parlor of Casa Duse, the historic townhouse named in honor of the Italian actress Eleanor Duse and home to extraordinary paintings, photographs, and memorabilia (including John Gielgud’s glove from Hamlet and an original program from the performance where Lincoln was assassinated) provides the perfect space to immerse the audience into a world of magic.
Review Fix: Who do you think will dig it the most?
Bacon: People who love immediacy and being transported through music and acting, where the fourth wall is gone and the connection is visceral. Shakespeare scholars and Shakespeare virgins alike have been thrilled with the clarity of our language, and the directness, freshness and magic.
Review Fix: Who is the unsung hero of this production?
Bacon: Ethan Feil, the lighting designer, who has taken the gorgeous ambiance of Casa Duse and enhanced it with simple but evocative LED instruments, worked tirelessly with the performers and director Janina Picard to bring Tempest Tossed to life.
Review Fix: How do you want your work to be remembered?
Bacon: I would like the work to be remembered for its soul and how it touched people; made them feel, think, and question. And that the audience connection afterwards sharing conversation with the company and each other with drinks, and a little food, left people excited and grateful for the
sense of community.
Review Fix: What are your long-term goals for your work?
Bacon: Casa Duse has become a venue for emerging artists–dance, theater and music–and I want to make this community grow. We will be adding theater, music and yoga workshops in the coming year. At Casa Duse, New Place Players will be producing new works with graduating MFA students. We will also be creating a production of The Winter’s Tale, which we are aiming to premiere at The English Theater of Berlin and tour throughout Europe and then bring it home to Casa Duse.
Review Fix: Why should someone support your work?
Bacon: If people want to empower emerging artists, if they love living, live theater with soulful music at its heart, if they love community and experiencing intimate and powerful productions of classic plays, new plays, jazz, and contemporary dance, then they should support us and join us.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Bacon: For New Place Place Players it really is the community that matters. Audience and actors, people and people. Friendship with thinking, feeling and communicating is a good thing.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Bacon: An amazing production of Doll Face, a new play by Theresa Yonash and created by a fabulous company of actors, writers and directors from The Actors Studio Drama School MFA program will be performing in late July/early August.
Review Fix: Where can people find out more?
Bacon: www.newplaceplayers.org
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