Review Fix chats with Jazmyn Arroyo (producer) about the Planet Connections Theatre Festival production, “Snipped/Cut/Tied: Una Noche de Magia,â€Â by Desi Moreno-Penson (directed by Janelle Zapata). Detailing the creative process and goals for the production, Arroyo lets us know exactly why it’s a performance worth watching.
Snipped/Cut/Tied: Una Noche de Magia Performing June 16 @ 7:00 PM, June 18 @ 2:30 PM, June 21 @ 9:30 PM, June 24 @ 5:45 PM, June 26 @ 7:15 PM, July 1 @ 3:45 PM at this year’s Planet Connections Theater Festivity
The festival runs JUNE 12 – JULY 9 AT THE CLEMENTE, 107 SUFFOLK STREET, NYC.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Jazmyn Arroyo: An important part of our creative process is finding the right team. In our first year of theatre-making as a company, Janelle & I learned that finding those who are just as enthusiastic and inspired as we are about a project contributes significantly to the show’s success. We’ve been fortunate enough to work with some amazing people so far.
Review Fix: What makes this different or special?
Arroyo: Snipped/Cut/Tied is not quite like anything I’ve done before! The Step1 team was inspired by Desi’s plays because they are not a part of a traditional brand of modern-day theatre–they’re a part of my personal-favorite genre of magical realism. The plays allow for a more stylized and fantastical version of reality, room for humor and darkness, yet still have something important to say. Each play picks you up in one place and drops you off at the end somewhere else entirely. I also quite enjoy that this show is being presented, directed, and written by Puerto Rican women–I’ve often felt underrepresented (or not represented well) in traditional works, so this is a special experience for me.
Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself through this process?
Arroyo: I can’t speak for my entire team, but I’ve certainly learned the importance of community in this process. I’ve found that due to scarcity of resources, indie theatre can become quite competitive–but it doesn’t have to be! We’ve been able to bring this show to life by meeting, connecting, and supporting other amazing artists of different experiences and backgrounds.
Review Fix: How does it feel to be a part of something like this?
Arroyo: I’m so excited to present this show! The first time I read Desi’s work, I immediately knew I had to present them–I wasn’t quite sure when and where it would happen, so I’m excited to bring her work to Planet Connections this summer! This is a production that I feel truly artistically fulfilled to be a part of.
Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this production and for the future?
Arroyo: Ultimately, we would like to present a full-length by the same playwright. Doing short plays gives us the chance to get our feet wet with this unique style and to gauge audience reception. More importantly though, there are important themes and messages in Desi’s work that I don’t often see onstage–we’re looking forward to presenting more!
Review Fix: What do you think your audiences will enjoy the most?
Arroyo: I think the audience is going to enjoy the contrast between the levity, humor and magic, and the inherent darkness and social commentary that is present in all 3 plays. None of these characters and stories are traditional / cookie-cutter in any way, which will be fun. You’ll find yourselves laughing. You’ll find yourself unsure of what to feel. Either way, the evening is a thought-provoking one and challenging in a way I feel will be very enjoyable and memorable for the audience.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Arroyo: Next, we are interested in presenting an evening of 2 one-act plays by Michael Hagins known as A Night of Confinement. One play is a comedy, the other suspense–both centered around the theme of being trapped. We are shooting for this fall–follow Step1 Theatre Project on social media to stay updated on our future projects!
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