Seminar: Writing the Impossible, with C. Denby Swanson, Austin Scriptworks at Dougherty Arts Center, June 26

Received directly:

Austin Script Works Dramatis Personae Series

WRITING THE IMPOSSIBLE

A workshop with Colin Denby Swanson

Saturday, June 26th from 2-4pm
Dougherty Arts Center , 1110 Barton Springs Rd.

COST: $20 ASW members/ $30 General
INFO/RESERVATIONS: 512.454.9727; christi@scriptworks.org

Playwright Jose Rivera encourages us to include at least one impossible thing in each of our plays. In the play that you are writing or even just thinking about, what is your one impossible thing? What *can* it be? We’ll study Rivera’s “36 Assumptions About Playwriting,” and specifically the idea of impossibility. The workshop will also include writing exercises to make room for impossibility in character, dialogue, scene direction and events.

More information at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Images: A Brief Narrative of an Extraordinary Birth of Rabbits by C. Denby Swanson, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, February 11 - March 6

UPDATE: Robert Faires interviews playwright C. Denby Swanson, Austin Chronicle, February 11

Received directly:

Photos by Chris Shea for A Brief Narrative of an Extraordinary Birth of Rabbits by C. Denby Swanson, which features puppetry by Connor Hopkins and is based on the narrative of an 18th century English physician to the king who after investigating the matter believed that countrywoman Mary Toft had given birth to a stillborn rabbit.

It's directed by Jenny Larson with music by Graham Reynolds. The cast includes Robin Grace Thompson, Nitra Gutierrez, Halena Kays, Shaun Patrick Tubbs, Connor Hopkins, and Matt Hislope - with Josh Meyer as "The Stork." video design by Lee Webster, light designs by Megan Rielly, sound design by Buzz Moran, and costumes by Jessica Gilzow.

See additional images at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: A Brief Narrative of an Extraordinary Birth of Rabbits by C. Denby Swanson, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, February 11 -

UPDATE: Review by Avimaan Syam for the Austin Chronicle, March 4

UPDATE: Review by Bastion Carboni at Austinist.com, February 26

UPDATE: Review by Jeanne Claire van Ryzin at Statesman's Austin360 "Seeing Things" blog, February 21

UPDATE: Review by Ryan E. Johnson at examiner.com, February 18

UPDATE: Review by Tracy Medberry for "A-Team" of Greater Austin Creative Alliance, February 17

UPDATE: Robert Faires interviews playwright C. Denby Swanson, Austin Chronicle, February 11

UPDATE: One-page feature about the show by Justin Boyd, published in American Theatre magazine, February 2010, received from Trouble Puppet Theatre Company

Received directly:


presents


A Brief Narrative of an Extraordinary Birth of Rabbits
by C. Denby Swanson

Directed by Jenny Larson, set designs and puppetry by Connor Hopkins, original music by Graham Reynolds.
February 11 –March 6, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 E Manor Rd
$15 admission For reservations and more information, call (512) 474- SVT6 or visit www.SalvageVanguard.org.

In England in 1725, a young woman named Mary Toft was several weeks pregnant with her third child, and the family was hungry. She chased rabbits through her fields, hoping catch one and cook it. But the rabbit always got away.

Soon after, she went into labor - and miscarried a rabbit. During the course of the next four months, Toft claimed to give birth 18 times to rabbits, or pieces of rabbits. Two of the three prominent physicians who examined Mary Toft believed that her rabbit pregnancy was scientifically possible.

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: Spill, reading by C. Denby Swanson sponsored by Austin Scriptworks, State Theatre, December 13

Found on-line:

Austin Scriptworks' December Salon
features

Spill

by C. Denby Swanson

Sunday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m.
The State Theatre, 719 Congress Ave.

Spill is a modern take on Pandora’s Box, this time using Tupperware.

C. Denby Swanson is a former artistic director of Austin Script Works and on the faculty at Southwestern University. Her play A Brief Narrative of an Extraordinary Birth of Rabbits opens at Salvage Vanguard Theater on February 11, 2010 and is an Austin Script Works Finer Point Production.

Swanson's alumna profile at UT

Swanson's profile published by Portland Center Stage

[images published by Portland Center Stage and by Dalton Publishing]

Upcoming: Works Progress Austin:Swanson, Lynn, Kenah, Larson at Salvage Vanguard, May 23

UPDATE: Plot summaries posted May 20 by Jeanne Claire van Ryzin in the Statesman's "Seeing Things" blog


From the SVT list server:

Works Progress Austin features a sneak peek at new works in progress

[ Saturday May 23 @ 8pm ]

Works Progress Austin is an annual development project that gives artists a playground to develop new works. Over the course of two weeks actors, writers, directors, filmmakers, dramaturgs, comedians, and musicians are given an opportunity to incubate and experiment. The two weeks culminate in a one-night-only performance of the works in progress featuring elements of three new plays. Inspired by Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, WPA aims to put artists to work.

This year's public performances will include: "A Brief Narrative on the Extraordinary Birth of Rabbits" by C Denby Swanson; "The Collapse" by Kirk Lynn; "Guest by Courtesy" by Hannah Kenah and Jenny Larson; and "Guilds of Steel" from Gnap! Theater Projects. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Class: Building Character (without the bother of adversity), C. Denby Swanson at Austin Scriptworks, May 6 - 27

Announced on-line:

DRAMATIS PERSONAE WORKSHOP

BUILDING CHARACTER (without the bother of adversity)

A four week workshop with Colin Denby Swanson

Wednesdays, May 6, 13, 20, and 27, 7:00-9:30 pm
The State Theatre, 719 Congress Ave.
All four sessions: $100 ASW members; $150 General
Drop-in rate: $30 ASW/ $40 General

INFO/RESERVATIONS: 512.454.9727; info@scriptworks.org

Your dad told you that cutting the lawn with clipping shears would build character. Maybe there’s an easier way. In this four-meeting workshop, we’ll experiment with ways to express, engage, and fortify the characters in your work. The adventure will include exercises on dialogue, objective, secrets, lies, non-verbal moments, and the power of focused (but intensive) revision.

Participants should see or read Caryl Churchill’s play A NUMBER (playing at Different Stages through May 10) before the May 7th meeting.

Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com. . . .