mission | style | rehearsals | director
Folding Chair Classical Theatre Company is dedicated to performing classic drama with an emphasis on storytelling. We define "classic drama" as anything written from the birth of theatre to plays written around the year 1900. This includes plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov and the Greeks. We define storytelling as the communication of plot, character, and emotion.
We are not about concept. We'll never do "Hamlet" as a multimedia piece or "Romeo and Juliet" set in the Middle East.
We are about communicating a clear and entertaining story to an audience, using the playwright's words and the actors' skills.
That's our mission. And while we respect all those other companies' conceptual ideas -- some of which are brilliant -- we've noticed that story details, like character and plot, often get lost or short-changed. That's too bad, because we love thinking about why so-and-so does such-and-such and what's-going-to-happen-next, and we believe the simple act of storytelling is infinitely valuable in its own right.
We work on plays, in rehearsal, by carefully considering the story elements that MUST be played the same way every night and, conversely, the story elements that can remain fluid.
For instance, Juliet MUST drink poison, or the story of "Romeo and Juliet" is no longer Shakespeare's story. We think of moments like this as guideposts.
On the other hand, Juliet's reaction, when she finds Romeo's body, may be different at each performance. Her LINES will always be the same. She'll always say...
What's here? a cup, clos'd in my true love's hand?
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end.
...but does she speak through tears? Or is she numb -- too shocked to break down? Does she break into hysterical laughter? Does she whisper? When does she actually realize he's been poisoned? Immediately, after "What's here?" or at that point is she still wondering if he's dead or alive? Perhaps she doesn't get it until "Poison..."
Any of the above interpretations is valid, and the actress playing Juliet will be free to shift gears from performance to performance. This is just one moment open to improvisation. Plays are chock full of such moments. We'll make the most of them.
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The actors communicate the entire play to the audience. We minimize production value as much as possible. No one will ever leave the theatre saying, "Wow, what incredible sets and costumes." They'll leave saying, "Wow! what extraordinary acting!"
People who return to see another performance will be amazed by how different the play is from the first time they saw it. They'll realize how rich the play is and how many possibilities it contains.
Typically, our plays will be performed on an empty stage or on a rug. At the top of the show, while the audience watches, actors will place folding chairs and tables in the playing area. Then they'll cover the tables with white tablecloths and put simple slip-covers on the chairs. A few props will be pulled from a box and placed in appropriate spots. Then the play will begin.
The actors will wear contemporary clothes, from their own wardrobes, but they may don an accessory or two to suggest character or period: a hat, a scarf, a "rehearsal skirt."
None of this will seem "experimental" or avant-garde. It will merely set up the story as simply as possible. Then the actors will take over and play the hell out of the thing!
If this style seems new, odd, or inexplicable to you, go to your nearest video store and rent "Vanya on 42nd Street." This production, directed by Andre Gregory, was a major influence on our company's values. Gregory directed "Uncle Vanya" in rehearsal style, using rehearsal props and contemporary costumes. We were also influenced by Peter Brook's "Cherry Orchard," which was played on a rug using simple furniture.
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Most shows rehearse for a month or six weeks, which is adequate because they don't vary much from performance-to-performance. Folding Chair's shows change constantly, so our actors need to understand their characters (and the play) better than they normally would. Longer rehearsal periods allow cast members to explore every subtle nuance of their roles. Also, the more time spent in rehearsal, the more the actor "owns" his role.
Folding Chair shows are largely improvised. We don't alter lines, but emphasis (line readings) does change. And we don't set blocking in two-character scenes.
If the actor playing Benedict in "Much Ado About Nothing" suddenly gets an impulse to sit on a divan -- even if he's never done this before -- all the other actors must adjust their movements. In a split second, they must be able to change direction. they must be ready to improvise new line-readings and blocking each time the show is performed.
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Marcus Geduld, our Artistic Director, recently directed "The Three Sisters," "The Winter's Tale" and "Hedda Gabler" for Folding Chair. Other recent credits include "After Dinner Joke" for the Monster[Less] Actors (with co-director Victoria Pero), which won the OOBR award for best off-off Broadway show of the season. He also directed "Ball of Roses" for Theatrix. He has worked at the BBC in London and at Circle in the Square in New York.
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Do you have a question or comment? Call us at 212-946-1448 or email us at foldingchair@gmail.com.
(Folding Chair is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.)
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