Playwright Needed
for
Heart of Darkness
The Classic Literature Text by Joseph Conrad
re-rendered for the stage by the Baader Meinhof Collective (Theatre Encounter)
We are looking for a Playwright for our performance piece, Heart of Darkness. This is an opportunity for an up-and-coming playwright to work with professional artists on an experimental production.
Heart of Darkness leapt into popularity with Francis Ford Coppala’s Vietnam war-movie Apocalypse Now, heavily based on the book. Our production will re-render the classic literature text into dance choreography & movement, with themes of life vs. death, colonialism & imperialistic conquest, near-apocalyptic catastrophe, anthropophagy, American expansionist strategies, Buddhist philosophy, and the internal quest of the self.
It is the intention of this show to be a dance performance mixed with physical theatre, with the dancers & actors training in movement / physical theatre techniques. There will be some traditional theatre acting moments, but mostly in an experimental poetic and post-modern movement manner. The playwright will work collaboratively with the choreographer & director to write the show to render the original novel into a piece for dance & movement. As it is a dance show, the piece needs to be written considering movement, as opposed to standard theatrical dialogue. As such, the playwright will pull thematic elements from the original novel and use poetry, montage, stage directions and monologue to create a storyline. Artists should have a background in playwrighting, with some work brought to stage. This is an incredible chance to work experimentally on a major production in a major theatre.
Date / Location: The show is being proposed for Theatre Junction Grand, Calgary, Nov 18-24, 2012.
TimeFrame: We are looking for someone to start as soon as possible for creation collaboration sessions and to begin writing in December. Rehearsals will begin in April 2012, and the final text will be due June 2012.
Compensation: Compensation will be in terms of theatre and physical training, free tickets, and opportunity to grow with a company as an ensemble artist. This is a non-equity offer.
To apply: Email with a brief description of yourself, a writing resume, and a sample of your work. A sample is limited to 5 pages, lines single-spaced, of various scenes / poems / monologues / written works. Again, please this production will not be standard theatre dialogue.
Theatre Encounter is an alternative physical theatre company that does highly experimental creations based on contemporary interpretations of classic themes and texts. We do a type of performance that often mixes all art forms, incorporating acting, dancing, singing, and often live music. Productions are very physical, and use varied forms of theatre / dance to visually express the text.
For more information, contact us at
info@theatreencounter.com / www.theatreencounter.com
