Staging Old Masters

“The Show Ain’t Over…”

Amy — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:04:51 +0000

It’s been almost three months since Staging Old Masters: Former Prisoners Perform at the Pulitzer had its last official performance on May 10, yet the program’s impact is still reverberating here on Washington Blvd.

Ronald Gore, who will eventually be interviewed on 2buildings1blog, now works at the Pulitzer as a gallery assistant. On June 26, Travis Dean and Reuben Stewart once more rapped about St. Sebastian for A Midsummer Night. Still to come, on the weekend of August 29-30, another S.O.M. player will read during A Marathon Metamorphoses, a two-day reading of Ovid.

What you may not know is that also last month, Staging Old Masters came together one more time for their final, final recital in the Pulitzer galleries. However, there was no public audience—only Pulitzer staff and a camera crew, filming the polished vignettes on St. Jerome, Mary Magdalen, Regnier, and the rest. We’re all on pins and needles for the video’s approaching completion, when we’ll publish it on this web site.

To catch this professionally produced video, please check in on this web site, or if you’d prefer to get a notice from us, sign up for our e-newsletters by clicking on “Subscribe to the Pulitzer” on the bottom of our main page.

Actors’ Answers

Jay — Sun, 03 May 2009 01:45:12 +0000

The question-and-answer sessions following each performance have been their own dramatic highlight. The audience is curious about everything from the origins of the scripts to the actors’ ways of approaching new works of art, the actors respond candidly, with humor and insight. Here are highlights from the Q&A. These fragments come from many nights and many contexts, but give a taste of the tone and spirit of the proceedings. Enjoy!

How long did it take to fuse together? * Family, patience, focus, trust, self-expression, diction, volume, articulation, breaking down stereotypes * You’re marvelous * Now I actually understand * We were like infants when we started * If we’ve helped you get closer to the paintings, we’ve done our job * We didn’t even know each other * It becomes your favorite * I didn’t see any of you stumble * We looked with our own eyes * Someone has given me a chance * I’m not ashamed of my past anymore * Has this been done before? * I think we are always going to stay in touch * Perfect job when you get to be yourself * We got thrown into cold water * I could relate to it * We’re a big ole family * The way you all moved * These paintings were their whole TV show * The expression it allows us is a step forward * I wish you could come with me when I look at any piece of art * These skills all transfer into the workforce * How do you keep it fresh? * It gets more real * Help me out * Something bothers her so bad that she’s in her own little prison

Staging Old Masters Extended Until May 10!

Jay — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:10:18 +0000

By popular demand, we’ve added four performances to the run of Staging Old Masters: Saturday, May 9, at 6:30pm and 7:30pm, and Sunday, May 10, at 1:30pm and 2:30pm.

Also: we’ve made a habit of ending every performance with a Q&A, where audience members can ask questions of actors and Staging Old Masters staff. For our final performance, we’re extending this into a full panel discussion—comprising actors, staff, and Staging Old Masters’s organizers—at 3:30pm after Sunday’s show, May 10.

As previously, tickets are free but only available at the door. We’re advising interested audiences to arrive a half hour before the first show of the day to ensure admission.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the performances!

Interviews With the Actors

Jay — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:16:23 +0000

Backstage at last weekend’s performances, I interviewed a dozen of the actors. I asked them about the employment skills they felt they’d gained from Staging Old Masters, the surprises of working on the show, and something audiences might not know about them personally.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Visit our Multimedia section for more video content—including scenes from movement class and script-writing. Or browse photos of performances and rehearsal.

First Looks: the Actors’ First Observations of the Old Masters

Jay — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:07:32 +0000

The scripts for the short theatrical pieces of Staging Old Masters were drawn from hours of observation, theatrical improvisation, and historical research. The language below—standing apart from the performance scripts—is collaged from the actors’ first observations of (and improvisations around) the paintings; it reflects the development of their techniques of seeing. You can click on a painting to be taken to our web catalogue, and see the work in its gallery context.

Corrado Giaquinto, Italian, 1703-1766, St. Helena and the Emperor Constantine Presented to the Holy Trinity by the Virgin Mary, 1741-42, oil on canvas, 137 1/8 x 56 13/16 in. (348.3 x 144.3 cm), Saint Louis Museum Purchase

Lamonte J., Samantha T., Dawn S., 2/24/2009

When stars go up * I should have listened. * The end of an era. Constantine is cleaning up the house, so the Lord can open in some new souls. That’s the depiction of all the new babies. An’ all the old souls an’ all the new souls can come again and start anew. * Holdin’ his head up to God an’ he’s gettin’ all the power * Some bird-a-freedom?

Sano di Pietro (Ansano di Pietro di Mencio), The Virgin and Child with Saints Jerome and Bernardino and Angels, Harvard Art Museum, Fogg Art Museum, Gift of Dr. Lillian Malcove, 1959.130, Photo by Imaging Department, President and Fellows of Harvard College

Scott M., [unknown], [unknown], 2/23/2009

The women are wearing halos. * Everybody is. * The dark color is to emphasize the main character * Tired mother, loving her baby while others are watching. * The baby leans in to touch the mother’s face with its own face with all of the family or saints watching the mother with a star on her shoulder

Giovanni Battista Caracciolo, The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, Harvard Art Museum, Fogg Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Pope, Edward W. Forbes and Paul J. Sachs, 1924.31, Photo by Imaging Department, President and Fellows of Harvard College

Dawn S., Ronald G., 2/23/2009

There’s no blood * Yeah, there is. * I would say he’s being punished for his beliefs * He’s definitely losing color * He’s obviously just been arrowed. * There’s three shooters * Blue patches all over * They’ve stripped him of all his clothes, like his pride or something. * Suffering, right through the heart * How you gonna tie someone to the wall and start flippin’ arrows at them? * He must have died…in the dark. * The body just sticking out * Reddish. It’s got a little red tint to it. It’s long. * He looks like he’s got fishnets. * “Just lemme down.” * “Get it over with.”

Staging Old Masters in the News

Jay — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:05:58 +0000

Staging Old Masters is making waves in the local press. The St. Louis American, the region’s premier African-American news, entertainment, and business paper, featured this April 22 writeup (including an interview with actor Travis D.). And Judith Newmark, theater critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, caught a show last week, interviewed actors and staff, and wrote this lovely piece.

Interview With Matthias Waschek, Director of the Pulitzer Foundation

Jay — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:40:42 +0000

This week, I sat down with Matthias Waschek, director of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, for a conversation about Staging Old Masters—the project’s relationship to the Pulitzer’s mission, the Pulitzer’s context in urban St. Louis, audience reactions to the performances, and what has surprised him about actors’ perspectives on these works of art. Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tune in early next week for more interviews, and video of actors backstage and in performance.

Only Two Weekends Remain!

Jay — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:26:56 +0000

Only two weekends remain for Staging Old Masters: our final show is May 3, a week from Sunday. The run of performances has been a complete success so far. We’ve sold out every performance, and have drawn in diverse audiences from all over St. Louis. We hope you can join us in our final two weekends of shows!

Tickets to Staging Old Masters are free, but they’re not available in advance. Because of high demand, we’re recommending that interested audience members arrive at the Pulitzer a half hour before the first show of the day (the first show is 6:30pm on Saturdays, 1:30pm on Sundays). Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this unique theatrical collaboration.

Already Seen a Show?

Jay — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:24:12 +0000

If you’ve already come to a performance, you can stay involved with Staging Old Masters!

You can return to the Pulitzer during open hours, for a second look at the Old Masters exhibit. How have the actors’ stories, recreations, observations and dramas shaped your experience of these timeless works of art?

If you are an employer interested in seeing the resumes of the actors, or if you’d like to interview an actor for employment, you can contact Employment Connection, or e-mail Lisa Harper Chang (Staging Old Masters producer, MSW, Master of Community Engagement at the Pulitzer) at lharperchang@pulitzerarts.org. Every actor who has completed Staging Old Masters’s six-week training and run of performances has demonstrated him- or herself to be motivated, imaginative, punctual, hard-working and team-oriented.

If you’re interested in getting involved with the programs at the Pulitzer Foundation or its collaborative partners— Prison Performing Arts, Employment Connection, the Brown School of Social Work and the Performing Arts Department at Washington University—you can contact Lisa Harper Chang.

Two Actors From Staging Old Masters on Their Favorite Paintings

Jay — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:13:02 +0000

As part of their preparation for performances, every actor chose a favorite painting from the Old Masters exhibit at the Pulitzer. The actors’ reflections and thoughts on their paintings inspired scenes, sharpened their own observations, and stretched their perceptions of the work of the Old Masters. Two actors speak below.

Paolo Finoglia, Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife, Harvard Art Museum, Fogg Art Museum, Gift of Samuel H. Kress Foundation, 1962.163, Photo by Rick Stafford, President and Fellows of Harvard College

I just respect Joseph for fighting the urge, you know? For him being such a desirable man, and not succumbing to every woman who comes his way—that’s real hard for men. And I respect him on that.

Reuben S., on Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

Giambattista Tiepolo, Italian, 1696-1770, The Crucifixion, 1745-50, oil on canvas, Saint Louis Art Museum

The people in the crowd… how did they sleep at night? After their conscience kicked in about what they’d just witnessed?

Naheem H., on The Crucifixion