Coming Up This Year from Rude Mechs!

RUDE MECHS ANNOUNCES ITS FIFTEENTH SEASON OF NEW WORKS FOR THE STAGE

Rude Mechs is proud to announce the following plans for their fifteenth season of creating, premiering and touring new works for the stage. This upcoming year includes tours of The Method Gun to five national venues; the creation of a new piece CL1000P (working title); a lark of a holiday show featuring egg-nog and Rude Mechs performing The Nutcracker As Best We Can; and the world premiere production of I've Never Been So Happy, our new transmedia musical performance party. I've Never Been So Happy will also tour to the American Voices New Play Institute festival at Arena Stage. And of course, our annual programming will include Grrl Action - our year-round arts mentoring program for teenaged girls; Rude Fusion - our co-production series to support local arts groups; and The Oyster Club (sign up now!) - our members-only culture club celebrating music, dance, food, art, architecture and oddities in Austin and the surrounding areas. We need your help to support this astoundingly full year - come to the Aye Eye Ball - or if you can't, go to the event page and donate!

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THE METHOD GUN - National Tour!

written by Kirk Lynn | directed by Shawn Sides | created by Rude Mechs

Fresh from the 34th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays, Rude Mechs will tour The Method Gun in 2010/2011 to five prestigious national venues. The Method Gun explores the life and techniques of Stella Burden, actor-training guru of the 60s and 70s. Ms. Burden’s training technique, The Approach (often referred to as “the most dangerous acting technique in the world”), fused Western acting methods with risk-based rituals in order to infuse even the smallest role with sex, death and violence. The Method Gun re-enacts the final months of her company’s rehearsals for their nine-years-in-the-making production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Visceral and visually haunting, The Method Gun is a play about the ecstasy and excesses of performing, the dangers of public intimacy, and the incompatibility of truth on stage and sanity in real life.

Tour Schedule for The Method Gun

October 13-17, 2010: Emerson College (Boston, MA)
October 21-24, 2010: Wexner Center for the Arts (Columbus OH)
February 23-26, 2011: Yale Repertory Theatre and World Performance Project at Yale (New Haven CT)
March 2-12, 2011: Dance Theatre Workshop (New York, NY)
June 14-26, 2011: Center Theatre Group (Los Angeles CA)

“charming... gorgeously rendered... both stunning and haunting.” - American Theatre Magazine

“If you only have time to see one show, make it The Method Gun. It is an honest, brave and often hilarious exploration of the creative process…as absurd and awe-inspiring as it can be.” - Louisville Courier-Journal

Download high-res production stills for The Method Gun here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rudemechs/sets/72157623794005685/

The Method Gun has received support from Creative Capital Foundation, MAP Fund, The Orchard Project, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Humanities Institute and The Harry Ransom Center.

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I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY - World Premiere and National Tour!

a new musical transmedia performance party, and then some from Rude Mechs!
book and lyrics by Kirk Lynn | music and lyrics by Peter Stopschinski | directed/curated by Lana Lesley & Thomas Graves

World Premiere Production: April 2011
at The Off Center, Austin, TX

After two workshop productions at The Off Center in Austin, TX (2008 and 2009), and residencies with The Orchard Project and The Musical Theatre Initiative at The University of Texas, I've Never Been So Happy, will see its world premiere at The Off Center in Austin, TX in April 2011. Co-directors Graves and Lesley are pleased to announce the addition of Dayna Hanson, experimental stage artist, filmmaker and 2006 Guggenheim Fellow in choreography; award-winning animator designer and artist Miwa Matreyek, and internationally acclaimed designer Brian Scott (SITI Company) to the production team.

I've Never Been So Happy, with music and lyrics by Austin Experimental Punk Grand Wizard Peter Stopschinski (Brown Whornet, Golden Hornet Project), and book and lyrics by Austin Experimental Theatre Mascot Kirk Lynn, fluctuates freely between high art and Hee-Haw, treating both with respect. The music pits a "Grand Ole Opry" style West against an "El Topo" style West. The writing butts lyric poetry up against bar jokes with finesse. The evening challenges what it means to "go to the theater" in the 21st century.

National Tour: January 2011
Arena Stage, Washington DC

The American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage will feature full-length presentations and readings from the seven inaugural selections of the National Endowment for the Arts New Play Development Program. I've Never Been So Happy was one of five productions selected for the Distinguished New Play Development Program in the first-round, 2008. Rude Mechs will present work-in-progress selections from the production.

"The Rudes continue to deepen their creative process and challenge themselves in new ways. And that results in smart, terrific theater that takes us some place new." - Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, Austin-American Statesman review of December 2008 workshop production.

"BEST INVESTIGATION OF THE WEST: The Rude Mechs' funny, well-informed multimedia performance was a refreshingly queer interrogation of the West. Moreover, I’ve Never Been So Happy felt like a Brechtian extravaganza for art and theater geeks, evoking everything from WOW Café camp to Bruce Nauman’s post-minimal studio practice..." - Claire Ruud, ...might be good (Fluent-Collaborative's contemporary arts e-journal Best of 2008)

Download high-res production stills for I've Never Been So Happy here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rudemechs/sets/72157622372086808/

I've Never Been So Happy has received support from The National Endowment for the Arts, The Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, The NEA Distinguished New Play Development Program hosted by Arena Stage, The Orchard Project, The University of Texas Musical Theatre Initiative, and Center Theatre Group.

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CL1000P (working title) - work-in-progress showing
November 18-19, 2010 at The Off Center

The MAP Fund supported exploration of public secrets and games we play to keep the powers that be happy will span the city as we invite audience to participate as we break the code of the way things are to reveal the secrets of what could be. We are so early in the process we have almost nothing to say about it yet, but it will be very cool. We will rehearse a few weeks in November to kick off the project and share what we know on those two very scary days.

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THE NUTCRACKER AS BEST WE CAN - World Premiere
December 9 - 19, 2010 at The Off Center

We've done some pretty serious work over the last three years during the holiday season, and this year we thought we'd get into the holiday spirit with our version of the world's favorite holiday show, The Nutcracker. We can only promise that Rude Mechs along with hordes of Austin theatre folks will do our level-best to perform The Nutcracker. There will be libations, and the audience will surely be allowed to jump in and perform as much as they can remember from their childhood. More details will come as we know them!

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THE AYE EYE BALL - Annual Fundraiser

Our annual fundraiser to support all of the artistic activities in the 20010/11 season. The Eye Ball (named for our logo - a flaming eyeball) is our annual fundraiser to support our artistic activities. As we kick off our 15th year of making work together, we aim to launch another 15 years by giving a nau(gh)tical theme to this year's event The Aye Eye Ball, hosted by diva mistress Rebecca Havemeyer.

date: August 21, 2010
time: 7:00pm to midnight
location: The Off Center
tickets: $70 (pairs); $40 (individuals)
reservations: http://ayeeyeball.eventbrite.com/

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THE OYSTER CLUB - Members-Only Culture Club

Rude Mechs announces registration is

Publish Post

open to its annual members-only culture club, The Oyster Club. With two years of smashing success under its belt, last season's Oyster Club saw the best off-beat art in Central Texas. And this year is going to be even bigger and even better! Meeting once in every month whose name contains an "r" (September-April), the Oyster Club is a new way to find pearls of art, architecture, music, film, food, and performance in the oceans of culture in Austin and Central Texas. Rude Mechs will lead this off-beat culture club to backstage access, private tours, secret after-parties, and once-in-a-lifetime spectacles. And once again this year, Edible Austin Magazine will partner with Rude Mechs to showcase the best of Austin's local food scene at every event! The Oyster Club will keep you active without making you busy.

tickets: $300 (pairs); $200 (individuals)
reservations: http://oysterclub10-efbevent.eventbrite.com/

Rude Mechs Time at Humana Festival

QUICK RECAP

Ooohh - it was a good and busy few weeks for Rude Mechs and now we are up and running at Humana! We have been blown away by the unbelievably generous volunteers got us set up in our apartments, our most excellent production team that has generously fulfilled every production desire we've had. Thank you, Dot & Cyndil and all the volunteers!!! Thank you Adrien-Alice, Zach and Zach, Rachel, Marissa, Kathleen, Alexis, Rob, Paul, Gretchen, Philip - seriously the list just goes on and on and every single person has just been amazingly cool and awesome at what they do. And thank you, Marc, and Sean and Jennifer, for inviting us here and making us feel so at home.

We spent the first three weeks in rehearsal six days a week / 8 hours a day. The phenom for us is to have this kind of time to work on a play with a script in hand. Ultimately it means we can go with the 5th or 6th idea instead of the 1st or 2nd. Luxury! True to form, we reworked every moment - tightening, loosening, replacing scenes wholesale. It is said to be 10% sadder. And we ratcheted up the final performance of the Burden Company. You'll have to see it to find out how.

We performed 16 shows in 12 days! We had houses full of industry professionals and press, and also plenty plenty of Louisville locals and ATL subscribers. We enjoyed really nice houses, about 6 walkouts, and very generous audiences. Every second we had just a crazy amount of fun.

Big giant love to Mark & Dana, Stephanie & Michael, and Vicky Boone and Mari Marchbanks for coming to town and supporting us. That meant the world. We are also in love with Thomas' parents and Hannah's parents. We were fed and loved and doted on as if we were all their own.

The first performance week ended with Live Band Karaoke night at Freddie's which was ASTOUNDINGLY FUN. Our hometown boy Michael Raiford killed it with pitch-perfect and super slick rendition of 3 Dog Night's "One", and then took a turn at the drums and again SLAYED. Thank god he was there, because Austin was next represented by Lowell, Lana and Jason delivering "Saved by Zero", without practice... well, Lowell has pictures somewhere.

The second week we were stoked to hang out with Alice Tuan - we don't see her enough. Shanghai is on the horizon, though. We were also overwhelmed by the love from all of the Baylor grad students who came in to see the show. Dang y'all!

The second performance week ended with tears, basically. Nobody wanted to leave. We made really great friends with many of the artists and staff there, and as soon as we actually had time to hang out, it was time to go. Booooooo. We haven't told Ron Berry yet, but we've invited all of them to perform in Fusebox. We hope he has that whole artist housing & transportation thing worked out, cause it's gonna be a madhouse!

GOOD REVIEWS

Well, the press didn't show up in droves this year, unless they were within driving distance. Seriously, ask Faires. Aside from him and somebody from the Wall Street Journal, the rest of the press corps stayed home this year. The New York Times just couldn't spare anyone this year. We're told more reviews will come in, but here's what we've dug up so far.

We got an amazing and awesomely written legit review of The Method Gun from Erin Keane at the Louisville Courier-Journal. This might be our first ever "run, don't walk" review: "If you only have time to see one show between now and March 28, make it The Rude Mechanicals' 'The Method Gun.'" Suhweet.

This just in: a really lovely write up of Humana Festival and thoughts on The Method Gun from our own Robert Faires of The Austin Chronicle. He spent three days there and we spent every free second we had hanging out in the bar with him, sharing stories, and getting blown away by his passion for theatre. Our nights with him definitely count among our top bar nights. We came away sooo grateful that he took the time to come out to the festival, and above all else, that we have a great writer and friend in our corner. He has observed our company since its inception, and has seen damn near all of our plays. So, Robert, thank you - having open friendly and ongoing critical dialogue can only result in better and deeper work, and friendship.

MISSING and MEH REVIEWS

These will be forwarded to me later by the extraordinary ATL staff, but the following blurbs and reviews trickled by while we were there, and then I lost them online.

The Louisville Leo (their weekly)– Rude Mechanicals cultivate a stunning virtuosity that... is essential viewing for anyone interested in theater. Pretty sure this reviewer also used the phrase "cloyingly sentimental" at some point... and "droll." Will post link when found.

Remember seeing The Cincinnati Enquirer and Minneapolis City Pages go by. Think they had meh mentions for us, but I can't find them now. Don't feel like digging them up.

Chicago Sun-Times' Lewis Lazare reviews the festival and blurbs The Method Gun here. "It’s both fascinating and terrifying, in a bizarre sort of way."

RADIO PRESS

Fun spot on BBC's "The Strand" where Aron Posner says we suck, and then says Method Gun is not a play, but rather a "performance event." He was kidding on both counts, of course. We know this because he called us fabulous too.

The local NPR station posted this uncut / unedited interview we did with Elizabeth Kramer for a national NPR story featuring The Method Gun and Fissures about collaborative playmaking. Here is The Method Gun interview for 27 minutes of listening pleasure or pain, depending on your outlook.

And the national NPR story, "Ensemble Theatre at the Humana Festival", aired today, 4/1/10. It's an interview with Rude Mechs and former Jeune Lune members at Humana with their show Fissures.

CITIZEN BLOG REVIEWS

Dan Buck loved it!: On March 26th, the Rude Mechs gave me my first transcendent theatrical experience as an audience member. That's grace. And for that they have my sincerest gratitude.

Bill Felty dug it!: a daring,unexpected, thrill.

Pam Harbaugh dug it!: Especially surprising was the quirky "The Method Gun."

Larry hated it!: Fortunately, these ensemble events almost always are short. Unfortunately, they never have intermissions. So, a word to the wise: unless you are the sort of theatergoer who actually likes this kind of theatre, be sure to ask for a seat near the exit door, so you can ditch unobtrusively. [Side note - think he ran out as soon as helium balloon moment happened.]

Sherry Deatrick: seemed to like it but maybe didn't see the ending? Or at least she didn't buy it: The show lures us with talk of Burden's “dangerous” theatre method. But in the end, the company never confronts that danger, or does so only in a superficial manner.

We're fairly certain this was the woman who hopped up and ran backstage (yes, backstage, not out of the theater) about two seconds before pendulum started, then panicked and tried to climb up a ladder to the deck Lowell was calling cues from, then scrambled down the ladder and further backstage and almost went out a fire door exit to the roof before our back stage manager, Zach, grabbed her and put her in the parking garage. She had to pee, she said.

IN CLOSING
Production photos by Alan Simmons