More Monkeyhouse Connections to Shakespeare (part 3)

By Karen Krolak

continuing on with our discussion with Jason Ries, Production Manager for Actors' Shakespeare Project and Monkeyhouse about his set design for Taming of the Shrew...

karen Krolak: Ok so let's return to Taming of the Shrew. The "Wild Cat Club" is a fairly awkward performance space. How did it inspire you?
jason ries: I had the advantage of working in there on three previous Actor Shakespeare Project shows. As you know, I also designed lights for ASP's Loves Labours Lost in `07 in that space. However, walking into that basement space at the Garage, there are several elements that immediately look like challenges. Columns, low ceilings, weird angles and slants abound. There isn't a square corner or symmetric shape in that room. I'm fairly confident that Stonehenge was built with more digital considerations. Between overhead water pipes that travel at different angles than the rake of the concrete floor (which isn't consistent within 12" spans in some places) and pillars filled with re bar at unusual intervals (destroying more than our share of concrete drill bits), we certainly had a lot of fun in there trying to figure out a lot of the elements - which, of course, is what it's all about.

kK: Uff, how did you manage to juggle all of those elements?
jr: Having a sense for how we were going to stylistically frame Shrew before we walked in there, we immediately saw those as welcome additions to the barroom hijinks rather than obstacles. I want to make sure to credit Melia Bensussen, our director, for creating the framework, for seeing the potential of the room from the get-go and for her openness in going with me as I was sussing out how the awkwardness of the space could work for us. Her flexibility in working with the idiosyncrasies of that space always encouraged me to keep playing.

kK: With more productions in the Boston area embracing the concept of an ambient set, for example Sleep No More, how have audiences reacted to your design?

jr: Oh, they have booed and cursed me every night then threw walnuts at the center column ;) Seriously, I have heard a lot of favorable comments. People have said that they feel like they got the "inside jokes" which is always rewarding, as long as people are not distracted by the setting. I think that's success if they simply feel like they're in a world that allows them to access the story whether they consciously recognize it or not. That's the general sense I'm getting from audience response (that and some apparently genuine excitement about the "rough magic" at the end!) Some unattended kids were banging around on the jukebox at intermission when I was there last weekend. Made my eyes go watermelony at first - but then realized that how much of a genuine dive-bar moment that and was rather delighted by the verisimilitude. You may now go and look that up in your Funk & Wagnalls.

kK: Thanks, as you know I think you did an amazing job but I am admittedly biased.
jr: You are very welcome. Keep these Monkeyhouse interviews coming as I have learned quite a bit by reading them.

Photo Credit: Stratton McCrady

Finding Out About Fight Choreography with Rob Najarian (part 2)

by Karen Krolak

Continuing my Facebook interview with Rob Najarian, fight choreographer for Actors' Shakespeare Project's Taming of the Shrew and a performer in Sleep No More, a site-specific, immersive theater experience by Punchdrunk presented by the American Repertory Theater.

karen Krolak: Can describe how you developed one of the fights in Taming of the Shrew?
Rob Najarian: Developing the fights for Shrew were in process, during rehearsal. I like to get a lot of actor input since I appreciate that myself when I'm working as an actor. Also, having Melia there when we were developing the fights was hugely helpful. It's nice to know that a director has care and interest in the moments of violence instead of just having us go off and work something and come back and show it. The moves, quite honestly, are incidental. I just tried to get maximum coverage of the space - on the floor, near a table, around the pillar.

kK: Was it difficult to work around the posts in the center of the stage or did that just provide an exciting challenge?
RN: I won't lie, the posts were a bit of a pain, just because they had a lot of bolts that were protruding and we couldn't really "use" them in the violence because they had that fabric hanging there for the final scene. But usually, I dig pillars or any kind of odd architecture.

kK: How did you manage to juggle Shrew with rehearsals for Sleep No More?
RN: Juggling rehearsals were a it easier than I had though because Sleep No More rehearsals were just starting for me as tech week began for Shrew. There were some challenges and I must say that Tori and Melia were very understanding of my schedule. Also, the cast made things much easier on me because they were all physically capable and they picked up things a lot quicker than a lot of other casts I've worked with.

kK: How have you liked working with Punchdrunk?
RN: Working with Punchdrunk has been very rewarding artistically. It's been wreaking havoc on my sleep schedule just because they do expect people to be available pretty much all the time. It's the nature of the work really, because they figure out almost everything in process. It's one of the most truly collaborative experiences I've had during a show. Coriolanus was the other. It's also been great to be part of something that has generated so much buzz around town. We've met people who have come up from New York or even farther to see the show, which is a bit mind-boggling...

kK: How were rehearsals structured? Did you learn phrases or focus more on improvisations?
RN: Rehearsals always start with a group warm up (mostly a dance-like warm-up) which include an exercise on focus or a particular quality of movement they'd like to play with for the day. Then rehearsals are split between group time for the group scenes and solo work for individual moments. So it was a great combo of truly collaborative stuff, and intense individual work. I felt like I had a lot of freedom to mold my character which was really great.

kK: Although I haven't seen the production yet, I know that audience members are allowed to take their own path through the former school building where Sleep No More is set. Have you enjoyed being followed around by audience members?
RN: Being followed by audience was daunting in the abstract, but in practice I really like it. I dig it when they get close to me. I feel in a way that I can then experience my feelings as they happen and not have to worry about projecting them to make them read for a larger space. Also, I can concentrate on the intricacies of fine, subtle physicality for similar reasons.

kK: Have you had any noteworthy interactions with an audience member?
RN: No really noteworthy interactions. I usually connect individually with 2 or 3 people a night and it's different every time. It's strange and wonderful to feel how someone responds when I touch them after they've been ignored for an hour or two. It's one of the rare moments in my theatrical life when I've been able to connect with an audience member in such a personal way. It's hugely rewarding for me as an artist to see another human being respond to my performance in real time.

kK: Thanks Rob. I really appreciate hearing your observations on the creative process for both shows.
RN: Hope this is helpful Karen. Thanks so much for asking me this stuff and for your interest in what I do :)

Finding Out About Fight Choreography with Rob Najarian (part 1)

by Karen Krolak

Working on Coriolanus earlier this year, I met several of Boston's Fight Directors who were mentored by Robert Walsh. For example, Rob Najarian and Ted Hewlett crafted a thrilling longstaff fight that was one of my favorite sections of the show. I am not surprised that several must see theatrical events of the fall season somehow involve Rob. He's the Fight Director for Taming of Shrew and a performing in Punchdrunk's Sleep No More at American Repertory Theater. I am very grateful that he was willing to carve out some time from his hectic rehearsal schedule to answer some questions for me via Facebook.

karen Krolak: When did you realize that you wanted to be a Fight Choreographer/Violence Designer?
Rob Najarian: I don't think I ever realized I wanted to be a fight choreographer. But when I was in grad school (I was 25) I realized that the only class I ever really looked forward to was combat. Also, whenever I went to see a movie then, I started to see the fights in a new way, technically and as a narrative, not just as bunch of cool moves.

kK: And, where did you train? Who were your mentors?
RN: I've had many teachers, but the ones I owe the most to are Brad Waller in DC who taught me in grad school at the Shakespeare Theatre, and Robert Walsh. I learned most of my historical weapons from Brad and he really piqued my interest - he's a bit of a mad genius. I owe probably 2/3 of my career to Bob. Don't tell him I said that, but he probably knows already ;) . He really took the time to help me develop my teaching and fight director sensibilities. He's got a fab aesthetic.

kK: Isn't there some kind of certification process that people need?
RN: There is a testing process for the Society of American Fight Directors to become an Actor/Combatant, which I took at the end of grad school. To become a teacher, I took a 3 week testing workshop, after which I was certified to teach by the Society. Nobody really trains teachers of this stuff. It's something that's more of a loose confederacy and relies on some strong individuals who come together at various points in the year to share ideas, techniques, and socialize.

kK: Are there particular weapons that you prefer to use?

RN: I've gotten pretty attracted to the knife, really by necessity than anything else. Most theatre companies don't have the budget for swords, but the usually have knives lying around. I've geeked out and done some research into knife fighting styles - Italian Stilleto and Spanish Navaja. The former I used in a Romeo & Juliet with David Wheeler at Shakespeare Now! and the latter I employed with Carmen at Boston Lyric Opera which is up now. (Both Ted Hewlett and I worked on that one.) I still love swords though ;)

kK: Did you ever study dance?
RN: I took a modern dance class with this great guy, Paul Sarvis, when I was 18 at Bowdoin. I totally went because of a girl. But I stayed because.... well, there were 22 other girls and I was the only guy, but I actually liked it too. I took some dance in grad school too - modern and flamenco. And I've taken a dance class here and there, but nothing formal.

Check back tomorrow and find out how
Rob developed the fight scenes for Taming of the Shrew...