Meanwhile, Monkey Wrench opens in a tiny storefront with the U.S. premiere of a provocative new drama by [Mark] Ravenhill, whose past plays include the sex-and-violence-infused Some Explicit Polaroids and Shopping and Fucking.
Choosing a Ravenhill play as the first offering at the Monkey Wrench (the blood-drenched Jacobean drama The Revenger’s Tragedy opens soon after) makes sense for [Artistic Director Dave] Barton and the four other members of the collective. Though the Monkey Wrench isn’t Rude Guerrilla part two, the new company will certainly follow the former entity’s radical stance onstage.
“This is a more distilled version of Rude Guerrilla,” Barton says of Monkey Wrench. “Our focus here, honestly, isn’t to make money, but to make art for art’s sake. As long as we can make the rent, aren’t shelling too much of our money into it, and can pay the actors and technicians a little bit, that’s all we care about. We’re going to be edgy, avant-garde and political. We’re not going to do fucking musicals or fucking Neil Simon.”
Of course, Barton realizes his new theater will meet the same fate as the old one if it doesn’t make any money. But even if Monkey Wrench finds its non-mainstream fare doesn’t click in the new space, at least it will expire doing its own thing.
STOREFRONT THEATERS STRIKE BACK
Friday, February 26, 2010
This week's O.C. Weekly features a dual profile of Monkey Wrench Collective and the Chance Theater in Anaheim, penned by long-suffering theater critic Joel Beers:
MONKEY WRENCH COLLECTIVE PRESENTS...
Monday, February 15, 2010
Opens FRIDAY March 5th, 2010 at 8:00pm. ALL SEATS $10.
The show runs Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 5:00pm and Sundays at 3:00pm.
The show closes April 11.
The show runs Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 5:00pm and Sundays at 3:00pm.
The show closes April 11.
Opens SATURDAY March 6th, 2010 at 8:00pm. ALL SEATS $10.
The show runs Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 6:00 p.m.,
beginning March 6 and closing April 11.
The show runs Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 6:00 p.m.,
beginning March 6 and closing April 11.
Postcards by Jay Michael Fraley.
OPENING THIS MONTH
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Rude Guerrilla Productions’ Monkey Wrench Collective opens Friday March 5!
After almost a year on hiatus, former members of the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Rude Guerrilla Theater Company have reunited and formed the new Monkey Wrench Collective. On Friday, March 5, 2010, MWC will open its new space at 204 N. Harbor, in downtown Fullerton, Orange County’s bastion of storefront theater.
The Collective’s first production will be the US Premiere of Mark Ravenhill’s POOL (NO WATER), directed by Artistic Director Dave Barton and choreographers Melita Ann Sagar and Sam Tanng. A famous artist invites her old friends out to her luxurious new home and, for one night only, the group is back together. Celebrations come to an abrupt end when the host suffers a horrific accident and an almost unthinkable plan starts to take shape: could her suffering be their next work of art? The ensemble cast of seven includes Peter J. Balgoyen , Christopher Basile, Keith Bennett, Sean Engard, Jessica Lamprinos, Terri Mowrey and Alexander Price . Warning: The play contains nudity and sexual situations.
The show runs Fridays at 8:00, Saturdays at 5:00 and Sundays at 3:00. The show closes April 11. All seats just $10.00.
Playing in repertory with POOL (NO WATER) is THE REVENGER’S TRAGEDY by Thomas Middleton, opening March 6. When his wife is poisoned by a ruthless political leader, Vindice vows to wipe out the evil Duke and his entire corrupt family. First published in 1608, this Jacobean black comedy has been updated for the present times in all its gory glory. Directed by Dave Barton, the ensemble cast of eighteen includes: Scott Barber, Christopher Basile, Erryn Cleaver, Mark Coyan , David Cramer, Sean Engard, Adam Ferry, Karen Harris, Michael Keeney, Brenda Kenworthy, Rick Kopps, Jessica Lamprinos, Jami McCoy, Megan McCue, Alexander Price and Susan E. Taylor. Warning: Contains nudity, sex and lots and lots of dead bodies.
The show runs Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 6:00 p.m., beginning March 6 and closing April 11. All seats just $10.00.
After almost a year on hiatus, former members of the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Rude Guerrilla Theater Company have reunited and formed the new Monkey Wrench Collective. On Friday, March 5, 2010, MWC will open its new space at 204 N. Harbor, in downtown Fullerton, Orange County’s bastion of storefront theater.
The Collective’s first production will be the US Premiere of Mark Ravenhill’s POOL (NO WATER), directed by Artistic Director Dave Barton and choreographers Melita Ann Sagar and Sam Tanng. A famous artist invites her old friends out to her luxurious new home and, for one night only, the group is back together. Celebrations come to an abrupt end when the host suffers a horrific accident and an almost unthinkable plan starts to take shape: could her suffering be their next work of art? The ensemble cast of seven includes Peter J. Balgoyen , Christopher Basile, Keith Bennett, Sean Engard, Jessica Lamprinos, Terri Mowrey and Alexander Price . Warning: The play contains nudity and sexual situations.
The show runs Fridays at 8:00, Saturdays at 5:00 and Sundays at 3:00. The show closes April 11. All seats just $10.00.
Playing in repertory with POOL (NO WATER) is THE REVENGER’S TRAGEDY by Thomas Middleton, opening March 6. When his wife is poisoned by a ruthless political leader, Vindice vows to wipe out the evil Duke and his entire corrupt family. First published in 1608, this Jacobean black comedy has been updated for the present times in all its gory glory. Directed by Dave Barton, the ensemble cast of eighteen includes: Scott Barber, Christopher Basile, Erryn Cleaver, Mark Coyan , David Cramer, Sean Engard, Adam Ferry, Karen Harris, Michael Keeney, Brenda Kenworthy, Rick Kopps, Jessica Lamprinos, Jami McCoy, Megan McCue, Alexander Price and Susan E. Taylor. Warning: Contains nudity, sex and lots and lots of dead bodies.
The show runs Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 6:00 p.m., beginning March 6 and closing April 11. All seats just $10.00.
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