UMKC Theatre begins project to tell true recession stories

University of Missouri Kansas City Theatre has a history of going into the community and communicating stories about social issues, Stephanie Roberts, assistant professor of theater, said.

This year, the issue that seemed to come up in conversation more than any other was the economy, she said.

“That was the burning topic that was affecting a wide range of people,” Roberts said.

UMKC Theatre will present an original work in 2010 called “Slammed! KC Speaks Out on the Recession,” which will convey true stories of how the economy has affected individuals in the area.

The production will be developed through work completed by students in the Master’s in Fine Arts department. This semester they begin gathering information by conducting personal interviews, and next semester they will perform the stories they heard.

“We’ll be bringing to life people we will be meeting,” Dina Kirschenbaum, a second year Master’s student, said. “It is different than when you get a character and try to learn them. This will be a different spin and much more personal.”

Second-year master’s, student Zachary Andiews, originally from Denver, said he looks forward to learning more about the community.

“The economy and the recession is such a complicated thing, and I think we can help get an idea about what the whole thing is about by seeing how it is affecting us locally,” Andiews said.

Called “devised theatre,” this method of developing a production will be intense training for students, Roberts said. Roberts, who will direct “Slammed,” was inspired to use this method, in part, by Anna Deveare Smith, who used the method to develop “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” about the 1992 L.A. riots.

Sometimes those who work in the theater tend to “end up in a bubble … eating, sleeping and breathing” theater, Roberts said.

“This will give them a better understanding of what is going on beyond them,” she said. “It is our job as theater artists to tell stories – something that is to bring laughter, to bring release, to lighten the spirit, to inform and sometimes be the voice of the people. In this case it is their role to illustrate this challenging time for the audience.”

UMKC completed a similar project about five years ago called “Circus Show,” which dealt with issues like going back to war, Tom Mardikes, UMKC Theatre chair, said.

“To actually go out and talk to people and find ways to portray stories, condense it, distill it, rarify it and put it back on stage to where it can have an impact and meaning for lots of people is a great training tool,” Mardikes said.

“Slammed” is just one part of a diverse season ahead for the theater department, Mardikes said. The season starts off with Tracey Lett’s “Killer Joe,” an examination of a family who lives in a broken down trailer outside of Dallas. It is followed by Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia,” a play that examines math and sciences and questions about love and art.

“It is something that is highly refined,” Mardikes said. “They couldn’t be more different, so the challenges are great.”

The season will include several co-productions with the Unicorn and Coterie theaters and will conclude with an original project called “Train to 2010.”

UMKC currently is working on this production in conjunction with the World Theatre Lab, the Market Theatre of Johannesburg and the Tony-Award winning Crossroads Theatre Company of New Brunswick, N.J. Directed by Ricardo Kahn, the play will tell the story of two laborers who are working to help prepare South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. If all goes right, UMKC Theatre will be involved in productions in South Africa, New Jersey and Kansas City, Mardikes said.

“It is a magical, mysterious play with this train as a central metaphor,” he said. 

Those involved in the “Slammed” project are looking for people in the Kansas City area who have been affected by the economy and would be willing to share their story. Those interested may call 235-2268.

FAST FACTS

UMKC Theatre opens its 2009-2010 season with “Killer Joe” from Oct. 7-11.

 “Arcadia” runs Nov. 4-8, “Slammed” runs Feb. 17-21, and “Train to 2010” runs April 28 to May 2.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $5 for groups of 10 or more and $6 for students. Season ticket packages are available.

For information, call the Central Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 253-6222.

For a complete list of show times, visit http://cas.umkc.edu/theatre/Playbill.html.

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