The Tree Play is an original agit-prop folk tale for the theatre, provoked by the deforestation of the Amazon. The play's multidisciplinary, open staging urges actors and audience to share an exploration of themes of love, survival and our kinship with Nature.

The Tree Play opens August 6, 2015 at the Ground Floor Theatre.

Read the synopsis of The Tree Play

A Little More About The Tree Play (from the playwright)

I first conceived this project as a play-with-movement in the summer of 2011, inspired by reports I read about deforestation in the Amazon and the struggles of environmentalists to stir an official response to halt the destruction of the rainforest. The initial draft was completed within weeks and sat patiently in a pile of paperwork for two years. Dusted off and handed to an excellent group of artists, The Tree Play enjoyed a private reading and discussion in September 2013 at Casa Polgar. At last it gets a chance to germinate on the Austin stage.

When I think about putting on a play I like to create a world where the audience feels a kinship with the staged goings on. I ask everyone sets aside old assumptions about what it means to “attend a play.” That has led to translating classic stage plays to unorthodox settings or re-imagining the playing space to create a more intimate, audience-implicating experience. Or staging a play in a derelict airport hangar. In short: I love to mess with the theatre-going experience.

For The Tree Play I want to evoke a living, breathing forest, in which the audience is arrayed as if sitting under great trees in a far-away jungle, immersed in the environment and pressed close to the action. Because the play is an agit-prop folk tale, the responsibility for creating this environment falls (mostly) on the performers and not on an extravagant set design or technical effects. It’s all about how we tell/perform the story. Audiences must piece together a personal sense of “forest” that evolves from the movement and sounds created by the company; the proximity of the patrons to the playing area and to the characters serves to heighten the tension of the play. (That's the plan, anyway!)

The Tree Play is issue-centric and while it's not hard to figure out where the playwright’s loyalties lie, contradictions abound. Patrons will have to arrive at their own conclusions; the play resolves in an altogether apolitical manner. Hopefully this moves the story beyond simple answers and, after a good night out, all participants will leave the theatre with a new perspective.

I can’t for a moment think an Austin audience hasn’t experienced the theatrics we're planning for The Tree Play. And yet . . . 

- The raw, open presentation style contrasted with the sophisticated (I hope!) storytelling
- The simplistic setting and the complex characters who reside within and around the playing space
- The onstage realism and the self-awareness that this we’re putting on a play
- Not to mention the forest “magic”

 . . . ought to affect attendees and, just maybe, incite them to learn more about the world's resources and why they must be well tended.

Click here to read The Tree Play (PDF).

Click here to make a donation to The Tree Play.

 

We are looking for 10 - 12 women and men of all ages and ethnicities to perform The Tree Play. We are especially interested in actors who have experience with dance, movement, stage combat, acrobatics or gymnastics.

HOW TO AUDITION (WORKSHOPS)

Please make an appointment to audition

We want to spend some time working together as a group, so instead of a "cattle-call" style audition (where you come in, read your monologue and leave) we are holding a series of workshops where we can explore the play's words, movement and group dynamics more intensely. Together.

The first workshop for The Tree Play will be held on Sunday, April 19, 2:00pm - 5:00 pm at Tapestry Dance (2302 Western Trails Blvd, Austin, TX 78745) 

Here is a Map.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

1. Let us know you're coming to the workshop by making an appointment to audition.
2. Fill out the performer information form so we know a little bit about you.
3. Come to the workshop:

- Where do I go?
- What should I prepare?
- What should I wear?
- What will we do at the workshop?
- Other Frequently Asked Questions

1. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Please call or email for an appointment. That's so we know how many people are coming and so we can send you the link to the online performer information form.

The telephone number to call to set up an audition is: 512 771 0051 or you can Send an e-mail to the director.

 

2. FILL OUT AND SUBMIT A PERFORMER INFORMATION FORM

After you schedule your audition, you will receive a link to the Performer Information Form.

Please fill out the form and remember to click “submit” after you have finished. You can print out the form and bring it with you to the audition if you wish.

If you do not submit a form before your audition you will be asked to fill one out after your audition. Yawn-a-rama. Do it in advance, then come to auditions and spend your time having fun.

3. THE WORKSHOP: WHAT TO EXPECT, WHAT TO PREPARE

The workshop will be held Sunday, April 19, 2:00pm - 5:00pm at Tapestry Dance (2302 Western Trails Blvd, Austin, TX 78745) :: Map

 

What Should I Prepare?Please prepare a 10-line or one-minute speech that argues for or against something.

You may choose from any period, any style. If you need inspiration: Brecht, Shaw, Barker, Brenton, Hare, Pinter, Kushner, Jon Stewart, Bill O’Reilly, Keith Olbermann, Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, the New York Times Op-Ed pages, etc. -- those blowhards/geniuses love to write argumentative, opinionated text. Go on: Surprise us.

 

What Do I Wear?
Please come dressed to move. So don't wear anything you wouldn't want to get dirty. No dressing up; no dress shoes. No jeans. Sports/active wear, please. Think: "I am probably going to sweat. With grace."

Please also bring:
 - Water
 - A towel

 

What Are We Going to Do at the Workshop?

1. When you arrive please sign in
- We might take your photo at this time

2. Working in small groups, you will
- Do a warm up
- Dance/move a little
- Do group exercises that will challenge you physically and creatively

3. You will present your prepared speech
- We'll probably play with that text a little, individually or in groups

4. Time permitting we will do some cold readings from play
- We might goof off with the script a little

The entire audition should take about 90 minutes, hopefully less.*

*No promises.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

May I read the play?

Yes you may. Click here to read The Tree Play (PDF).

What roles are available?

Please note the roles of the GIRL and the FATHER are already cast.

The TREE: Three actors (male and/or female) whose intertwined bodies create the TREE and who share the TREE’s lines. Age range: open. Gender: open.

BOY: The GIRL’s boyfriend when she is a teenager. Age range: Should look like a teenager, ideally.

JOURNALIST: Comes to the forest to interview the GIRL when she is an environmental activist. Age range: 35 - 55. Gender: male.

HUNTER: An assassin. Age range: 25 - 45. Gender: open.

LOGGER: A man whose job is to clear-cut the forest. Age range: 25 - 45.

ACTOR-DANCERS: Chorus-like characters who help create the environment through sound and movement. Age range: open. Gender: open.

Don’t see a character that you seem ideally suited for? Audition anyway!

 

What if I don’t have any dance/movement experience?

Audition anyway! We are looking for a variety of performers. Plus you’ll learn some moves from Toni Bravo! Pretty cool, huh?

 

When will I know if I’ve been called back/cast?

We'll let you know as soon as possible. Probably within 48 hours.

 

When does the play rehearse?

- Workshops: TBD in May (e.g., Sundays, 2pm - 5pm). We'll figure out the best times once we have a cast.
- Rehearsals: July 12 - August 1 TBD. You might not have to attend all of the rehearsals.
- Tech Week: Sun., Aug. 2 - Wed. Aug. 5. You MUST be available for all technical rehearsals.

 

When does the play run?

- Opening night: Thu. Aug. 6
- Perform: Fri. Aug 7 (We will do TWO SHOWS on Friday night)
- Closing night/strike: Sat. Aug. 8 (We will do TWO SHOWS on Saturday night)

You MUST be available for every performance. And help with strike (thanks!).

Where are rehearsals?

TBD

Where are the performances?

Ground Floor Theatre
979 Springdale Rd, Austin, TX 78702

How many comps do I get?

Who knows? Probably lots.

Does it pay?

Aha. Wondered when you’d ask that. Yes, it pays. And more than just the satisfaction of putting on a once-in-a-lifetime work that people will talk about for years and years.**

**That sounds boastful, I know. But ask anyone who saw or was a part of The Road To Wigan Pier (2004) what that was like -- we hope this experience is at least as fun, informative, moving and theatrically satisfying as that one was!