A company dedicated to bringing the cinematic experience to the stage.

A COMPANY DEDICATED TO BRINGING THE CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE TO THE STAGE

Friday, November 4, 2011

Film on stage

Films on stage. We see a lot of it these days in many different forms from the great to the not so great. We're witnessing a huge transition of the stage world. Take a look at what's on Broadway or at iO and Stage 773. Burlesque is taking hold showing us boob-heavy productions of Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Seems that everyone is doing it. Including us. So why? Why in this world where it seems that everyone is doing it, why would we at Roundhouse Productions do the same? Simply put, we don't think we are. Of course we don't, and neither does anyone else, but I think we're different.

I do want to justify quickly that this push of Film to Stage is not baseless. People will line up to see 100 versions every year of HAMLET or THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Classic shows with classic scripts and no one bats an eye at the shear number of times they are done. Nobody calls them copy cats and no one sits and talks about them being unoriginal. all that is happening now is that instead of classic literature its classic films. Which really, at its base, is just classic literature. They both start with a script and end with a unique interpretation and adaptation. The opportunity for outstanding performance is there. Yeah, maybe once Harvey Keitel made a role famous. The challenge is to perform outside of that, and if anything, it becomes more of a challenge to NOT be the iconic actor but instead be that new interpretation. It just happens that in this day and age where less money is spent on stage that the audience is drawn to films. All thats happening is that we are taking what people are accustomed to and putting it in a venue they are used to. An attempt to bring theater to those who don't do theater.

Now, is Roundhouse different than the bunch? Of course we are, but thats what everyone says. Here's why I think we are. First, we're not going for the campy. Burlesque does what it does. Their draw is showing Jabba the Hutt's tits. Fantastic, but not us. THE DUDE ABIDES and ALIEN QUEEN pay omage, but they are looking for the laugh. They are more about what made the movie funny and how a stage version can exploit it. What makes us different is we're not going for the laugh. We're going for straight up the gut action adaptations. Predator was an original script, but what made the show successful was not silliness, but the big guns and the fighting and cursing. With DOGS, its about showing how a male-centric movie can be flipped to women but still maintain every bit of action and intensity. In the future, it will be about how Roundhouse makes you feel like you're watching a movie, but keeping you on-stage. Thats the challenge and that's what makes us different. It'll be rough and tumble, but that's the only way we like it.

And fuck you if the grammer is off. It's a damn blog.