SOCIETY OF REPEAT DEFENDERS EVENTS 2007-2008

Members of the SOCIETY OF REPEAT DEFENDERS have exclusive opportunities to meet and mingle with our community of artists, the Usual Suspects, season artists, staff members and other supporters of NYTW. In many cases, they were the first to hear breaking news on the Workshop or see a new work-in-progress. Reservations required.

Selected Past Repeat Defenders Events

Tuesday, June 10, 7:30pm-9pm
Wine & Cheese Reception – The Jenin Freedom Theatre

Juliano Mer Khamis, artistic director of the Jenin Freedom Theatre, and Dr. Mervat Aiash, Board Chairperson, spoke about the current activities of The Freedom Theatre, a children’s theatre program located in the middle of the refugee camp in Jenin (Occupied Palestinian Territories). Mer Khamis, a controversial actor, director and political activist, created and directed the award-winning documentary “Arna’s Children,” which shows his mother’s work with children in Jenin and its destruction by the Israeli Army in 2002. Dr. Aiash, professor of fine arts at the Arab American University in Jenin, provides an important model for the girls in the theatre and is a link between the theatre and the university community.

Monday, June 9, 7pm
Presentation of THE BIG BOOT By Jenny Allen, directed by James Lapine

Jenny Allen’s work-in-progress, THE BIG BOOT, is her story of the harrowing tailspin of being diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer -- and the collateral damage of her illness on her family. But it’s funny too. Jenny Allen is a writer and performer, whose profiles, essays and reviews have appeared for years in many magazines, including The New York Times, New York, Esquire, and Vogue. James Lapine, distinguished as both a writer and a director, has been nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning on three occasions. His work has also been recognized with six Drama Desk Awards, an Obie Award, and the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Ms. Allen and Mr. Lapine have been collaborating on THE BIG BOOT since the summer of 2007and showed their work-in-progress at White Oak in March of this year.

Friday, May 23, 2008 6:45pm - 7:30pm
Special pre-show discussion in conjunction with THE PROGRAM

David Cote conducted a pre-show conversation with director John Collins about THE SOUND AND THE FURY (APRIL SEVENTH, 1928). They discussed literature on stage, adaptation and the work of Elevator Repair Service. THE PROGRAM consists of Helen Shaw, David Cote and Jeffrey Jones - two reviewers and a playwright-cultural critic-who want the widest possible audience to feel welcome at the widest range of dramatically ambitious work. Armed with pre-show discussions and supplementary dramaturgical materials, THE PROGRAM roams from theater to theater, providing context to audiences at selected experimental productions.

Monday, May 12, 2008 7:30-9pm
NYTW 25: Two-and-a-Half Decades of Serving The Artist (Part II)
The final event in New York Theatre Workshop’s special series of 25th Anniversary public programs continued the discussion of “workshop” initiatives, with a focus on our Artists of Color Fellowships and our Companies-in-Residence Programs. The panel was moderated by Moises Kaufman of Tectonic Theater Project, and participants included Moe Angelos of the Five Lesbian Brothers, John Collins of Elevator Repair Service, Ruben Polendo of MITU, Najla Saïd of Nibras, and Chiori Miyagawa, who launched the first fellowships at NYTW.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 6pm at New York Theatre Workshop.
Repeat Defenders Evening at The Sound and the Fury
Join Artistic Director James Nicola, Repeat Defenders Chair Julie Denny, and members of our artistic community for wine and hors d’oeuvres at Cucina di Pesce (87 E. 4th Street) at 6pm, then attend the play at 7pm and stay for an AfterWords discussion.

Monday, March 24, 2008 7:30-9pm Location: 79 East 4th Street
NYTW 25: Two-and-a-Half Decades of Serving the Artist
New York Theatre Workshop’s special series of twenty-fifth anniversary public programs will be a discussion exploring the “workshop” component of our activities.

February 26, 2008
Repeat Defenders Evening at Liberty City
Artistic Director James Nicola, Repeat Defenders Chair Julie Denny and members of our artistic community gather for wine and hors d'oeuvres, then attend the play and stay for a lively AfterWords post-performance discussion.

January 29, 2008
Fireside Chat
A panel discussion exploring the social and political conditions that fueled the 1980 Miami riots and the larger picture of black activism in the latter half of the twentieth century featured Jessica Blank, co-author and director of Liberty City; April Yvette Thompson, co author and performer of Liberty City; Dr. Farah Jasmine Griffin, Professor of English and Comparative Literature and African-American Studies and Director of the Insitute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University; and, April Silver, a social entrepreneur, community leader, and writer who founded Akila Worksongs, a Brooklyn-based organization that provides consulting services to artists and activists.

December 11, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at Beckett Shorts
Repeat Defenders mixed and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail hour at Cucina di Pesce with Jim Nicola and several NYTW trustees. An AfterWords discussion with Jennifer Tipton, Lighting Designer; Andreea Mincic, Assistant Set Designer; Mirit Tal, Video Designer; Efran Delgadillo, Technical Director followed the performance that evening. Download a recording of that conversation

November 27, 2007
Fireside Chat
Director JoAnne Akalaitis and Composer Philip Glass discussed their careers, collaborations and their work on NYTW’s production, Beckett Shorts. Moderated by NYTW’s Associate Artistic Director, Linda Chapman. Download a recording of that conversation

November 5, 2007
NYTW 25 Special Anniversary Event: New Directors Project (1983-1989)
Alumni discussed the Workshop’s support of their early artistic development and how it shaped their careers. Panelists included Liz Diamond, David Esbjornson, Michael Greif, Brian Kulick, Jean Passanante, Lisa Peterson, and Bartlett Sher.

October 22, 2007
Repeat Defenders Evening at the Movies
In conjunction with the production of The Misanthrope, Repeat Defenders and their guests attended a private showing of Ariane Mnouchkine’s rarely seen 1978’s movie Molière.

October 9, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at The Misanthrope
Repeat Defenders attended a pre-theatre cocktail hour at Cucina di Pesce with Jim Nicola and several NYTW trustees, where Jim opened the floor to a theatrical Q & A! An AfterWords discussion with the cast of The Misanthrope followed the performance that evening.

September 24, 2007
Opening Night of The Misanthrope
Repeat Defenders at the Courageous and Diligent levels attended the opening performance of Ivo van Hove’s The Misanthrope, and then joined the cast and creative team in the transformed 3rd Floor Rehearsal Hall for cocktails, dinner, video and art installations, and revelry.

September 5, 2007
Fireside Chat
Exploring Molière. In preparation for the production of The Misanthrope, NYTW hosted a panel discussion exploring traditions and innovations in the productions of Molière’s plays, featuring two members of the NYU French faculty: Dr. Judith Miller, Department Chair and specialist in French and Francophone theatre, Dr. Benoît Bolduc, specialist in 17th century French history and performance, as well as Bart Van den Eynde, Ivo van Hove’s dramaturg for the production of The Misanthrope. Download a recording of that conversation

July 31, 2007
Opening Night of The Black Eyed
Repeat Defenders at the Courageous and Diligent levels attended the opening night performance, and then joined playwright Betty Shamieh, director Sam Gold, the cast, and their celebrity guests at the after-party!

June 12, 2007
Repeat Defenders Cocktails at Horizon
Repeat Defenders mixed and mingled at a pre-theatre cocktail hour at Cucina di Pesce with Jim Nicola and several NYTW trustees. An AfterWords discussion with the cast of Horizon followed the performance that evening. Download a recording of that conversation.

May 7, 2007
The Benefits of Building Green
Sustainable design and construction for a better city. This town hall meeting held at our theatre was open to Repeat Defenders, local arts organizations, and other community members. Moderated by NYTW Managing Director Lynn Moffat, panelists included NYTW’s architect Mitchell Kurtz, Peter Blom of Con Edison Solutions, and Mark McCracken, who sits on the board of the U.S. Green Building Council. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer delivered the opening remarks.

May 5 & 6, 2007
ASWAT: Voices of Palestine Public Programs
The first collaboration between NYTW and company-in-residence Nibras, an Arab-American theatre collective, this reading and discussion series was produced in partnership with the Drama Department at New York University, and was held at the Loewe Theatre at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Eight plays highlighting the Palestinian experience were read and discussed over the course of two days. Repeat Defenders were invited to attend along with NYTW Trustees, Members, and guests of Nibras and NYU.

February 26, 2007
25th Anniversary Party And 365 Days/365 Plays
Repeat Defenders joined the members of NYTW’s artistic community for an exclusive party celebrating our 25th Anniversary Season. Attendees mingled with Usual Suspects, artists from our season productions, and cut the 25th Anniversary cake. Also that evening, NYTW hosted a night of readings for Susan-Lori Parks’ 365 Days/365 Plays Festival, to which attending Repeat Defenders were invited.

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