12th SEASON REVIEW (a look back)...SMASHED/FALL 2010

As we near our announcement of the upcoming 2011-2012 SEASON we're taking a few days to catch you up on the success of our 12th Anniversary.

To back track a little bit: before going into production for our first ever presented solo work directed by Ensemble Member, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Victoria Malvagno at The Cherry Lane Theatre - we were busy with readings, workshops and parties to help celebrate our upcoming 12th Season.

We dove head first into our BAREFOOT BAR THROWDOWN in the Birthplace of Barefoot Theatre Company, BROOKLYN! The fundraiser for our 12th Season took place at The Wicked Monk in Bayridge, Brooklyn with great success.

We were off and running with events and and presentations coming straight off our 70/70 Horovitz Project and CUNY's McCaulay Honor's College at Hunter College (where we conducted workshops on Ensemble Collaboration to over 400 Students followed by a full presentation at the gorgeous Marvin Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College of The Indian Wants The Bronx, What Strong Fences Make and Beirut Rocks which culminated with a Q&A with the playwright of plays presented, Israel Horovitz).

Soon after our end of summer fundraiser we moved quickly to bring you some works in progress with our WORKSHOP presentation, SMASHED. The Workshop Series took place at The Sackett in Parkslope, Brooklyn and featured works by Kristoffer Diaz, Jason Furlani, Kyle Bradstreet, Tim Plaehn, Joe Pintauro, Daniel Graff, Danelle Eliav, Mark von Sternberg and Kristin Wheeler. Many of these works have moved on to the next stage of their process, for example:

UPDATES:

Ensemble Members:

Daniel Graff's short play was soon featured in the L.I.C Short Play Festival followed by BTC's first annual bareNaked Reading Series, LA; Mark von Sternberg's piece was also featured in the L.I.C. Short Play Festival and featured Ensemble Member, Jeremy Brena.

Resident playwrights:

Tim Plaehn's short play turned into a full-lengthplay that was then featured in the bareNaked Reading Series, LA followed by a fully staged workshop presentation at The Cherry Lane Theatre for our bareNaked Workshop Series.

Barefoot Family Members collaborations:

continued as we presented full-length plays of Kristoffer Diaz, Jason Furlani, and Kyle Bradstreet in our 2nd Annual bareNaked Reading Series which took place at The Cherry Lane Theatre; Kristin Wheeler's short play was adapted by the playwright into a film and recently wrapped on production. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!!

The presentation at The Sackett, owned and operated by Michael and Ann Ragolia provided us with the opportunity to present new and exciting works in an intimate site, specific environment filled with drinks, music, friends and family. It was another successful collaborative process which allowed us to explore theatrical works with a high level of story telling and rich characters. The audiences' feedback was truly incredible and definitely an important tool in our development process for new works. Creating a safe environment for constructive criticism where playwright, director and actors actually hear the audiences response (both during and after the process) is a key element in our growth as an ensemble. It's all about the work and the process it takes to create some of the most exhilarating and thought provoking pieces of theater we have to offer.

The evening was directed by Co-Artistic Director / Co-Founder, Nicole Haran, LAByrinth Theater Company member, Brian Roff, John Hurley, BTC Ensemble Members, Luke Leonard, Francisco Solorzano, and family member, Kristin Wheeler.

The Cast featured: Ensemble Members, Jeremy Brena, Charles Everett, Samantha Fontana, Thomas James Lombardo, Daniel Graff, Francisco Solorzano, Therese Plaehn, Jennie West Mark G. Cisneros with special guests, Lisa Anderson, Ian Kerch, Kristen Wheeler, Andrew McLarty, and Douglas Taurel.

Next Up: a look back at our Sneak Peek at Spring Production presentation / benefit in Downtown, Los Angeles, November 2010.