Republic of Dreams, takes the magic realism writings and imaginings of WWII-era Polish-Jewish artist Bruno Schulz (1892-1942), adapting his lush, magical and sometimes erotic drawings to the stage. Using the theatre’s signature style of physicality, imagery, puppetry, live instrumental and choral music, Double Edge deeply explores Schulz’ powerful prose and life, as well as his banal death at the hands of a jealous Nazi, to create an unforgettable journey through the human experience in the modern world. “Republic of Dreams” is conceived and directed by Stacy Klien.
Double Edge Theatre, the acclaimed ensemble led by founder/ Artistic Director Stacy Klein, now celebrating its 25th Anniversary, makes its return to New York's La MaMa Annex with a World Premiere performance inspired by Bruno Schulz. Double Edge Theatre is widely renowned for long-term collaborations, classic literature adaptations, and original theater performances. Throughout its history, this unparalleled organization has demonstrated the deeply felt tribute to past artists combined with new "explosive" possibilities drawn from an original training methodology and approach to long-term devised ensemble work.
Republic of Dreams is a World Premiere, which takes from the magic realism writings and imaginings of WWII-era Polish-Jewish artist Bruno Schulz (1892-1942), as well as adapts his lush, magical and sometimes erotic drawings to the stage. Using the theatre's signature style of physicality, imagery, puppetry, live instrumental and choral music, Double Edge deeply explores Schulz' powerful prose and life, as well as his banal death at the hands of a jealous Nazi, to create an unforgettable journey through the human experience in the modern world. On the choice to work on a lesser-know figure from WWII, Artistic Director Klein said, "his work was written at a time of great danger, at the advent of fascism as well as a spiritually corrupt time when materialism was especially dominant. And yet, Schulz' work was a transformative literature…It was about the power of dreams. As he said himself in one of his essays, 'No dreams, however absurd or senseless are wasted in this universe.'"
Double Edge initiated the research on Republic of Dreams in 2005, including expeditions to Poland, and later on, a much lauded open rehearsal at CUNY Graduate Center in New York. Collaborators yielded an original score, unique production design, painted canvases, masks and puppets. Jacek Ostaszewski, who composed and arranged the original live and recorded score for Dreams, is a renowned Polish composer, and instrumentalist of such films as Blue, Red, and The Double Life of Veronique. His choral and instrumental pieces are performed live inside the action of the performance. Mira Zelechower-Aleksiun is a celebrated Polish-Jewish visual artist, whose own tale of survival from the Holocaust uniquely informs her rich design-manifestation of Schulz' image driven world. Award-winning Mexican-Jewish author Ilan Stavans (Spanglish, The Disappearance), dramaturg and collaborator on Republic of Dreams holds Schulz as an artist of great import. "His death," says Stavans, "might have turned him into yet another victim of totalitarianism, but it's clear he didn't see himself as a victim. He was a magician."
The initial phases of Dreams have garnered praise and stirred excitement, starting after the rehearsal in New York. Daniel Gerould, Distinguished Professor of Theatre and Literature at CUNY University lauded, "…their inventive and innovative use of the traditions of the Polish theatre…their brilliant theatrical realizations of Schulz's poetic and metaphoric prose…The result is a revelation." According to Rolando Perez of Hunter College, "Gorgeously directed by Stacy Klein it captures the beauty of Schulz's originality: his myths and mystical images. The action, the ways the actors move on stage, as folds upon folds of fabric, turn the beautiful elusiveness of a Schulzian night into an unforgettable experience. Without any reservations, I recommend the work of Double Edge Theatre to anyone who loves great theatre."
Though Schulz is a lesser known artist and writer, there are substantial writings on his work in print and on-line. His books are still in print as are biographies and his published letters. The renowned short story writer Isaac Beshivis Singer wrote of Bruno Schulz: "Schulz cannot be easily classified. He can be called a surrealist, a symbolist, an expressionist, a modernist…. He wrote sometimes like Kafka, sometimes like Proust, and at times he succeeded in reaching depths that neither of them reached…"
If you would like to arrange a group of students to see this production, please contact Kiku Sakai at kiku@lamama.org or 212-254-6468. This is a great opportunity for students of various majors such as Art, Theatre, Slavic and Jewish Studies and Literature to explore the culture and history of the early 20th Century in Poland. Double Edge Theatre would be happy to give your students a post-performance discussion on the production. Our student rate is $15. Please share this information with your colleague.
Double Edge Theatre Web: www.doubleedgetheatre.org
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Martin E. Segal Theatre Center Presents
Bruno Schulz Symposium
February 26, 6:30 pm
The Graduate Center, CUNY
in association with
Double Edge Theatre
and the Polish Cultural Institute
moderated by Daniel Gerould
with guests Ilan Stavans, Victoria Nelson, David Goldfarb, Rolando Perez,
Stacy Klein, Krystyna Illakowicz
www.web.gc.cuny.edu/mestc
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at La MaMa E.T.C.
March 8-18 2007
Thursdays - Saturdays 7:30pm
Sundays 2:30 & 7:30pm
The Annex
74A East 4th Street
Box Office: 212-475-7710
web: www.lamama.org
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