Bond Street Theatre looks forward to returning to Kabul this September to partner with White Star Theatre for the second phase of the Theatre for Social Development Project. The two companies will create original theatre performances together that address particularly inter-ethnic conflict, rule of law, violent conflict, family conflict, and conflict resolution.
Bond Street Theatre completed a six week collaboration with Simorgh Theatre in Herat, the first part of a two-year Theatre for Social Development project. The companies created two theatrical pieces for the actors of Simorgh Theatre, both dealing with family violence — one performed by women solely for women, and one by men for men. The women’s performance, Rahela’s Bride, dealt with the often-abusive relationship between young brides and their mothers-in-law. The men’s show, The Lion’s Pride, addressed violent behavior in the home.
Bond Street Theatre has been awarded a $9,000 grant from the Asian Cultural Council to continue our successful work with Gitameit Music Center and Thukhuma Khayethe (Art Travelers) to create a new performance piece about the issues facing the Burmese people.
Bond Street Theatre’s Shinbone Alley Stilt Band is the first American Company to be invited to the Stilt Festival in Namur, Belgium. This September is the 600th Anniversary Festival in Namur, or Fêtes de Wallonie, a celebration of the stilting tradition that culminates in a jousting match in the town square. Two opposing teams, the Melans and the Avresses, compete every for the honor of possessing The Golden Stilt for the year. Six Shinbone Alley musicians will join the festivities third week of September, cheering on both clans with jazz.
In 2011, Bond Street Theatre conducted a three-week program of performances and workshops to the displaced population living in tent camps in Port-au-Prince, applying theatre-based methods toward post-crisis healing, empowerment and improved life skills, and as a means to community education and development. We return this winter to continue our work with FAVILEK (Haitian Women Get Up Stand Up) and to collaborate on a new performance about the earthquake and its aftermath.
Le Velo Rouge, our new three-wheeled stilt tricycle, premiered at the 2011 Kinetic Sculpture Festival in Philadelphia and arrived in New York City for the 2011 Pride Parade. The vehicle will provide a stage for our new summer show, Intersection, and tour with the Shinbone Alley Stilt Band.
Bond Street Theatre’s 2005 collaboration with Exile Theatre of Afghanistan, Beyond the Mirror, was featured at the 2011 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space as part of the USITT-USA National Exhibit. The striking production was the first ever US-Afghan theatre collaboration, depicting personal stories over 30 years of war. Joanna Sherman and Michael McGuigan presented the story behind the production on June 19th at the Main Exhibition Hall at the Veletrzni Palace in Prague. The Prague Quadrennial for Performance Design and Space is the pre-eminent scenographic exhibition in the world.
QUICK NEWS
BST welcomes Board member Scott Kamen
The Board of Directors welcomes Scott Kamen, President of Kamen-Tall Architects, as a new Board member.
Thank you!
Thank you for attending our November 17 Extravaganza for Haiti! If you missed it, you can still donate to the Haiti Project (make sure you specify “Haiti” in the designation field).
Bond Street Theatre Extravaganza for Haiti
November 17 at 7 pm Bond Street Theatre presents an Extravaganza to benefit the Haiti Project. Join us for a Cabaret-style evening of clown, music, and comedy at the Sidewalk Cafe, Avenue A & 6th. Admission is $25 plus 1 drink minimum.
Frank Juliano Named Board President
We welcome some new roles on our Board of Directors. Frank Juliano has stepped into the role of President and co-founder Patrick Sciarratta stepped into the role of Board President Emeritus.
