The Collective Project, Inc. talks their newest production, what makes them tick and their love for the A
Nothing is worse than realizing that your city is home to an innovative, world premiere boasting, and local-work-only touted theater company a bit too late. After missing The Collective Project, Inc.’s first few productions, I became de-virginalized to their work with The Red Herring and kept going back for more. Like many, I have been eagerly checking the internet to see when their next “by Atlanta” production was going to appear at The Goat Farm. Come June 1, The Great McAnigan, the world premiere of Dave Lauby’s play about a not-so-talented poet, hits the stage to hopefully break a few more Atlanta audience cherry’s.
Below, Sean Haley, The Collective Project’s artistic director and director of The Great McAnigan, goes into the company’s mission, what work gets them all excited, and what audiences can look forward to come opening night of their newest production.
Q. The Collective Project is one of those rare and wonderful theater companies here in Atlanta that is completely focused on doing original works by local talents. What was the force behind creating and sticking to the mission of “for Atlanta, by Atlanta”?
A. Thank you so much for you kind words about our company. “By Atlanta” was a natural result of seeing what the Atlanta theatre scene needed and trying to fill the void. There’s been a lot of talk recently about Atlanta as a ‘transient arts hub,’ meaning lots of artists come through Atlanta, but not as much emphasis is put on the artists that are here already. There is a plethora of talent in the city so with each new show, we try to create opportunities for artists that live and work here; otherwise, they join the ranks of artists who leave every year for bigger markets like New York or LA and the city suffers for it in the long term.
Secondly, we love this city. We want to engage audience members here at home, and not just people that already go to theater. A stronger audience means a stronger culture which means a stronger everything else. The most important relationship in the theatre is the one between the audience and the performer, hence “for Atlanta.”
Q. Are there certain works that The Collective Project is really attracted to when choosing a season? And on the flip side, are there certain red flags that immediately enter a no pile?
A. A great story is key. The Collective Project looks for stories that reflect our company and our own artistic goals, stories that have heart and emotion, and stories that will thrive on the stage. Beyond that, we also select our writers very carefully. Our company chooses to work with playwrights as opposed to working with scripts. Since all of our shows are World Premieres, we continue to develop the piece throughout its creation. We’re attracted to writers that are willing to be involved in every part of the production process.
Collective Project shows lean toward larger ensembles, as the “Collective” in our name implies. That’s not to say we haven’t or won’t do productions with smaller casts in the future, but something about having a large team of artists willing to breath life into a brand-new work is not only exciting, but also extremely rewarding. We frequently workshop and stage readings of new works, as there is value in the dissection and discussion of any new play. By stimulating the creativity within the city, we hope to continue to encourage Atlanta artists towards bolder and braver creations.
Q. Ever since The Theory of Everything: Solve for X closed back in December, I have been a part of the eager audiences who want to know what is next. With the news of The Great McAnigan coming in June, what else can we look forward to for upcoming productions?
A. The Great McAnigan is our current focus for 2013. We’re working on a project-by-project basis, which allows us more creative flexibility and the ability to focus ourselves in a way that guarantees each new performance is better than the one that preceded it. We have more than a few scripts that we’re all excited to sink our teeth into, but it’s about finding the right time and the right place to launch into these new works. Don’t worry… we won’t stay quiet for too long.
Q. The Great McAnigan opens June 1, it seems to be a play that is full of silliness and heart that follows the life of a man who can do it all, well except for his one true love: poetry. Why was The Collective Project so excited to bring the world premiere of Dave Lauby’s play to The Goat Farm?
A. I first met Dave in the summer of 2011 and was instantly intrigued by his passion and dedication to the theatre. We quickly became friends and a year later, Dave and I had the pleasure of working together once again in The Collective Project’s The Devil Tree, our October show of last year’s season. That was when he presented me with his script The Great McAnigan, and it only took me a few pages to realize how important it would be for us to produce this show. As an actor, Dave finds the beauty in both the performance and the process. He brings that passion into his writing as well, and the results are astounding.
The script is hilarious, heartbreaking, and contains some of the worst poetry anyone has ever heard. It’s based on the life and times of William McGonagall, who is considered definitively the worst poet in history by the Oxford English Dictionary – seriously, Wikipedia the guy. Silliness aside, the play is about the value of holding steadfast to your dreams even in the face of harsh reality. I don’t want to ruin the surprise by going into too many details, but I can personally guarantee that this show has something for everyone.
Q. This new 2013 production will also launch a new “See the Play Before You Pay” ticketing concept. What caused this change?
A. We are always looking for different ways to challenge the expectations of audiences while offering an experience that is unique and fun. The idea of passing the hat is present throughout the play, as it takes place in post-Dickensian Britain when it was typical for artists to live and die by their audience’s graciousness. We live in an era of modern theatre, and I strongly believe that for theatre to thrive to its fullest potential then we need to redesign the wheel a bit.
We understand that audiences take a risk when attending a night of live theatre. In our case, they are taking a chance on a brand new work that no one has ever experienced before. We want to recognize that risk by sharing it with them.
