SHUT UP EMILY DICKINSON
Shut Up Emily Dickinson
WRITTEN BY TANYA O'DEBRA
DIRECTED BY SARA WOLKOWITZ
WITH: TANYA O'DEBRA AND GREG BELLÓN
We had a wonderful 3 week run in 2022 at the Abrons Art Center in Manhattan. This team also produced this play in the winter of 2019/2020 at the Academy of Music in Northampton, MA.
Review: https://www.thinkingtheaternyc.com/2022/08/review-even-if-youre-too-busy-for-death.html
"From ribaldry to fourth wall breaking (and repairing) to outright absurdity, the production is hilarious from beginning to end, and O'Debra and Bellón are superb, an unimpeachable comic duo."
Interviews with me:
- http://zackcalhoon.blogspot.com/2022/07/people-you-should-know-sara-wolkowitz.html
Emily Dickinson: poet, recluse, a**hole. Loosely based on her Master Letters, Shut UP, Emily Dickinson is a pseudo-historical, quasi-biographical, hysterically existential, sadomasochistic psycho-romance about America's most brilliant and annoying poetess. Holed up for all eternity in the bedroom of our minds, “the woman in white” stretches into a projection screen for truths, half-truths, truthiness, and truth-less-ness. Winner of The Jill Cummins MacLean Prize.
the ultimate stimulus
The Ultimate Stimulus
By Felipe Ossa
Directed by Sara Wolkowitz
Starring Tanya O'Debra
Production Design: Max Wolkowitz and Paul Beliveau
We had a great run at FringeNYC 2014 and I'm excited to announce that The New York Innovative Theater Awards has nominated Tanya O'Debra for outstanding solo performance, and Felipe Ossa for original short script. I couldn't be prouder of those two!!
The Ultimate Stimulus
Amanda McCloud is a renegade economist with a plan to fix America's most pressing problem: income inequality. Her solution? Concubinage (with a modern twist). Brimming with data, charts, and dramatic life-changing stories, this TED-inspired, multimedia talk proves that the rich aren't so different when they're forced to get close - real close - to the rest of us.
Previously seen at: FringeNYC 2014, Cincy Fringe Festival 2014, MiniFRIDGE Festival 2013, Dixon Place 2012"
Absurd and hilarious, which, as good satire does, serves to illuminate just how difficult our economic problems are.”- The Guardian
“We see McCloud’s preposterous, radical, even hilarious plan for America in graphic detail.” — TimeOutNY
“O’Debra…as directed by Sara Wolkowitz, is oddly believable despite the absurd nature of the piece” – Cincinnati Citybeat
“The most hilarious satire on the theory of trickle-down economics you’re ever likely to experience.” — HYreviews“Occupy Wall Street should take note of this perverse play.” — Hi! Drama
"O’Debra is brilliantly funny….punching every comedic moment while maintaining utter believability." — Theater Pizzazz
“Welcome to the 21 century, where creative destruction meets animal spirits in an orgy of promiscuous ideological mixing.” — Frontier Psychiatrist
“Like much good satire…the point of the play sneaks up on you.” — Cincinnati Citybeat
“Insane? Perhaps…but there’s logic buried within.” — River City News (Northern Kentucky)
“A seminal work of economic thought.” — Felix Salmon, Reuters“Very silly, and extremely powerful.” — Tom McGeveran, Capital New York
Brooklyn Labyrinth
Brooklyn Labyrinth by Sergei Burbank, Kate Keretz, and Isaac Rathbone, was produced at the BOCOCA Arts Festival in June 2011, it was then remounted at The Chain Theater. It ran from September 25th-October 6th, 2013.
Director – Sara Wolkowitz
Kate Keretz won a NY Independant Theatre Award for best short play for the production at The Chain Theater.
Brooklyn Labyrinth
These three interwoven narratives, retelling the Minotaur myth with a contemporary voice, show us that monsters are rarely who we expect—and that safety might not be outside the maze looking in, but the other way around...DUMBO by Kate Kertez, Bensonhurst by Isaac Rathbone, Daedalus at the Navy Yards by Sergei Burbank
I was blown away with the work I saw tonight. It was an opportunity to see the depth of Sara Wolkowitz's ability as a director. It was both emotionally and physically exciting and heart wrenching. Brooklyn Labyrinth really took me to a place I'd never been. - Anita Keal
War crimes
War Crimes by Sergei Burbank was produced at the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity in June 2010
Director – Sara Wolkowitz
Lighting Design – Mike Inwood
John Warder’s secret: he worked at a prison camp for Arab-Americans. When a trial for crimes committed there begins at The Hague, John resolves to present evidence -- an effort that could cost him everything. Meanwhile, he can’t avoid a 17th century merchant’s ghost -- or his son’s fate.
Reviews:
NYTheatre.com: “Director Sara Wolkowitz orchestrates fluid transitions between scenes, and between video and live action.”
Reviewfix.com: “….behind excellent writing and directing by Burbank and Wolkowitz and a cast loaded with depth, “War Crimes” is an independent theater production that deserves a much larger stage.”
Theasy.com: “The use of mixed media is both interesting and appropriate. Producing company Conflict of Interest has a film niche, and they (and director Sara Wolkowitz) use their expertise here to further develop the plot and expose interviews with characters not seen in the play itself.”
Eleanor-Is-Sibling Challenged
Eleanor is seven. She has zero brothers and zero sisters. She's really good at just about everything and has a ka-zillion-billion toys and games and jokes. She's been practically everywhere in the entire world and is a super fun person to spend time with. This is her show, so pay attention! There's going to be a whole lot of wild stuff going on.
Co-Created and Performed by Elana Fishbein
Co-Created and Directed by Sara Wolkowitz
The Magnet Theater
Thursday, August 16th and 23rd at 7:00pm and Friday, November 30th, December 7th, 14th, 21st at 7:00pm