PRODUCING WORK

POLYLOGUES HERE Arts Center 2021

An actor stands in front of a yellow chair. Projected in the background, the text: be in a relationship, with you, like that.
  • POLYLOGUES IS AN INTERVIEW-BASED SOLO SHOW THAT INVESTIGATES REAL PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES WITH NONMONOGAMY—AND LOVE IN ALL ITS FORMS. WRITER/PERFORMER XANDRA NUR CLARK IS MORE LIKE A MEDIUM THAN AN ACTOR, LISTENING ON HEADPHONES TO INTERVIEWS WHILE PERFORMING THEM. BY PROVIDING ANONYMITY TO EACH INTERVIEWEE, XANDRA CHANNELS VOICES AND STORIES THAT COULD NEVER BE HEARD IF THE STORYTELLERS’ IDENTITIES WERE KNOWN. THE RESULT IS A VIBRANT, INTIMATE COMMUNITY FORGED ON AND OFF THE STAGE THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF PERSPECTIVES—FROM A POLYAMOROUS SENIOR TO A CHILD WORRIED ABOUT HER OPEN PARENTS, FROM A RESIDENT OF A COMMUNE TO AN EVANGELICAL SWINGER, AND FROM THE FULLY COMMITTED TO THE CAUTIOUSLY CURIOUS. POLYLOGUES EXAMINES WHAT 21ST CENTURY HUMANS WANT IN RELATIONSHIPS, WHAT WE’RE AFRAID OF, AND THE MANY WAYS WE ARE CAPABLE OF LOVING BEYOND WHAT ANY SINGLE ONE OF US CAN IMAGINE.

  • WRITER/PERFORMER XANDRA NUR CLARK

    DIRECTOR MOLLY CLIFFORD

    SCENIC DESIGNER JEAN KIM

    SOUND DESIGNER MICHAEL COSTAGLIOLA

    COSTUME DESIGNER HAHNJI JANG

    LIGHTING DESIGNER CHEYENNE SYKES

    PROJECTION DESIGNER GREER X

    STAGE MANAGER HANAKO RODRIGUEZ

    DIALECT COACH JOY LANCETA CORONEL

    PRODUCERS COLT COEUR, RYAN DUNCAN-AYALA & LIZA COUSER

    COVID COMPLIANCE OFFICER KATRINA SKIDMORE

    PRODUCTION MANAGER MARINA MONTESANTI

  • “Hilarious... Clark performs this skillful piece of documentary theatre brilliantly”

    — The New Yorker

    “a thoughtful, layered, smirk-free show... love is the tender element that flows through these often self-scrutinizing monologues”

    — The New York Times

    "Thought-provoking, engaging and often funny..."

    - Carrie Lee O'Dell, The Reviews Hub

    "Compelling theater... superb..."

    - Adrian Dimanlig, The Hangover Report

  • 2020 KILROYS LIST

    2022 PRINCESS GRACE FELLOWSHIP SEMI-FINALIST

    2020 GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS

PRIMETIME THEATER FEST Virtual 2021

A mosaic of the text "girl boss" and a woman with a nosebleed is photoshopped onto an image of a NYC subway station.
  • THEATER AND TV WILL MEET IN A RAUCOUS EVENING OF NEW SITCOM-INSPIRED ZOOM PLAYS BY EMERGING THEATER MAKERS. THIS VIRTUAL FESTIVAL PROVIDES EARLY TO MID-CAREER ARTISTS A CHANCE TO COLLABORATE ON FUNNY, FAST-PACED EPISODIC PLAYS, WRITTEN IN AN ABBREVIATED WRITERS' ROOM SETTING. EACH PERFORMANCE SHOWCASES TWO NEW PLAYS, ORIGINAL MUSIC, AND COMEDY SKETCHES IN THE STYLE OF TELEVISION COMMERCIALS.

  • FOUNDERS & PRODUCERS LIZA COUSER, ROBERT LEVERETT, & SAM WEST

    WRITERS PARIS CRAYTON III, JESSE JAE HOON, NINA KI, ROSIE NARASAKI, REID POPE, & ELISE WIEN

    directors MIRANDA CORNELL & KATHLEEN CAPDESUÑER

    STAGE MANAGER NARISSA AGUSTIN

    SOUND DESIGN SAM WEST

    GRAPHIC DESIGN & VIDEO EDITING LIZA COUSER

    DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY ROBERT LEVERETT

    COMPOSER WILLIAM FREEMAN LEVERETT

    COMMERCIAL WRITERS LIZA COUSER, CLAIRE HERZOG, SOPHIA T KINNE, ROBERT LEVERETT, SHANTA PARASURAMAN, DEBY XIADANI, & SAM WEST

  • WITH A $50,000 PRIZE ON THE LINE, THE STAKES WERE ALREADY HIGH AT THIS REMOTE WRITER'S RETREAT-AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE BODY SHOWED UP. OLD RIVALRIES, SIMMERING SECRETS, AND FADED HOLLYWOOD STARLETS COME OUT TO PLAY WHEN THIS RETREAT'S SNOWY CABIN BECOMES THE SITE OF A DEADLY CRIME. FLORENCE, SUNNY, AND DETROIT WILL NEED TO KEEP THEIR ENEMIES CLOSE (AND THEIR EX-LOVERS CLOSER) IF THEY WANT TO MAKE IT OUT OF THIS WEEKEND ALIVE!

  • WELCOME TO THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE MTA. VERNON, JAY, AND HOYT ARE HERE TO HELP YOU, THE RIDER-ONLY THEY'RE UP AGAINST A SHOESTRING BUDGET, COMPETING INTERESTS FROM STATE GOVERNMENT, ~DIGITAL PROTECTION PALS~, VLOGGERS, ROGUE MOSAIC LAYERS, LEWD BUSKERS, AND THE SUBWAY WORM. CAN THEY OVERCOME THESE ENEMIES, AND THEIR OWN EGOS, TO SAVE A CRUMBLING SYSTEM?

[COWBOY FACE] Dixon Place 2020

An actor in a cowboy hat and plaid shirt holds a computer cable like a lasso
  • RIDGEROCK TECH SEEMS LIKE THE PERFECT PLACE TO WORK: BEER ON TAP, A FLEXIBLE VACATION POLICY, AND AT LEAST 16 DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES NAMED MATT. BUT WHEN THE NEW CUSTOMER SUPPORT REP GREB JOINS THE OFFICE, THEY SENSE SOMETHING DIRE IS COMING. CORINNE AND KAYURI ARE SLACKING OFF WITH RIGOR, DIANE IS SLIPPING INTO PANIC, AND GREB’S MENTOR JULIE IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. SOMETHING IS LURKING IN THE MEDITATION ROOM. [COWBOY FACE] IS A PIECE THAT REVELS IN THE ABSURDITY OF THE TECH WORLD, AND SEEKS TO BRING THE DELIGHT, DELIRIUM, AND HORROR OF THE INTERNET TO THE STAGE.

  • Producers Liza Couser & Robert Leverett

    Written by Elise Wien

    Directed by Deby Xiadani

    Stage Manager Margot Yecies

    Featuring Mehr Ansari, Tina Barro, Guillermo Contreras, Maddie Easley, Siobhan Hunter, Robert Leverett, TroyElan Richardson

    Casting Director Sofia Wasserman-Smith

  • 2021 WINNER MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR COMIC PLAYWRITING

    2020 FINALIST LEAH RYAN FUND FOR EMERGING WOMEN WRITERS

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