Melanie Stewart Dance Theatre - view bio
Kill Me Now
Kill Me Now is being devised through explorations of aspects of such popular TV reality series as; "Dancing with the Stars", "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dance Wars". Written by Obie Award Winner John Clancy and Directed by Melanie Stewart they are creating a fast paced, comic and often satiric journey of extreme dance competition. The experience questions and confronts our willingness (even desire) to be judged and to compete for some ultimate "prize" while at the same time relentlessly judging and condemning others.
Kill Me Now will be previewed in special late night event in advance of the up-coming 2009 Live Arts premiere. Hosted by Catherine Gillard (special guest from Edinburgh based theatre company benchtours) and performed by the raucous and ready for prime time dance crew Bethany Formica, Scott McPheeters, Janet Pilla, Megan Mazarick, Les Rivera and Karl Schappell. The company invites audiences to come out and weigh in with the judges on this funked-up dance competition game show currently in development.
Blood on the Table
Solo adaptations of Deborah Hay’s “I’ll Crane for You” by performers Melanie Stewart, (Philadelphia), Davina Cohen, (NYC), Deborah Black, (NYC), and Marielle Hocdet (France).
In August of 2008 these dance artists were a part of the 2008 Solo Commissioning Project hosted by Independent Dance in Findhorn, Scotland. Together with a group of 20 internaitonal artists, they commissioned the same solo from Choreographer, Deborah Hay.
Hay set the solo through directives that each performer translated individually into movement in his/her unique way. Following individual coaching by Hay with everyone present, the solo was ultimately individually “adapted” by each performer through a four month period of daily practice in advance of public presentation.
About the Adaptations in this program:
Deborah Black's adaptation of Deborah Hay's solo, I'll Crane for You, is about being seen. The performance examines what it means to be looked at from the perspective of a female public figure, celebrity, or member of high society. Ms. Black's actions onstage are directed by the movement and vocal score given to her by Hay. An exposition of a complex persona rife with subtleties and absurdities and self-referencing comments is created because of the score. This woman inevitably falls into the tradition in the arts as woman being an object, with every detail scrutinized, every action witnessed. Davina Cohen adapts and performs I’LL CRANE FOR YOU, choreographed by Deborah Hay. What if a crane collapsed on your apartment and suddenly everyone in New York City could see into your living room? What if you invited them all inside? I’LL CRANE FOR YOU invites audiences ask “what if?” and discover the hidden wonders of their own perceptions.
Marielle Hocdet’s solo adaptation “I’ll Crane for You” choreographed by Deborah Hay goes beyond questions around choreographic writing and transmission, this creation provides space for artistic expression with the body bearing witness to our multiple and simultaneous identities. Kaleidoscopic body – Body of the possible where individuality unites with humanity and the connection with enjoyment is revealed.
Melanie Stewart’s adaptation of Deborah Hay’s I’ll Crane for You concerns itself subtle and often fragile relationship between the audience and performer. Stewart shifts the perspective through Hay’s script and directives to engage, challenge and undo existing expectations of the relationship. In the solo Stewart is a woman trapped in a room with the audience as company exploring constructs of gender, age and social status through an episodic journey that includes movement, story and songs, originally created at each performance. In Hay’s words, the title I’ll Crane for You is a metaphor for the performer. Stewart’s adaptation explores the motive for the performer as the figure in the solo attempts to connect to her audience.
