Tonight’s the night! No Exit Theatre Collective presents LYSISTRATA, directed by guest director Heath Saunders.
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Aristophanes’s Lysistrata, directed by Heath Saunders, will be performed today, October 23 at 7 PM ET on the No Exit Theatre Collective Facebook page. All shows in our Fortnightly Reading Series are abridged to run less than 90 minutes, with a Q&A with the artists to follow.
The cast will feature Claire Saunders as Lysistrata, Taylor Iman Jones as Woman, Amy Jo Jackson as Woman, Shannon Molly Flynn as Woman, Nicole Weiss as Woman, Belén Moyano as Woman, Ryanne Salzano as Woman, Caitlin Doak as Woman, and Ben Salus as The Dude. Sarah O'Sullivan, Sound/Swing.
Technical directed by Daisy Phillips.
Director’s note, by Heath Saunders
There is a deep irony at the center of Aristophanes’ greatest work, Lysistrata, a play dominated and driven by characters who are women: it isn’t actually about women at all. The women onstage do not change, and do not grow. They do things in the show, sort of. There are pots of water thrown, doors barricaded, violent threats leveled. But they go through no self realization or actualization, and essentially make no decisions and take no actions beyond their binding oath in the first scene—which is, decidedly, to take no action.
For a show that deftly politicizes sex and sexuality, to a modern audience, it remains notably mute on the notion of gender identity, and the specifics of that identity in relationship to the vessels the characters inhabit. Complicating this matter further is the recognition that the identities of the actors who are playing the characters are all but irrelevant—it is understood that most, if not all, actors in ancient Greek theater are men.
So what to do about Lysistrata?
This week, I mean to readily acknowledge that my own exploration of the theoretical nature of bodies in storytelling is born of a profound privilege—the privilege of bodily autonomy. A privilege afforded, in America and in much of the world, almost exclusively to men. And more, to men who are white, and cisgender.
It is for this reason that we’ll be sending our support to The Okra Project this week—a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people.
Honoring the activist roots of theatre and our artists is at the core of No Exit Theatre Collective. We seek to affect change with our work. With each production we put on, the creative team selects a social justice organization to support. Our support comes from our virtual tip jar, which is on Venmo @NoExit-TC.
The director for each show selects an activist organization to support. This week, we’re supporting the Okra Project.
The Okra Project is a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans People wherever they can reach them.
20 percent of the tips we receive will go to this organization. The rest of the tip jar will be split equally among contributing artists on the project. You can support our art by donating to our tip jar, @NoExit-TC on Venmo.
Claire Saunders is currently residing in NYC during these wild pandemic times. PCT (pre covid time) she participated in some things. “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC), “Tell Me a Story” (CBS), “The Good Cop” (Netflix), as well as Nancy Meyers’ “The Intern” for Warner Brothers and Dan Murvish’s “18 1/2”. On stage: “Cyrano” at Goodspeed, “School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play” at Round House Theatre, and “The Skin of our Teeth” at Berkshire Theatre Group. Also catch her in a Con Limon’s Halloween madness “I Put a Spell on You” on Oct 29th!
Taylor Iman Jones is an Actor, Singer, and Teaching Artist. Currently she is Peggy/Maria in the LA company of Hamilton. Some of her other credits include the Broadway casts of Groundhog Day the Musical and Head Over Heels. And Off-Broadway she was seen in Scotland, Pa and Emojiland, the Musical.
Amy Jo Jackson is an actor, kabarettist, voice/text director and Glitter Alien based in New York City. Most recently, they played the Devil in Company XIV’s Seven Sins. NYC: Ensemble Studio Theatre, Exit Pursued by a Bear, Prospect. Selected regional: Fun Home (SpeakEasy Stage), The Little Mermaid (Arkansas Rep), Cymbeline (Opera House Arts), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Welfleet Harbor Actors Theatre) Boeing Boeing (Seven Angels), Noises Off (Lake Dillon Theatre). AJJ was the dialect coach on Broadway’s Kinky Boots. Recipient of the 2019 Denovan Residency in Cabaret.
Shannon Molly Flynn is the Artistic Director of Normal Ave, a small theatre company in Hell’s Kitchen, and is excited to be back on this side of the rehearsal (zoom) room. While you will mainly find her these days playing video games and painting in her room, her time used to mainly be taken up by directing and producing shows and concerts all around the city, BC (before covid). The last show she produced was the world premiere of Kayla Martine's INDOOR PERSON, for which she sees the twisted humor in and gives nod to the artistic composition. Grateful to NETC and Heath for continuing their work and giving space for artists to create and explore during these times!
Nicole Weiss is an actor, singer, songwriter, and collaborator who is based nowhere at the moment! Recent projects include Octet (Signature Theatre), Shapeshifters (a queer comic book musical), The Imbible (New World Stages), and Folk Wandering. She has toured with a cappella group Vocalosity and has in general done a LOT of a cappella. She regularly performs with musical sketch groups Political Subversities and Shiz. BFA NYU/Tisch. New music coming soon! Nicoleweiss.com
Belén Moyano is a Latinx actor/singer/musician/activist currently living the pandemic dream in her one-bedroom NYC apartment. Off-Broadway: Assistants The Musical. Selected Regional: The Prince of Egypt, Tarzan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Tuacahn; In the Heights at The Engeman. If you haven't voted yet, VOTE. Voting resources available at www.whenweallvote.org.
Ryanne Salzano is a writer and editor who recently graduated from Eugene Lang College at The New School with a BA in Journalism + Design. She is the editorial director at No Exit. Her theatre experience includes Malcolm in NETC's recent reading of Macbeth, the lead in Tottenville High School’s production of Twelve Angry Men, and a brief internship at Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. She is so happy to act again, and grateful for this opportunity from Heath.
Caitlin Doak was most recently seen in a production of Million Dollar Quartet (Dyanne) under the direction of Michael Berresse at the Weston Playhouse. Other favorite credits: The world premiere of Ryan Scott Oliver’s new musical Three Points of Contact (Carey), Little Mermaid (Andrina), Mamma Mia, The Marvelous Wonderettes (Cindy Lou/Suzy), The Drowsy Chaperone (Janet), Beetlejuice’s Monster Mash-up at Universal Studios (Phantasia), and Slue Foot Sue at the Diamond Horseshoe (Tokyo Disneyland). She received her BFA in Musical Theatre/Minor in Dance from the University of Central Florida.
Ben Salus is an actor from Philadelphia and based out of Harlem. He's most recently been seen in Wale's music video "Sue Me" with Lucas Hedges. He's performed off-broadway and regionally, too. He has a few music/writing/directing projects in the works and hopes to share them soon. Wear a mask.
Sarah O'Sullivan is an actor and singer of little note who has mostly been involved in community theatre. She loves words, plays, and poetry, especially Shakespeare, and she is very excited to have this chance to learn from the accomplished and innovative artists of No Exit Theatre Collective!
Daisy Phillips is so excited to return to No Exit as Tech Director for "Lysistrata"! She's a recent college grad and NYC-based Producer and Stage Manager. Off-Broadway: “The Argentinian Prostitute Play,” “OGYGIA,” “The Treatment.” College Stage Management highlights include: “Starlight Express!” “10 Out of 12,” and “A Very Pretty Word.” She is currently working as a Producing Associate at Honest Accomplice Theatre. Find her online at daisylphillips.com