It’s been more than twenty years since playwright David Ives wondered in print “about the future of a local, handmade art like theatre which can only touch, tickle or appall a roomful of people at a time.” Some form of those words continues to haunt traditional theatrical artists with every new handheld device, couch-idling-streaming service and insta-fame app filled with micro performances separating us through brightly pixelated screens.
The first endeavor by New Voices from April 20 -22 at Cox Playhouse in Plano takes six short plays by David Ives, an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist who is best known for his comic one-act plays, and presents them in varying stages of production. From script reading to fully staged pieces, Some Enchanted Ive’ning takes the actors and audience on a winding path focused on the words and conventions a play needs to convey its often-varied meaning.
The evening opens with a couple of mayflies contemplating what it means to seize the day in Time Flies (featuring Sara Parisa, Jake Shanahan and Grant Palmore) then transitions to more ethereal and hypothetical situations with Bolero (with Molly Bower and Eric Levy) and Variations on the Death of Trotsky (with Martin Mussey, Heather Shin and Jake Shanahan). The second half of the evening takes you to the 50th floor of skyscraper under construction with Mere Mortals (with Joe Bar, Martin Mussey, Grant Palmore), a monkey’s cage of Words, Words, Words (Sara Parisa, Megan Tormey, Kathleen Vaught), and ends with the world’s most restarted meet-cute in Sure Thing (Molly Bower and Joe Barr).
New Voices was formed by Eric Levy and Kathleen Vaught, local theatre practitioners with years of experience between them, who joined forces to create space for fellow artisans to get back to the root of all theatre – storytelling through performance. With its overall goal set on a completely different theatrical experience focused on the process, the words and the opportunity for everyone to get involved – actor, director, playwright, designer, audience – making the final performance becomes a culmination of the communal function of theatre.
Audiences at Some Enchanted Ive’ning will be asked for their input on the next project for New Voices – anything from updating classical works, adapting stories or completely new devised work ripped from the headlines – will be up for consideration.
New Voices believes this approach is where the true magic happens, creating an end result that is more authentic, nuanced and enjoyable for the entire cast and crew and, ultimately, the audience. Learn more at NewVoicesDFW.org.
Some Enchanted Ive’ning runs from April 20 – 22, 2023 at the Cox Playhouse, 1517 H Ave Plano, TX 75074. Rated PG-13 for adult situations and language. Tickets available at the door. Contact NewVoicesDFW@gmail.com for more information.
Thursday, April 20 – 8 p.m. (pay what you can)
Friday, April 21 – 8 p.m. ($15)
Saturday, April 22 – 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. ($15)
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