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OUR MISSION STATEMENT Son of Semele Ensemble is a collective of theatre professionals that recognizes emerging cultural questions through the production of new or under-exposed plays. We produce intimate theatre to provoke an awakening within our audience and ourselves. A BRIEF HISTORY Son of Semele Ensemble (SOSE) began its work in 2000 when founding Artistic Director Matthew McCray brought together 11 of his colleagues to produce his original play Earthlings. The troupe named itself Son of Semele Ensemble, a reference to Dionysus (the patron Greek god of theatre). Since that time, the ensemble has expanded from the 11 founding members to 25, some having worked together for as long as a decade. The SOSE repertoire of productions includes World, National, West Coast and Los Angeles premieres written by a wide range of playwrights, from avant-garde artist Richard Foreman to contemporary writer Carlos Murillo. WHO IS SEMELE? Semele was the mortal mother of Dionysus, Greek god of theater, wine, and fertility. We are her sons, her offspring, and we too have a passion for theater...and we like wine and fertility too! PRODUCTION PHOTOS!
NOW PLAYING
RECENT NEWS
Summer 2008
"King Cat Calico Finally Flies Free!" written by resident playwright Aaron Henne and first produced by SOSE in 2006, has been picked up for publication by Original Works.
Congratulations to Aaron!
Get your copy of "King Cat" by visiting the Original Works website.
GUEST ARTISTS AT SOSE
STAY TUNED!
WHAT WE DID IN 2009
The Wallowa Project
Created by Son of Semele
In collaboration with Oliver Mayer
Directed by Donald Boughton
A workshop presentation of a work-in-progress
Saturday January 31, 2009 @ 8PM
A few years back, a woman was lost for 2-weeks in the rugged mountains of the Oregon Wallowa Valley. No food ... no water ... just instinct. "Who survives may not be who was lost."
Hearing the Deaf
Written by David Kurs
Devised by Son of Semele
Directed by Matthew McCray
A workshop presentation of a work-in-progress
DEAFestival 2009
Developed with support from:
California Story Fund
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness
Based on the real stories of deaf senior citizens living in Los Angeles
This documentary theatre piece developed from interviews with deaf senior citizens living in Los Angeles explores the struggles and triumphs of the older deaf community and also how their lives have been affected by the advancement of communication technology.
THE DESIGNATED MOURNER
May 1 - 23, 2009
Written by Wallace Shawn
Directed by Matthew McCray
Cast: Donald Boughton, Sarah Boughton, Michael Kass
Scenic Design Sarah Krainin
Costume Design by Suzanne Scott
Lighting Design Jeremy Pivnick
Video Design Adam Flemming
Sound Design by Ryan Poulson
An unnamed country in an unnamed time.
The intertwined speeches of three narrators create a narrative puzzle exploring culture, class and the place of "the self" in a divided society.
A 2008 article in American Theater called The Designated Mourner, “…one of the most profound pieces of writing created for any medium in the last 20 years.†Wallace Shawn's work has stirred debate and controversy around the globe.
WHAT WE DID IN 2008
TRAGEDY: a tragedy
Written by Will Eno
Directed by Donald Boughton
October 16 - November 17, 2008
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8PM
Sundays @ 2PM
Mondays @ 8PM (Nov 3 & 10 ONLY)
The sun has set. Night has fallen, perhaps for the last time. Journalists arrive in locations throughout the city to report on the disaster-of-darkness. As they search for newsworthy content to fill their televised program, the governor offers us encouraging and valiant words to sooth our broken spirits. All seems lost, yet the reporters must continue. If they don’t, they will have to accept that the worst possible scenario has become a reality: the sun will not come up and there is nothing left to say. "TRAGEDY: a tragedy" reflects the most absurd moments of O’Reilly, Andersen Cooper and the like, while also speaking to a universal fear of nothingness.
LOS ANGELES HISTORY PROJECT
"Record Storm Spreads Ruin!"
March 2, 1938. The Great Flood of Los Angeles.
Hundreds die.
And in this theatrical exploration, all the victims
gather together in one collapsing home to save each
other from destruction.
Commissioned by EdgeFest/LA History Project
Devised by Son of Semele Ensemble
Written by Aaron Henne
Directed by Edgar Landa
Using the 1938 Los Angeles flood as its backdrop, “Record Storm Spreads Ruin!†explores the political atmosphere in Los Angeles in the late 1930’s. Central to the play’s story is the recall of Los Angeles Mayor Frank Shaw and his public feud with businessman and activist Clifford Clinton, known today as the founder of Clifton’s Cafeteria in downtown. The 1938 Los Angeles flood became one of many incidents during Mayor Shaw’s term that contributed to his eventual recall and the creation of what is today the city’s concrete river. Many of the play’s storylines as well as its title were extracted from headlines and reports on the front page of the Los Angeles Times on the morning after the storm in 1938.
Workshop Presentation
Saturday July 13, 2008 @ 11:00AM
The Autry Museum of Western Heritage
The Wells Fargo Theater
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Fencerow to Fencerow
Fencerow to Fencerow explores the role that scientific advancements and political interests have played in American agriculture, and asks whether the industrial innovations of the past one hundred years have served us or whether the unintended consequences of that technological advancement may one day have its reckoning. The play draws on real nutritional findings and actual historical events, bringing awareness to the origin of our processed food and the dangers and wonders of industry.
Written/Directed by Matthew McCray
Devised by Son of Semele Ensemble
Developed with support from:
The Ensemble Studio Theatre / Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Project in Science & Technology
Center Theatre Group
Workshop Presentation
Saturday May 3, 2008 @ 3PM
CTG Annex
MELANCHOLY PLAY
Written by Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Barbara Kallir
February 1-24, 2008
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8pm & Sundays @ 7pm
@ Son of Semele Theater
ORIGINAL MUSIC FROM MELANCHOLY PLAY
Composers Ryan Poulson and Michael Levin team up to create a beautiful new score (Michael Levin on the electric cello).
PLEASE TURN OFF the sound in the photo slideshow above before playing the music sample from Melancholy Play.
.. WHAT WE DID IN 2007
ANIMAL FARM
Adapted by Peter Hall
A musical adaptation of the well-known novel by George Orwell. Crutches, masks, puppets and music bring this cautionary tale about totalitarian government to life.
IPHIGENIA...A RAVE FABLE
Written by Caridad Svich
A multi-media adaptation of the Greek myth. In an unnamed border-town, Iphigenia flees her oppressive home to "dance in the deluge" with the rock-God Achilles. On her journey, she encounters the ghosts of the women of Juarez who guide her to an inescapable fate.
Showcase lineup also featured the work of Ten West , Heidi Carlsen,Trey Nichols and Critical Mass Performance Group .
@ Shakespeare Festival/LA
Tuesday 8/28 @ 10PM
Wednesday 8/29 @ 8 & 10PM
12x12 (more or less) - EdgeFest 2007
A raw empty theater space.
Twelve hours.
No tech, no limits.
Live DJ’s and a cash bar.
Saturday, June 30
Noon to Midnight
Downtown Los Angeles
This year’s festival was down and dirty.
No tech. – Lights up, go, lights down.
No rehearsals in the space.
Is what we consume really the food we intend to eat or has industry finally conquered the American dinner table?
Inspired by the best-selling non-fiction, The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, Corn Play explores the evolution of agriculture and agribusiness in America, placing mythical, historical and fictional characters side-by-side as they navigate through the ages. Stories intertwine and realities converge inside the mysterious labyrinth of Zea Mays (corn).
A portion of this work-in-progress was presented at EdgeFest 2007: 12x12 (see above for details).
In November 2002, the Pulitzer prize-winning Suzan-Lori Parks sat down and committed to writing a play a day for the next 365 days. The world premiere of this play cycle will be performed as a yearlong national festival simultaneously in major cities and communities around the country. From November 13, 2006 to November 12, 2007, over 600 theatres in Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Austin, Washington D.C., Chicago, Minneapolis, the Carolinas, Mississippi River towns, and right here in Los Angeles, will create the largest theater collaboration in U.S. History.
365 Days/365 Plays: Week 21
Written by Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Donald Boughton, Dawn Hillman, Barbara Kallir and Matthew McCray
Thursday April 4 @ 8pm
Friday April 5 @ 8pm
Saturday April 6 @ 4pm & 8pm
Sunday April 7 @ 7pm
Admission is FREE!
Reservations are highly encouraged!
Call (213)351-3507 to reserve your seats!
LA Weekly Theater Awards 2007
Hosted by Culture Clash
Monday April 9, 2007
6:30PM @ The Avalon
SOSE receives 6 Nominations for Iphigenia...!
Production Design
Lighting Design *WINNER*
Sound Design
Puppets *WINNER*
Masks *WINNER*
Multi-Media/Projections *WINNER*
For a complete list of 2007 LA Weekly Theater Award nominees click here
For a complete list of 2007 LA Weekly Theater Award winners click here WHAT WE DID IN 2006
IPHIGENIA CRASH LAND FALLS
ON THE NEON SHELL THAT WAS ONCE HER HEART (A Rave Fable)
Written by Caridad Svich
Directed by Matthew McCray
November 3 - December 16
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8pm & Sundays @ 7pm
Performances at The Studio Space (aka Shakespeare/LA)
KING CAT CALICO FINALLY FLIES FREE!
Written by Aaron Henne
Directed by Edgar Landa
June 23 - July 16
Thursday - Saturday @ 8pm and Sundays @ 7pm
At Son of Semele Theater
THE LABOR PROJECT
Devised by SOSE
Written by Aaron Henne
Directed by Alex Wells
In development workshops from January - March
FREE Public staged reading on April 8 @ 8pm
At Son of Semele Theater
OTHER STUFF WE DID IN 2006
Free Night of Theater 2006 is a national program of Theatre Communications Group (TCG) presented locally by its regional partners. This year's event has expanded from coast to coast and includes over 16 communities, with the ultimate goal to reach a truly national stage in 2007. On and around October 19th, 2006 participating theaters in the Greater LA community will open their doors and offer FREE tickets to their production on that evening!