Basking in the love-glow,  we selected plays for Sheherezade and finalized our directors for the show in December.  In January we had a table reading and finalized the cast.  SHEHEREZADE 14 will run in June and features short works from Jennifer Roberts, Terry Anderson, Madeline Puccioni, Madeleine Butler, Steve Koppman,Vonn Scott Bair, and Jim Norrena.  I am really excited about the selections this year with some interesting and captivating material that will be funny and devastating, sweet and poignant.  (I'll blog about that in April). Wes Cayabyab  who has been in the last five Sheherezade's is switching to a Director's role with Amy Crumpacker who joins us for the first time. While Jason Jeremy, who used to be a regular player in Sheherezade back in the day, is returning to acting in the show.   The cast also includes Philip Goleman coming off a string of roles with Ross Valley Players - including ARMS AND THE MAN playing now, Catherine Ludtke - who is busy being amazing in Custom Made's TOP GIRLS, Leontyne Mbele-Mbong who has been garnering audience and critical raves in African American Shakespeare Co's MEDEA, which closes this weekend.  Also joining the cast are Rick Homan who composed and played music in our production of Patricia Milton's BELIEVERS in 2012,Cameron Galloway who you can see at DivaFest's DIVAS TELL ALL, and Gareth Tidball who will be here for her summer break from New York University's theatre program.

We also kicked off our collaborative writing project for what became SUPERHEROES where 8 playwrights - The Playmaker's League - wrote as many short plays as they could in 6 weeks around a facilitated central theme.   Jennifer Lynne Roberts served as Head Writer and provided weekly inspiration and sub-topics for the writers. This creative storm resulted in 114 scripts, which were narrowed down to just 29 for a hilarious marathon reading back in February.  In February we also did private readings of all of the plays for the season, finalized the Superheroes line-up (11 plays between 1 and 10 minutes each), and casting for the show.  We have Alicia Coombes and Chelsey Little directing plays by Bridgette Dutta Portman, Jennifer Lynne Roberts, Karl Shackne, Laylah Muran de Assereto (moi),  Morgan Ludlow, Patricia Milton, Rod McFadden, and Susan Jackson and live music written and performed by Kat Downs from local band Sit Kitty Sit (whose band was at SXSW this March).  We are thrilled to have performers Barrett Courtney (with his SF debut), Brian Flegel (most recently in PCSFs 24 Hour Fest, and a frequent player with Pear Avenue's reading series), Dan Wilson (of Radio Star Improv), Jenna May (recently returning to the Bay Area from Seattle), and Karen Offereins (most recently of Custom Made's THE PAIN AND THE ITCH and returning to us from last year's SHEHEREZADE 13) and actor Shelley Lynn Johnson completes the cast. I can't wait to see them take on our superheroes; their woes, predicaments, and foes.  Look for the trading cards!

We are *this* close to finishing up the casting for Stuart Bousel's EVERYBODY HERE SAYS HELLO! which will be directed by Rik Lopes and will run in rep with SUPERHEROES in July/August.  The short list is pretty impressive and exciting for this multilayered character piece.  

We recently finished casting our fall shows running in October, and also in rep, with Krista Knight's UN-HINGED and Morgan Ludlow's DROWNING KATE and will both be directed by Wesley Cayabyab.  These two shows will share some cast members and like the whole season, includes a fantastic group of actors.   UN-HINGED will feature Rick Homan, Cameron Galloway, Genevieve Purdue Smith, and Scott Cox.  

DROWNING KATE will feature Colleen Egan, Scott Cox, and Genevieve Purdue Smith.

Quinn Cayabyab and Ellen Chesnut along with our directors have been conjuring magical and amazing design concepts for all of the shows, which will feature some pretty cool things that will be dynamic and interesting to see up on stage.

We've also been taking the opportunity before we are ensconced in rehearsals to go to shows!  Associate artist Kat Kneisel is performing with the multi-talentedDiana Brown in COLLECTED STORIES for Expressions Productions.  This play about mentorship, storytelling, trust, betrayal, literary success, and loss is well worth seeing.  We are especially proud of Kat's terrific portrayal of the mentee who outgrows her mentor with heartbreaking emotional fall out.  Quinn Cayabyab, myself and friends caught the show on Sunday March 23rd and Jennifer Roberts along with Jim Norrena, Patricia Milton, and Bridgette Dutta Portman caught the show Friday March 28th.

Jason and I went to see Cutting Ball's RISK IS THIS series closer EX MACHINA on Saturday the 29th.   And various company members have theatre dates to see TOP GIRLS, MEDEA, RAT GIRL,  ARMS AND THE MAN, THE CRUCIBLE, DIVAS TELL ALL and more!  

The company is also looking forward to going to the gala in May to support Morgan Ludlow and Ryan Hayes for their Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle nominations for last summer's GORGEOUS HUSSY!

Say hi when you see us around and have a great spring!

Laylah Muran
Executive Producer
Wily West Productions

What most excites you about BOA this year?

I've seen the BOA festival a couple of times in past years, and I was always blown away by the diversity and talent that comprises the SF indie theater scene.  From the very first production I saw, I thought to myself,  "I want to be a part of that."  So I'm extremely proud that Wily West finally gets to share the stage with such an amazing group of cutting edge theater-makers.  I didn't think I was going to be able to do this project, considering I was already working on two other theatrical productions. But, Quinn Whitaker convinced me that I could do it, and so I took on three theater projects simultaneously. I guess it worked out! This festival, like the SF Fringe, is one of the best representations of the SF indie theater scene, and it's exciting to simply be a part of it. 

How did 3 SISTERS WATCHING THREE SISTERS come to be?

Wily West kicked off our 2013 season with an experimental staged reading this year: we gave (carefully selected) playwrights 6 days to write a short script based on a theme or subject, then they competed for best play based on audience votes.  They were split into two teams and the festival was called the "Showdown."  Ignacio was part of  a group of writers who were given the topic "he found it in a dark hole in the woods."  What I loved about Iggy's script is that he didn't take the topic literally, he worked it into a well-structured storyline with subtlety,  and let his characters tell their story through strong relationships. (His team won, by the way.) 

What did you learn by participating in BOA this year?

On a personal level, I learned how tough I am. Not only did I juggle a full-time job along with rehearsals, production meetings and logistics for three different shows, I persevered in a crisis.  There is only one set piece for Three Sisters, but it's vital to the show.  The actors must be sitting in a row of theater seats.  We were assured that we had theater seats available to us, then a week before Opening the seats fell through. I had a mere four days to come up with a row of theater seats and I realized that there was no way I would take no for an answer. I made myself crazy, but with a little help, I found those seats.  

What is your favorite Chekov character and why?  

Oh god, I'm not going to kid myself here. I could go to my bookshelf right now and scour my Chekov collection for inspiration, or arbitrarily say "Nina" or "Irina," but the truth is, I don't have a favorite.  I find Chekov's characters tedious and melodramatic. Maybe I relate to the Philistine in Iggy's play a little bit. 

What will audiences get for their money by attending BOA this year? 

Simply put: an amazing night of entertainment.  They'll get their money's worth and then some.  They'll get to see the array of talent coming from SF actors, writers, directors and technicians, who produce work with little to no budget.  And they will be humbled and awed. 

BAY AREA ONE ACTS plays at the Tides Theatre. 533 Sutter Street in San Francisco. Tickets available for only $20 (cash only) at the door!  

KAT KNEISEL most recently played several roles in Wily West's critically acclaimed production of LAWFULLY WEDDED.  Kat served as director for Wily West's production of the PCSF annual short play festival SHEHEREZADE XI & XII.  Kat has been an artist for Wily West since the very beginning when she took a lead role as Mrs. Brannan in THE WIDOW WEST for the maiden production in 2008.  Since then she has served as the Assistant Director for MAIDRID'S BOW and took a lead role in Wily West's smash hit NYMPH O' MANIA.  Kat has studied at Sarah Lawrence College in New York and the British American Drama Academy in London.  She had a brief theatrical career in Manhattan before moving to the Bay Area in 2005.  She has worked with the Playwrights' Center of San Francisco, PianoFight and the Actor's Ensemble of Berkeley.

What most excites you about this production?

Back in October of last year, I had directed a staged reading of Hope’s Last Chance for Wily West’s Spooky Cabaret.  I had directed it as a drama because of a previous reading I had seen of the piece at PCSF.  Then, at intermission, after the audience had been in hysterics for most of the first act, I came back and informed the cast that “Well, it’s a comedy”.  At the end of the reading, we were all a buzz and we knew there was something really special about this piece and could all see the opportunity to really let it soar as a comedy.

What is the greatest challenge you face with this show?

Before rehearsals, I was really nervous about how I was going to explain this show to the actors.  When you read the play, it doesn’t come off immediately as being a comedy.  There were even some actors that came in to audition, had read the play and didn’t understand why it was a comedy.  So, my initial description was that it was a “serio-comic, farcical thriller”.  It had moments that were genuinely scary, funny and ridiculous all at the same time.  But, as in any comedy, the characters have no idea that they are in one.  So, it’s been a journey to really unearth their objectives, increase the stakes for each character and give my actors permission and encouragement to go above and beyond.  But that we, above all else, remain true to what is written and make sure that the opportunities that we find are routed in sincerity.  Because that is what I think makes a successful comedy: characters in life or death stakes, pursuing their objectives in a genuine way. 

What kind of research are you doing to prepare?

I love ghost stories and stories in general of the paranormal.  So, I’m always doing research on those, listening to podcasts like Mysterious Universe and The Realm of the Weird.  But this play in particular, took me back to one of my favorite movies, High Spirits.  If you haven’t watched it, you should.  It has a lot of the elements that this play has.  Each character is so earnestly pursuing their objective but it doesn’t take itself too seriously and for some reason, we understand that it has it’s own internal logic.  We accept that ghosts can touch humans or turn back into humans and we’re ok with all of it.  We’re along for the journey because we’re invested in the characters and I hope that’s what we achieve with this play.

This play is about ghosts - have you ever encountered the supernatural yourself?  

I have not, but I am very easily scared and if I made it through without having a heart attack, I would most likely be traumatized forever.  That being said, I secretly want to see one.

What is the scariest movie or play you have seen?   Why?

I still remember seeing Woman in White when I was 14 at California Theater Center and never being so scared in my life.  The moment when she screams and appears in the audience is still something that haunts me today.  I hope to give the audience at least a few thrills like that in this show.

What do you hope audiences will take from this production?

I know it sounds simple, but I hope that they will have had a good time.  There are some really funny moments and truly jump in your seat moments too and that they feel satisfied and surprised by the story we told.  Ultimately, I “hope” that they walk away feeling like someone just told them a really great ghost story.  Because, to me, that is why I am involved with theater, to tell really great stories.

BRADY BROPHY HILTON  (DIRECTOR) Brady just successfully directed the world premiere of Gorgeous Hussy: The Last Interview of Joan Crawford by Morgan Ludlow for Wily West.  She began her directing career in Seattle, directing a number of shows with Book-It Repertory Theatre, Cornish College of the Arts, and Groundwork Theatre. In the Bay Area, she has directed It's All in the Mix for All Terrain Theater, Sheherezade 2011 for PCSF, Boys Clinging Together for the SF Fringe Festival, readings of The Cocktail Plays, Ashtad and Dardanos, and Love in the Time of Zombies for Wily West Productions and "TGIF" Monday Night Foreplays for PianoFight.   She has served as a producer for Sleepwalkers Theatre and is the Staged Readings Producer for the Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco (PCSF). She was the Education Director for Teatro ZinZanni for a year and a half where she developed and ran their circus educational program Camp ZinZanni and she worked as the Education Associate for Book-It Repertory Theatre for three years. Brady graduated from the Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Original Works, cum laude and trained with the Young Conservatory at ACT.

What most excites you about this production?

I think I’ve been excited about this pretty much since Morgan first told me about it.  I love the idea of old Hollywood and getting to see the under belly of it, so to speak.  I’m also big fan of documentaries and biographies so that really sparked that part of my interest.  And then in February when we had our final reading and Susan and Ryan read, I think all of us in the room were just blown away.  With no rehearsal, they were able to capture the heart of both of these characters.  All of us left that reading with a sense that this was going to be something really special and that is honestly a director’s dream.  On top of that, this is my first production where I really get to delve into mixed media, so that is exciting.  I really enjoy a challenge and being able to learn new skills.

What is the greatest challenge you face with this show?

I think on a technical level, it will be the introduction and implementation of the slides and video footage of Joan’s movies.  It really is a third character in the play, so figuring out at what times it distracts and the times when it engages I think will be the biggest challenge.

What kind of research are you doing to prepare?

All of us started off reading the book that inspired the play and then from there, we have been focusing more on watching footage of Joan in her later years.  Susan and I have been making observations about the toll being a heavy smoker and drinker has on one’s body.  Also, playing with the idea of where she feels weighted, where her voice resonates from and the little behavioral gestures that seem to be her hallmark.  We want to stay true to the script and the Joan that Morgan has written, but at the same time make her recognizable to an audience.

What have been some of your favorite previous roles (or productions you have been involved with)? 

I moved to San Francisco about three years ago and just love this community.  Everyone has been really welcoming and there is so much new work here to be a part of in a myriad of ways.  I’ve been lucky to be a producer and director with some wonderful theater companies in the area.  And I feel particularly lucky to be working with Wily West as a director for Sheherezade 13, Gorgeous Hussy and Hope’s Last Chance.  Quinn and I actually looked at each other during Sheherezade and got so excited that we get to spend the year together making plays and having fun!  In between shows with Wily West, I’ll be assisting in editing and directing a documentary film, which is a brand new venture for me.

Since this play is about our public and private selves or personas - what parts of you as an artist are very public and what are some more private or personal interests that you would be willing to share? 

We’ve been talking a lot about the “mask” of Joan Crawford.  The idea that there was this external thing that demanded absolutely everything of the farm girl Lucille LeSeur to the point where she had nothing left of herself or for herself.  It defined everything that she did in her life and when it started to fade, she didn’t have any idea who the woman behind it was.

I think that every artist, on some level, struggles with the personal vs. the private self. We inherently need our personal lives to inform our art, but where do you draw the line?  How much of yourself do you give to your art in time, energy and definition of who you are? And for each person, it’s different.

What do you hope audiences will take from this production?

I think that most people are going to come into the show expecting Joan to scream, “No more wire hangers!!” and make Roy scrub every inch of the bathroom with a toothbrush or something.  That is really the Joan that lives in our imaginations when we think of her.  We think of Faye Dunaway and this woman with these big eyes, huge voice and hellish personality.  I even have a picture of Joan Crawford that says at the bottom, “Don’t Make Me Go All Joan Crawford on Your Ass!” But that is the mask and I think that Morgan does a beautiful job at showing us our own stereotypes and letting us, through this chance interaction, challenge them and ourselves to dig a little deeper. 

BRADY BROPHY-HILTON is a freelance theater director and producer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She began her directing career in Seattle, directing a number of shows with Book-It Repertory Theatre, Cornish College of the Arts, and Groundwork Theatre. In the Bay Area, she has directed It's All in the Mix for All Terrain Theater, Sheherezade 2011 for PCSF, Boys Clinging Together for the SF Fringe Festival, readings of The Cocktail Plays, Ashtad and Dardanos, and Love in the Time of Zombies for Wily West Productions and "TGIF" Monday Night Foreplays for PianoFight. She has served as a producer for Sleepwalkers Theatre and is the Staged Readings Producer for the Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco (PCSF). She was the Education Director for Teatro ZinZanni for a year and a half where she developed and ran their circus educational program Camp ZinZanni and she worked as the Education Associate for Book-It Repertory Theatre for three years. Brady graduated from the Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Original Works, cum laude and trained with the Young Conservatory at ACT.