MITU’s FALL BENEFIT: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
Featuring selected songs from our electrifying production of Hair and other music celebrating MITU’s past, present, and future
DATE: Sunday, November 4th, 2007
7pm Pre-Show Reception
8pm Concert
PLACE: Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South
TICKETS: Concert (reserved seating) and Pre-Show Reception: $40
Concert Only: $20 (advance purchase)/ $25 (at the door)
PLEASE VIST: http://www.theatermitu.org to purchase tickets!
Dear Friends,
It’s my pleasure to invite you to our Fall Benefit Concert on Sunday, November 4th, 2007. Our radical re-imagining of the American Musical Hair was produced in collaboration with the Skirball Center and NYU/Tisch and enjoyed a sold-out run this past fall, and I am thrilled to share this work with you once more, this time in concert form. We continue to be inspired and haunted by the songs, music and ideas behind this project. The evening will also include songs from other MITU productions as well as a sneak-peek at some projects to come! Be sure to attend the Pre-Show Reception with MITU collaborators and fellow MITU supporters.
MITU’s work was hailed by Variety as “a wholly theatrical universe” and “an audacious triumph.” We have long been known for taking risks and embracing new and vibrant approaches to work. This year, we’re hoping to increase our production and development activity, and expand the impact of our education and outreach - we rely on supporters like you to help. You can find a few highlights below.
We hope you can join us on Sunday, November 4th to celebrate our Past, Present and Future, and help play a crucial part in making it a reality. We couldn’t have gotten this far without you and we thank you deeply for committing to MITU and our ongoing work. We look forward to seeing you there!
On behalf of MITU,
Rubén Polendo
Artistic Director
http://www.theatermitu.org
PAST:
This past season has been a very exciting one. Aside from Hair, we presented our collaboration with Alaska’s Perseverance Theater, Raven Odyssey, an Alaskan Native Epic. This was followed by Moonchild, an Indo-Gypsy myth done in collaboration with NYU’s Graduate Acting Program. We also presented three works at the Patravadi Theater in Bangkok, Thailand: an acrobatic adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a new Buddhist myth entitled String of Fragmentation, and a further exploration of our dance series entitled Happy Accident #2.
This year saw the expansion of our Community Outreach program with the NY State Migrant Workers’ Center. We were able to spend an additional week working with the children of migrant workers in a puppet and mask workshop. We also continued to develop our training and teaching programs through the annual Bangkok Artist Intensive as well as our curriculum at NYU/PHTS for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students.
PRESENT:
This year has been a time of investigation and exploration of MITU’s long-range plan and overall structure. MITU is presently:
• Expanding its production season and development opportunities
• Developing further education and community outreach programs
• Continuing its research of world forms and trainings
We are also thrilled to introduce Hilary Austin as our new Company Management Director. This is a landmark step for MITU and we believe the addition of a full-time management position is essential for the company’s growth.
We continue in residence at New York Theatre Workshop, one of the country’s leading advocates of new and challenging work. NYTW is mentoring and advising the Company, providing valuable tangible resources (like meeting and rehearsal spaces), and also sharing a creative home within its larger community of artists.
FUTURE:
We have set our goals high for the upcoming season. MITU is proud to announce the New York Premiere of Jorge Cortiñas’ BLIND MOUTH SINGING, directed by Rubén Polendo and produced by the National Asian American Theater Company (NAATCO), running at Baruch Performing Arts Center from September 17-October 6 (http://www.naatco.org). This fall MITU plans to develop a new piece entitled SISTER SARAH, BROTHER SKY (based on the American Musical GUYS AND DOLLS) and premiere a Butoh piece entitled SAINT (BLANK). This spring, we’re planning a series of solo shows entitled BREATH/FALLEN created and performed by members of the Company as well as a collaboration with NYU’s Graduate Acting Program based on the writings of 17th century Spanish writer Sor Juana Inez De La Cruz.