Alexander Strain and Jesse Terrill in The Memorandum

Just read this article in the NY Times that I found very interesting; especially in context to the discussions that are surrounding our current season's shows.  The article is about how historical context and presentation can be manipulated in "historical" plays.  This is something that I, as a director, am very interested in lately.  In Antigone, we played with time period in a way that left us open for a more broad interpretation of its political/social meanings.  The same technique was applied to The Memorandum and Hamletmachine, as well.  My feeling is that when you "shoehorn" a play with over-bearing concept ("koncept", with a "k", as we often refer to it~), you limit the possibilities of what the story can achieve and how it can reach an individual.

The same thoughts, I'm sure, went in to the writing of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, as it turns our conceptions of historical accuracy on its head by finding new, and often un-orthodox (pardon the term) means of representation.  The same can be said for our summer show, Marat/Sade, where the time period is merely a jumping-off point for a broader discussion of social injustice throughout time.

Check it out---what do you guys think?