Kickstarter

FAQ

• Is this a play?

  Yes! This is a play that I have been writing since 2009. I wanted it to be performed in 2012. I would like to publish the play and need to have a production of it to make sure everything is in place for companies who may want to produce it. So in a way this is like a fully staged reading, a workshop, as opposed to a professional production in which everyone would be paid scale for their work.

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 2:56pm EDT
• Will the performers be paid?

  Money from this campaign will go to pay performers for the night of the show. They will not be paid for the rehearsal process unless we significantly exceed our goal.

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• What will the event be like?

  The event will be very festive. We will have musicians playing before the play, during the play and after the play. Participants will be invited to come in costume with animal ears and tails, wings and vines as though they were part of the forest. There will be dancing!

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• What do you mean by interactive? or participatory?

  Some of the audience will choose to participate more than others. The performance art troupe or human circus performers will show the participating audience how to join in the action. The audience will be invited to dance, chant and sing along during parts of the action. The play requires the audience to contribute to the excitement the characters need to accomplish their goal of "saving Sherwood".

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• Is this a play for all ages, or just adults?

  The play is written for participation of an all ages audience. There is one offensive word in the play for dramatic effect. Adult themes of romance are in the play, but there is nothing explicit in it. However, if a company wanted to play only to adults, they could certainly spice things up.

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• Do you plan to publish this play?

  Yes, I wrote this play to share with theatre companies who would enjoy collaborating with performing art or human circus troupes and musicians. I have written around twenty plays and they have all been performed, but this is my first attempt to publish. I have entered it into playwriting contests and am researching how to get it published. Suggestions would be appreciated!

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• Why did you write this play? What is its basis in your life experience?

  I wanted to write something that would revive the theatre as a festival art form. I teach theatre games at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and several other festivals and gatherings every year. So, I've noticed the lack of theatre in the festive scene. Of course there are theatre festivals that are all about theatre, but it is missing from these other types of gatherings. This led to many of the creative choices I made for the play.

  I wanted to have characters that actors could easily grasp, assuming a short rehearsal process in the case of people coming together for a festival and rehearsing when they got to the festival. This production will possibly pull performers from Asheville, the boro, Nashville, and Atlanta, as well as Chattanooga where it will be staged.

  I wanted the play to have legendary characters because they are easily recognizable, but I didn't want the actors to have to play stock characters. The world of the play is reality, but it's heightened, and the characters are "living lives of legend", as Merwood puts it in the play.

  It has been my experience in befriending humans who are creative and passionate that they are legends in their own time. Whenever I encounter an amazing human I "read" their archetypal nature. It jumps out at me. I love making myth out of actuality. It makes living much more exciting!

  And so to be that legendary human myself, I attempt to live out my visions. It is the best gift I have to give. I have come through experience to believe theatre grows community. And if you flip that, you'll understand that community is essential to theatre. So where is that community? It is everywhere. This play attempts to grab a hold of those constantly moving humans and bounce them off of the fantastical world this play can generate. I think it will be the best fun we've had "in a minute".

  And as one of my young active friends who wants to help heal the planet says, when she has encountered the corpocracy and political positioning of her elders: "It's going to take a minute." The understatement of a generation that refuses to accept destruction of our psyche and ecosystem as "the way it is".

  So ultimately I wrote this play to give hope to the hopeful. Yes, I am all about nurturing the strong in spirit, because they lift up the world. This is one night of happiness and fun. A thousand nights of preparation for one night of getting to express joy!

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• Why is the video so choppy and hard to hear and see?

  Well, about that...I'm sorry about that. The play hasn't happened yet, so it was hard to find a way to show you what it might, sort of be like. And then there was my serious lack of ability to manipulate final cut x, free download. The very nice photos of the Asheville reading that make up the initial montage were shot by Caara Fritz Stoney. I'm soooo glad she drove up to Asheville with the teenagers and came to the reading!!!!

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• How many people have read the play?

  Around a hundred people have read various versions of this play. If everyone of them gave $10, they will finally get to see it performed! I hope there will be many productions of this play in 2012 so that many people can play the roles in the many places where they live.

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• If I wanted to host a production of this play what would I need to do?

  If you're interested, please message me on facebook: Jeannie Hacker Cerulean. If you can find a theatre troupe that can play Shakespeare, a human circus/performance troupe to play the forest, and musicians and bands to create the Animal band, and a venue which could be indoors or outdoors, then I'm guessing you would love to have a production of "Robin of the Forest".

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• Are you looking for help with the production itself?

  Yes, I need lots of help. Many people are already involved, but we need 30 people to get this where it needs to be by the end of May. We have a window of May 24 to May 29 set for the performance. I have contacted local venues, but until we have funds, we can't confirm. I have back up plans, but want to have the venue set by mid-April.

  Auditions will be in mid-April, as soon as the venue is set. That is half-way through this Kickstarter campaign. So, please help promote it to your friends. I will post a faq here with the exact time and place of auditions:)

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• Who are the cast of characters?

  Cast

  (Color Blind and Gender Blind casting)

  Merwood, a wizard who dwells in the Greenwood Tree.

  Guinevere, a wealthy citizen of Nottingham.

  Robin, encamped near the Greenwood Tree and sworn to never cross a black road.

  Marian, a forest lover who works for the Tourist Bureau.

  Lance, the “evil” Sheriff of Nottingham.

  Foxfire, the hothead activist who lives in a den under the Greenwood Tree.

  Moth, an aerial dancer who lives up in the Greenwood Tree.

  Wendy, reporter for World Wide WatchCat.

  Peter, tech support for World Wide WatchCat.

   

  Animal Band, Gaelic/gypsy-punk music and, if technology is used, psy-trance.

  Forest Players, aerial dancers, forest spirit dancers, forest creatures (faeries, Balthazar the Owl, dryads, the Greenwood Tree, etc…).

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:13pm EDT
• Why are some of the prizes limited?

  If you donate at a level where the prizes are limited, you are on a first come, first served basis. After those prizes are claimed, you're down for the down load of Logos!!!

  My sister, daughters and friends are helping create the prizes. I didn't want to overburden them. I'm sure they will do more than their share of helping to mount the production and invite the audience.

  The limited prizes are one-of-a-kind, hand crafted. I'm going to create a facebook page for "Robin of the Forest" in April. I'll post pictures of the prizes on that page and tell you about it here.

  Last updated: Sunday Mar 18, 4:24pm EDT