The Living Theatre, the oldest experimental theatre group still producing in the United States, continues its 65th year with the world premiere of Judith Malina's THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD –– with performances to begin December 31, prior to its official press opening January 12 at The Living Theatre (21 Clinton Street). Judith Malina directs.
In THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, The Living Theatre uses the audience as participants in the action. The theme of the play becomes the personal involvement of each spectator/participant in history, contemplating the questions: Who are you in history? In the execution of Socrates?
In the crucifixion of Jesus? And finally: Who are you in the Beautiful Non-Violent Anarchist Revolution yet to come?
The play co-stars an international ensemble of 25 actors, singers, dancers and musicians, who are working with The Living and with Malina, some for the first time, some for generations of theatrical experimentation and revolutionary art: Judith Malina, Tom Walker, Sheila Dabney, Monica Hunken, Soraya Broukhim, Brad Burgess, Homa Hynes, Jay Dobkin, Kennedy Yanko, Kyle Ryan, Brent Barker, Antwan Ward, Mary Round, Miranda Rovetto, Rose Lovell, Jen Emma Hertel, Anna Agostino, Ana Holly, John Gasper, Erin Downhour and Martin Lutz.
THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD features projection (film and live video), music, dance and sound effects and will be broadcast live on the internet on Ustream each performance. The creative team includes original music and musical direction by Shelia Dabney; choreography by Albert Lamont, Monica Hunken, Judith Malina, and the ensemble.
Also, The Living Theatre announces an Occupy Wall Street inspired collaboration with Johnny Sagan and his Snowy Wilderness gallery efforts. Sagan will be presenting "The History of the World Festival," in conjunction with the play and there will be an infusion of artists who have been coming together under the banner of Occupy Wall Street to continue its revolutionary efforts and strengthen the participation of the artist community in New York City, and in The History of the
World.
Judith Malina will also be publishing a book this Spring with Routledge about her teacher Erwin Piscator. This is a seminal work in her career and for the history of modern political theatre in NYC and worldwide. Stay tuned for more details about the book, and an upcoming film about Ms. Malina, to be released in conjunction with the book.
Under Judith Malina's guidance and experience, The Living Theatre vigorously continues its ongoing research of innovative theatre forms involving audience participation and new methods of communication and social/political organization.
Ms. Malina was born in 1926 in Kiel, Germany, and is the daughter of Rabbi Max Malina, one of the founders of the German Jewish Congregation in New York City. In 1947, after studying acting and
directing at the Dramatic Workshop at the New School with Erwin Piscator, she and Julian Beck co-founded The Living Theatre as an artistic challenge to the commercial theater, producing nearly 100 production including THE CONNECTION, THE BRIG, FRANKENSTEIN, ANTIGONE, PARADISE NOW, SEVEN MEDITATIONS ON POLITICAL SADO-MASOCHISM, I AND I, RESISTENZA and last year's KORACH. Her literary output includes the plays PARADISE NOW, MYSTERIES AND SMALLER PIECES and THE LEGACY OF CAIN; collections of her diaries including "The Diaries of Judith
Malina 1947-1957" and "The Enormous Despair"; and two books of poetry, "Poems of a Wandering Jewess" and "Love and Politics." As an actress, she has appeared in films including "Dog Day Afternoon," "China Girl," "The Addams Family," "Household Saints," "Enemies: A Love Story," "The
Deli," and "Nothing Ever Happens"; and television series including "ER," "Miami Vice," "The Street" and "The Sopranos."
In his New York Times review of the company's 2009 revival of THE CONNECTION, Charles Isherwood called The Living Theatre "a fierce fighter on the forward front of experimental theatre." The Living Theatre's most recent work include Judith Malina and Hanon Reznikov's
EUREKA!, Judith Malina's MAUDIE AND JANE, and a revival of 1963 Obie Award-winner THE BRIG which christened the company's present home at 21 Clinton Street in 2007.
The Living Theatre was co-founded in 1947 by current artistic director Judith Malina and Julian Beck, who served as the company's executive director until his death in 1985. For more than six decades, thevcompany has presented a unique body of work that has influenced theatre the world over, staging nearly a hundred productions, performed in nine languages in twenty-nine countries on five continents.
