Leslie Patrick
Barbara Weinberger
Not long ago, Churchmouse Productions shows could only be seen on stage at the Festival of Independent Theatres (FIT). Pegasus Theatre developed Churchmouse as a means to offer minimalist productions without confusing their loyal patrons who had come to associate the Pegasus name with the annual Living Black & White™ productions, which are far from minimalist. FIT allowed Pegasus the perfect opportunity to build an audience for Churchmouse, while producing its first few shows.
Beginning in 2010, Churchmouse has returned to FIT every summer with a new or original work. Shortly after the conclusion of last year’s festival, Churchmouse produced its first mainstage show, and 2014 will feature two mainstage shows, having recently ended a well-received run of White People by J.T. Rogers. As the seasons expand and Churchmouse becomes more familiar to DFW audiences, we had some questions about the theatre’s growth from FIT and where that relationship goes from here.
Leslie Patrick has produced or acted in each of Churchmouse’s FIT shows and was a driving force behind the company joining FIT. Barbara Weinberger is a producer and board member of Pegasus Theatre. They took the time to answer some questions.
What initially drew you to FIT?
BW – I’ve always admired what FIT does: provide a common forum for the independent theatres in Dallas, theatres that also tend to do quirkier work than their larger, more established counterparts. Every FIT show I’ve attended has given me something new to think about or feel, and I value that experience.
LP – I started doing FIT about 12 years ago. I went to a general audition held for all the FIT companies. I remember going to see the shows that year and I was blown away. I had never seen something like that. There were so many companies coming together to celebrate theatre and doing some really good work. I have felt the need to be part of this amazing theatrical experience every year since then and have done everything from crew to House Manager to actor every chance I got. Given my history with FIT, of course, I wanted Pegasus Theatre to come along for the ride once they became an independent theatre.
Given Churchmouse’s continued presence at FIT, it seems the partnership has been beneficial. In what ways?
BW – FIT has helped Churchmouse establish a reputation that is separate from the Black-and-White adventures for which Pegasus Theatre is so well known. In exchange I think we’ve added some breadth to the already rich tradition at FIT by showcasing everything from offbeat comedies to horror to surrealism.
Finally, the format at FIT integrates perfectly with the Churchmouse philosophy to keep production elements to a minimum so that the focus remains on the actors, the script, and the staging.
LP – We participate in FIT to be part of something bigger. We are able to reach an entirely different audience that is specific to the festival or one of the other participating companies and our audience is exposed to a wider range of theatre as well.
As theatre artists, we don’t always get the chance to see as much theatre as we would like due to the nature of our schedules. Thanks to FIT, we are able to collaborate with the artists from other companies and see a wide range of theatre in a single evening. An added value to participating/experiencing FIT is the broadening of audience expectations. Many companies are allowed to push the boundaries of what their dedicated audiences will support and take more risks in what they present to an audience.
The festival pushes us to reach out and stretch our artistic muscles. It brought out the amazing talents of Matt Lyle through THE BOXER and gave him a place to show off something completely new, it helped launch our own fledgling Churchmouse Productions, and continues to give young companies a venue to branch out and build audiences. FIT is not just personally beneficial, it is beneficial to the entire community in creating a testing ground for new work and continuously challenging us to work together to create better art.
Any favorite FIT memories?
BW – My favorite memory is definitely from SQUIRRELS by David Mamet (2011). The first few run-throughs of the play ran far longer than the 50 minutes each theatre is allotted. The director’s initial impulse was to cut dialogue. But as a playwright-founded theatre, we felt that wasn’t an option. With encouragement to “run it at Mamet pace”, the director elicited some outstanding performances from the small cast, and the show finished within the allotted time. I think it was one of our finest productions.
LP – Just to name a few…Bootstrap’s THE BOXER and the sold out houses every night, Cara Mia’s TO DIE:GO IN LEAVES which used mixed dance and theatre to tell the story of Frida Kahlo, Churchmouse’s GEORGIE GETS A FACELIFT and that dead girl scout, Echo’s THE SIX THAT FELL and the babies falling from the ceiling. All powerful moments for different reasons.
Can you tell us something about this year’s production?
BW – This year’s production (THE WATCH by Trace Crawford) shines a light on faith, a subject with almost universal appeal. I think audiences will find it amusing at times and thought-provoking as well. But it won’t be played for laughs, and that will be a delightful challenge for a cast with so many comedic credits to their names! Finally, I love the fact that the theme of faith resonates so fully with the director’s own beliefs, as I think he’ll bring a dose of passion that will make the production really stand out.
LP – I have no specific opinion of the show yet. The team itself is pretty solid, so I feel certain we are going to have another strong show. It’s my first year to be uninvolved, so it’s a little surreal and I don’t know quite yet what to expect. I’m looking forward to what the final product will be.
This is Churchmouse’s first full season. How has that been, and what’s next?
BW – In a word, it’s been busy! We’re very fortunate to have a seasoned producing team working on Churchmouse productions, so the workload falls on many shoulders. Artistically it’s been very satisfying so far, with our first production of the season (WHITE PEOPLE by J.T. Rogers) being given such a warm reception by both reviewers and audiences. With the rest of the season (THE WATCH by Trace Crawford at FIT and NONE OF THE ABOVE by Jenny Lyn Bader in August), I think we’ll show the full range of what Churchmouse can do.
LP – It’s been stressful and we are still finding our way. Pegasus relied so heavily on Kurt and Barb for a long time, so I think they are excited to have so many amazingly talented people invested in the company. We are working out our process and finding the best way to work together. It’s exciting and terrifying all at once, but I think we are headed in the right direction.
We are only going to keep growing. By continuing to make big splashes with our little shows, I think we are making a name for ourselves and cultivating an audience that cares about our work as much as we do. Theatre isn’t always about entertainment, we want to make people think as well. I think we are on the right path to incorporating both elements. We hope to keep the dialogue flowing in our upcoming season to be announced in October.
 |
Pegasus Theatre presents a Churchmouse Production of The Watch by Trace Crawford at the 16th Annual Festival of Independent Theatres, July 11–Aug. 2, 2014. Festival passes and individual tickets on sale now. Call 1-800-617-6904. |