RatFest '97


Being the enormous, humungous and absolutely infamous
RatFestation of New York City this August 15-24.


We've got a schedule for the conference! HOWEVER... there are a few people leading events who still haven't told us when they'll be here. So we've tried to schedule everything we know for certain and at least find a spot for the other events based on the sketchy information we got from you. If we've given you a time slot for something you're leading and you won't be here then, DON'T WORRY -- there's plenty of room to accommodate changes. And if someone shows up and says, "Hey, I've got something a lot of us want to talk about," we're ready for you -- come on down!

The venues at which the conference will take place:

The Ohio Theatre
66 Wooster Street
New York, NY 10012 tel:
212-966-4844
contact: Robert Lyons
thinksoho@aol.com

HERE
145 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10013
tel: 212-647-0202
contact: Kristin Marting
krimart@aol.com

New York Theatre Workshop
79 E. 4th Street
New York, NY 10003
tel: 718-832-6504
contact: Jonny Pascoe or Josh Furst
jsessions@giworldwide.com

Coney Island, USA
@West 12th Street and Surf Avenue
Coney Island, Brooklyn
tel: 718-372-5159
contact: Dick Zigun
dzigun@echonyc.com

further contact: Gabriele Schafer / Nick Fracaro Thieves Theatre P.O. Box 170218 Brooklyn, NY 11217 718-834-4542 / thieves@interport.net

If there's a mistake in the schedule or you want to add a description to your discussion/event, send the info to Barry Rowell and Catherine Porter, Peculiar Works Project, 312 E. 6th St. #E3, NYC 10003, tel. 212-529-3626, e-mail pwpny@aol.com.

DURING THE CONFERENCE, INFO HOTLINE: 718-832-6504.

INFORMATION CENTRAL during the conference will be a bulletin board to post notes to each other, changes of venue, etc. at the Ohio Theatre beginning Sunday, 8/17.

On August 14th an updated schedule will be posted here.


FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

5 - 7 pm
GENERAL MEETING at East 4th Street Theatre The Big Kick-off. A chance to get to know each other and find out any late breaking conference news.

7 - 10 pm
PARTY
at the East 4th Street Theatre Food and drink and socializing... or use the time to catch theatre by Rats performing around town.

10 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA
at HERE Cafe ...a place to hang out and talk the night away.

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA
at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

TIRZA'S WINE BATH WORKSHOP Tirza's was the most glorious and notorious of the "girlie revues" in the Coney Island of yesteryear. Its sumptuous pink decor, fabulous bubble machine and swell girls earned Tirza's a renown well beyond Brooklyn's coast line. To gain a grasp on exactly what it consisted of is impossible today, as hearsay and legend have obscured much of its true nature. The one and only irrefutable fact is that Tirza herself was immersed in a bathtub full of red wine as part of her performance. For the first time in Decades, Tirza's Wine Baths will return to the shores of Coney Island in a new run. The times have changed, and so has Tirza. Every Saturday Night will bring an all new show with outrageous new acts. A blend of old style Burlesque, new Vaudville, and exotic, erotic performances from the edge. Thieves Theatre will hold open workshops throughout the Conference-- time and place depending on schedules of participants-- that will culminate in performance at Coney Island, USA on August 23, 10pm. http://www.coneyislandusa.com/tirza.html

10 am - 1 pm
MULTICULTURALISM AND THEATER
at HERE Led by Denis Moritz, Theatre Double (Philadelphia)

1 - 2 pm
LUNCH

2 - 4 pm
THE ELECTRONIC RAT at HERE Led by Gabriele Schafer and Nick Fracaro, Thieves Theatre (Brooklyn). Including discussions on the Rat webpage -- there's only one now; there should be a dozen; on creating a Rat playwrights database accessible from the Internet -- how to set it up, maintain it, how to edit, who has access and how much, etc.; on what we want from the Rat-list mail serve.

4 - 6 pm
MEYERHOLD WORKSHOP
at HERE Led by Carlo Altomere, Alchemical Theatre (NYC).

6 - 7 pm
RAT PACK
at HERE Workshop (downstairs) The daily meeting to look back on the day, get updates on additions and changes to scheduled discussions, performances, etc.

7 - 8 pm
DINNER
... or BITS OF RAT WITH YOUR TAKE-OUT at HERE Organized by Peculiar Works Project (NYC). Presentations by fellow Rats during the dinner hour; a chance to see, hear and smell what other people are working on. Grab a falafel sandwich and a designer water and come back for Big Cheap work.

8 - 11 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA
at HERE Or check out a show by a fellow Rat, something from the Fringe Fest... it's your call!

8 - 10 pm
RATSO'S RATCHET
at the East 4th Street Theatre Led by Joshua Furst and Jonathan Pascoe (NYC). 200 different three-minute plays will be presented. Continues daily through Friday, 8/22.

11 pm
LOUNGE PARTY
at HERE Cafe INDEPEDENT is HERE's regular weekly lounge party featuring DJs (but no dancing), video projection, drinks and talk. This one is in honor of RAT and RAT'S ASS beer will be served.

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA
at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

Noon - 2 pm
RAT: WHAT DO WE WANT?
at the Ohio Led by Mitchell Gossett, Bottom's Dream (L.A.). Bagels and coffee, too!

2 - 4 pm
YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT? at HERE Workshop led by Brad Rothbart (NYC). A chance for us to stop discussing co-production and actually create something together. This workshop will address the idea of the commodification of desire and how it affects us in our everyday lives. Continues daily through Friday, 8/22.

2 - 6 pm
GESTURE WORKSHOP at the Ohio Led by Kristin Marting, HERE (NYC). Kristin will show some of the gestural vocabulary work she's been developing for the past seven years and wants other workshop participants to show any codified physical work they have been working on.

6 - 7 pm
RAT PACK
at the Ohio The daily meeting to look back on the day, get updates on additions and changes to scheduled discussions, performances, etc.

7 - 8 pm
DINNER... or BITS OF RAT WITH YOUR TAKE-OUT
at the Ohio Organized by Peculiar Works Project (NYC). Presentations by fellow Rats during the dinner hour.

8 - 10 pm
RAT CO-PRODUCTIONS -- HOW DO WE GET THERE?
at the Ohio Led by Mitchell Gossett, Bottom's Dream (L.A.) and Kristin Marting, HERE (NYC).

8 - 10 pm
RATSO'S RATCHET at the East 4th Street Theatre Led by Joshua Furst and Jonathan Pascoe (NYC). 200 different three-minute plays will be presented. Continues daily through Friday, 8/22.

10 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA
at HERE

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA
at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

1 - 3 pm
ALTERNATIVE DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN DISORGANIZED at the Ohio A roundtable discussion led by Sarah Hughes, Undermain (Dallas).

2 - 4 pm
YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT? at HERE Workshop led by Brad Rothbart (NYC). A chance for us to stop discussing co-production and actually create something together.

4 - 6 pm
ARTS MANAGEMENT, GRANT WRITING & SCHMOOZING
at the Ohio Led by Andrew Mellen (NYC).

6 - 7 pm
RAT PACK
at the Ohio The daily meeting to look back on the day, get updates on additions and changes to scheduled discussions, performances, etc.

7 - 8 pm
DINNER... or BITS OF RAT WITH YOUR TAKE-OUT at the Ohio Organized by Peculiar Works Project (NYC). Presentations by fellow Rats during the dinner hour.

8 - 10 pm
FAILURES DISCUSSION at the Ohio Facilitated by Barry Rowell, Peculiar Works (NYC) and Mary Agnes, digital artist (L.A.). An open-forum discussion of our failures -- artistic, administrative, political -- how we dealt with them and what they taught us. A confessional talk show without the humiliation, the judgmental audience, or Montel Williams.

8 - 10 pm
RATSO'S RATCHET
at the East 4th Street Theatre Led by Joshua Furst and Jonathan Pascoe (NYC). 200 different three-minute plays will be presented. Continues daily through Friday, 8/22.

10 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA at HERE

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19

2 - 6 pm
STRANGE FRUIT
at the Ohio Workshop led by Ruth Margraff, playwright (NYC).

2 - 4 pm
YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?
at HERE Workshop led by Brad Rothbart (NYC). A chance for us to stop discussing co-production and actually create something together.

6 - 7 pm
RAT PACK
at the Ohio The daily meeting to look back on the day, get updates on additions and changes to scheduled discussions, performances, etc.

7 - 8 pm
DINNER... or BITS OF RAT WITH YOUR TAKE-OUT
at the Ohio Organized by Peculiar Works Project (NYC). Presentations by fellow Rats during the dinner hour.

8 - 10 pm
POST-VERBAL PERFORMANCE IN A MULTI-DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT
at the Ohio Workshop led by Jason Neulander, Salvage Vanguard (Austin).

8 - 10 pm
RATSO'S RATCHET
at the East 4th Street Theatre Led by Joshua Furst and Jonathan Pascoe (NYC). 200 different three-minute plays will be presented. Continues daily through Friday, 8/22.

10 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA
at HERE

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

11 am - 1 pm
RATS IN THE WALLS
at the Ohio A roundtable discussion one site-specific production led by Lisa D'Amour, Playwrights Center (Minneapolis).

1 - 2 pm
LUNCH

2 - 4 pm
YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT? at HERE Workshop led by Brad Rothbart (NYC). A chance for us to stop discussing co-production and actually create something together.

2 - 6 pm
RATS IN THE WALLS (cont'd) at the Ohio Led by Lisa D'Amour, Playwrights Center (Minneapolis). A workshop, continuing the discussions, to create a short piece using a specific site in or near the theatre.

6 - 7 pm
RAT PACK
at the Ohio The daily meeting to look back on the day, get updates on additions and changes to scheduled discussions, performances, etc.

7 - 8 pm
DINNER... or BITS OF RAT WITH YOUR TAKE-OUT
at the Ohio Organized by Peculiar Works Project (NYC). Presentations by fellow Rats during the dinner hour.

8 - 10 pm
CRITICAL RESPONSE
at the Ohio Led by Karen Ott, Thieves Theatre (Brooklyn).

8 - 10 pm
RATSO'S RATCHET:
An expo of nationwide playwrights at the East 4th Street Theatre Led by Joshua Furst and Jonathan Pascoe (NYC). 200 different three-minute plays will be presented. Continues daily through Friday, 8/22.

10 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA at HERE Cafe

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

11 am - 1 pm
YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?
at HERE Workshop led by Brad Rothbart (NYC). A chance for us to stop discussing co-production and actually create something together.

2 - 6 pm
THE PLAGUE WORKSHOP
at the Ohio Led by Brad Rothbart (NYC). An experiential form originally created by The Living Theatre based on Artaud's description of the Black Death in his seminal essay, "Theatre and the Plague."

6 - 7 pm
RAT PACK
at the Ohio The daily meeting to look back on the day, get updates on additions and changes to scheduled discussions, performances, etc.

7 - 8 pm
DINNER... or BITS OF RAT WITH YOUR TAKE-OUT
at the Ohio Organized by Peculiar Works Project (NYC). Presentations by fellow Rats during the dinner hour.

8 - 10 pm
ALTERNATIVE MEDIA MOVEMENT
at the Ohio Led by Robert Lyons, Soho Think Tank (NYC). Roundtable discussion of theatre in relation to other alternative media activists (video, radio, public access, publishing, etc.).

8 - 10 pm
RATSO'S RATCHET
at the East 4th Street Theatre Led by Joshua Furst and Jonathan Pascoe (NYC). 200 different three-minute plays will be presented. Continues daily through Friday, 8/22.

10 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA
at HERE Cafe

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA
at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

2 - 4 pm
YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?
at HERE Workshop led by Brad Rothbart (NYC). A chance for us to stop discussing co-production and actually create something together.

2 - 6 pm
RAT SCAM SWAP
at the Ohio An opportunity to share with each other some cheap, yet tasteless, ways we get by. An open forum discussion.

6 - 7 pm
RAT PACK
at the Ohio The daily meeting to look back on the day, get updates on additions and changes to scheduled discussions, performances, etc.

7 - 8 pm
DINNER... or BITS OF RAT WITH YOUR TAKE-OUT
at the Ohio Organized by Peculiar Works Project (NYC). Presentations by fellow Rats during the dinner hour.

8 - 10 pm
PRESS, CRITIC & RAT
at the Ohio Roundtable discussion led by Gabriele Schafer, Thieves Theatre (Brooklyn) and Wendy Knox, Frank Theatre (Minneapolis). What do we want our relationship to be. What is the role of the web page and rat-list.

8 - 10 pm
RATSO'S RATCHET
at the East 4th Street Theatre Led by Joshua Furst and Jonathan Pascoe (NYC). 200 different three-minute plays will be presented.

10 pm
TERRA INCOGNITA at HERE Cafe

Midnight
LATER TERRA INCOGNITA at KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th Street

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23


2 - 6 pm
AN AMERICANA MIXER
at Coney Island, USA Mary Feast, TravS.D., Dick Zigun, The Great Fredini, Combustible Kiva, Johnny Stranger and others mix it up on the subject of Americana yesterday, today and tomorrow.

6 - 10 pm
THE PROFESSIONAL RAT at Coney Island, USA Led by Nick Fracaro, Thieves Theatre (Brooklyn). Don't quit your day job; a national job network?

10 pm
TIRZA'S WINEBATH PERFORMANCE
at Coney Island,USA Led by Gabriele Schafer and Nick Fracaro, Thieves Theatre (Brooklyn).

1 am
DJ PROJECT
at HERE INDEPENDENT, HERE's weekly lounge party features DJ Project by Ruth Margraff, playwright (NYC) and Tim Maner, HERE (NYC). RAT'S ASS beer will again be served.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24

10 am - 5 pm
I'LL SHOW YOU MINE IF YOU'LL SHOW ME YOURS
at the Ohio This is another opportunity to show our work to each other. Small pieces we've brought with us or things we've created during the conference that we'd like to share with each other.

5 pm
STRIKE AND PARTY
at the Ohio

_________________________________________________


There's lots of great stuff but still plenty of space for more. Send your feedback, workshop ideas, seminar thoughts: thinksoho@aol.com, krimart@aol.com, jsessions@giworldwide.com, thieves@interport.net.


E-mail Ben Trovato at rat@whirl-i-gig.com

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