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Acting & Performance

This section contains content on the craft of acting, created by performers of all types.

The Latest

The Island of Lost Chorus Boys: Professional Theatre’s Broken Promise to Accept Us in All Our Glorious Queerness
Essay
The Island of Lost Chorus Boys: Professional Theatre’s Broken Promise to Accept Us in All Our Glorious Queerness
by Kieron Cindric
8 July 2021
The Future You Build
Essay
The Future You Build
by Melisa Pereyra
24 May 2021
Covid Monologues
Video
Covid Monologues
Where science meets theatre to build community resilience and relevancy for theatre in unusual times.
Tuesday 20 April 2021
United States
Several half-naked actors with lacrosse sticks. One actor is front and center, wearing a red hat and white underwear, with his hands behind his head. The actresses on his sides are using lacrosse sticks to cover their chests.
The Island of Lost Chorus Boys: Professional Theatre’s Broken Promise to Accept Us in All Our Glorious Queerness
Essay

The Island of Lost Chorus Boys: Professional Theatre’s Broken Promise to Accept Us in All Our Glorious Queerness

8 July 2021

Kieron Cindric talks about how the theatre industry—and, in particular, musical theatre—has continually reinforced a narrow and harmful version of masculinity.

Five people holding different sections of an auditorium and piecing them to the central part of the auditorium..
The Future You Build
Essay

The Future You Build

24 May 2021

Melisa Pereyra writes to students of the American theatre from the future, sharing what the field looks like years down the road.

graphic of syringe injecting into an earth globe with text covid monologues.
Covid Monologues
illustration of a carrot with orange text single carrot theater.
Single Carrot Theatre
Video

Covid Monologues

Where science meets theatre to build community resilience and relevancy for theatre in unusual times.

Tuesday 20 April 2021
United States

Single Carrot Theatre presented Covid Monologues: a series of fictionalized stories responding to peer-reviewed research about the social and societal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in America, livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Tuesday 20 April 2021 at 3 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 5 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 6 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

graphic of syringe injecting into an earth globe with text covid monologues.
Covid Monologues
illustration of a carrot with orange text single carrot theater.
Single Carrot Theatre
Video

Covid Monologues

Where science meets theatre to build community resilience and relevancy for theatre in unusual times.

Tuesday 13 April 2021
United States

Single Carrot Theatre presented Covid Monologues livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Tuesday 13 April 2021 at 3 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 5 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 6 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

text "the jazz equation" over sheet music.
The Jazz Equation
Ambiance Theatre Company
Video

The Jazz Equation

A young and gifted math teacher receives a special request to teach a teenage prodigy

Saturday 27 March 2021
United States

Ambiance Theatre Company presented a performance of The Jazz Equation livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network howlround.tv on Saturday 27 March 2021 at 5:30 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 7:30 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 8:30 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

Chasing the Wolf by Nathan Singer
LA Writers Center (LAWC)
Video

Chasing the Wolf by Nathan Singer

with LA Writers Center's "Breathe" online play reading series

Saturday 27 March 2021
United States

LA Writers Center presented a reading of Chasing the Wolf by Nathan Singer as a part of their "Breathe" online play reading series livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 27 March 2021 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).

Downtown Variety: SeoulArts Edition
CultureHub Logo
CultureHub
La MaMa Logo
La MaMa
Video

Downtown Variety: SeoulArts Edition

Bringing La MaMa's 1960s café aesthetic to a virtual platform that links performers and audiences in real time across distance

Friday 26 March 2021
Seoul, Korea

La MaMa and CultureHub presented Downtown Variety: SeoulArts Edition livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 26 February 2021 at 6 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 8 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 9 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4) / Saturday 27 February 2021 at 10 a.m. KST (Seoul, UTC +9).

overhead shot of people walking on sidewalk with long shadows.
Opening Ceremony & Walking Mass
CultureHub Logo
CultureHub
Video

Opening Ceremony & Walking Mass

The opening ceremony of Re-Fest to commemorate the one year mark of the pandemic hitting the U.S.

Friday 12 March 2021
United States

CultureHub presented Opening Ceremony & Walking Mass with Re-Fest livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 12 March 2021 at 9 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 11 a.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 12 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).

two actors onstage
The Perpetual Crises Engulfing British Theatre
Essay

The Perpetual Crises Engulfing British Theatre

An Interview with Migrant Theatre Director Alex Istudor

8 March 2021

verity healey speaks with Alex Istudor, the Romanian-born director who lives and works in the UK, about the challenges of migrant theatremakers, different attitudes towards creating shows between the UK and continental Europe, and more.

Villains by Marquis Ewing
LA Writers Center (LAWC)
Video

Villains by Marquis Ewing

with LA Writers Center's "Breathe" online play reading series

Saturday 27 February 2021
United States

LA Writers Center presented a reading of Villains by Marquis Ewing as a part of their "Breathe" online play reading series livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 27 February 2021 at 11 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC-8) / 1 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC-6) / 2 p.m. EST (New York, UTC-5).

Glod: Political Theatre as a Civil Right event poster.
A performance of The Sitaraha (The Stars) by Monirah Hashemi
bezna theatre black text
BÉZNĂ Theatre
Video

A performance of The Sitaraha (The Stars) by Monirah Hashemi

Performance followed by a panel discussion

Monday 22 February 2021
United Kingdom

Glod: Political Theatre as a Civil Right presented The Sitaraha (The Stars) by Monirah Hashemi livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 22 February at 10 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 1 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -54) / 6 p.m. GMT (London, UTC +0) / 8 p.m. EET (Cluj, UTC +2).

Glod: Political Theatre as a Civil Right event poster.
Chris Thorpe reads extracts of his work
bezna theatre black text
BÉZNĂ Theatre
Video

Chris Thorpe reads extracts of his work

Performance followed by a panel discussion

Monday 8 February 2021
United Kingdom

Glod: Political Theatre as a Civil Right presented Chris Thorpe reading extracts of his work livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 8 February at 10 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 1 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -54) / 6 p.m. GMT (London, UTC +0) / 8 p.m. EET (Cluj, UTC +2).

seven actors onstage
"What does it mean to be a woman of color and in leadership?"
Essay

"What does it mean to be a woman of color and in leadership?"

A Conversation with Nicole Brewer and Sophia Skiles

19 January 2021

Sophia Skiles, the incoming head of acting for the Brown/Trinity MFA program, and Nicole Brewer, who recently joined the acting faculty at the Yale School of Drama, dive deep into a conversation about what it means to be a woman of color in leadership.

an actor onstage
Write the Software and Let the World Have It
Essay

Write the Software and Let the World Have It

Forty Years of Internet Performance

14 January 2021

In this article for the Performing the Internet series, Miller Puckette and Onyx Ashanti get together for a conversation about the changing landscape of multimedia technology in the arts, how technologically mediated performance practices have taken on new relevance in the post-COVID era, and more.

youtube screenshot
“Model User Behavior”
Essay

“Model User Behavior”

13 January 2021

As part of the Performing the Internet series, Martim Galvão and Todd Anderson have a conversation about the unconscious “performance” and emotional journey of web browsing, internet mixtapes, building websites for performance, and more.

actors on stage
From the Source, Seeds for a Myriad of Worlds
CAATA
text teAda productions theater of color
TeAda Productions
Video

From the Source, Seeds for a Myriad of Worlds

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 14 December 2020
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented the conversation and performance From the Source, Seeds for a Myriad of Worlds livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 14 December 2020 at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-10), 2 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-9), 3 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC-8), 4 p.m. MST (Denver, UTC-7), 5 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC-6), 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC-5).

Downtown Variety: Take 16
CultureHub Logo
CultureHub
La MaMa Logo
La MaMa
Video

Downtown Variety: Take 16

Bringing La MaMa's 1960s café aesthetic to a virtual platform that links performers and audiences in real time across distance

Friday 11 December 2020
United States

La MaMa and CultureHub presented Downtown Variety: Take 16 livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 11 December 2020 at 5 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 7 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 8 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).

Readymade Cabaret 2.0
black and white graphic of smoking pipe with showerhead attachment
This Is Not A Theatre Company
Video

Readymade Cabaret 2.0

In which both the play’s scenes and the order in which they are performed are determined by the audience’s roll of the dice

Sunday 6 December 2020
United States

This Is Not A Theatre Company presented a performance of Readymade Cabaret 2.0 livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 6 December 2020 at 11 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 1 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 2 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).

Performers as a Conduit Between the Spiritual World and the Stage
Tebere Arts Foundation
NBO musical theatre initiative logo.
Nairobi Musical Theatre Initiative
Video

Performers as a Conduit Between the Spiritual World and the Stage

The Stories Women Carry: Creative Practice of African Women from the Continent

Monday 23 November 2020
Uganda

Tebere Arts Foundation presented the conversation Performers as a Conduit Between the Spiritual World and the Stage with The Stories Women Carry: Creative Practice of African Women from the Continent livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 23 November 2020 at 9 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 12 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 8 p.m. EAT (Nairobi, UTC +3).

Mute Swan
CultureHub Logo
CultureHub
La MaMa Logo
La MaMa
Video

Mute Swan

Experiments in Digital Storytelling

Monday 16 November 2020
United States

CultureHub and La MaMa presented a performance of Mute Swan livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 16 November at 4 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 6 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 7 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) AND AT 6 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 8 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 9 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).

three people standing outside
Liberating Terror
Essay

Liberating Terror

Clown and Activism

13 November 2020

Sayda Trujillo talks about white supremacy’s prevalence in clown pedagogy and shares how the invincible spirit of the clown has shaped her, “seeping through every tiny crack possible to make itself present to speak, to laugh, to sing, to bounce, to witness, and to encounter.”

a clown kissing a clear riot shield
Antiauthoritarian Clowning
Essay

Antiauthoritarian Clowning

A Tactical Review

12 November 2020

L.M. Bogad shares the story of the beginnings of Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army, several tenets of “clownfrontational” tactics, examples of rebel clowning in a different contexts, and more.

three clowns posing with a handmade banner
Action and Reaction / Acción Y Reacción
Essay

Action and Reaction / Acción Y Reacción

The Experience of a Chilensis Clown Circus Theatre Company / Experiencia de una compañía chilensis de circo teatro payasx

11 November 2020

Members of Chile’s Compañía Siató—Valentina Paz Berger Correa, Jean Carlo Montecinos Carreño, Hernán Enrique Huerta Vargas, and Felipe Jesús Pereira Godoy—discuss clowning across Latin America; their show Sacrilegio, which denounces and ridicules religion, the church, and the police; the political duty of the artist; and more.

a group posing for a photo in front of a white van with "democracy" written on it
Can a Clown Be an Activist?
Essay

Can a Clown Be an Activist?

9 November 2020

Nathaniel Justiniano and Amrita Dhaliwal kick off the clown, bouffon, and activism series, talking about how the clown world has a racism problem and introducing the four contributors who practice their art around the world.

photo of half-closed laptop with screen lit up
unmuted
purple ink with white text honest accomplice theatre
Honest Accomplice Theatre
Video

unmuted

Exploring themes of (dis)connection to our ancestry, to this moment, and to each other

Sunday 1 November 2020
United States

Honest Accomplice Theatre presented a performance of unmuted livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 1 November 2020 at 4 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 6 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 7 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).