Sorry.

. . .a rumination on the female apology. . .

THE PLOT(ish) (it's a work in progress!)
Sorry. is about three women from different time periods: a contemporary businesswoman, a woman from the 19th Century who prefers women, and the mythological character, Persephone.  They arrive in a café for tea and discover they have one thing in common – they’ve reached an end in their ability to apologize. A Chorus of Furies facilitates the women’s journey and two men, The Waiter and a Neutral Man serve as devices.

THE INSPIRATION:
It began with an apology I didn't mean. The chain of events that followed is unimportant, but what is relevant is the fixation I began to have on how often, easily, and automatically women say, “I’m sorry.” I’m also interested in how infrequently men say it. I’m convinced there is a secret language behind the female apology: apology as self-protection, apology as de-escalation, apology as habit. I began to wonder: Does a woman who apologizes constantly, actually believe she’s wrong? What does constant apologizing do to a woman? What would happen if a woman who always said, “I’m sorry” stopped saying it?
 
While my research does not demonstrate that women "of a certain age" apologize more often than younger women, I have a theory: women "of a certain age" were taught to apologize quickly, easily, frequently. This behavior has been passed on unconsciously, to the younger generation. As a side agenda, I’m also interested in the progressive invisibility of women of a “certain age” in the theater landscape. Sorry. is an attempt to shift this phenomenon.

STAGE ONE: ASSEMBLING THE INGREDIENTS
In May 2019, SITI Company announced Sorry. had been selected for the SITI Company Alumni Fall Lab Series 2019. By the end of June, a script was assembled for what has since been nicknamed the "Cheetos and Beer" First Reading. While it turns out not many people in Los Angeles still eat Cheetos or drink beer, as listeners, they were unmatched.

STAGE TWO: CASTING
I may still be a New Yorker at heart, but I live in Los Angeles, which made casting a daunting prospect. With the assistance of SITI Company members and administrators Lani, Trevor, and Jonathan, and recommendations from NYC friends, most of the cast was assembled, with the exception of Neutral Man and two of the main female characters, by the time I arrived in NYC. Turns out, not a lot of women in their 50's want to fall out of cafe chairs. Through the recommendation of another dancer friend, I found one women amenable to falling down. While I was perusing her work website, I suddenly realized I was looking at a photo of an old friend from A Chorus Line, Ron Navarre. I emailed him and asked about the woman, since they worked together. He said he did recommend her. "She's wonderful. She'll be great to work with. Oh, and Madeline's my wife." Casting was complete! Individually and collectively, the cast of Sorry. was beyond my wildest dreams - Kismet.

STAGE THREE: THE REHEARSALS
We rehearsed for six weeks, from the end of August until early October, exploring, staging, and discussing how women’s roles have changed and not changed. The Furies were well under the age of 30 and The Women were over 50, so there was a lot to talk about. The cast’s willingness to delve into dark subject matter, discussing topics most people won’t touch with a ten-foot pole, was moving, and terrifying to helm. I will never forget the faces of the women in the cast, the night we rehearsed the Men's Pants Dance. The universality of moments like that give me courage and impetus for the next incarnation of Sorry. .

But I must admit, the title does present punctuation problems on grant applications. . .

THE STAGED READING: OCTOBER 6TH & 7th 2019  - SITI Company Studios

SITI LAB STAGED READING : OCTOBER 5th & 6th, 2019

CAST
THE WOMEN:
Francine: Madeline Jaye*
Lillian: Monica Barion
Persephone: Hannah Myers

THE FURIES:
Grace Bernardo
Kat Christensen
Jill Hoiles
Amy Liou
Laura McCullagh
Aran Montare Savory

THE WAITER:
Chris Truini

NEUTRAL MAN:
Ron Navarre *

*AEA members
Original Music by David Anderson & Bill Fulton
Art work by David John Attyah
Sound Design by Jill Hoiles
Makeup Design by Laura McCullagh
Photography by Al Foote
Videography by Derrick James Tempro


SPECIAL THANKS to SITI Company for this gorgeous opportunity. 
Thank you for training others and encouraging them to discover their own aesthetic.