TALKBACK <The Waitress & The Robber: A Collaboration in Two Languages>
Presented by Concrete Temple Theatre in partnership with Playfactory Mabangzen, Yellowbomb and the Korean Cultural Center New York
Monday, April 5, 2021
KCCNY YouTube Channel
The Waitress & The Robber, a theatrical work in development, is a collaboration between NYC based Concrete Temple Theatre and Seoul based Playfactory Mabangzen as well as the Seoul based production company, Yellowbomb Seoul in a unique cross-cultural collaboration.
This special conversation moderated by Hyo Han, Director of Performing Arts at the KCCNY, leads the Seoul & NYC creators, performers, and producers in a lively discussion of process and artistic translation and collaboration during the pandemic.
PANELIST
* Moderator: Hyo Han, Korean Cultural Center New York
Concrete Temple Theatre
Renee Philippi, Artistic Director, Writer & Co-Director
Carlo Adinolfi, Artistic Director, Actor: Second Son/Robber King, and Set Designer
Eric Nightengale, Artistic Associate, Co-Director & Dramaturg
Casey McLain, Production Coordinator, NYC Lighting Designer
Gabriel Grilli, Actor: First Son/Paris
Quentin Madia, Assistant Stage Manager who became Actor: Father/Bunny
Playfactory Mabangzen
Kang-min Ko, Executive Producer
Jeongwan Seo, Associate Director
Juyoun (Cassie) Park, Actor: Waitress
Kwanhee Yu, Company Manger
Yellowbomb
Chan Lee, Executive Producer/International Project Producer, Play Factory Mabangzen
Jean Uh,Producer and Videography Communication Executive
Hye Young Chyun, Actor: Min (+ Concrete Temple, Artistic Associate)
Jeongyun Lee, Director’s Communication Executive
▲ The Waitress & The Robber
The Waitress, fed up with watching her older customers be mistreated by their children, kidnaps these seniors so she can care for them. Meanwhile, the Second Son, accused by his brother of being a thief, becomes a robber who “liberates” people from their cellular devices.
Set in a dystopian society, this comic-book-style mash-up was inspired by Friedrich Schiller’s play The Robbers and the Korean novel The Story of Hong Gildong, both Robin Hood-style stories of individuals betrayed by their families. With nods to Weill and Brecht, the characters sing and dance as they fight for what they believe, challenging the time-worn concepts of family and perceptions of ownership and justice.
The Waitress & The Robber digs into technological isolation and aging with lighthearted humor, ultimately giving voice to people usually erased from society.
▲ Concrete Temple Theatre
Concrete Temple Theatre is a multi-disciplinary, internationally acclaimed company, committed to the creation of compelling new theatrical works, incorporating drama, dance, puppetry, music and the visual arts.
▲ Playfactory Mabangzen
Playfactory Mabangzen, founded by playwright/director Koh Sun-Woong, explores magical realism and the strange realities and characters of the world.