----/ The Squid List /-------------------------------------------------- "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" A new, original play by Gary Aylesworth
Thursdays through Sundays, Aug 3-27, 2006 Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 PM; Sundays at 7 PM General Admission; Thurs: pay-what-you-can; Fri & Sat: $20; Sun: $15 ----/ Event Description /----------------------------------------------- See That My Grave is Kept Clean by Gary Aylesworth is a timely and relevant work that brings to life two historical figures that shaped the modern world. Edward Bernays and Harry Smith exerted tremendous influence in the economic and cultural spheres in the 20th century. See That My Grave is Kept Clean examines the biographies of two men who lived diametrically opposed lives. The juxtaposition of these two forces in culture, politics, and economics gives a view into the hidden battle for the soul of America. Edward L. Bernays, the 'Father of Spin' and nephew of Sigmund Freud, pioneered the field of modern Public Relations in the United States. Bernays worked for American Tobacco, Edison's 50th Anniversary of the light bulb, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, the Ballet Russe, and the United Fruit Company. His books on propaganda were found in the library of Joseph Goebbels. His influence spanned more than 65 years of work. Harry Smith was an ethnographer, musicologist, painter, and filmmaker responsible for the highly influential Anthology of American Folk Music. Released in 1952, the Anthology effected the folk revival and cultural shift of the 1950s and 60s. Smith consciously attempted to influence the cultural direction of America by revealing a hidden aspect of its social history. Between these two giants of cultural influence is a fictional character that represents the Everyperson. With a good dose of humor and pith, he struggles for balance between the social and spiritual spheres shaped by Bernays and Smith. The Everyperson is a disc jockey who spins songs from the heartland to reveal something deep and true about our country and its history. Interspersed throughout the play are the songs of Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, Blind Lemon Jefferson, The Heavenly Gospel Singers, The Carter Family, and others from the Anthology of American Folk Music. Fifteen songs from the Anthology have been rearranged to underscore the dramatic intent of the play, and will be performed live by Gary Aylesworth and Peter Newton. With more than twenty years theatrical experience, Gary Aylesworth is a prolific, award-winning playwright and performer whose notable past works include The Orphan King (1990), I Was a Go-Go Dancer for Gurdjieff (1988), and The Doom Folk (1987). Each play engaged weighty subjects with a deft touch that left audiences wanting more! Aylesworth's personal vision of 'total theatre' earned him numerous Dramalogue Awards for writing and performance, as well as San Francisco Magazine's 1988 BEST Local Theater Talent/Production Award, and other critical distinctions. The SF Weekly commended Aylesworth as "one of our most original local playwrightshellip[for his] consistent vision of total theatre - a demanding juggle of musical, mimetic, and dramatic elements all wrapped in high-speed neurotic comedy." Robert Hurwitt of the SF Examiner (1988) declared that Aylesworth's "satire is fast, wide-ranging and pointed." See That My Grave is Kept Clean marks Aylesworth's return to the theater after working as a Waldorf class teacher for the last ten years. This play grew out of his experience with Anthroposophy and Rudolf Steiner's famous sculpture The Representative of Man. In the sculpture, the universal human is poised between the forces of expansion and contraction, Lucifer and Ahriman, two forces that underlie the human being and evolutionary history. Aylesworth juxtaposed the biographies of Edward L. Bernays and Harry Smith to reflect the sculpture's forces and to shed light on the economic, cultural, and political powers that shape our lives today. ----/ Venue Info /------------------------------------------------------ Traveling Jewish Theatre 470 Florida St. (between 17th and Mariposa) San Francisco http://www.atjt.com ----/ Additional Info /------------------------------------------------- [EMAIL PROTECTED] (415) 831-1943 www.constructioncrewtheater.com ----/ The Squid List Admin /--------------------------------------------- The Squid List, a tentacle of Laughing Squid http://laughingsquid.org/squidlist/ subscribe, unsubscribe, change your email address or change your subscription options: http://lists.laughingsquid.org/mailman/listinfo/squidlist/ Frequently Asked Questions & Submission Guidelines Squid List FAQ: http://laughingsquid.org/squidlist/faq.html The Squid List Online Calendar: http://laughingsquid.org/squidlist/calendar/ The Squid List RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/squidlist ----/ Laughing Squid /-------------------------------------------------- Laughing Squid http://laughingsquid.com art, culture and technology from San Francisco and beyond Laughing Squid Web Hosting http://laughingsquid.net friendly, dependable and secure web hosting services for artists, individuals, bloggers, non-profits and small organizations The Squid List is licensed under a Creative Commons License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/