Original New Works
"In the Throne Room" by Matt Van Winkle.
Theatre Mab Town Hall has a passion for reading, exploring, and workshopping original pieces. We believe that the best theatre looks to the future as it honors the past and, to demonstrate our commitment to advancing theatre in the modern world, half of our mission is to promote thought-provoking, amusing, or just plain compelling new scripts.
Unexpected Adaptations of Classical Texts
"Hamlet MashUp" set to 'Paint It Black' by the Rolling Stones.
We believe in the ongoing immediacy of classical texts -- Shakespeare, Aristophanes, Henry James, William Faulkner, Octavio Paz, Emily Dickinson -- we believe that the words, emotions, and ideas of the past not only remain valid centuries afterwards, but can still inform us about the human condition through tragedy, comedy, and philosophy. However, Theatre Mab Town Hall's commitment to the classics is simultaneously a commitment to the innovation inherent in the human spirit. We believe that timeless ideas can be communicated through a variety of mediums, and that sometimes the world needs to hear the old ideas in a new way. To promote this joining of past and present, TMTH is dedicated to producing imaginative, superior adaptations of classical texts and, furthermore, to creating and workshopping theatrical adaptations of previously unstaged texts.
Collaboration Conversations
"Women of Lockerbie" playwright Deborah Brevoort.
Theatre Mab Town Hall and Theatricum Botanicum are two Los Angeles-based theatre companies largely run by women and interested in promoting women’s issues through theatre. While both Theatricum and Theatre Mab are small theatre companies, the female administrators in charge of each feel that the West Coast theatre scene is a vibrant and creative community that can become more close-knit through the collaboration of female artists of all areas in theatre.
To promote such collaborations, Theatricum and Theatre Mab have begun holding a series of Collaboration Conversations to bring female artists together and offer them the opportunity to share creativity, wisdom, advice, and to discuss the beauties and difficulties of being female in a male-dominated profession. The 2012-2013 set of Collaboration Conversations will specifically focus on bringing together women of different generations, particularly older women who have become established in the theatre community through a lifetime of work, middle-aged women who are currently powerhouses in the theatre scene, and young, up-and-coming students and beginning professionals.
Each Collaboration Conversation is made up of a presenting panel including three to five female professionals, a moderator, and an audience of invited artists and students. In addition to the specially invited audience, the Conversations will be advertised and opened to both male and female theatre artists in undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as those women who are part of the newly formed WiSE-Los Angeles (Women in Stage Entertainment). All of these women will be encouraged to bring friends and open the experience up to the widest demographic available. Each conversation lasts for three hours. The first hour includes the panel discussing previously-set topics, the second hour is for audience members to engage the panel on the conversation’s set topic, and the third hour offers a social and collaboration session wherein the attendees will be encouraged to socialize, exchange contact information, and discuss upcoming projects.
TMTH and Theatricum Botanicum's first Collaboration Conversation was on Sept. 3, 2012 at Theatricum Botanicum. It brought together female playwright Deborah Brevoort and the cast of Theatricum's play The Women of Lockerbie to discuss the play's themes and their creative process as female artists. TMTH Artistic Director Ella Martin acted as the mediator.
To promote such collaborations, Theatricum and Theatre Mab have begun holding a series of Collaboration Conversations to bring female artists together and offer them the opportunity to share creativity, wisdom, advice, and to discuss the beauties and difficulties of being female in a male-dominated profession. The 2012-2013 set of Collaboration Conversations will specifically focus on bringing together women of different generations, particularly older women who have become established in the theatre community through a lifetime of work, middle-aged women who are currently powerhouses in the theatre scene, and young, up-and-coming students and beginning professionals.
Each Collaboration Conversation is made up of a presenting panel including three to five female professionals, a moderator, and an audience of invited artists and students. In addition to the specially invited audience, the Conversations will be advertised and opened to both male and female theatre artists in undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as those women who are part of the newly formed WiSE-Los Angeles (Women in Stage Entertainment). All of these women will be encouraged to bring friends and open the experience up to the widest demographic available. Each conversation lasts for three hours. The first hour includes the panel discussing previously-set topics, the second hour is for audience members to engage the panel on the conversation’s set topic, and the third hour offers a social and collaboration session wherein the attendees will be encouraged to socialize, exchange contact information, and discuss upcoming projects.
TMTH and Theatricum Botanicum's first Collaboration Conversation was on Sept. 3, 2012 at Theatricum Botanicum. It brought together female playwright Deborah Brevoort and the cast of Theatricum's play The Women of Lockerbie to discuss the play's themes and their creative process as female artists. TMTH Artistic Director Ella Martin acted as the mediator.
Company Workshops & Reading Series
"Friend Circle" movement workshop.
We believe that life is learning, and that part of an artist's responsibility is to continue to develop his or her craft. To enable our company to continue their learning process, TMTH comes together at least once every month for one of two learning experiences: 1) to explore an original or classical script and discuss it dramaturgically; or 2) to engage in an artistic workshop led either by a company member or an outside artist. Such workshops include introductory work in improvisation, stage combat, movement, musical theatre, and more.