"If you have yet to experience RIPE Theatre, you are missing one of the most theatrically adventurous companies in the area." Molly Rhodes, SF Weekly
Current Projects
Forum on the Strong Female Character at DIVAFest 2012
12-2PM on Saturday, May 19
EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy St. SF RIPE Theatre's mission is to write, develop and produce daring theatre that arouses a sense of awareness and curiosity about our society. Historically, we have always felt there is a gender inequality in the institution of theater and have made it a point to develop and write plays that contain more interesting and "strong" roles for women. In order to continue and expand that work we would like to get a firmer understanding of what exactly are the characteristics that define a strong female character.
As is usually the case, the Bay Area is the exception to the rule: we are a theater community filled with amazing, talented and prolific female playwrights, directors, producers, actors and designers of all ages and backgrounds. We would like to invite that wonderfully diverse community (including the men) to engage in a discussion about the strong female character, who and what that character is historically, currently, and who and what she needs to be in the future. We feel this discussion will not only benefit RIPE Theatre’s future work, but the work of all who participate in it and the future of theater itself.
Topics of the discussion:
EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy St. SF RIPE Theatre's mission is to write, develop and produce daring theatre that arouses a sense of awareness and curiosity about our society. Historically, we have always felt there is a gender inequality in the institution of theater and have made it a point to develop and write plays that contain more interesting and "strong" roles for women. In order to continue and expand that work we would like to get a firmer understanding of what exactly are the characteristics that define a strong female character.
As is usually the case, the Bay Area is the exception to the rule: we are a theater community filled with amazing, talented and prolific female playwrights, directors, producers, actors and designers of all ages and backgrounds. We would like to invite that wonderfully diverse community (including the men) to engage in a discussion about the strong female character, who and what that character is historically, currently, and who and what she needs to be in the future. We feel this discussion will not only benefit RIPE Theatre’s future work, but the work of all who participate in it and the future of theater itself.
Topics of the discussion:
- What are examples of existing strong female characters in theatre?
- What defines them as strong?
- How is that different or the same as a strong male character?
- What defines a weak female character?
- How is that different or the same as a strong male character?
- What is presently lacking from both traditional and modern theatre as far as female characters are concerned and what do we want/need to see from new playwrights/theater creators?
The Burroughs and Kookie Show:
Late Night in the Interzone.
Written and Performed by Christopher Kuckenbaker
Featuring the writings of William S. Burroughs
Music By Louis Libert
Directed by Sarah McKereghan
Movement by Michelle Talgarow
Winner- Best Local Solo Show of the 2010 San Francisco Fringe Festival
Techie Choice Award, 2010 SF Fringe Festival
Christopher Kuckenbaker, Goldie Award for Theatre, SF Bay Guardian"Secrets weren't William S. Burroughs' stock in trade so much as nasty truths and hallucinogenic hyperbole - which can be hard to stage. Playwright-performer Christopher Kuckenbaker succeeds by letting Burroughs be Burroughs, within the alternative reality of a talk show telecast. Which makes his "The Burroughs and Kookie Show: Late Night in the Interzone" another of the gems of this year's San Francisco Fringe Festival.
Kuckenbaker ably switches between Burroughs and the acerbic, paranoid writer's hapless talk-show guest in his Ripe-Secret Theatre co-production at Exit Studio. Smartly directed by Sarah McKereghan, with deadpan musical support by Louis Libert, "Burroughs" is a blithely mind-altering visit that soars with wry wit on excerpts from its namesake's writings."
-Robert Hurwitt, SF Chronicle
"Kuckenbaker gives a simply amazing performance and he's riveting. It becomes very intimate by the end- you're brought into Burroughs' world, not simply watching it."
-John Marcher, beastinajungle.blogspot.com
Featuring the writings of William S. Burroughs
Music By Louis Libert
Directed by Sarah McKereghan
Movement by Michelle Talgarow
Winner- Best Local Solo Show of the 2010 San Francisco Fringe Festival
Techie Choice Award, 2010 SF Fringe Festival
Christopher Kuckenbaker, Goldie Award for Theatre, SF Bay Guardian"Secrets weren't William S. Burroughs' stock in trade so much as nasty truths and hallucinogenic hyperbole - which can be hard to stage. Playwright-performer Christopher Kuckenbaker succeeds by letting Burroughs be Burroughs, within the alternative reality of a talk show telecast. Which makes his "The Burroughs and Kookie Show: Late Night in the Interzone" another of the gems of this year's San Francisco Fringe Festival.
Kuckenbaker ably switches between Burroughs and the acerbic, paranoid writer's hapless talk-show guest in his Ripe-Secret Theatre co-production at Exit Studio. Smartly directed by Sarah McKereghan, with deadpan musical support by Louis Libert, "Burroughs" is a blithely mind-altering visit that soars with wry wit on excerpts from its namesake's writings."
-Robert Hurwitt, SF Chronicle
"Kuckenbaker gives a simply amazing performance and he's riveting. It becomes very intimate by the end- you're brought into Burroughs' world, not simply watching it."
-John Marcher, beastinajungle.blogspot.com
COMING SOON...
The Cancer Play or The Corpse
...these are not your children's tales.
