Spotlight On:

Karel Čapek: The UTA’s Newest Star Playwright (sorry, Shakespeare)

In less than three weeks, The Underground Theatre Alliance plans to do something their friends didn’t think they were capable of doing: perform a show NOT written by William Shakespeare.

Rossum’s Universal Robots, or R.U.R. (affectionately pronounced “rrrr” internally), is a science fiction play written by Czech playwright Karel Čapek in 1920. Tragically timely, this piece tells the story of a group of scientists who risk ending humanity with their robot workforce. This play is probably best remembered for coining the word “robot,” but it is far more than just a sci-fi fun fact. Campy yet poignant, this play has developed quite a cult-following for its relevance and cast of zany characters.

But don’t just take it from me! Hear what theatre critic and social media influencer Joe Weinberg had to say about Čapek’s classic— and our upcoming reimagining

@overthinkingtheatre

🤖 #theatre #nyc #hiddengems #arts #history

Within two days of Joe’s video, Čapekheads flocked, and we sold out all planned showtimes. No hate to our guy Billy Shakes, but I don’t think even one single All’s Well That Ends Well superfan exists.

So three cheers for Karel, who famously once said, “Only years of practice will teach you the mysteries and bold certainty of a real gardener”— damn, Karel, we didn’t know you rolled like that.

We hope that with time, The UTA will be as bold and mysterious as you.

Party with Us:

Alliance Events in April!

Word on the Street:

Interview with Audrey Owen, Actor and Alliance Member

How did you find out about The Underground Theatre Alliance, and what has made you want to return for your THIRD production?

TL;DR: Through a friend of a friend.

Now if you want the full story, of course I’ll deliver.  I went to college in Boston, where I met my best friend.  Upon moving to NYC after graduation, I moved in with my boyfriend (now husband) and my best friend moved in with a family friend.  This family friend just so happened to be UTA member Paolo Ragusa’s sister.  I met Paolo a few times and heard whispers of his girlfriend’s Shakespeare company, but it wasn’t until years later that I decided to finally audition.  And to be honest, I’m surprised they even cast me seeing as I submitted late with a COVID era self tape.  The kicker to this all is that I actually spent a very important night with many of the UTA members before ever auditioning for Julius Caesar.  My husband just so happened to be the DJ at Paolo’s sister’s wedding, so I bore witness (and I have video footage to prove it) to the one and only Daniel Walton’s passionate singing and tearing it up on the dancefloor before ever formally meeting them.  The rest is history.

I keep coming back to UTA for quite a few reasons.  First off, they keep casting me, which is thrilling.  Second, they are a group of passionate artists who strive to make the best work that they can.  I’ve seen them evolve so much over just the past three productions, and I cannot wait to see how far they go in the future.  The biggest reason I keep coming back is because I love playing with my friends.  Theater is all about fun, discovery, and being open to silliness/failure/exploration in a world that is quite literally pretend.  I will always love working with The UTA because I simply have fun creating with them.

How would you describe yourself as an artist? What excites you most about theatremaking?

I would describe myself as an actor primarily, but one who wants to try on all the hats so I can level up in my own role. In my BFA we focused a lot on collaboration, and it taught me that understanding and collaborating with all of the players who make up a production helps you do your own job better. This proves true time and time again, whether it be chatting with an AC on set about focus or a lighting designer during tech about their gel preferences. And I absolutely believe that the best directors to work with are the ones who understand the “actor brain” or even are actors themselves. Someday, I’m sure I’ll throw my hat into the ring to direct a thing or two.

I love to work on film sets, and have really gained an appreciation for the complexities of filmmaking, but the theater will always be my home. I grew up in the theater, and it was always my favorite place in the world. From 8-18 I was doing (in school and community theater) approximately 6 shows a year. It never felt like a choice to be an actor or an artist, it was just who I was. I mentioned play earlier, and that is probably the number one reason I love being an actor. But when it comes to theater specifically, it's all about the room. So much of our time is spent in isolation nowadays, and we have truly lost the art of listening and practicing empathy. Now I’m not saying Netflix is the root cause of our problems today, but I do think that if we spent more time together listening to stories and experiencing catharsis we would all be better off. When COVID hit I had a conversation with my therapist about how I was overwhelmed in so many ways and was lost as to why. Sure, things were crazy, but it seemed like something was blocking me from processing anything. Shocker, my therapist enlightened me to the fact that I had gone from living and breathing shared emotional journeys and spaces for my entire life to the most intense isolation I’d ever felt. The theater helps us breathe and move through things in ways we don’t even realize. That is why I choose theatermaking.

Aside from starring in our last three productions, you were also our fight captain for the Julius Caesar choreography created by Nic Coccaro, and played the Bard himself during our Roast of William Shakespeare last August. What is the wackiest talent (or form of artistic expression) you hope to do at a future Alliance show or event?

Honestly, I like to live by a motto that a 6 year old taught me one summer while I was an instructor at a summer camp: “Don’t Yuck My Yum”. Simply put, I’ll try anything once. Everyone involved in our upcoming production of R.U.R. knows just how excited I am to “pop my bald cap cherry” for this show, so that’s a big one off the bucket list! What’s next? You tell me!

In our last production, you played Diana, the goddess-like maiden of All’s Well That Ends Well. In Rossum’s Universal Robots, you play a bald, middle-aged architect. What has been the biggest difference in your approach to these two characters?

Strangely enough, I don’t think Diana and Alquist are all that different.  Sure, I am approaching them differently in terms of physical exploration and vocal quality, and the language is different on the tongue with Shakespeare vs. anything else.  However, both Alquist and Diana are trying to figure out who they are or what they believe.  They both are critical of the situations they find themselves in and often feel isolated from the people around them.  I like to think that they would be allies if placed on the same plane, maybe giving each other “Office” styled Jim looks from across the stage.

Where do you hope to see yourself in one year, creatively and/or personally?

A cruel question to ask, as just a week ago I turned 29.  You’re asking me where I see myself at 30, which feels like it has to be at least 5 years from now.  To be so honest with you, I’m focusing on taking things day by day.  I hope to have found a little more balance, a little more growth, a lot more time either on stage or set, and hey, I wouldn’t mind a little more financial growth due to my acting endeavors.  I, like Alquist and Diana, plan on continuing the long journey of exploring who I am and what mark I want to leave on the world.  I can promise it’ll be a year full of hustling, bustling, digesting art in all forms, and dancing away as many nights as possible surrounded by my friends.

Much Ado About:

Doodles of Robots. Yes, that’s it.

Putting on a production is a lot of work, and the cast and crew of Rossum’s Universal Robots are getting fried brains. So instead of a well-thought-out article, enjoy some robots created by members of the cast, interspersed with some of the incredible reels social media manager Zaina Shariff has been cooking up lately.

What Willy Said: