58 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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RIPT’s ‘Hamlet’ Opens at Secret Theatre
Program at Bayside park welcomes two new artists-in-residence
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
Two artists in residence have been
named for the third annual Arts and
Humanities Residency Program in
Bayside.
Dylan Gauthier and Julia Oldham were
selected by staff from the New York City
Parks Department and the USDA Forest
Service for the residency program, which
got its start in June 2016 at Fort Totten
Park’s Urban Field Station.
“We sent out a call for applications to a
list of ecological artists. Applicants were
assessed on artistic impact, fi t with Urban
Field Station, and proposal creativity,”
said Meghan Lalor a spokeswoman for
NYC Parks. “Th e jury included NYC
Parks, USDA Forest Service staff , former
artists-in-residence, and a representative
from the Queens Museum.”
Th is year’s call for artists focused on
individuals whose work focuses on environmental
stewardship, which the Urban
Field Station defi nes as “relations of care
between people and nature that can take
diverse forms including conservation,
management, monitoring and science,
education, advocacy, and transformation
of the local environment.”
For his UFS Residency project,
Brooklyn-based artist Gauthier proposed
to explore NYC Parks’ 51 Forever Wild
Sites and launch a multimedia publication
series inspired by fi eld guides. In his
research, he discovered the 51 Forever
Wild Sites, a group of protected forests,
wetlands and meadows which span over
8,700 acres across the fi ve boroughs.
“As many of these ‘forever wild’ sites
were once something else — industrial
sites, toxic sites, landfi lls, agricultural
land — all of which show the human
hand, and all such land in New York City
is at risk due to climate change, how can
we understand these sites in a way that
shows all of these layers of understanding?”
wondered Gautier.
His work was born out of a collaboration
with two other artists who wanted
to examine changing areas through
the scope of fi eld guides. Th e artist said
that fi eld guides are a “tried and true”
way of identifying nature but wanted to
approach the project from a more artistic
standpoint by using composed and
recorded sound from each of the 51 sites.
Gauthier will also include printed handbooks,
360-degree videos, web-text, maps,
interactive events and installation-based
forms in the upcoming project.
Oldham, an Oregon-based artist, proposed
a more “city-centric” approach to
her project entitled ‘Undiscovered City’ in
which she will interview “volunteers and
stewards of NYC green spaces” in order to
fi nd out what their ideas are for a “future
city that incorporates nature in novel ways.”
“Th ese dreams don’t have to be realistic
and possible,” Oldham said. “I’m interested
in fantastical scenarios and science
fi ctional advances. Using these dreams,
I’m going to create conceptual plans for a
futuristic New York City that will take the
form of 360-degree landscapes.”
Oldham chose 360-degree landscape as
Photo by Mary Mattingly
her medium to make the images available
to anyone with an internet connection.
She said that she plans to take 360-degree
photos of the city as it is in the present
and overlay those images with drawings
to create an “undiscovered city.”
Both artists will be conducting research,
interviews and working on their projects
during this yearlong residency. Th e venue
where the works will be displayed will be
decided at a later date. Works from past
and present UFS artists in residence are
currently on display at an art show at the
Arsenal Gallery from now to Nov. 23.
“Swale” by 2016 UFS artist-in-residence Mary Mattingly.
Despite the passage of centuries, the
works of William Shakespeare remain
incredibly popular and remarkably relevant.
His masterpieces are performed
on countless world stages. A new and
extremely intense incarnation of his
“Hamlet” has opened at the Secret
Th eatre. It is boldly off ered by the brandnew
RIPT Th eatre Company.
Four talented actors portray more than
a dozen characters. Surprisingly, there are
no real costume changes, almost no scenery
and no props. Th ree of the four performers
wear the same basic white costumes.
Hamlet’s is strikingly darker. Th ey
subtly adjust their capes and hoods to signal
a new character’s transition. Climactic
fi ght scenes are powerfully performed
with body gestures, grunts and moans but
no weapons!
RIPT Th eatre Company’s artistic director
Nathan Winkelstein has written a
unique version of Shakespeare’s tragedy.
What triggered his theatrical vision?
It was “the family drama at the core
of Hamlet that drew me onward —
the guilt, grief, love, rage and jealousy
that drove two parallel families to their
demise.” Clearly, Winkelstein who also
plays the title role, has challenged the
audience. We must strain our own understanding
of this classic tragedy as we confront
our own emotions. Well done!
Performed without intermission it
helps to brush up on your Shakespeare
before attending the play. Th e countless
famous phrases become welcomed
benchmarks as we witness the chilling
events and characterizations. All boundaries
are erased as the actions shift
from one unforgettable event to another.
Th e actors play opposing roles in a
matter of moments. Chauncy Th omas
is both ruthless Claudius and doddering
Polonius. Ade Otukoya is loyal Horatio
and Hamlet’s nemesis Laertes. Lindsay
Alexandra Carter is corrupt Queen
Gertrude and lovely Ophelia who is ultimately
driven to madness.
On opening night, the riveting performances
are followed by a champagne celebration.
Th e troupe, led by Winkelstein
leads the toast. Th ere are high hopes for
future presentations driven by a supportive
and growing fan base. Also acknowledged
are the members of the tireless creative
team including fi ght director Cat
Yudain, stage manager Jessica Fornear,
set designer Melissa Anderson, costume
designer Sarah Marie Dixey, lighting
designer Paul T. Kennedy and sound
designer Alan Waters.
For detailed information on this and
future productions, contact the Secret
Th eatre at 718-392-0722, surf to www.
secrettheatre.com or “like” them on
Facebook. As always, save me a seat on
the aisle.
A VIEW FROM
THE CLIFF
BY CLIFF KASDEN
link
/www.secrettheatre.com
/www.secrettheatre.com
link
/www.secrettheatre.com
/www.secrettheatre.com
