The Idiot's Paradise |
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David Bridel |
Arrow Schulman |
Harold Nieves Fisch |
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Tiffany Elle |
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Art Direction/Costume Jessika Pilkes Sound Design Taubert Nadalini Foley Artist Ginger Geary Lighting Design Camille Roberts |
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Produced by Tara Touzie |
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DIRECTOR'S NOTE
The Idiot's Paradise came to me when I was teaching a class on Pierrot, the great clown archetype who became synonymous with a brooding, lyrical sort of "fool expressionism" in the 19th and 20th Centuries - especially in France, where the character was almost canonized in Marcel Carne's incredible film Les Enfants du Paradis (1945). In the moment of inspiration, it occurred to me that Prince Myshkin, the famed central character of Dostoveysky's The Idiot - a novel I had been thinking about for decades - exhibited many Pierrot-like tendencies. Remembering Peter Brook's maxim that poetry features "the yoking together of two things that do not belong", The Idiot's Paradise was born. Taking and twisting characters and plot-lines from Dostoyevsky, and soaking the result in the lush melodramatic sensibility of Carne's film along with the Russian music of Dostoyevsky's time, I transposed the new story to a fictionalized 1930's/40's East Coast milieu. And here we are.
A writer, A., is composing a novel that begins with the chance meeting of two beloved stage icons - famed concert pianist Natalia Soroka and populist sensation and mime artist Misha Grey. An instant attraction is diverted by Misha's encounter with epilepsy, while Natalia's decision to throw in her lot with wealthy socialite Belvedere Rogers seems to seal their fate as unrequited lovers. But when a headstrong journalist named Anna - whom we soon learn is the author, A.'s, younger self - becomes involved in Misha and Natalia's lives, a love triangle emerges that will drag each of the characters towards some kind of doom.
Cast
Creative Team
David Bridel
Arrow Schulman
Taubert Nadalini
Jessika Pilkes
Ginger Geary
Tara Touzie
Victoria Rocha
Camille Roberts
Harold Nieves Fisch
Meet the Company
Caitlin Stasey
Hayden Ezzy
Tiffany Elle
Colin Coughlin
David Bridel
Arrow Schulman
Taubert Nadalini
Jessika Pilkes
Ginger Geary
Ginger Geary graduated from Columbia University N.Y. in 2005 earning a B.A.in Film theory. She has
gone on to earn 8 Emmy Nominations for her work in Post Production Sound, winning two for
her work on Steven Kings, “The Shining,” and “Stranger Things.” She lives in Los Angeles
where she still works at Warner Brothers as a Foley Artist.
Tara Touzie
Victoria Rocha
Camille Roberts
Camille Roberts is an LA based lighting designer. She has had the privilege to design for a multitude of productions, including iLuminate at the STRAT Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Countdown NYE, and a variety of dance festivals across southern California (camillerobertsdesign.com). Additionally, she has worked as a lighting technician on many shows, including Comet / Poppea at MOCA, When We Were Young Festival, EDC Las Vegas, and many others. Camille is very excited to be working on this production, and hopes that you enjoy it as much as she does!
Harold Nieves Fisch
Harold Abraham Nieves Fisch is an actor, writer, and director best known for his standout performances in television series such as The Cleaning Lady (FOX), Snowfall (FX), and The Leftovers (HBO), as well as the acclaimed short film Tejano Night. His professional acting career took root in the Austin theater scene. He starred in the original production of Will Arbery's Plano with the Paper Chairs Theater Company. Harold made his directorial debut with Muerte, which premiered at the Austin Film Festival. His latest directorial endeavor, What Washes, won multiple awards at the Austin Arthouse Festival and the Cine Las Americas Festival.
Photos
Belvedere Rogers played by Colin Coughlin
A./Anna Parkin played by Caitlin Stasey
Misha Grey played by Hayden Ezzy
Natalia Soroka played by Tiffany Elle
Multimedia
The Clown School Company would like to thank:
Kate Mason & Felicia Cyr at The Stomping Ground, LA
Dean Evans
David Prottas
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