Apollo written and directed by Nancy Keystone was created in collaboration with Critical Mass Performance Group.

Photo/Nancy Keystone

Susan Tsu
USITT-USA PQ Curator

The curatorial team for the USITT Prague Quadrennial USA 2011 is putting together an exciting new exhibit called From the Edge to be unveiled in Prague June 16 to 26, 2011. Exhibit opportunities are offered to galleries and museums for a tour between August 2011 and December 2012 with proposed stops in New York City, Chicago, San Antonio or Austin, and Los Angeles. The exhibit can be the core around which a constellation of events may be planned for each location including working with local university theatre and art departments, curatorial walks, and attendant workshops. The Curators are poised to show the world a uniquely American view of theatre that is not typically exhibited.

Funded by the Institute, From the Edge is self-critical and political in nature. It will contain such work as Waiting for Godot staged by Paul Chan in the ruins of the city of New Orleans, works from Ping Chong’s Undesirable Elements series, the direction and design of Nancy Keystone, notably in her production of Apollo, Phamaly Theatre’s production of Side Show performed entirely by a talented disabled cast, and Bond Street Theatre working in concert with Exile Theatre of Afghanistan. Videotaped interviews with theatre artists will accompany costumes, models, props, photographs, and paintings to help contextualize the work.

Although limited at PQ11 to a defined space, the exhibit will be designed to be assembled in different ways and allow each gallery and museum to format the exhibition to its own needs. However, the design, created by veteran scenic designer Bill Bloodgood, will be so compelling that curators will want to install the exhibition as originally conceived. It is not too early to contact Tour Director Ken Martin at kmartin(at)coastal.edu or kjgc.design(at)gmail.com.

The Prague Quadrennial has occurred every four years in the Czech Republic since the Cold War and brings together theatre artists from as many as 60 countries on five continents. Each country presents a curated exhibition of their top theatre artists and students. The PQ has been likened to the Venice Biennale and is considered the “Olympics of Design.” The USITT PQ USA ’11 website offers information about the United States’ exhibit. Richard Finklestein has two related photo websites, one specifically for PQ ’07 and some on his public gallery.

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