11 Oct
Theatre ARG?: 1001
That got your attention. Playwright and screenwriter Jason Grote’s new play, 1001, is set to premiere in New York on October 22nd. Jason has done what not many playwrights have done (that I know of — tell me if not!) and created a fictional newspaper for the play, with links to a diegetic blog and a wiki. Although it isn’t an ARG, it certainly plays with the idea of creating a fictional universe as a precurser to the live experience.
Check it out: http://1001nyc.com/
this is very exciting. love to see theatre art reaching into different platforms. there is an interactive show in new york…(and i believe they will soon open here in los angeles) called “accomplice” - i read about it a few months ago. definitely ARG theatre. if you haven’t already read and or heard - check it out.
October 12th, 2007 at 1:19 amhttp://www.zerve.com/accomplice/any
Well, hello!
Thanks for this. I have actually set out to create an entire online parallel world, though it’s not finished yet - other writing projects and my teaching work have gotten in the way. The play itself is not really interactive, but it is about discourse, in a big way, and after earlier productions, I noticed how people wanted to keep talking about the issues in the play - I would get a lot of email to this effect. So I wanted to create a portal on the web for the world of the play to continue after it ended each night, and to allow people outside of NYC to participate.
The play is also about the hazy boundary between reality and fantasy, so in addition to the fake newspaper, I’m writing a LiveJournal from the POV of a major character, and there will be emails posted from another character. There’s also a Wiki and a message board. I would love to see audience members participate in creating content and fostering a larger community, using both my writing and the writing I reference (the Arabian Nights, Flaubert, Borges) as jumping-off points.
The site is in progress, but I’m hoping to have my part of it done in time for the show’s October 22nd opening. I invite anyone who wants to to come mess around!
October 12th, 2007 at 2:18 pmHello Jason!
Congrats on exploring this multi-platform expansion of your play. It is quite exciting. I like that you’ve created an environment that not only sets the stage (excuse the pun) for your play but also provides an avenue for audiences to continue the experience and discussion afterwards; and that you’re enabling those outside of NY, outside of the event, to participate. I’m interested, how will let people know who attend the play that there the experience continues on the web?
October 12th, 2007 at 3:13 pmAnd thanks Jan! I didn’t know about Accomplice, nice.
October 12th, 2007 at 3:14 pm