Dear Friends.
In March 2006, I decided to leave my theatre family: The Pig Iron Theatre Company. I felt I had to take a leap to be able to evolve on my own and I had to leave my nest to find new adventures for myself. Pig Iron was the reason why I came to Philadelphia in January 1998, so what was left for me outside of Pig Iron? Well, this is what I realized: I had actually been building my life in Philadelphia, professionally and personally. There are so many opportunities for me to make great discoveries, to try different things and to invent something new for myself.
As a great start towards my independence, Madame Douce-Amere was selected by 1812 Productions for their cabaret series and was produced at the Walnut Street Theatre in October 2006. James Sugg joined me for this run, as Claude Ferrie (the wonderful original violinist) and Celine Rames (the co-creator/ director) were unable to come due to denied working visas. James composed all the new music in less than 10 days and we revisited the show together, under David Brick’s direction to adapt it to this new “husband”, an accordionist. The show had a great success. The City paper says: “ Douce-Amere is romantic and sad-but also funny, surprising and a superb vehicle for the immensely talented Emmanuelle DR”
I was then invited by Andrew Simonet to be part of the first class of Artist U, U for university! As a collective of independent artists, we met monthly over nine months with different topics and speakers at each meeting. How do you become a company? How do you raise money? Write a grant? How do you make great choices as an artist both for your art and your structure? We also met individually with a coach every two weeks to organize our lives as artists. This work changed my perception of things and gave me many tools to grow both as an artist and with hopes for an infrastructure to support my creative work. This is where I started to dream about Oedipus at FDR. To dare to think that such an ambitious project could be done.
While this went on, I was teaching clown at University of the Arts, as well as a Lecoq techniques class at Temple University for undergraduates. I really enjoy teaching and am very interested in transmitting the Lecoq techniques to students who have a more
classical/psychological approach to theatre. I have been learning so much about this method and about directing in general.
And underneath all this, hiding for a while but then became quite obvious, a little being was growing… Hugo Paul Delpech-Ramey was born August 19th 2007 after 9 months and a half of gestation! Since this event, life slowed down a little and then just carried on like before, with a new amazing addition to the family! Hugo did his “1st step” on stage at the Spark festival when I performed in Catherine Rush’s 10minute play: Backyard Conspiracy with the Luna theatre Company last July.
As 2008 began, I was working at Temple University, teaching a Jacques Lecoq Techniques class to undergraduate and graduate students. My teaching career continues as founding faculty of a new program, the Headlong Performance Institute a semester-away program in partnership with Bryn Mawr College.
I directed Oedipus at FDR in collaboration with James Sugg, Suli Holum, Josh Nims, Mark O’Maley and an amazing cast of actors: Pearce Bunting as Oedipus, Dito Van Reigersberg, Hinako Arao, Brian Osborne, Mikaal Sulaiman, James L. James and a crew of skilled skaters from Philadelphia including Josh Nims and Dave Hunt. It was an ambitious project that re-imagined Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus in an urban amphitheatre. Oedipus at FDR revived the ancient Greek tradition of staging theater outdoors; against a backdrop of shipyards and graffiti at the FDR skate park. A chorus of skateboarders shaped the story of this blind king in exile. It began with a bus trip from the box office to the park, led to an opportunity to meet a fortune-teller, and ended in a shy dance party under I 95!
For photos and reviews, naviguate the website and you should find everyhting!
I am getting really excited about my new project, I will be performing in it, which I am really looking forward to!
For now if you want more info email me.
Happy 2009!
Much love,
Emmanuelle.