Flux Theatre Ensemble

In a way, we asked for it...

After all, when you name your season the Season of Give and Take, something will be taken as sure as given.

And due to rights issues, Flux will not be able to produce Archibald MacLeish's play, J.B. We will truly miss the chance the stage that beautiful play, especially because we had an exciting cast, design team, and staging concept already in motion. But you know us...

In its place, Flux will be staging a play inspired by the loss of J.B. - the world premiere of August Schulenburg's* Jacob's House!

Have you ever seen the trick where a magician pulls a sheet out from under a bunch of glasses without disturbing a single one? Well, I took the themes, style, design elements, staging concept, and cast of our production of J.B., and used them as inspiration to write my own riff on the story of Jacob wrestling the Angel.

And because we just got the bad news, I did it in two days. Now we have two months to get this very brand new play ready for production - can we do it?

You know there's only one way to find out.

Jacob's House
What would you do for more life?
When three siblings argue over a strange provision in their father Jacob's will, allegiances shift as secrets are uncovered. As the full danger of his power is revealed, Jacob's sons and daughters must decide what to do with their enigmatic inheritance. This darkly comic riff on the Biblical story of Jacob explores the legacy of violence and power, and the cost of wrestling with the divine. Director Kelly O'Donnell and playwright August Schulenburg team up again for the first time since their award-winning collaboration on Riding the Bull.

It's the listing time of year, and happily, Flux is featured in a number of Best of 2009 lists:

Just Shows To Go You: Patrick Lee featured The Lesser Seductions of History among his Sixteen Most Outstanding Shows of 2009. I also loved reading his 10 Memorable Moments At The Theatre This Decade.

That Sounds Cool: Aaron Riccio included The Lesser Seductions of History as part of his Theater of 2009 roundup.

Show Showdown: Wendy Caster included The Lesser Seductions of History as part of her Top Ten-ish of 2009.

Visible Soul: Zack Calhoon included The Lesser Seductions of History in his Top Six Plays of the Year.

The Guardian: Chris Wilkinson included this blog as one of his Top Five Theatre Blogs, along with other Flux favorites Scott Walters, Parabasis, Superfluities and On Theatre and Politics. This is especially exciting because The Guardian is a model for how a media institution can have a meaningful online presence.

On Theatre and Politics: Speaking of Matthew Freeman's blog, he was kind enough to include Flux on his Support Small Theater This Year list. And hey, why not support us this year, too?

But the past is the past, you say, what about the future? Well...

Broadway World: Michael Roderick featured Flux as one of his 10 to Watch in 2010!

New York Innvoative Theatre Awards: And why not move through this next year marking the days on the NYITA's 2010 Calendar, which features an October image to remember.

This past year also included great reviews for Pretty Theft, our 1st NYITA award for Asa Wember's Sound Design of The Angel Eaters Trilogy, and our Citation for Excellence from the ITBA. Thank you to everyone who made 2009 such a positive year for all of us in Flux.

And though they don't feature Flux on their lists, be sure to check out Martin Denton's diverse and fascinating list; Time Out New York's great compilation of David Cote, Adam Feldman, and Helen Shaw's lists (it's interesting to see where they overlap); and Terry Teachout's wider angle national best list (2009= The Year of David Cromer?)

Hopefully, we'll be posting our Best Of 2009 lists later in the week, but thank you to all the folks listed above for your support. Here's to a great 2010! Read the full story