Rogue Machine Artistic Director John Flynn once said to me: “Good Los Angeles theatre can take the place of church.” He didn’t mean we are all Godless heathens. He meant that, in a city without a unifying tradition, we can create a place people will come to over and over again to experience a community.
One the greatest things about Rogue Machine is that it’s a collaborative place where we are encouraged to creatively utilize the space. In addition to plays, we produce acoustic concerts, readings, 24 hour play festivals, comedy shows, etc. A night that has no event is a night wasted. And if that night brings in new faces, money and costs virtually nothing…that’s a no-brainer.
About a year ago, I was approached by fellow company member Roxanne Hart. Her idea was to create a writer/performer series. Knowing I was a writer (Roxanne performed in my play Razorback) and that I had produced a lot of content at the theatre, she asked if I’d like to collaborate. We came up with a very rough format (eight writers, a prompt and a time limit), dubbed it Rant and Rave, recruited our host (company member Ron Bottitta whose wit and edgy humor consistently pull the whole night together on stage), made an email flyer, gave our writers some general feedback and just let that first show sort of take its own shape.
Rant and Rave Chapter 1: MONEY was a great success. We had a big house that night, everyone immediately sensed we were tapping into something special. We began hosting an R&R every month, each time with a new prompt. And as the buzz spread, so has the audience. They know they are going to see something unique… something that exists for one night only. Because it’s Rogue Machine, they know it’s going to be edgy and honest.
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED
- One of the smartest things we did was let the show evolve. We listened to the audience and the writers and let our experiences inform the shape of the show. In fact, it’s still evolving.
- It’s all about connection. We tell our writers this isn’t a “reading” of prose. It’s a performance and, no matter what style they write in, take time to connect with the audience. This is a crucial element to creating that community.
- Write from the heart and the guts. We create a safe environment for our writers and they don’t hold back. The audience appreciates the confessional, intimate and personal nature of the pieces.
- Flow is key. One of the elements Roxanne and I mull over the most is the order of the pieces. It’s definitely an art and a science and, again, we go with our guts here. The pieces all link together and create an ensemble performance.
- Choose writers wisely. Sometimes it feels like Rant and Rave is like a ’70s era game show where we have our favorites who keep coming back. The more we do this, the more we get to know our writers and pull them into shows where their specific voice really adds to the night.
- The Audience! This is the most important element to the success of our show. The Rant and Rave audience, which has grown each month, is an integral part of each show. They are smart, funny, energetic and they lift the writers up and inspire them to give the best performances possible.
Monday, March 15 at 8 pm will be Rant and Rave Chapter 9: SECRETS. We are close to being filled with pre-sales. In addition to our incredibly talented company members (Henry Murray, who wrote last season’s critically acclaimed Treefall) we have pulled in an eclectic mix of writer/performers from all over the city.
This is a remarkable event to attend and be a part of. I invite writers and performers from Los Angeles to check out one of our shows and if you feel inspired, email Roxanne and me at rantandrave@roguemachinetheatre.com to see if you can participate. Join the Rant and Rave theatre community.
