Jack Babb

The International Theatre is proud to announce the 2010-2011 Season.

The Woman in Black
A Ghost Play
By Stephan Mallatratt
Adapted from the novel by Susan Hill
September 9 through November 6
THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS and SATURDAYS
Curtain  7:30 p.m.
Eel Marsh House stands tall, gaunt and isolated. Alice Drablow lived - and died – alone in this haunting mansion. Young Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is ordered to attend her funeral and then sort out all her papers. He glimpses a young woman with a wasted face, dressed all in black. Who is she? Why is she there? He asks questions, but the locals cannot or will not give him answers - they refuse to talk about the woman in black, or even to acknowledge her existence. Slowly she reveals her identity to him -- and her terrible purpose. Celebrating twenty-one years in London’s West End, “The Woman in Black” has become one of the most exciting, gripping and successful theatre events ever performed. Over seven million people have been transported into a terrifying world in an unremitting drama that has them literally jumping out of their seats.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
by Jess Borgeson, Adam Long, and Daniel Singer
September 14 through November 3
TUESDAYS and WEDNESDAYS
Curtain  7:30 p.m.
This production was so popular three years ago, that we have decided to bring it back for an encore. Three actors will perform the complete canon of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in less than 2 hours. Come and join us for a hilarious evening including “Titus Andronicus” staged as a cooking show and “Hamlet” performed backwards.
“This play is a piece of trash”- Bill Shakespeare
“I have often wanted to throw up in this theater, but I have never been thrown up on”- An audience member in 2007

A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted for the stage by Kieran Brown
November 15 through December 31
Mondays through Saturdays
Curtain  7:30 p.m.
Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge falls asleep in his dingy quarters on Christmas Eve and is visited by three ghosts -- each revealing to him the mistakes of his life and what will happen if he continues on his heartless path. This timeless story never fails to remind us of the power of redemption and -- like the glee that overtakes Scrooge in the play's final joyous moments -- overwhelms us with warm sentiments of the holiday season. Join us for our 27th production of this popular holiday classic.
  
1984
by George Orwell
Adapted for the stage by Jack Babb
January 18 through April 14
Tuesdays through Saturdays
Curtain  7:30 p.m.
"Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present controls the past."
Winston Smith rewrites history for the Ministry of Truth, but when he's handed a note that says simply 'I love you' by a woman he hardly knows, he decides to risk everything in a search for the real truth. “1984” is a world where opinions cannot be expressed freely, where a war without end is always fought and Big Brother is always watching: a world where Ignorance is Strength, Freedom is Slavery, and War is Peace. George Orwell wrote this cautionary tale more than half a century ago with one moral in mind, "Don't let it happen. It depends on you." 

Brian D. Barnes One Man Theatre
What the Dickens...?!
April 21- One Performance Only
Curtain  3 p.m.
Brian D. Barnes is one of a very few actors who devote their creative ability exclusively to solo performing. He has toured his ONE MAN THEATRE to over 87 countries. In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honor’s List he was awarded an M.B.E. for his services to Drama. The works of Charles Dickens have figured prominently in Brian’s one man theatre repertoire. On Jan 1, 2011 Brian celebrated his 80th birthday and to mark this important year, he has arranged a special program entitled “What the Dickens...?!” It is a collage of some of his favorite scenes from previous productions, including a brief exchange between Fagin and Oliver Twist and the scene where Mr. Pickwick engages Sam Weller as his man-servant. A jolly moment from “A Christmas Carol” is balanced by the somber atmosphere of the death of Jo from “Bleak House”. Two passages from “Sketches by Boz” are followed by the hilarious episode with the actor-manager Mr. Crummles from “Nicholas Nickleby”.

Greater Tuna
by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
May 4 through June 25
Tuesdays through Saturdays
Curtain  7:30 p.m.
Welcome to Tuna, Texas—where the population is small, but the personalities are big!
The eclectic band of citizens that make up the third smallest town in Texas are all portrayed by Jeff Sturgeon and Jack Babb -- men, women, children and animals. Few shows have sustained the longevity and popularity that “Greater Tuna” has enjoyed over the years. Beginning as a simple party skit based on a political cartoon, “Greater Tuna” became the most produced play in the United States. Two actors, twenty characters and a barrel of laughs, ya'll. 

The International Theater is dedicated to producing quality English language theatre in Vienna, serving as an educational resource for teachers of English and literature in Austria, and providing a creative outlet for local artists. 

Tickets go on sale September 1, 2010 and may be ordered by calling 317-6186
Address:  Porzellangasse 8   1090  Wien
Box Office Hours
Monday-Saturday  10:00-19:30
www.internationaltheatre.at

International Theatre
Project Outline
“Re-invigorating the Past” 

Mission Statement
The aims and goals of the International Theater are to provide quality English language theatre in Vienna, serve as an educational resource for teachers of English and literature in Austria, and provide a creative outlet for local artists.  
1.  Providing quality English language theatre.
The International Theatre is committed to providing quality English language theatre by performing a mixture of classic texts from the world repertoire and contemporary texts that celebrate the talent of artists that write in the English language. We hire qualified native speaking actors as well as Austrian actors with a perfect command of the English language. Furthermore, we are committed to hiring directors, designers and technicians dedicated to preserving the theatrical tradition of serving the author's artistic vision.  
2.  Serving as an educational resource for teachers of English in Austria
Approximately 70% of the performances at the International Theatre are reserved for presentations of classic texts that are taught in literature classes in Austria or are well known throughout the world. The International Theatre provides free study guides for these productions on our web site to facilitate the teaching of these great plays and novels in the Austrian classroom. We strive to present classic texts in their original context, as well as re-imagining the classical repertory for a contemporary audience. Recent productions and planned future productions include the works of Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, J. B. Priestley, George Orwell, Thornton Wilder, John Osborne, Edward Albee, Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, George Bernard Shaw and William Shakespeare. Over 60,000 students in Austria have viewed our annual production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.   
3.  Providing a creative outlet for local artists.
The International Theatre employs actors, directors, designers and technicians who are residents of Austria, along with occasional guest artists from America or Great Britain. We are dedicated to providing “on the job” education and training for young artists wishing to begin their career in theatre. We also provide an opportunity for students studying Theatrewisseschaft at the University of Vienna to practice their skills in dramaturgy and gain knowledge of theatrical production methods through an internship program where they serve as an assistant to the director of a major production.                     

Project Proposal  
The International Theatre has a long-standing tradition of presenting classic texts from the world repertoire, with an emphasis on plays and novels originally written in the English language. Starting in September 2009, The International Theatre will begin a four-year project titled: “Re-invigorating the Past”. In this series, we will present plays and novels from the past that speak directly to the issues of today. Our goal is not to “re-invent” the past or sensationalize classic texts, but to find the kernel of the author's intent as it applies to our contemporary world. Our aim is not to create new versions of the classics for the sake of being “new”, but rather to create new versions of the classics for the sake of preserving the old, and enhancing their relevance to the world of today. As we return to works of the past, we endeavor to keep a clear eye on the future, particularly in terms of the next generation of artists and audiences.  
We will achieve this goal by several different methods. We will present new adaptations and new translations of classic texts from the world repertoire that emphasizes their relevance to modern society. We will also present new adaptations of classic texts specifically designed to make the English language more accessible for today's younger audiences. And finally, we will continue to perform classic texts in their original settings and contexts in order to emphasize that a universal message need not always be updated and that a faithful re-creation of the original staging concept can be exciting and relevant theatre for contemporary audiences. 

1.  New Adaptations of Classic Texts.
Future planned productions in this project include 1984, Animal Farm, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Zoo Story, Measure for Measure, and The Blue Room.  
1984
A new adaptation by Michael Gene Sullivan from the book by George Orwell.
Academy Award winner Tim Robbin’s acclaimed Actors Gang in Los Angeles originally performed Michael Gene Sullivan’s new adaptation in 2008. Sullivan's adaptation focuses on the many aspects of Orwell's novel that have come to fruition in the world today.
Animal Farm
A new adaptation by Jack Babb from the novel by George Orwell
George Orwell's enduring parable is adapted to put the emphasis on the universal sins of totalitarianism, rather than the history lesson of Stalin's Soviet Union. The implication being that “Animal Farm” can happen anytime and anywhere -- even in our own back yard.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson
Commissioned by the Arizona Theatre Company in 2008, this is a new and shocking version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of depravity, lust, love and horror. The boundaries of Good versus Evil will be more fully explored than in the original novel, with the “good” doctor displaying shades of grey and by having the multiple personalities of Mr. Hyde portrayed by four different members of the cast.
The Zoo Story
A re-working of his own famous play by Edward Albee
In 2008 -- fifty years after he wrote “The Zoo Story” -- Edward Albee updated his original script, delving deeper into the life of Peter by adding a first act, “Home Life”, leading to Peter's fateful meeting with Jerry on a park bench in Central Park.
Measure for Measure
By William Shakespeare
The classic text will not be updated, but the action will be set in Vienna during the Second World War. The script will be cut to emphasize the actions of Angelo, a supposedly ethical political leader who engages a woman in improper sexual relations. Shakespeare's dark comedy is a classic case of moral hypocrisy and authority abuse.
The Blue Room (Reigen)            
Adapted by David Hare from the play by Arthur Schnitzler
Adapted from Arthur Schnitzler's “Reigen”, the ten sexual encounters between five women and five men are all played by one actor and one actress. Freely adapting the original play, acclaimed British playwright David Hare has moved the action from turn of the century Vienna to modern London and infused the sketches with witty and provocative modern nuances.

2.  Classic texts developed especially for younger audiences
Three Men in a Boat
A new adaptation by Jack Babb from the novel by Jerome K. Jerome
Over 100 years after publication, “Three Men in a Boat” is still often considered to be the funniest novel in the English language. The misadventures of a merry, but scandalously lazy band of well-to-do men (with a plucky and rather world-weary fox terrier named Montmorency) on an idyllic cruise along the river Thames is adapted for the stage to appeal especially to younger audiences.
The Canterville Ghost      
By Oscar Wilde adapted for the stage by Jack Babb
Oscar Wilde's famous ghost story is a comedy, a fairy tale and a satire about the English and the Americans. Adapted for the stage especially for young audiences, Jack Babb's adaptation utilizes familiar story telling techniques and audience participation, fully engaging the audience.  
Nevermore- An Evening with Edgar Allen Poe
Adapted by Jack Babb from the life and writings of Edgar Allen Poe
Five of the best loved stories and poems from the master of horror and suspense are presented in faithful adaptations for the stage:  “The Raven”, “The Fall of the House of Usher”, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and “The Cask of Amontillado”.

3.  Classic Texts in their original settings and contexts
Future planned productions in this project include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, An Inspector Calls, The Birthday Party, and Arms and the Man.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
By Edward Albee
Edward Albee’s modern classic of marital warfare plumbs the depths and scales the heights of polite middle-class cruelty with wit and brilliance. This masterpiece of American drama combines the banal, the vulgar and the poetic. It is an altogether harrowing theatrical experience of brilliant depth, humor and pathos.
An Inspector Calls
By J.B. Priestly
A young girl commits suicide and a respectable British family is subject to an inquiry in connection with the death. An inspector calls to interrogate the family. During the course of his questioning, all members of the group become implicated in the girl's death. J.B. Priestley’s classic morality play continues to question our responsibilities to each other.
The Birthday Party
By Harold Pinter
Pinter's classic story of psychological terror has the fascinating capacity to be menacing, ominous and evocative of some dark and threatening doom. “The Birthday Party” is a masterpiece of the British theatre.
Arms and the Man
By George Bernard Shaw
Defined by Shaw as an “anti-romance”, his classic play is a satire on the foolishness of glorifying war, as well as a satire on the foolishness of basing your affections on idealistic notions of love.

Conclusion
The aim of this project is to reach out to modern audiences (particularly young audiences) and show that the future of theatre has strong and venerable traditions from the past. Traditions that can speak directly to the world we live in today and even help point us toward the future, both as artists and as humans.

A FEMINIST FABLE FOR THE POST-MODERN WORLD

A Review of "The Robber Bride" (Margaret Atwood- Doubleday-1993)

By Jack Babb

Do you believe in magic? Not the Harry Potter, spell casting kind -- but the magic of myth? The magic woven when ancient archetypes found in fairy-tales are transposed to a modern setting, provoking your most basic emotions? If so, then "The Robber Bride" should be on the top of your reading list. But make no mistake: Margaret Atwood's novel is not a realistic narrative. It is a fairy-tale, and a cautionary one at that.

The original Brother's Grimm fairy tales were not the Disney inspired versions that we are accustomed to today. They were often ghastly forages into unknown regions (often symbolized by the dark woods) where horrible deaths could happen to the unwary. Atwood's novel is based upon "The Robber Bridegroom", a fairy-tale by the Brothers Grimm in which unsuspecting brides-to-be are lured into an evil den by a man posing to be their bridegroom. Once there, the hapless young women are chopped to bits and boiled for dinner. Atwood has brilliantly recast the bridegroom as a woman, Zenia. Zenia is the ultimate siren, a modern day Jezebel set loose upon an unwary world. She is an emotional cannibal with no more morals than her male prototype.

The story begins in 1991 with three middle-aged Toronto women meeting for their ritual lunch. Tony is a war historian, Charis is a flower child/new age enthusiast, and Roz is a successful businessperson. At first glance, the three former college friends seem to have nothing in common. However, for the past thirty years all three women have found themselves caught in a web spun by another college acquaintance -- the enchantress/demon Zenia. At various times Zenia has conned her way into their individual lives and robbed the women of their money, love, trust and (of course) their men. Zenia had died in a bomb blast in Beirut five years earlier, but the bond created between the three survivors of her treachery had lasted. Unfortunately, as the three women shortly learn, so had their enemy. Unexpectedly, Zenia walks into the restaurant, returning from the dead. She had faked her own death and is on the prowl again. What follows is a whirlwind tour of the past as each of the three protagonist’s stories are told in turn and a trail of lies, betrayals and shifting realities leads to a rousing climax in Zenia's "den" -- her hotel room.

The main course of the narrative covers three decades as Tony, Charis, and Roz struggle in their individual ways to define themselves through their childhoods, their partners, their work and their children. It is a funny and emotional mini-history of the feminist movement. The three women may have different views on how to live their lives, but they turn out to be more similar than expected. They all have emotional scars from their childhoods and the evil Zenia preys upon those scars in order to gain their trust. Once she has entered their lives, Zenia is unremitting in her determination to destroy them. She is the consummate liar -- changing her story to fit any situation -- until the three women are left with no certainty of which parts of Zenia's ever-changing reality are true. The three women are never given any concrete, realistic reasons for Zenia’s betrayals. Zenia is a modern day, feminine Iago who seems to cause mayhem for the sheer delight in exercising her ability to do so.

The plot itself is part philosophical musing, part soap opera and part detective fiction. As such, it can be unrealistic and predictable at times. Many of the characters are stock and uninspiring. The three men seduced by Zenia, in particular, are not fully realized persons. They exist only to allow the story to be told. But the magic of a fairy-tale is that it does not need to be realistic. It invades our deeper emotions and primal fears. Atwood also writes with such poetry and such a gift for the unexpected metaphor that she can be forgiven for lapses in believability and common sense.

Like all good fables, "The Robber Bride" has a moral. As the feminist movement progresses and women gain more power, they must realize that they share with men both the capacity for villainy and the responsibility for moral choice. In Atwood’s world, the new wolf at the door might very well be your sister.