Posts

The Word from R4, April – May 2017

/0 Comments/in /by

Looking back…
Stage Time and Juice 22
Three young performers (under 10-yrs old) joined several over-thirties to sound out Chapter 7: “A Mad Tea Party” from the world-famous ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND at Stage Time & Juice March 18.

Looking ahead…
Preparations continue for a reading of CHIMES at MIDNIGHT. CHIMES is based on an Orson Welles screenplay which follows the career of one of Shakespeare’s beloved fools, Sir John Falstaff through his (mis)-adventures in and around the lives of King Henry IV and V. We expect to read the script aloud in time for the Bard’s Birthday in late April.

Several projects are underway as I write:

I’m scheduled to return to the ICRT studio this week to complete post-production of our recording of A Most Dangerous Game, a short story by American writer Richard Connell. The story came out in 1924. It’s theme, man hunting man to the death, has been revisited in plays, movies, books and radio drama throughout the decades since its publication.

Our live reading of Chimes at Midnight was on the 20th of April, in time to celebrate the 453rd anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth (and, as legend has it, his death). Our script was adapted for us from the Orson Welles screenplay of the same name. The scenes are taken from several of Shakespeare’s plays, most notably Henry lV, parts 1 & 2. Throughout the play, we follow the career of Sir John Falstaff and his relationship with Prince Hal, heir to the throne of England.

R4 will represent itself at the up-coming Spectacular Atrophy event with a sound collage made up of materials drawn from George Orwell’s 1984. Several voices will read aloud and music will be incorporated to suit the mood.

Finally, preparations are underway to greet a new group of Stage Time and Juicers for fun with theatre games. We’ll be workshopping a new telling of a few episodes of the story of the Monkey King, drawn from the most recent translation of The Journey to the West.

Ruth Giordano

18 March 2017 STJuice XXII: The March Hare

/0 Comments/in , /by

Saturday, March 18 at 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

中文說明請點擊下方詳閱

STAGE TIME AND JUICE at the Red Room XXII: The March Hare

March Hare: Have some more tea?
Alice: I haven’t had any yet, so I can’t take more.
March Hare: You mean you can’t take less. It is very easy to take more than nothing.

–Alice in Wonderland (1933)

What better way to celebrate March Madness than with your friends at Stage Time and Juice? We invite everyone to come and take the stage for 5 minutes to share something funny or wise with a song, dance, joke, or story!

This time we will have special guest artist Constance Woods dance us down the path of folly!

Ruth Giordano will also return with some of the Juicers large and small to bring us an animated recounting of The Mad Tea Party from Alice in Wonderland!

There will be a signup sheet at the door for those who wish to share. Everyone else is welcome to sit back and enjoy the friendship.

In order to lighten everyone’s load, we will no longer be hosting our community table. However, Drink Me Potion and Tea Party scones will be available for purchase at Bessie, the Red Room Bar.

Suggested age: 5-99

Contribution: NT150 per adult, NT 100 per child (ages 5-18) to cover cleaning costs.

STAGE TIME AND JUICE at the Red Room: 家庭聆聽分享會

為了慶祝瘋狂三月兔，我們準備精彩魔術以及非洲舞蹈，與您一同狂歡。
邀請各位上台表演5分鐘，分享歌曲、舞蹈、笑話及故事。

如想參加者可至入口櫃台登記，也歡迎大家一起來觀看聆聽其他人的表演。

這一次我們特別邀請到藝術家Constance Woods帶領我們走上愚蠢的道路！

Ruth Giordano偕同一些大人、小朋友重返舞台，帶來愛麗絲夢遊仙境中精彩片段-瘋狂茶會。

為使各位能更輕鬆便利參加，我們會在紅房吧檯提供付費式的點心及果汁。

建議年齡：5-99歲

活動日期與時間：3月18日（六） 2:30 pm – 4:30pm

清潔費：大人NT$150 ；小孩 (5-18歲) NT$100

Stage Time and Juice 是紅房(Red room)社群與 Taipei City Playgroup 共同舉辦的活動，主要是為了鼓勵小朋友們能發揮創意及步入探索的道路。 活動主要以英文進行，參加的小朋友們可以有機會聆聽故事、欣賞表演、分享彼此的才華與想法。歡迎一起加入我們的大家庭，倒點果汁，隨意找個位子坐下，和我們的夥伴們一同學習，一同分享這個多元化的平台。 活動當天在櫃台會有報名表，讓勇敢的小朋友們可登記上台朗讀、表演歌舞、魔術、短劇或講故事及笑話等。

活動地點：國防部空軍司令部舊址 圖書館 2 樓
台北市大安區建國南路一段177號 （濟南路與建國南路交叉口）No. 177, Sec. 1, Jianguo S. Rd (Intersection of Jianguo S. Rd. and Jinan Rd.

Hosts: RED ROOM www.redroom.com.tw and The Taipei City Playgroup

Aesop’s Fables and more

/0 Comments/in , /by

Rehearsals are in full swing for Aesop’s Fables, coming to the Red Room January 21st, 2017
brought to you by Stage Time & Juice in collaboration with Red Room Radio Redux

161204 1st Aesops rehearsal from Red Room on Vimeo.

December 2016 ReadAloud

We had a fine turnout for our December ReadAloud: 16 souls who read aloud from Christmas Carol.
MANY THANKS to the elves who decorated! The wreath and the fairly lights added a festive touch. We sat in the circle created by the furniture in the center of the room. The room smelled DELICIOUS!
Read Aloud 121616

THE WORD FROM R4, December 2016

/0 Comments/in /by

JACK

31197813196_27647dcaa4_o

See photos from the Anniversary production of Jack at Stage Time & Juice XX

The idea of a one-day workshop for the purpose of creating a short presentation for the 7th Anniversary celebration came to Juice’s Carol Yao in the course of a discussion about a future and more elaborate R4/Juice collaboration. Jack & the Beanstalk was chosen from a list of familiar (Western) folk tales mainly because of that story’s potential for noise-making (sound effects).

Four teens were recruited: Julian and Nicole Hsu, Jessie Chen and Sosia Chen-Wernik. Carol and Ruth rounded out the cast.
We had less than three hours to learn the show. Radio drama allows for reading the script – no memorization was required. People settled into their assignments easily. Only one person played multiple roles and those characters appeared in separate scenes. The youngest member of the group took responsibility for sound effects and the eldest teen took on most of the narration as well as handling the cue-cards.

A last-minute addition was Ashish Purswaney, who translated the pre-show script, greeted the audience, introduced the craft of Radio Drama and responded to Cue Cards. The show was well received. There was a good turnout and the family audience was receptive to our offering. The sound system was of excellent quality and expertly-managed. All-in-all it was a good experience, if a bit rushed. But sometimes, that’s how we roll.

Earlier in November the ReadAloud met over some poetry by Robert Frost.
Generally, we feel that the monthly ReadAloud could use some more attention. While it was never meant to be a big event, it’s not thriving.

To end on an up-beat: the November calendar also included a visit to the ICRT studios for a recording session of Most Dangerous Game. Pat Woods and Paul Batt met there with Ruth and our favorite recording engineer Liu Ping. Everyone were so familiar with the material that the session went swimmingly and we were satisfied with the work in just a few hours.

xmas-carol-1216

DecemberReadAloud

Charles Dickens wrote his most famous hit single at a time when Christmas traditions and celebrations had fallen out of style.

The novella appeared in December 1843 as: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. It has not been out of print since.

Dickens was quite fond of the holiday and, with his history as a thespian, he thoroughly enjoyed reading it aloud each yuletide to family, friends and neighbors.

It’s become an R4 tradition here in Taiwan to present this classic in one form or another – always closely adhering to the original language. In 2012, a cast of readers assembled at the ICRT studios to record a scripted version, (penned by our own dramaturg, IgnatzRatskywatsky). This recording has been broadcast yearly at holiday time.

Dickens’ own abridged version was our material for the DecemberReadAloud: Sixteen souls gathered in the Red Room at TAF to take turns reading aloud. Incidental music set the mood and simple sound effects enhanced the listening experience.

The room had been festively decorated by Red Room elVes (that’s V for Volunteers, without whom there would be no Red Room) They even made the room smell Christmas-y with cinnamon and citrus and cider.

That’s the Word, and God bless us, everyone!

Ruth Giordano
Red Room Radio Redux

16 December 2016, Round Table ReadAloud

/0 Comments/in , /by

Red Room Radio Redux (R4) invites you to …
Round Table Read – Aloud : December 故事分享之夜 十二月份

 

christmascarol

紅房大聲說
時間: 8 pm – 10 pm
日期: 2016.12.16
地點: 紅房國際村 (空總創新基地)
入場費: 費用：隨喜*

ReadAloud
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Date: December 16. 2016
Venue: Red Room International Village, TAF
Your Patronage: Pay-by-Value*

*PAY-by-VALUE
*費用：隨喜。

來賓可從活動中所感受到的無形價值及個人方便隨喜給予主辦單位鼓勵金。
The “Pay-by-Value” system allows attendees the option to award money based on the value they received and their financial ability.
In a nutshell, you pay according to what you feel you have received.

FB page

All languages and all levels of experience are welcome.
任何語言、主題都非常歡迎。
No microphones, no special effects. No competition. Guaranteed moral support.
我們不用麥克風、不做特效、不彼此競爭! 只有彼此支持鼓勵!
“There is a certain satisfaction in voicing written words. We lift them off the page and let them out into the air. At the Red Room village we have created a space-within-the-space and we meet there to listen and to be heard.” -Ruth, Director R4

文字有了聲音，從紙張活躍到空氣中，真的太有趣了。我們在紅房國際村裡創造了一個小空間，在這裡大家彼此相聚，一起聆聽、一起開口說。
-Ruth, 紅房新廣播劇團團長

Learn more –詳情請見:
Redroomtaipei.com > Events > Red Room Radio Redux
Or search Facebook for R4=radioredux
或搜尋FB粉絲專頁:

Collaborating for the Kids: STJ and R4, November 2016

/0 Comments/in /by


aesopfablesround_bevel

We would like to announce an exciting collaboration between two sibling groups: Stage Time and Juice @ the Red Room, and Red Room Radio Redux (R4)! Ruth Giordano, the director of R4, has been involved in all aspects of theater practically since she began walking. As she frankly states: she has more than 50 years of experience to share.

In the next two upcoming Stage Time and Juice events you will be able to enjoy the fruits of that collaboration, beginning with a presentation of “Jack and the Beanstalk” during our anniversary show beginning at 2:30 on Saturday, November 19. Ruth will teach several teens how to use their voice and how to hand-create sound effects to retell this fairy tale classic in a fresh and appealing manner.

January 21 brings us Aesop’s Fables, based on a script Ruth penned in 2008 for a children’s theater company in Massachusetts. She will be adapting to fit the Juice troupe. This workshop is geared towards the younger children (ages 7-13). Part of the preparations for taking the stage will include prop and accessory crafting: parents will probably be called upon to assist!

Make sure to visit our Stage Time and Juice Facebook page to receive the most current information about all our workshops and events.
https://www.facebook.com/redroomjuice/

If you, like Ruth, have a gift or passion to share, remember that the Red Room’s door is always open! A small exchange of knowledge can change a child’s (or grownup’s) life forever!

By Carol Yao and Ruth Giordano

The Word from R4, September 2016

/0 Comments/in , /by

 

Friday 09/02 at Red Room @ TAF, R4 presented their latest production: “The Most Dangerous Game,” originally written by American author Richard Connell in 1924 and adapted since then for stage, screen and television.

This incarnation was read aloud by Pat Woods and Paul Batt, supported by recorded musical selections by Bernard Hermann, Scarlatti, Britten and others. Live sound effects enhanced the audience members’ experience.

In addition to portraying the characters of the evil General Zaroff and his hulking savage lackey, Mr. Batt energetically produced sound effects using his voice and ordinary household items.

Mr. Woods delivered an impressive performance- portraying the main character as well taking on the responsibility of Narrator. Mr. Woods, a native of the UK, aptly read the main character’s lines in an New York accent and switched back into his own way of speaking in order to narrate the story.

The Most Dangerous Game

The evening was rounded out by members of Taipei Improv. They invited the audience to play some dangerous games of improvisation before and after the show. In addition, Karen Farley of KP Kitchen provided a dangerously delicious cake that looked like a checkerboard, complete with gummy bear game pieces.

Many thanks to the Red Room Volunteers who made it all possible.

Red Room RadIo Redux is also announcing an upcoming performance at TAF October 21
Three by Poe: Two stories and a narrative poem by the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe.

“The Black Cat”
In this study of the psychology of moral disintegration through alcoholism, a murderer carefully conceals his crime and believes himself unassailable. Eventually, he breaks down and reveals himself, impelled by a nagging reminder of his unforgivable sin.

“The Raven”
Easily Poe’s best-known poem, it tells of the mysterious visit of a raven to a grieving lover. The raven further instigates distress with its constant repetition of the word “nevermore”. The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.

“The Tell-Tale Heart”
An unnamed narrator endeavors to convince the reader of his sanity, while describing a murder he committed. The victim was an old man with a filmy “vulture-eye”, as the narrator calls it. The murder is carefully calculated, and the murderer hides the body by dismembering it and hiding it under the floorboards. Ultimately the narrator’s guilt manifests itself in the form of the sound—possibly hallucinatory—of the heart of the victim still beating under the floorboards.

In the Red Room Radio Redux tradition, these Three by Poe will be read aloud and accompanied by live sound effects generated using ordinary household objects. Background music will further enhance the experience for the listening audience. In one special instance, during the reading of “The Raven,” the experience will be further enhanced by a painter rendering an illustration as the poem is read aloud.

by Ruth Giordano
Producer, Director, Red Room Radio Redux

22 April 2016, Invitation to attend R4’s Read Aloud

/in /by

Readaloud-2Red Room Radio Redux (R4) invites you to spend an evening reading aloud and listening to others-

On the fourth Friday of each month,  all are welcome to bring a story, a poem, quotation or even a joke you’d like to read – or hear – aloud.

You may choose to read something you wrote or a favorite piece of poetry or prose. (roughly 10 min limit, depending on the number of readers).

Constructive criticism will be offered – a great opportunity to improve your public reading skills.

We will announce a theme each month but it is considered a suggestion, only.

Please bring a snack and/or a beverage to share. Wine will be on sale by the glass.

All languages and all levels of experience are welcome. No microphones, no special effects. No competition. Guaranteed moral support.

“There is a certain satisfaction in voicing written words. We lift them off the page and let them out into the air. At RedRoom, we have created a space-within-the-space – we draped fabrics to make a canopy – we meet there to listen and to be heard.”

— Ruth, Artistic Director R4

For more about Red Room & Radio Redux, go to:

Redroomtaipei.com > Events > Red Room Radio Redux