Treasure Tannock’s Play Performed In NYC
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Bermudian drama therapist Treasure Tannock has explored “race, capitalism and oppression” in her play, The Doll Depot, which performed at the Black Box Theatre in Manhattan, New York, last week.
Ms Tannock’s submitted her play while interning at the Collideoscope Repertory Theatre Company [CRTC] – a drama therapy programme at NYU Steinhardt – which creates a space of belonging for students and artists who identify as Black, indigenous, or people of colour.
A drama therapy graduate from NYU, Ms Tannock said the story follows a series of multicultural and magical dolls as they look to overcome the oppressive narratives placed upon them by a toy factory.
The tagline is Your One-Stop Shop for Exotic, Eclectic, and Ethnic Imports.
“The play workshopped for six nights last week, so we will receive the feedback from drama therapists, mental health professionals, the cast themselves, and hopefully re-release it in the autumn,” Ms Tannock told Bernews.
“Hopefully, we will submit it to the Obie Awards [which recognise achievements in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theatre] and see if we can qualify for some funding and continue to offer this opportunity to our cast.”
Ms Tannock said the cast spent six months of group therapy working on her material with Adam Stevens, the artistic director, before the first rendition last week.
“As part of a drama therapy production, you write down your ideas and work with your cast around those ideas,” said Ms Tannock, who has worked as a drama therapist at Riker’s Island jail in New York, refugee asylums in Denmark, and for Solstice in Bermuda.
“To have my play picked up and produced by CRTC and being paid for my work feels like an astonishing accomplishment as a Bermudian playwright.
“While writing the play, I’d moved back to Bermuda and was half working for Sargasso Sea and the Department for Financial Assistance at the Bermuda Government. It’s something I never imagined could happen.”
The 25-year-old, who runs her own production company on the island called Gombey House, said she would love to collaborate with local artists and believes the opportunities are plentiful for Bermudian creatives overseas.
“I’d love to share some of the opportunities I’ve had with local artists,” said Ms Tannock, who hopes to study for a doctorate in clinical psychology.
“There are loads of opportunities in the US for Bermudian artists to express themselves, whether as a playwright, musician and acting.”
Read More About
Category: All, Entertainment, News
Well done. Keep writing wi or lose.