4.48 psychosis
A Play by Sarah Kane
A Paula Sapala & J. Edward Cecala Production with
- Raw Theater Group -
BASIC INFO
Synopsis:
Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis is a humane and candid account of a mind preparing to shut down. The play examines on the thoughts of a suicidal woman diagnosed with pathological grief. 4.48 Psychosis is Sarah Kane’s fifth and final play with epitomizes her dark humor, simplicity and freedom from traditional theatrical form. The play focuses on the progression from darkness into light, from pain into love, and from life into death. Collaboratively directed by the actors involved – Rachel Lynn Wood, Julian Sapala, Michael Jefferson, and Emily Ciotti – the performance is a naturalistic interpretation of her work focusing on the themes that the Raw Theater Group believes are the driving forces behind Sarah Kane’s work: love, hope and survival.
Cast:
Rachel Lynn Wood - the Subject
Julian Sapala - the Doctor
Michael Jefferson - the Lover
Emily Ciotti - the Voice
Where:
Access Theater
380 Broadway, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10013
When:
March 2-28, 2010
Tuesdays-Sundays
Tuesday-Wednesday: 8pm
Thursday-Sunday: 7pm & 9pm
STATEMENT from -RAW THEATER GROUP'S- ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - Rachel Lynn Wood
Sarah Kane's "4.48 Psychosis" is a powerfully written play with an unusual structure. The text itself is a collection of poetic imagery and interspersed sections of dialogue. During your first read of the play you may only see the words within the structure, however, in an attempt to see past these things you may see that what lies beneath is very simple; and there lies the problem. I believe that simplicity is an overlooked and misunderstood concept in American Theater. I found myself and my fellow actors constantly looking for ways to strip the play of anything extraneous and returning to the words, to the pure interaction, which is what Raw Theater Group is about.
"4.48 Psychosis" is a depiction of the suicidal mind and is often viewed as a 60 minute suicide note. The word "suicide" has a prominent sway in the interpretation of the play, and along with words such as "hopeless", "desperation", "depressed" and the line "I have resigned myself to death this year", it is easy to stain the play in a 'mood' of sadness. Understanding the meaning of suicide instead of the idea of suicide is what we at Raw have found to be integral to the comprehension of the play.
Anyone familiar with Sarah Kane's "4.48 Psychosis" will know that when approaching the play there is a need to brace yourself for the weight of the work. I myself thought, "oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?". The process has been as tedious as it has been rewarding. With constant revisions to our interpretation of the script, it was born a 60 minute suicide note and grew to something that is an honest expression of someone's deep seeded sarrow and their struggle to survive.
Our goal was to approach "4.48 Psychosis" from a place of realism. When I presented the idea of working this piece as one would work a Mamet, O'Neil or LaBute play, my colleagues deemed it as overly ambitious. On the other hand, the play's language and non-traditional structure allow for a vast variety of interpretations. What separates "4.48 Psychosis" from other straight theater plays, is that Sarah Kane not only asks you to act the play, she also askes you to act as an author for your own idea of the play within her own. There are literally endless stories that could be created through this play, and we are all in search to find the exact story that Sarah was trying to tell.
The central character of Raw Theater's version of "4.48" is a challenging duty for any actor or actress. Exploring the character's sarcasm has been an uplifting aspect in this project; Sarah Kane has her own brand of macabre humor, which is something that I have been able to discover with a lot of her work. Although bringing out the humor in a play such as this presents the question, "am I being irresponsible with the work?", I have come to the conclusion that humor is a facet of life, and in a play that is as much about living as it is dying the exclusion would be a disservice.
Raw Theater Group's production of "4.48 Psychosis" is a bare and beautiful iteration between a woman torn by pain and the world that surrounds her. I hope that it will resound in the hearts of those who see it, the way it will forever echo in mine.
PRODUCER INFO
J. Edward Cecala - Producer
J. Edward Cecala serves as General Manager of the 600 room Holiday Inn - MIDTOWN on West 57th Street one of the largest Holiday Inn hotels in the United States. He currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Private Industry Council of NYC, the Advisory Board for Hospitality For Family & Friends, Inc. and was a charter member of the Times Square BID in 1990. His support of the theater in New York and New Jersey is widespread, as he is a contributor to the 2econd Stage Theater, The Drama League, Dance Theatre Workshop, Fractured Atlas and Woman Seeking
- RAW THEATER GROUP -
Organization Overview:
Raw Theater Group is an artistic haven that was founded in 2009 by recent Stella Adler graduates Rachel Lynn Wood, Julian Sapala, and Michael Jefferson for actors and theatrical enthusiasts alike. RTG invites actors and playwrights to send in their ideas and passion in hopes that those passions can be brought to life.
Organization’s Mission:
At Raw Theater Group, we believe in trusting the imagination of that actors and writers to create a world capable of engaging the audience’s own artistic interpretation. We stray from the conventional glamour or modern theatrical style in order to bring to light the pure essence of theatre with an original method of performance and adaptation.
Staff:
Rachel Lynn Wood – Founder, Artistic Director
Julian Sapala – Founder, Press Relations
Michael Jefferson – Founder, Foreign Relations
Lyvann Oum – Business Manager
