Est Paris Theater presents

"Squirrel, or the Origin of a Species" in Washington, D.C.

2011-06-28T15:17:00.002+02:00

Michael Merino, whose Bad News Gospel and Seat Yourself have been performed by Est Paris Theater, has a show up in Washington, D.C. July 10-21, Squirrel, or the Origin of a Species, in Charles Darwin engages in a battle of wits with Sciurus carolinensis and struggles to order the universe while musing on matters trivial and insignificant.

Quartier Libre Orchestra, 20h30, 16 oct., 5 rue de la Révolution, Montreuil

2010-10-12T13:30:00.000+02:00

Another soundpainting performance by the Quartier Libre Orchestra.

16 oct., 20h30
Comme vous émoi
5, rue de la Révolution, Montreuil

Soundpainting

2010-09-26T14:15:00.004+02:00

Update - Perry will take part in two soundpainting performances:

Quartier Libre Orchestra
Ogresse, 4 rue des Prairies, 75020
Vendredi 1er octobre, 20h

Trafic dans le OFF de la NUIT BLANCHE
Direction : Beatriz Franco
Soundpainting sur les installations : "Au bord des larmes", de Françoise Anger et "Night Reflections", de Christiane Blanc
Samedi 2 octobre à 22h
Galerie Actuel'Art. 27 rue de la Forge Royale, 75011
M° Faidherbe-Chaligny / Ledru Rollin

Perry is participating in a soundpainting performance April 9, 10 and 11. Wikipedia says soundpainting is a "live composing sign language created by New York composer Walter Thompson for musicians, dancers, actors, poets, and visual artists working in the medium of structured improvisation."

Details on the show are on the Web site of the collective Trafic: http://trafic-co.com/index.php?p=1_12.

We may use soundpainting in a future Est Paris production.

"The Quick, Brown Fox Jumped Over the Lazy Dogs"

2009-07-29T19:03:00.003+02:00

A play that Est Paris has planned on doing but hasn't gotten around to yet, Michael Merino's "The Quick, Brown Fox Jumped Over the Lazy Dogs," has had a successful debut at a Washington, DC, fringe festival.

DC Theater site:
"What do you get when you combine a talented group of actors, hermeneutics, diagrammed sentences, and thought-provoking deconstructionist dialogue? Aside from an entertaining and smart fifty minutes of theatre, you get a piece that actually delivers what it promises — an exploration of the individual’s relationship with language, and all the semantics, miscommunication, and mistakes that can be made along the way.
...
Smart, funny, and edgy–truly a delight."

Washington City Paper site:
"It’s the most fun and enjoyable hour of having your very concept of everyday life and communication knocked down and spat upon since David Ives’ All in the Timing."

The playwright's page

Pix from "Bad News Gospel"

2009-06-23T08:43:00.004+02:00

Lari has put some photos from "Bad News Gospel" taken by Mattias D.

More on the Louvins

2009-06-23T08:08:00.000+02:00

More on the Louvins on the excellent "Nashville or Bust" blog on the AV Club site.

"Bad News Gospel" and "Men in Uniform"

2009-04-17T17:11:00.006+02:00

Est Paris Theater presented Men in Uniform by Antonio Garza and Bad News Gospel by Lari Lucien, Michael Merino and Perry Leopard on April 16 at the Ogresse: 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20.

en français plus bas

Men in Uniform by Antonio Garza: In a one-person show, Antonio Garza, an American of Mexican heritage living in New Orleans, relives his post-9/11 experiences: from hilariously nerve-racking interrogations by customs agents and confrontations with overly enthusiastic flight attendants to detentions and an arrest by US Border Patrol agents. Men in Uniform was previously seen at the inaugural New Orleans Fringe theater festival.

Bad News Gospel, a short musical play by Est Paris Theater: Two gospel-singing preachers (Lari Lucien and Perry Leopard) who could be straight out of Flannery O'Connor's "Wise Blood" wait for judgment and debate whether it's better to be tormented with fire or with brimstone.

et en français

Est Paris Theater a presenté Men in Uniform par Antonio Garza et Bad News Gospel par Lari Lucien, Michael Merino et Perry Leopard le 16 avril à l'Ogresse : 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20.

Men in Uniform par Antonio Garza: Antonio Garza, américain avec des origines mexicaines, raconte ses déboires avec les hommes en uniforme - les agents de douane et immigration surtout : des histoires drôles et révélatrices de l'Amérique de l'après-11 septembre. Men in Uniform a fait parti du premier festival de théâtre New Orleans Fringe.

Bad News Gospel, une courte comédie-musicale par l'Est Paris Theater: Deux prêcheurs (Lari Lucien et Perry Leopard) qui pourraient être sortis du roman "La sagesse dans le sang" de Flannery O'Connor chantent du gospel et attendent le jugement dernier en débattant si c'est mieux d'être tourmenter avec le feu ou avec le soufre.

Gram Parson and the Louvins

2009-04-08T09:22:00.001+02:00

There's an excellent post on the Onion's sister site AV Club that discusses two of the musical inspirations for Bad News Gospel: Gram Parsons and the Louvin brothers:

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo is a masterpiece, but it would have been even more masterpiecey had Parsons been allowed to sing lead on more of the songs. McGuinn has said that his vocals on Sweetheart Of The Rodeo were little more than a parody of Parsons’ original versions. Parsons approached country from a place of deep reverence, but McGuinn treats the songs with a certain academic detachment. This proves ruinous on a woefully misguided cover of The Louvin Brothers’ “The Christian Life,” where McGuinn adopts a Dippety Dog cartoon drawl that coats the song’s deeply personal endorsement of faith at the cost of worldly pleasure in smug irony. McGuinn seems to be making fun of the Louvin Brothers, which you just don’t do. You don’t fuck with them, for they have a scary, take-no-prisoners, smite-humanity-just-to-prove-a-point deity behind them.

Songs from "Bad News Gospel"

2009-03-13T13:35:00.003+01:00

We're doing the songs from Bad News Gospel at the Petit Ney's anniversary party on March 21. (The full performance will be done at the Ogresse show.) There'll be lots of acts for the Petit Ney evening, and we expect to go on about 7 p.m.

Here's what we plan to do:
"Sin City" by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman
"Memphis Train" by Lari
"Satan Is Real" by the Louvin Brothers
"Great Atomic Power" by the Louvin Brothers
"Trekkin' inna Babylon" by Lari

The Petit Ney date is March 21: info on the evening and the address, etc., is at http://lepetitney.free.fr/

April 16: "Men in Uniform" and "Bad News Gospel"

2009-03-12T09:30:00.000+01:00

Men in Uniform by Antonio Garza and Bad News Gospel by Est Paris Theater.
April 16, 8 p.m. at the Ogresse: 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20. Free.
You can have dinner there too!

Men in Uniform par Antonio Garza et Bad News Gospel par l'Est Paris Theater
à l'Ogresse le 16 avril, 20h, gratuit: 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20.
On peut aussi dîner ou grignoter !

Reading of "Volpone" Feb. 9

2009-01-05T13:43:00.001+01:00

Perry and Damian are participating in a reading of Ben Jonson's Volpone on Feb. 9.

Monday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 pm.
Le Pave d'Orsay: 48, rue de Lille 75007 (near the Musee d'Orsay).
RER Musee d'Orsay. Bus 68, 69.

More pictures from New Orleans Fringe Theater Festival

2008-12-05T19:50:00.005+01:00

Tech rehearsal at the Skull Club

2008-11-13T17:24:00.002+01:00

We got into our space at Lord David's Skull Club yesterday and set cues and blocking for the space. First show is tonight.

Rehearsing in NOLA

2008-11-13T01:15:00.004+01:00

Michael and Perry have been running around buying props, putting up posters and flyers, doing radio interviews, hanging with friends and trying on wigs.

Here's some visual evidence:

Kristen of the New Orleans Fringe Festival and Kathy of Goodchillun SAPC doing an interview on WWOZ.

Randy and Michael in rehearsal.

Randy and Angel on break.

Julie, Perry and Michael take a paddle-boat break on the Bayou St. John.

Julie, Julie, Michael and Claudia after lunch at Café Degas.

Michael goofing with wighat, nose and mustache.

Perry and Michael goofing.

"Seat Yourself" & "Pompa y Circonstancia"

2008-10-13T13:52:00.002+02:00

Performed earlier this year in Paris and Washington, DC, théâtre du jour comprises two comic shorts written and directed by Michael Merino. The show, a collaborative effort between Est Paris Theater and the Lower Garden Project Theater In Exile will be performed at the New Orleans Fringe Theater Festival, November 13-16.

Seat Yourself explores the frustrations of fine dining and "the euphemism."

Pompa y Circunstancia concerns a bizarre commencement ceremony, where two brothers miscommunicate about what to wear, life and lunch.

The cast includes Perry Leopard, Randy Maggiore, and Claudia Baumgarten.

Performance times and venue:
Skull Club: 1003 N. Spain Street (corner of N. Rampart) - google map link
November 13 at 8:30 p.m.
November 15 at 7:00 p.m.
November 16 at 5:30 p.m.
Entrance $7 (plus a $3 Fringe bracelet for first entrance, then used for all other performances)

Here's a picture of Robert Bradford and Perry from the Paris performance of Seat Yourself in July 2008:

And a picture of the costumes for the Paris premier of Seat Yourself sported by director Damian Corcoran and actor Perry Leopard:

a bit messed up

2008-09-24T20:26:00.001+02:00

I've been fooling with this, so some links are messed up. I'll fix it as soon (later) as I can.
Perry

NOLA, here we come

2008-08-17T23:23:00.001+02:00

In a cooperative project with the Lower Garden Project Theater, we've been accepted into the New Orleans Fringe Festival.

"Seat Yourself"

2008-07-02T02:35:00.002+02:00

Seat Yourself by Michael Merino.

Est Paris Theater and the Ogresse present the premiere of Seat Yourself, winner of the 2007 Oxford 10-Minute Play competition. A woman and a man attempt to dine in a restaurant, but the man's constant absence from the table spoils the evening. His existence is questioned by an impossible waiter with a silly accent.

“I have been writing pieces that address sociological and scientific moral issues for 20 years,” says Michael. "After the last few years of the farcical war on terror and the politics of absurdity, I have decided that it’s time to stop banging my head against the imperturbable wall and start laughing at my bloodied, bruised skull.”

Directed by Damian Corcoran. Acted by Robert Bradford and Perry Leopard.

- - - -

Seat Yourself par Michael Merino.

Est Paris Theater et l'Ogresse présentent le premier d'une courte pièce en américain qui a gagné le premier prix au festival Oxford Minute Play Contest en 2007. Une femme et une homme dinent dans un restaurant aux États-Unis, mais l'absence persistante de l'homme gâche la soirée. L'apparition d'un serveur belge avec une moustache aussi impossible que son accent met en question l'existence même de l'homme.

« J'écris des pièces qui parlent de question sociologiques et scientifiques depuis vingt ans, dit Michael. Avec la farce de la guerre contre le terrorisme et la politique de l'absurde à l'américaine, ajoute-il, j'ai décidé d'arrêter de me cogner la tête contre un mur imperturbable et de commencer à en rire de mon crane meurtri et saignant. »

Mise en scène par Damian Corcoran. Avec Robert Bradford et Perry Leopard.

- - - -

9 juillet, 20h : Seat Yourself + THE BZZ + something from Perry...
~~Houla Houps: 4 rue Basfroi, Paris 11. Métro : Ledru-Rollin, Voltaire~~
déménagé à l'Ogresse
Gratuit

Nous voulons commencer la pièce à 20h30 au plus tard.
La pièce sera suivie d'un speed-concert (15 chansons en 15 minutes) par THE BZZ.

~~Après, Perry jouera quelques chansons, ou si vous préférez, un set DJ des tubes et de faces B de la Nouvelle-Orléans des années 60.~~
on verra...

17 juillet, portes ouvertes à 19h : Seat Yourself + Hootenanny
Ogresse: 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20. Métro : Pte de Bagnolet
Gratuit, mais soutenez l'Ogresse ! Mangez, boire, donner de l'argent si vous pouvez !

Les portes s'ouvrent à 19h, il fait bon y boire un coup. Nous voulons commencer la pièce à 20h30 au plus tard.
La pièce sera suivie d'un « hootenanny » animé par Perry avec Marten Ingle et Ana Bon-Bon.

- - - -

July 9 at 8 p.m.: Seat Yourself + THE BZZ + something from Perry...
~~Houla Houps: 4 rue Basfroi, Paris 11. Métro : Ledru-Rollin, Voltaire~~
moved to the Ogresse
Free

We want to start the play at 8:30 p.m. at the latest.
After the play, there will be a speed-concert (15 songs in 15 minutes) by THE BZZ.
~~After, Perry will sing a few, or maybe, depending on the mood, do a DJ set of singles and B-sides from 1960s New Orleans.~~
we'll see...

July 17, doors open at 7 p.m.: Seat Yourself + Hootenanny
Ogresse: 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20. Métro : Pte de Bagnolet
Free to get in, but one objective is to support the Ogresse. Drink up, eat up, drop some paper in the can if you can.

At the Ogresse, the doors open at 7 pm for drinking and socializing. We want to start the play by 8:30 at the latest.
After, we'll have a hootenanny, with Marten Ingle, Ana Bon-Bon and Perry.

- - - -

nice first time

2008-06-16T15:16:00.000+02:00

Our first performance of Seat Yourself last Saturday went well. People seemed to really enjoy it, they laughed a lot, and R, D and I were all happy with what we did. I'm sure it will get even better as we add rehearsals/performances.

It was about twice as long as what it's classification as a ten-minute play would imply. I would say it lasted a bit more than 20 minutes.

So now we're looking into doing some bar and café gigs. If you have any ideas or can get us in somewhere, get in touch at perry @ est-paris.com.

"Seat Yourself" - Saturday June 14

2008-06-03T00:29:00.000+02:00

It's on, y'all.

L'Ogresse: 4, rue des Prairies, 75020 Paris.
Métro: Porte de Bagnolet, Gambetta.

Saturday, June 14.
Doors open at 7 pm.

We'll put on the play, which lasts about 10 minutes, at around 8:30.
Followed by live music by Perry and others.

Rehearsing a short one

2008-05-31T13:23:00.000+02:00

Damian Corcoran, Robert Bradford and I are rehearsing Seat Yourself, a 10-minute play by Michael that we'll be putting on guerilla style in the bars and elsewhere in a couple of weeks.

We'll be beating out the Oxford, Mississippi theater festival to doing it first. The play will be performed there this fall, since it won their 10-minute play competition last year.

Still building up the the goal of doing The Quick, Brown Fox Jumped Over the Lazy Dogs later.

"Quick, Brown" to come, Michael's musings

2007-10-10T19:14:00.000+02:00

We're still planning to do Michael Merino's The Quick, Brown Fox Jumped Over the Lazy Dogs (download the Word file, 399kb). No work has begun yet, though. Parisian actors that would be interested should email us at leopard AT gmail DOT com.

In the meantime, check out Michael's musings. As Jack White says: "Be like the squirrel."

"Shot House"

2007-07-20T10:13:00.002+02:00

Shot House is a one-act play set in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama in 1964. Dark, funny and finally heartbreaking, it's about Billy, a man trapped by a desire to be free of all things and a richly colorful talker who sells liquor illegally from his shot house. Billy's house is inhabited by characters Billy sees, but the audience does not: Scooter, a fellow WWII vet whom Billy throws out when he starts to moan about what he used to have — namely, legs and a wife; Creola, whose job is to roll Scooter’s "crippled ass" on out of the place; the Boy, Billy’s son; and most importantly and dramatically, Annie Laurie, the woman of Billy’s life, who even has beautiful feet.

It made its debut in July 2007 at the Ogresse theater in Paris. The playwright, Quinton Cockrell, acted the play, directed by Bethe Ensey.

Thanks are due to the musicians who offered their time and talents to play after the show: Stéphane Beaussart, Zinc-Breaks (Ahmed and Tristan), Chris Kenna, John Simms and Miguel, Lari Lucien of 21st Century Folks and Miles Turney.
And to friends who offered us their help and advice: Mutata of the Ogresse theater, Dietlind Lerner & Chris Thomas, Jack Cannon & Cheryl Hall, Chelethia Williams, Jeanne Bernard and Romilly Masters.

Here is a version of the script of Shot House.

A little visual evidence

2007-07-11T18:13:00.000+02:00

Some recent photos:

Two more

2007-07-10T18:00:00.000+02:00

The first two performances went swimmingly, and the folks in the audience were all impressed by and appreciative of Quinton's play and his performance.

Thanks to John Simms, Ahmed and Tristan of Zinc-Breaks, Stéphane Beaussart and Chris Kenna, who played and sang after the show.

Next week, Lari of 21st Century Folks will join us on Thursday and Ahmed, Tristan and Chris on Friday. Hope to see y'all then.