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Civilians, The

CIVILIANS, THE

  (2002 - )
Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    n/a

the Civilians. Since its founding in 2001 by artistic Director Steven Cosson, the Civilians has supported the creation of seven original shows --Canard, Canard, Goose?, the Ladies, Paris Commune, Gone Missing, (I am) Nobody's Lunch, Shadow of HimselfandThis Beautiful City.the Civilians' projects have been produced at venues throughout New York including the Public Theater, joe's pub, St. ann's Warehouse, 59e59 among others, and at Theaters nationally including A.R.T., La Jolla Playhouse, HBO's US Comedy Festival, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Works by the company have also toured nationally and internationally to universities, Arts presenters and festivals. Recent touring engagements have included the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth, Princeton, World Performance Project at Yale, Wesleyan, University of Pennsylvania, and Connecticut College. the Civilians made its UK debut withGone Missingin 2004 at the Gate Theatre, and(I am) Nobody's Lunchwas a Fringe First award winner at the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe leading to a London production at Soho Theatre. the Civilians' recent commercial run ofGone Missingat the Barrow Street Theater ran for seven months and was included in several Top 10 of 2007 lists in the New York press including critic Charles Isherwood's list in thethe New York Times.the company's new major project,This Beautiful Citypremiered at the 2008 Humana Festival and is slated for upcoming productions at major Theaters including Studio Theatre, Center Theatre Group (Mark Taper), Vineyard Theatre, and La Jolla Playhouse. also in the current season,Paris Communewas produced in the Public Theater's Public LaB series. the Civilians produced accompanying programs at the Museum of Modern art and the City University of New York. the company has developed its work in residencies with New York Theatre Workshop, Sundance Theatre Lab, the MacDowell Colony and the Orchard Project.This Beautiful Citywas developed through a year-long residency at Colorado College.Gone Missingwill be published by Dramatists Play Service and the cast recording was produced by Ghostlight Records.(I am) Nobody's Lunchwas published by Oberon Books. the Civilians received an Obie in 2004 in recognition of its accomplishments in its first two seasons of work.

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below is a list of Civilians, The's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         (I Am) Nobody's Lunch         Brooklyn At Eye Level         Canard, Canard, Goose?         Colorado Springs         Escaping the Modern World         Gone Missing         In the Footprint         Ladies, The         Let Me Ascertain You: Crime, USA         Mr Burns, A Post-electric Play         Paris Commune         Pretty Filthy         Shadow Of Himself         This Beautiful City         You Better Sit Down: Tales From My Parents' Divorce

(I Am) Nobody's Lunch

(I Am) Nobody's Lunch
Delving into the politics of information, the Civilians -- in its singular signature style -- conducted extensive interviews with subjects ranging from a policymaker at Homeland Security on the verge of a nervous breakdown to a plucky extraterrestrial (channeled by an equally funny human); from every Jessica Lynch in the phone book (who was willing to talk) to soldiers guarding the New York subway with unloaded weapons. Turning these interviews into a mercurial cabaret-play, a versatile cast inhabits an eccentric cast of characters, all taken from real life.

Notes:
Created by the Company. Written by Steven Cosson from interviews conducted by the Company. Music And Lyrics by Michael Friedman. Participants in the creation include Andy Boroson, Daoud Heidami, Chrstina Kirk, Alix Lambert, Matthew Maher, Caitlin Miller And KJ Sanchez

1st Produced:
P.S. 122
150 1st avenue, New York, NY 10003    24 Sep 2004

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1st Published:

Music:
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Genre:
75-90 min Comedy/Drama

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  3            Other:   (5-15 actors possible: 3-8 males, 2-7 females)

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Brooklyn At Eye Level

Synopsis:
Brooklyn at eye Level is created from material gathered during a community investigation currently underway that focuses on the controversial Atlantic Yards development project. a team of professional actors are conducting interviews with residents, business owners, politicians, and civic organizations and collecting information everywhere, from public events to beauty salons, developing insights into how buildings, services, public space and economic issues shape the ecology of the neighborhood around us
- press release

Notes:
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1st Produced:
Brooklyn Lyceum, Ny    2008

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Genre:
Piece

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

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Canard, Canard, Goose?

Canard, Canard, Goose?
the Civilians leave New York City to pursue a story about a Hollywood movie and a lost flock of carelessly imprinted geese. Though they start off in search of a story about an evil corporation and the birds that were allegedly left behind, what results is a wild goose chase around Long Lake in search for answers. an eclectic show about disorientation, misplaced empathy, and coming home.

Notes:
book by Steven Cosson, music And lyrics by Michael Friedman, the Civilians; with Additional text by Anne Washburn

1st Produced:
HERE Arts Center, NY >>>    25 Feb 2002

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Genre:
75-90 min Comedy/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  4            Other:  (7-15 actors possible: 2-7 males, 3-8 females)

Further Reference:
-

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Colorado Springs

Synopsis:
the Civilians' next major investigative effort will explore the American evangelical Christian Political Movement, as seen through the mountain town that is its headquarters.

Notes:
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Genre:
music-theatre documentary Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Escaping the Modern World

Synopsis:
inspired by interviews with people and communities who have chosen to live outside or beyond contemporary society such as cloistered nuns, amish, Hassidic Jews, members of the 12 Tribes cult, vegans, home-schoolers, Civil War re-enactors, Mars pioneers, and earthshippers.

Notes:
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
music-theatre documentary Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Gone Missing

Gone Missing
a wry and whimsical documentary musical of loss devised from interviews with real-life New Yorkers by the Civilians, the acclaimed New York-based company. This collection of very personal accounts of things "gone missing"-everything from keys, personal identification and a Gucci pump to family heirlooms, your dog and your mind-creates a unique tapestry of the ways in which we deal with loss in our lives. a flexible company of six performs more than thirty characters, intertwining these stories of lost objects with tales from some unusual "finders," ranging from a retired NYPD cop to a pet psychic. Set against eclectic and tuneful songs by Michael Friedman, GONe MISSING is cabaret-theater about the little things in life seen largely.

Notes:
Play by Steven Cosson, music And lyrics by Michael Friedman, Additional text by Peter Morris

1st Produced:
The Belt, NYC    09 Oct 2003

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1st Published:

Music:
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Genre:
music-theatre documentary Musical

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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In the Footprint

Synopsis:
the Civilians presents the world premiere of In the Footprint: the Battle Over Atlantic Yards, a new play with music. the site of the future Atlantic Yards Project including the Barclays basketball arena is located two blocks away from the theater where In the Footprint will chronicle the conflicts surrounding the largest land development project in Brooklyn's history. This lively theatrical production is inspired by interviews with the real-life players in the controversy, representing many different perspectives: residents of Prospect Heights and Fort Greene, political leaders such as Letitia James and Marty Markowitz, members of Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, union members, and project supporters such as aCORN's Bertha Lewis. This show is the culmination of a two-year long company investigation. the creative team listened to Brooklynites from Borough Hall to barber shops to gain insights into both the Atlantic Yards Drama and the ongoing story of gentrification. In the Footprint, along with several pre- and post-show dialogues, will examine the conflicts that erupted in the case of the Atlantic Yards through to their current resolution in an attempt to discover how the fate of the city is decided in present-day New York and what can be learned from this epic and ongoing story of politics, money, and the places we call home.
- nytheatre.com

Notes:
written by Steven Cosson And Jocelyn Clarke, music by Michael Friedman

1st Produced:
Irondale Center
85 S. Oxford Street, 2nd floor, Brooklyn, NY 11217    22 Nov 2010

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1st Published:
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Genre:
Piece

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

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Ladies, The

Ladies, The
Writer anne Washburn and director anne Kauffman set out to explore the lives of infamous first ladies elena Ceausescu, Imelda Marcos, eva Peron, and Jiang Qing (a.k.a. Madame Mao). they met over gin and coffee to discuss their research and left the tape recorder running. a play about women and power as told through gossip, torch songs, historical analysis, spectacle, and damning transcription.

Notes:
created by director Anne Kauffman And writer Anne Washburn

1st Produced:
Chashama
217 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017    Feb 2004

Organisations:

1st Published:

Music:
-

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Genre:
90-100 min Comedy/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  6            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Let Me Ascertain You: Crime, USA

Synopsis:
Presented by the Civilians, conceived and directed by alix Lambert, Civilians artists will introduce the audience to characters interviewed in Key West and New York City,including criminals, cops, employees of the FBI and DOJ, pawnshop workers,experts on serial killers, crime writers, former gang members, and one man named Monkey Tom. at Joe's Pub.
- nytheatre.com

Notes:
by the Civilians, conceived And directed by Alix Lambert

1st Produced:
Public theater
425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003    04 Nov 2010

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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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Genre:
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Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Mr Burns, A Post-electric Play

Synopsis:
armageddon has struck and the grid is down: no TV, no radio, no internet - how will life go on? For one group of tenacious survivors, sitting around a fire and reminiscing about the Simpsons proves to be the greatest escape from despair. Miraculously, from their collective memories, a new industry struggles to be born: a crude theatrical re-creation of the digital culture we can't possibly live without. From the Simpsons to the pop hits of the last ten years, Mr. Burns, a post-electric play is a rocking, rollicking, scary good time that leaves you questioning how you'd make sense of the world if all your gizmos were gone.

Notes:
written by Anne Wahburn

1st Produced:
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street Nw, Washington, Dc.    28 May 2012

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1st Published:
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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Paris Commune

Paris Commune
With actual songs from the period and a text constructed from primary historical materials, Paris Commune employs a bold theatrical form to tell the story of the Parisian uprising of 1871 -the first socialist revolution in europe.

Notes:
Co-authored by Steven Cosson And Michael Friedman.

1st Produced:
Workshop At La Jolla Playhouse    2006

Organisations:

1st Published:

Music:
-

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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
music-theatre documentary Musical

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Pretty Filthy

Synopsis:
Armed with their notepads and recorders, artists from the intrepid investigative theater company The Civilians crossed the mountain range that divides Hollywood from the other Hollywood--the San Fernando Valley, world capital of porn. The Civilians crew listened and learned, conducting interviews and visiting sets to get an insiders glimpse into a world that is far more than the sum of its (very) visible parts. The Civilians time in the Valley captured a singular time in our culture; this digital era thats radically transformed the business of sex. Pretty Filthy is ultimately a story about trying to make a life and a living in an ever-changing worlda task thats all the more complicated when your work is so intimately tied to customer satisfaction.

Notes:
music and lyrics by Michael Friedman; book by Bess Wohl

1st Produced:
Playhouse Theater, Abrons Arts Center, Ny    31 Jan 2015

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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
one act musical 90 min

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Shadow Of Himself

Shadow Of Himself
Moving backwards and forwards in time Shadow of Himself combines a retelling of the ancient epic of Gilgamesh (where an arrogant king first fights, then loves, then loses his only friend to the land of the Dead) with the story of two soldiers in the modern world, caught up in the terror of battle.

Notes:
Commissioned by the Civilians, written by playwright Neal Bell

1st Produced:
Duke Department Of Theater Studies, Durham, Nc    Mar 2007

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1st Published:

Music:
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Genre:
80-90 min Comedy/Mythic Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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This Beautiful City

Synopsis:
This Beautiful City explores the growth of the evangelical Christian movement. It is docu-Drama in nature, drawn principally from interviews the Civilians have conducted with people involved with or affected by the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs. a play with music, This Beautiful City was created from interviews by emily ackerman, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brad Herberlee, Stephen Plunkett, alison Weller and the authors with actual persons over the course of ten weeks in Colorado Springs. every leading church in the area participated in the project, as did numerous civic organizations, progressive activists, and individuals from all walks of life.
- nytheatre,com

Notes:
written by Steven Cosson And Jim Lewis

1st Produced:
Www.Studiotheatre.Org    2008

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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You Better Sit Down: Tales From My Parents' Divorce

Synopsis:
You Better Sit Down was developed from the actors' interviews with their own parents, exploring their parents' marriages and subsequent divorces. the actors will portray their parents in these live performances, retelling their stories in a unique theatrical event. the performances will also be captured in a high-definition, multi-camera shoot and edited into episodes for online release. the evening explores each couple's first meeting, the ups and downs of their marriage, their split, and the surprising perspectives on life after divorce.
- nytheatre.com

Notes:
written by Anne Kauffman, Matthew Maher, Caitlin Miller, Jennifer R. Morris, Janice Paran And Robbie Collier Sublett

1st Produced:
Galapagos Art Space, Ny    12 Nov 2009

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
piece

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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