Honest to God, one of the most exciting phrases ever uttered to me (from a costume designer’s perspective) is “period-ish.”  While others might find the vagueness of this word frustrating, I find it quite liberating.  The “ish” offers me a freedom of imagination that “period,” alone, does not.  That suffix is perfectly suited to Trog & Clay: The Imagined History of the Electric Chair.

I knew from the title that I was going to enjoy working on this show.  That freedom I mentioned is right there: Imagined History.  I spent a lot of time with the following question: what visual cues can I give the audience that will constantly remind them of that monumental word? 

At the first production meeting, we coined the perfect phrase to describe this design aesthetic:  Tesla-punk. (Taken from the idea of steampunk -- Victorian era clothes, with accessories and details inspired by steam engines.)  Instead of steam engines, my inspiration for detailing is electricity.  Hence, Tesla.

On Saturday, I brought all the costume pieces to the theater for our costume parade.  It is thrilling to see everyone standing next to each other, in costume, for the first time.  I have some little fixes, but the bulk of my work is done.  However, I am adding the finishing Tesla-punk touches to all of the costumes.  Beads, ribbon, wire, and a lot of patience await in the next 48 hours.  Tuesday is our first dress rehearsal.  I can’t wait to see these costumes move, for them to be given life by our talented group of actors.  Without them, all I have is clothes. 

Kaitee, Costumer for Trog and Clay 

After months of planning and preparation, it is with great pleasure that we announce our selections for Fresh Ink Theatre's 2012-2013 Season! 

Out of the 40 scripts that were submitted, we’ve chosen five incredibly diverse plays that excite and challenge us. Three of these scripts will receive a development cycle that culminates in a full production, and two will be staged as public readings.

Our upcoming season will showcase some familiar Boston names, a few up-and-comers, and even a former Fresh Ink actress. Their plays are full of creativity and wit, with rich characters and vibrant worlds that we can’t wait to explore. Keep a lookout for readings this spring to get an early glimpse of the season, and join in our excitement about these five fantastic plays!

by Ginger Lazarus
Winter 2012

Mommy and Daddy have tried desperately to have a baby. But where science fails, faith persists. When informed that Mommy's "degraded uterus" offers no chance of in vitro implantation, Mommy and Daddy have a life-affirming epiphany: rather than discard or donate their embryos, they take them home and raise them like children. All might be well, except that the embryos, Leggo and Eggo, have voracious appetites and uncanny abilities beyond their developmental stage. When they run amok, the poor would-be parents are faced with a choice: save their embryos from the world, or save the world from their embryos.

by Patrick Gabridge 
Winter 2013

1524. John Tewkesbury is a savvy trader and smuggler, smart enough to know William Tyndale's illegal translation of the Bible will be a hot commodity. But, to sell the good book, he must elude the spies of Sir Thomas More and escape the fires of the Catholic bishops. In this true story about the struggle between dangerous information and powerful knowledge, one man journeys from merchant to martyr.

by Emily Kaye Lazzaro
Spring 2013

Sam Pascutti's family is falling apart. When she discovers that her inept father is cheating on her mother she must do all she can to mend their fragile relationship. This is no small feat for Sam, who is just trying to get through the day without thoroughly embarrassing herself, which is basically impossible when you're sixteen and uncool and spend most of your free time in an elaborate fantasy world. Things start to spiral away from her when her father's mistress inserts herself into the family drama.

By Kevin Mullins
Staged Reading Fall 2012

Set in an alternative version of the Wild West, Bandits tells the story of queer cowboys robbing a stage coach filled with gold, American Indians armed with laser guns fighting for their homeland, and robot US Marshall's' trying to keep the peace. Blending genre and social critique, Bandits shows that anything is truly possible in the west, so long as you keep your eyes on the horizon. 

By Noah Mease
Staged Reading Fall 2012

Tanner, Maya, and Jared -- and Jared’s new friend Ross -- set off into the wilderness surrounding their nowhere town in search of a ghostly light that’s said to haunt the woods. If Brakeman's Light were a different story, it would be a teen slasher film, or the Blair Witch Project. It would be an after-school mystery adventure. It would be Are You Afraid Of The Dark or Scooby Doo, or one of the spookier episodes of Wishbone. Instead, it's the story of people who aren't really kids anymore and who aren't really still friends, alone in the dark and facing the things it's not really fun to be afraid of.