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About three months ago, I was informed through a GOOGLE alert on my name that my one-act theater of the absurd play SYLLOGISM had been performed in Slovenia (as Silogizem), of all places! My immediate reactions was, "How did they get it?!" and "Wow, does that mean I have international fame now?" After corresponding with the head of the cultural organization in Slovenia that performed the amateur production, I was told they found the play, where else? On the Internet. Of course they did, I have that play all over the web. My chief concern was that the play had been performed in April 2009 and I was just now finding out about it in May 2009. I only wished someone had contacted me for "performer's rights"(in name only) as a way to show the original artist a certain kind of respect for the material adapted. It has nothing do with any type of financial compensation because the Slovenian cultural organization that performed SYLLOGISM is a non-profit group, and the performance could hardly be likened to a Broadway style theatrical release, or something along that realm.

As my Indie Media Arts Channel home page suggests, I am a big believer in creative artists getting their work to the public, and I often publish under a Creative Commons license, while still seeking to market my work in salable venues. The only other formality concerned the release form that I signed with Theatre Studio-Inc, the original NYC off-Broadway company that first produced the play back in 2004. The release stipulated that I mention Theatre-Studio Inc's original engagement in all of my subsequent performance productions of SYLLOGISM. Since I hadn't been contacted immediately with regards to the Slovenian production, I didn't know if this measure had been met. 

Uros Roser, a representative, of "KUD Zarja", (as I understand it with some help from GOOGLE Translator) the cultural and artistic theater ensemble that performed SYLLOGISM, has since then engaged me in a series of thought provoking emails over the course of the past three months. The emails can be read in their original construction below with no editing for grammatical preferences . Unfortunately, some of the accented letters from the Slovenian language could not be maintained in the cut and paste, of the emails into this blog entry.

Suffice it to say, I am honored to have my work cross borders! I appreciate the performances by this very skilled group of Slovenians[Slovenes]! I hope these talented folk make it a point to continue to contact me regarding productions, so that I may have my proper bragging rights! That this little play performed twice in New York, and as a part of two college student performances, has made its way to Central Europe is astonishing! Of course, the nature of the play with its American historical context, meant that the story had to be adapted to fit the context of certain Slovenian sensibilities, with regards to character creation. As a result, my uptight Buppie African-American character Arlene, became who knows?  However, from the appearance of the accompanying photographs from the staged production, it looks like these actors sure got the "emoting stuff" down correctly! I am in touch with, and have sent friend requests to some of the actors to join my Facebook page. How cool is that!? 

While I still search for that elusive big break that catapults me from the current nether-regions to a place in the sun, I will toil with the knowledge that my discipline has not been forgotten. So, I give praise to the value of social networking and the expediency of new media paradigms along the Information Superhighway! -- La-Tonia Denise Willis aka star of the Slovenian amateur playhouse production circuit!!!

(FEEL FREE TO USE GOOGLE TRANSLATE ON THIS SITE'S HOMEPAGE OR LINK TO THE GOOGLE TRANSLATE WEBSITE FOR MORE ROBUST CAPABILITIES FROM THE SIDEBAR, IN ORDER TO  FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON!)

(In Uros Roser's: own words)

 

 

Dear madam La-Tonia Denise Willis,

Firstly I would like to say that I completely understand you and that I fullyregret that we did not contact you, but as I say, in Slovenia no writer pay attention on performance rights for amateur productions, or studyprograms. In Slovenia is no practice about messaging about first production on materials too, so please pardon us.

Main purpose of the studying the Syllogism was to play it for internal usefor education, and when the study was completed we realized that itgrown from study to play and that it could be shown on the festival ofamateur theatres with young actors, Vizije, to other young actors in region.Festival Vizije has presentation on only one page of sheet of paper (inattachment), and was for internal use (only for other participants). Onregional level of festival there was 6 groups acting in town Celje(despite town is third largest city in Slovenia it has only 40.000citizens) and it was poorly attended, all plays has around 80spectators at all.

Forpresentation of our association we make some materials, by our self.About our materials I have to say that the gledaliki list? (one page,printed on both side, which presents the play) was published on homeink-jet printer in 150 pieces, and the poster was published on homeink-jet printer too in 20 pieces. Both you can see in attachment ofthis e-mail.cThe translated text was printed on home ink-jet printer in 5 pieces and itwas used strictly for the studying. You can see it in the attachment.

If you wish we can inform our public where the play was first shown andexpress public apologies and public gratitude for your understanding.We can inform them on our production of adult play, because the Syllogism is not planed for another production.I am happy to send you some photos which I am going to send you in 3emails, because of their high resolution. I am sorry but we have novideo material of the play, because of our extremely low budgetactivity founds which are collected by members, we rarely made videos. I look forward to hearing from you about what you think about the clothes and the scene!

May I ask you from which city do you come from, and do you ever travel to Europe?

One more time, please sorry us for our inaccuracy. Thank you very much for your understanding, and have a nice day!

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Uros Roser

Kulturno umetni?ko dru?tvo »Zarja« Trnovlje-Celje

Dear Uros Roser,

 

Thank you for your follow-up and response! Again, to reiterate, I am thrilled that there was another production of the absurdist play Syllogism and fascinated about your approach. I want to thank you for your organization's interest in the themes of Syllogism and your willingness to embark on a translation.  Iregret only that I was not informed of your actions for reasons I willdetail. It is customary in the USA that you contact the playwright forperformance productions, even if you are a non-profit performing in anamateur festival.  I make it a point to specify this whenever I uploadthe play to websites on the Internet.

 

I realize your organization did an amateur production for afestival in which there is no for-profit motive and I applaud you foryour efforts. However, you most also realize that I signed acontract with the The Theatre-Studio Inc(the first off-Broadway NewYork City collective that first performed a workshop of the play) thatstipulates this first production must always be mentioned andofficially acknowledged on the heels of any other productions.  Itis a way of tracking the play's history. For which, I would like verymuch to continue to honor this agreement. This is a minor point Ialways explain to everyone interested in a production of the play. Itmerely translates to an acknowledgment of first performance by TheatreStudio Inc. in the literary material you distribute(festival programsor online announcements,etc) or oral announcements you make.

 

That being said, I am very much in favor of the distribution of material for these kinds of amateur festival productions. I am eager tohave the material poured over and deconstructed and continuallyperformed. I welcome the chance to open up my work to differentaudiences around the globe. I submit a lot of my material for readingand sharing under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licenseand only retain certain intellectual property rights when it comes toactual for-profit ventures.

 

I hope I do not appear too strident, I simply am intent on keeping track of all of the productions, amateur workshops or otherwise, inorder to add the history of the performances to my curriculum vitae aswell as list them on my website.  So please, yes, I would like toreceive full copies of any reviews regarding the festival in which Syllogism was performed as well as digital photos and/or videosregarding the method the students underwent in their preparation forthe festival performance. This is a tremendous honor for me to have thefirst international performance production of my work Syllogism by your organization of students and actors. Any documentation you have to send me is greatly appreciated!   

 

In closing, I too aspire to meet with you or some of the students in the near future to discuss the performance. Thank you for your time!

 

La-Tonia Denise Willis

Screenwriter, Playwright, Multimedia Creative

Phone/Fax: 1-206-426-7480

creativeartsmanagement@gmail.com

chaostheorymedia@bigstring.com

http://www.multimediaarts.webs.com

  

 

Dear Uros Roser

 

Thank you for sending the various attachments associated with your

amateur production of Syllogism. I can't wait to review them and tell

you what I think. There's no need now to go back and insert any

additional information about the origin of the play with Theatre

Studio Inc.It's okay, I'll address the issue in my blog when I write

about your production. I am excited about your adaptation and

interpretation of the material! This is a great honor to have the

material performed outside of the USA because it means there is some

ability to resonate with people on an international level. I

appreciate this very much.

 

I am a great fan of the "tragi-comedy" of some of the pioneers of  the

Theatre of the Absurd  movement in literature. Brecht, Pirandello,

Jarry, Albee, Stoppard, Ionesco, Genet, Beckett, Pinter, to name a

few; all have inspired me in some of my creative theatrical material.

 

As an independent filmmaker I'm working on a screenplay (that will

probably never sell!) that is a homage to Bunuel's The Discreet Charm

of the Bourgeoisie and Chabrol's La Cérémonie, with a modern update of

an upper-middle class African-American family who tries desperately to

tame the new working-class poor maid with disastrous results.

 

I would like to get to Europe, especially to some of the international

film festivals, but it is difficult financial times in this current

economy. I live in Seattle. I was born in New York and spent most of

my early years between the American South (South Carolina) and the

East Coast (New York). I am hoping that my art will pave my way for me

to travel more, eventually!  As of now, I'm relegated to North America

with my travel to Canada and Mexico included.

 

Hopefully, we will meet one day and discuss lots of things in arts,

sciences, literature and technology. Cheers!

 

La-Tonia (Pronounced la: tahn: ya) Denise Willis

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REGARDING ANOTHER PRODUCTION OF SYLLOGISM:

(In Uros Roser's own words)

Dear madam La-Tonia Denise Willis,

I respect the art in which you are interested in and I think that there are to many artist whichwork only for the sistem, and makeonly thinks which are easy to sell,whithout deep meanings. Mankindshould do more on critisc of theexisting systems and should offerpeople alternative way of living. Iwould like to ask you something: A few principals of schools inour townare intereset in play Syllogizm and they have asked us if wewould playit to their pupils in the next school-year. I would like toask you ifyou allow us to play it to them, for free, of course I givea promise toyou, that we would write on publications (one sheet ofpaper which Ihave sent to you) where it have been first performed andexpress ourgratitude to you. In case that you agree, I ask you to send us the textthat we should publish. I would like to hear what do you think aboutappearance of your play, which we made? Thank you very much, I reallyhope to met you someday.

Greetings from Celje! Uros Roser:

 

Dear Uros Roser,

 

Greetings from USA - Seattle, WA

 

Yes, of course, go ahead with the project! Since your group is a  nonprofit I give

you my deepest gratitude for your continued interest. Thank you for consulting me

to let me know of the event you have in mind. I only wish to be kept in the loop as far as granting permissions, and to receive documentation about the performances. Also, please give credit to Theatre Studio Inc, in the written material as the first off-Broadway theatre in New York City to produce the play. I did receive the previous documents you sent and have not beenable to thoroughly review them yet, as I've been extremely busy writinggrant proposals to try and get funding for projects I have underway. I will continue this conversation at a later date.

 

Thank you kindly!

 

La-Tonia Denise Willis

 

 

 

 

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Click below for Theater Production Poster:

plakat_silogizem

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Cast Information/Program excerpt: (Translated with Google Translator from Slovenian to English)

La Toni Denise Willis: SilogizemKaj: DramaKdaj: Saturday, 18.4.2009 at20.15Kje: Slovenian National Theater CeljePrireditelj: KUD "Zarja"Trnovlje CeljePredstava under the Regional meeting of youth theatergroup "Theater VISION", Celje 2009Re?ija: Cvetka John Steels

 

Cast:

ARLENE – Polonca Govejsek

LEONARDO – Zan Borstnar

JESSICA – Ana Ostir

DR. MASON – Katarina Melik

 

The first thing that is most likely to be asked of you is kajsploh is a syllogism? According to the Slovenian language dictionaries jesilogizemconclusion, in which the claim arises from two statementsdolo?enzaklju?ek, decision. What difference is therefore the word ofthe show?

 

The story on the one hand, in an interesting, onthe other hand, extreme absurdenna?in linking the fate of the three,are completely different people who paso in the hands of the fourthperson. Arlene is a woman, which in life najve?pomenijo power,reputation and money, Leonardo is a young man who venomerpodo?ivlja itspainfully and cruel childhood, najstnico Jessico but spremljahudoburden of the past, which will hardly be rid of. Last jetu still dr.Mason, who has all the cards in the hands and also to kontrira"ostalimtrem ...

 

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CLICK HERE FOR MY ORIGINAL US PRODUCTION OF THE SYLLOGISM PLAY