((PKG)) RUSSIAN STAGE DESIGNER
((Banner: A Life on Stage))
((Reporter: Elena Wolf))
((Camera: Max Avloshenko, Olga Terekhin))
((Map: New York, New York City))
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designer, Director))
When I came here this last time, went into the subway with a suitcase, sat down and put my feet up on the bag, I found myself thinking I would have never been able to do that in Moscow. I wouldn’t even have thought of it, putting my feet up on a suitcase and feeling comfortable doing it. You have this freeing feeling here. It doesn’t mean rudeness or impoliteness. Here, people apologize to each other in the streets if they walk into someone by accident. Everyone is excessively polite and nice, yet free.
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designer, Director))
With effort, you can create a theater from nothing using your own savings.
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designer, Director))
American actors are very different from Russian actors. They are curious. So, many things I offer surprise them. I know that New York doesn’t really have such visual theater, and when it does, there’s little. Broadway shows dominate in New York. Also there are theater readings. It can be really good. I have seen a couple of performances.
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designer, Director))
There’s nothing on the stage, just a chair, a glass of water and the actor that either sits or stands and talks. It’s innovative theater and people are used to this here. But when visuals change every 2-3 minutes….
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designer, Director))
Here we had one thing, then we have a music break, followed by choreography, and then a projection and something else. It is seen with interest and bewilderment. People are not used to that here.
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designed, Director))
The show is called Chatter. Long, insignificant talk. A young woman comes to New York to find herself, to understand what she dreams about, but life happens as it always does, a little differently. A little bit differently than planned. Or not a little bit.
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designer, Director))
This theater, the Tank Theater. Our show was invited after it was staged in Dixon Place Theater. One night, we staged it and then got invited here for a whole week. The theater is known for giving a chance to young teams that are experimenting with what they do. It allows them to try something new.
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designed, Director))
It’s my first show as a director, my first show in the U.S. It’s scary and at the same time, I get this feeling that anything is possible. Some crazy freedom. And you get scared because such freedom means responsibility.
((NATS))
((Sasha Dashevskaya, Stage Designer, Director))
I feel great here. I am given a chance to experiment. No one forces me to be embarrassed about it, feel uncomfortable knowing I waste people’s time on something that not everyone is going to accept.
((NATS))
