Theater

LETTER FROM CHAIR

Performance at SUNY Buffalo State: Presentation in a Remote Setting.

While facing the challenges of a global pandemic, remote teaching and learning, and an environment filled with political and social discord, we feel more than ever that Theater and Dance are uniquely positioned to tell human stories. We are honored to welcome you to the Buffalo State and Casting Hall Productions’ presentation of MOTHER C by Ansley Valentine, an adaption of Mother Courage and her Children by Bertolt Brecht. Rising to the occasion, we are taking our production online. We are excited to be collaborating with the playwright and highlighting the ingenuity, dedication and perseverance of our students, faculty and staff, alumni, and community partnerships.

To get involved and for more information about the Theater and Dance programs and Casting Hall Productions, please visit https://theater.buffalostate.edu.

We hope you enjoy the show.

Sincerely,

Ann R. Emo

Professor and Chair

Theater Department

NOTE FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT 

As a playwright, you sometimes have an idea for a play that means one thing when you start. By the time you finish, it has become something else. When I began talking to Aaron Sawyer, former Artistic Director of Red Theatre Chicago, we discussed the power of Bertolt Brecht's original play and how elements of the story might speak to the experience of a contemporary Black woman. I literally took years thinking about the play. For the longest time, there were just the first five pages of the play. I spent time researching and talking to people in Chicago. I explored police violence, mothers who have lost sons, and Black Lives Matter. And then, one day, it suddenly all became clear and the play poured out. After a very successful reading, it seemed all but certain a full production would ensue. And then things were put on pause. Then Covid-19 happened. Then the murder of George Floyd happened.  Then the protests happened. And suddenly, the meaning of the play radically changed. What had seemed fantastical had become true. Loss, displacement, questions about the state, our identities, and our place in the world become paramount to many people. What was suggested by Brecht's anti-war play has taken on a different life. Hopefully it speaks to you and some part of your experience. I have much gratitude to the creative team and actors at Buffalo State College. Their collaboration helped bring the play into sharper focus. And I hope it helps you get by another day.

Ansley Valentine

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Mother C by Ansley Valentine is an adaption of the 1939 play Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht, greatly influenced by his long-time collaborator Margarete Steffin. Mother C follows the story of a mother and her three children, the youngest child being Deaf, as they do their best to make it in a time where the rule of law has collapsed. Mother C dives into topics such as politics, greed, and a mother’s love. As a mother willing to do anything to get by and keep her family together, Mother C lands herself in many challenging situations and serves as a morality tale for us. 

With everything that is currently happening in the world politically and socially, it was extremely important for us to choose a show that directly resonated with today. From revolts and riots to our new masked way of life, Mother C feels like it’s a part of our own times. With the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, it was also very important to highlight the movement in any way possible throughout the play. We were extremely fortunate to be able to work directly with the playwright and implicate many references and nods to our current times and even our location of Buffalo. 

It is no secret that this product is very different from past productions at Buffalo State College. This unusual new way of virtual theater has brought about many exciting challenges and has truly made everyone working on this project even stronger in their craft. As we have had to make adjustments to respond to the reality of the pandemic, a big thank you to all of the production staff for their incredible work. Everyone has truly gone above and beyond, even picking up some new responsibilities to make this show run as smoothly as possible. 

It has been a pleasure getting to work with everyone as we all navigate this new way of performance. A big thank you to our actors as well. They have been absolutely incredible and so hard-working throughout this process. I could not be more proud of their hard work and dedication and it has definitely paid off. I would like to say a huge thank you to the director, Jonathan Seinen, for the opportunity to work beside him in this production. I am extremely grateful for the experience and knowledge that I have gained from working on this show, so once again thank you! Finally to the audience: The families, friends, and theatergoers who support our students and theater program, your (virtual) presence is what gives us the motivation to do what we do. I thank you all for standing with us in this challenging time. We look forward to the day we are able to be in the same room once again! But until then, enjoy the show. Pay it forward with love every day in everything you do.

Kennedy Lee

Assistant Director