[Editor's note: All three of the MNTheaterLovers saw Taylor Mac on Saturday night at the Guthrie. The show gave us so much to discuss that we decided to try a round-robin chat instead of a straightforward review. -Jules]
KRL
So - Taylor Mac.
Carly
So yeah!
KRL
Is Jules on here yet?
Jules
Here!
Carly
So we're here because we
needed to process the amazing theatrical event that was Taylor Mac's 20thCentury. [See full title above] What did y'all think?
KRL
Yeah - so - how do we
start? Initial thoughts? Expectations?
Carly
My initial thoughts are
that that was a theatrical experience unlike any other I've ever seen.
Jules
I knew Taylor Mac was a
New York-based performance artist and a playwright (Mixed Blood did Mac's play Hir in 2015) and that he performed in wild costumes. That was enough to
make me want to see him.
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| Photo: Dan Norman |
What I knew of Taylor is
that judy (Taylor’s chosen preferred pronoun) has performed with Justin Vivian Bond. I knew that Taylor has done a lot of performance and cabaret work in NYC
and that the Maxamoo podcast loves Taylor. As for expectations, I went in open-minded.
Carly
The audience
participation element--
KRL
--was fantastic!
Jules
I loved that he used the audience participants in different and unexpected ways.
I loved that he used the audience participants in different and unexpected ways.
KRL
I felt it was a bit
awkward but it all made sense to everyone at the end. Sometimes audience participation
is done just to do it and there is no real good reason for it. Yet Taylor
always explained his purpose to bringing in folks.
Carly
I love that it was so
much more than just rote--as you say, KRL. I love that he was really trying to
make change. I love that there was no half-assing it.
KRL
True. It wasn't done
just to get the audience involved, it was done to INVOLVE the audience. Not
just physically but emotionally, mentally, politically.
Jules
There was so much food
for thought in this show. We got the "abridged" 2.5 hour version of
what will be a 24-hour project, but I can't imagine getting through 24
hours of his work without needing some downtime to process all of his ideas.
Carly
Amen.
To both of those
thoughts.
KRL
I think the 24 hour
would be like seeing any Philip Glass opera for the first time - there is so
much coming at you that you just need to take a break sometimes, and that is
totally all right. Or any endurance work. I wonder how Taylor is going to
handle the whole experience vocally. I really wanted to ask judy last night
about judy's vocal preparation, technique, etc.
Jules
I loved the idea of
getting rid of ideas from the 20th century that no longer serve us in the 21st.
And the elements of acknowledging what has gone before and then releasing it.
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| Photo: Dan Norman |
Yes!
Carly
For shiz! I loved how he
referenced theater in a completely, wild open way. I wanted all of his amazing
quotes about theater and audience participation.
Carly
I was looking for some
of judy's fab quotes and found this article, which I'm including for later
perusal: The Ridiculous Performance of Taylor Mac, Theatre Journal, Dec. 2012
Jules
So many wonderful
things. I liked him saying that he wasn't an educator but a reminder... here to
remind people of what they may have forgotten. I think that's a wonderful thing
to aspire to--to be a reminder.
KRL
Yes! I love that judy
knows theater so well and knows how judy can work it as well as judy does.
Taylor knows what works for judy and what doesn't. That self confidence was
amazing. The skill judy has in working an audience - only comes from years of
practice and really focusing on the audience while performing - a difficult
task.
KRL
Sidebar: there are
scripts of Taylor's for sale which I am looking forward to. Taylor also has a
vimeo page, and audio recordings! Links at http://www.taylormac.org/.
Carly
From the artist's note
in the program: "Popular songs use their simplicity, imperfection and
humanity to rally people towards a cause (whether that cause is to love, fight,
celebrate, or mourn.) ... As a result, I've decided the popular song was the
form I wanted for a show about imperfection fostering community."
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| Photo: Dan Norman |
Jules
I appreciate the idea of
using judy as a pronoun, but I noted that the music director [the wonderful
Matt Ray] used male pronouns [during the talkback], so I decided to be
conventional, boring, and heteronormative so as to not confuse myself.
Carly
Hee hee!
KRL
Jules - and I don't
think Joe Haj ever used a pronoun but always used judys (judy's?) proper name.
Jules
K-I think you're right!
Carly
Yeah, way to oppress, Jules!
KRL
Anywho - just a note on
Radical Faeries. It was a group started in the 70's with the gay movement that
was fighting against the gender-normative society, as well as being more open
to the pagan aspect of spirituality. [Taylor referred to the show as a 'Radical Faery ritual sacrifice' (sacrificing those 20th century ideas that don't serve us anymore like Patriarchy, etc) more than once. At the talkback, some Radical Faeries
in the audience asked if Taylor was part of the group. He
considers that he’s sort of an associate member. Not fully engaged, but
appreciating most of their message.]
Jules
C-that reminds me about
what Taylor said about Patti Smith, Nina Simone, and who was the third? That
the message was more important than perfection?
Carly
Tiny Tim!
Jules
Right! I knew there was
one more.
KRL
I don't know much about
Tiny Tim except he brings in a camp factor while Patti and Nina are so
political and fantastic and serious. Well, Patti is very
funny as well but in a very punk way. I heart emoticon her so much.
Carly
I wondered what Tiny Tim
added as well, unless it's the pure camp. And everyone should read
Patti's book Just Kids.
KRL
I think Tiny Tim fought
some gender roles for sure. Just Kids is great and
her books of poetry are really good as well. I have some of her albums that I
could share with both of you if you'd like.
Jules
And Tiny Tim stuck to
his character for decades. There's some kind of strength there.
KRL
True. Maybe that is what
he also brought in - the performance/drag aspect. Creating a character and
living life as that character.
Jules
Good point, K.
Carly
Another interesting note
from the Artist's Note: "The goal is that with each performance we build
the community that is participating in this durational work." I think
that's what makes this theatrical experience so unique. What he gives the audience
and what he asks of us in return.
Jules
I did appreciate his
ideas about breaking down and rebuilding communities. That really resonated to
me as we can become to entrenched in our ways of thinking that they become
unthinking. And Taylor's work makes us question those ideas and consider whether
they still serve us.
KRL
Jules - I did appreciate
that aspect as well, and bringing in the audience to help us change our
thinking
Carly
I was thinking of how
much this show must take out of him as opposed to a more conventional
theatrical experience.
Jules
I felt like he gave us
SO MUCH during the show. But he seemed to be just as giving in the talkback
afterward.
KRL
Carly - I think it takes
a lot out of him but also feeds him so much. After all, Taylor mentioned a few
times of how much he loves and thrives on the ambivalence that he gets from an
audience - do they like me, do they hate me? That brings us right
back to A - audience participation. I felt that we coalesced more as a
group/audience than if we had just sat and watched.
Carly
I think Jules put it
better. He GIVES so much. I put it badly.
KRL, yes, a great point.
Jules
There is something
forceful about Taylor's stage presence. Especially at the beginning, before
anyone knew what to expect, Taylor was working hard to make us pay attention to
him. Because what Taylor was saying was important!
KRL
Jules - I agree to some
extent. I think that Taylor had a great point when he said that most people
associate drag with alcoholism. However I know that this is changing. Honestly
I think Hedwig started this change - make us as people see that drag is more
than just drag.
Carly
I think Taylor's
commitment to his work and to the audience is unique, not just among drag
performers, but all.
Jules
Commitment is a good
word for it, C.
KRL
Carly - I agree. He is
fully committed which is so intense. But he isn't just committed to the
"character" Taylor, but it seems to Taylor
the performer as well.
Carly
So he talks about the
24-Decade History of Popular Music community (he calls them "The Guild of
Lilies.") Found this interview with him at Bomb magazine.
KRL
I think the Lily aspect
relates to this show.
http://www.taylormac.org/portfolio_page/the-lilys-revenge/.
Carly
Ooh, can I say that I
have NEVER wished so much to be able to bring a camera to a show. SO many
amazing shots of him up in the audience and on stage.
Jules
I'm so happy that the Guthrie
(thank you, Joe Haj!) brought Taylor to the stage and I wish every seat had been
full. I think people either didn't know who Taylor was or didn't know what to
expect from the show.
KRL
I agree with both of
you.
Carly
I wish so too. And I
love that Joe committed to him in the [Wurtele] Thrust. Would we have seen that in the
Dowling years?
KRL
Taylor is an important
artist who more people need to experience. And yes to him being in the thrust
instead of the [Dowling] Studio.
Jules
No, I don't think that
would have happened earlier and I think it's a breath of fresh air to have his
message on the same stage as Chekhov. And A Christmas Carol.
Carly
Speaking of the Dowling Studio,
can we work on promoting Colman Domingo's show in advance so there's not an
empty seat in the house? [A Boy and His Soul, written and performed by Colman Domingo, runs August 9 - August 28, 2016.]
KRL
Yes, we can and we
should. It would give us a chance to write about Colman's previous experience here [The Scottsboro Boys, The People's Temple at the Guthrie].
Jules
I do feel like the G
should have talked up the show more in advance. And yes, we should talk about
Colman a lot!
KRL
I feel that Taylor is
tough to talk up. How do you explain a performer and a performance like that in
a way that will get people in the door? Transformative theater? That scares
people away usually.
Carly
Just going to say that,
K!
Jules
True! People don't want
to feel preached to.
KRL
I think there are a lot
of ways to talk about it - Transformative, Community building theater,
endurance theater - all things that intrigue and interest me, but I know my
parents would have no interest. And my mom would be turned off by the drag
aspect. Though he should have brought in more of the younger crowd - not just
the younger gay crowd. Again - I think is the NY Cabaret scene that is tough to
sell/market here because we don't have one.
Carly
I'm not sure endurance
theater gets in the punters.
KRL
So true. I know that I
saw The Screens twice as well as Angels in America [legendarily long plays] - both on the all day show
days. I love it!
Jules
It is weirdly hard to
explain Taylor's show without sounding like it's a polemic or screed. Maybe a
communal artistic experience? Probably wouldn't work on Minnesotans anyway.
KRL
ha ha ha - true
Carly
Oh cripes no.
KRL
And communal artistic
experience wouldn't work in NYC either, I don't think.
Jules
But now that a few
hundred people have seen what Taylor does, I think it will be easier to talk
about when/if we are able to get him back to the Cities.
Carly
Any last thoughts? How
about the musicianship?
KRL
Yes.
Jules
Oh, man, that band! They
were an awesome rainbow combo!
Carly
That they were!
KRL
Matt Ryan was amazing on
the piano and did incredible arrangements. So amazing. The band sounded great
and took their moments to shine, yet sounded incredible together. Clearly they
work together often.
Jules
And the arrangements
were so inventive, putting a new perspective on old tunes.
Carly
And the insight we got
from the talkback about the spontaneity of the arrangements and mash-ups.
Jules
And I think Taylor
practiced what judy preached and made the message more important than the
pretty.
KRL
Taylor's voice was so
singular–masculine yet with such a large range and such power! Though I also
feel that it had a bit of an "old Judy Garland/vocal damage" hint to
it. Which I find really interesting as Justin Vivian Bond has a very similar vocal
sound. It makes me wonder about their backgrounds, and how they got their
voices. And I think Taylor's
voice was always pretty.
Carly
I feel like Jules's
composing an email about Taylor's voice.
Cause we just have the
one brain.
Jules
Taylor's voice was
great, but I think the arrangements, by forgoing the expected sounds, focused
the attention on what Taylor wanted to express through the song. As in, it was
about more than pretty.
KRL
Jules - yes, i agree
totally.
Carly
Yes, Jules, and Taylor
talked about his influences being about more than the song.
I mean, more than the
singer's voice.
KRL
It was always on focus
with judy's message. The whole show was so focused and had such strong
intentions.
Carly
I have one more point to
make. We have not even MENTIONED Taylor’s wild costume. And I absolutely love
that his costume was basically falling apart at the end. So much better than if
he was immaculate at the end.
KRL
YES!
and did he lose part of
the long silver front?
Carly
I think he did.
And he was fraying.
Jules
Did you think that was
intentional? I kept wondering where that part came from.
KRL
It seemed to get shorter
after the nazi/Oklahoma bit.
Jules
I really wanted to know
a) how heavy was that headpiece and b) how did it stay on Taylor's head?
KRL
Personally, I was hoping
Taylor would exit and re-enter in a new costume for the encore.
Jules
I hoped for another
Taylor costume too. But there was a lot going on in the one we saw.
Carly
For sure. And I loved
how meta and behind the curtain he was with not leaving for his encore.
KRL
craft
Carly
Craft!
Jules
Yes!
KRL
I love Taylor’s use of
that word. It is such a great catch-all for so much.
Jules
Okay. I will email you
both when I have a draft. I think we'll need some cleanup!
Carly
Yay!
Hey, next time we do
this, I think we will have to take turns.
(co-written by KRL, Carly, and Jules)
