Theater
A Piece of Work
A machine-made Hamlet by Annie Dorsen
In this daring marriage of live acting and artificial intelligence, Obie Award-winning director Annie Dorsen delivers a provocative parsing of Shakespeare’s work. Based on a sophisticated algorithm that generates a new version of the play nightly—words, visuals, lighting, music, and all—A Piece of Work features one actor, alternating between Obie winner Scott Shepherd (Elevator Repair Service’s Gatz, The Wooster Group’s Hamlet) and theater legend Joan MacIntosh, a looming computer screen, and a chorus of synthesized voices channeling this uncanny text, refashioned in the automated image of our digital times.
Concept and direction by Annie Dorsen
Sound and network design by Grégory Beller
Scenography/Video by Jim Findlay
Lighting design by Bruno Pocheron & Ruth Waldeyer
Systems design and text programming by Mark Hansen and Dylan
Fried
A Piece of Work is a co-production of BIT Teatergarasjen
(Bergen), Black Box Teater (Oslo), Brooklyn Academy of Music (NYC),
brut (Vienna), On the Boards (Seattle), and Parc de la Villette
(Paris).
A Piece of Work was developed in part at Live Arts Bard,
Bard College's residency and commissioning program for the
performing arts, through a Lower Manhattan Council on the Arts
Space Grant (2011) and while in residence at 3LD Art &
Technology Center. Production support provided by On the
Boards through its Performance Production Program.
A Piece of Work is a House On Fire project, receiving
support from the Culture Programme of the European Union.
Additional development support provided by the city of Vienna,
Abrons Art Center, and many generous individuals.
Performance by Scott Shepherd
Dec 18 & 20 at 7:30pm
Dec 21 at 10pm
Performance by Joan MacIntosh
Dec 19 & 21 at 7:30pm
Scott Shepherd has worked with the Wooster Group since 1997.
Joan MacIntosh has had a distinguished career as an actress for over 45 years.
The 2013 Next Wave Festival showcases the very best in contemporary performance, plus artist talks, storytelling, visual art, and film.