Shows: Past Productions

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I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY

book and lyrics by Kirk Lynn

music and lyrics by Peter Stopschinski

curated and directed by Thomas Graves & Lana Lesley

[ Videos of 2009 Workshop Production ] [ MP3s ] [ Photo Gallery ] [ Reviews ] [ Development History ]

"I've Never Been So Happy is one big smart 21st-century theatrical valentine to the Lone Star State... tender, funny, super-intelligent, super-odd..." – Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, Austin-American Statesman on September 2009 work-in-progress production

I've Never Been So Happy, with music and lyrics by Austin Experimental Punk Grand Wizard Peter Stopschinski (Brown Whornet, Golden Hornet Project), and book and lyrics by Austin Experimental Theatre Mascot Kirk Lynn, fluxuates freely between high art and Hee-Haw, treating both with respect. The music pits a "Grand Ole Opry" style West against an "El Topo" style West. The writing butts lyric poetry up against bar jokes with finesse. The evening challenges what it means to "go to the theater" in 2009.

In the olden days of face-to-face interaction, folks sauntered down Main Street kickin' up a trail o' dust and hollerin' at the barber, "How's Jolene?" Now it's all checking out a video of a dude from Buenos Aires, remixing it, then posting it for others to chop and screw. This post-operetta (g)host town is the best of both worlds. The immediate participatory horizontal cultural (re)production, but without all the emoticons because you are standing in the yard of The Off Center with all of your Facebook friends gettin' drunk, makin' rope, bustin' imaginary mutton and drawin' maps of Texas land use in real time.

REVIEWS

"This production may only give you a taste of what’s to come, but that small bite will leave you wanting the whole enchilada by the time it’s through. Come on down for free drinks, archery, dancing, paper cutting, even a little bit of dress up, and, of course, one of the most talked about plays of the season. The hardest part is being patient enough to wait through the coming months to see the rest of the story. But that’s a small price to pay for a production such as this." - Ryan Johnson, Austin.com Review of December 2008 work-in-progress production

"The Rudes continue to deepen their creative process and challenge themselves in new ways. And that results in smart, terrific theater that takes us some place new. Or maybe right back home to Texas.." - Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, Austin American-Statesman Review of December 2008 work-in-progress production

Citations:

"Top 8 of '08" - Austin Chronicle
"Top 10 Theatrical Treasures and Pleasures of 2008" - Austin Chronicle
"BEST INVESTIGATION OF THE WEST: The Rude Mechs' funny, well-informed multimedia performance was a refreshingly queer interrogation of the West. Moreover, I’ve Never Been So Happy felt like a Brechtian extravaganza for art and theater geeks, evoking everything from WOW Café camp to Bruce Nauman’s post-minimal studio practice to Kara Walker’s silhouettes and shadow puppets." - Claire Ruud, ...might be good (Fluent-Collaborative's contemporary arts e-journal Best of 2008)

VIDEOS OF SCENES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 2009 WORKSHOP PRODUCTION

All scenes were recorded before a live audience.

DEMOS AND LIVE RECORDINGS FROM WORKSHOP PRODUCTIONS AND RESIDENCIES

Because you made it this far, here's a snack for you. Following are live recordings (and one demo) from the various workshop productions.

Trio - If I Were A Queen (demo featuring Cami Alys) - Julie Jessup and her friends sing about tying her son to the last mountain lion in Texas.
Crying (live at UT Musical Theatre Initiative residency) - Julie Jessup files a missing persons report to the Sherriff.
She Likes Fur (live at Sept. 09 workshop production) - Annabellee's dachsunds help Jeremy get dressed to get Annabellee to agree to marry him.
A Dog's Life (live at Dec. 08 workshop production) - The dachsunds race to determine the outcome of a wager between Annabellee and her father, Brutus.
Annabellee's Dream - (live at Sept. 09 workshop production) Annabellee describes her dream of freedom to her dachsund, Sigmunda.
Prelude (live at Sept. 09 workshop production)
I've Never Been So Happy (live at Sept. 09 workshop production) - Theme song.
Ropebreakdance (live at UT Musical Theatre Initiative residency) - A rope ballet between Jeremy and the mountain lion.
We Hunt the Lion (live at Sept. 09 workshop production) - The Sherriff leads Jeremy, the dachsunds and a posse in search of Annabellee and the mountain lion.
Opera (live at UT Musical Theatre Initiative residency featuring Julia Gytri)- Julie's missing persons report's climax.
Funeral Song - (live at Sept. 09 workshop production) A song for Sigfried.

PHOTO GALLERY

Stills from the September 2009 Work-in-Progress Production (operetta only)

Stills from the December 2008 Work-in-Progress Production (operetta & party)

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

December 4 - 13, 2008 Work-in-Progress Production at The Off Center

June 1 - 13, 2009 development workshop on students with The University of Texas Musical Theatre Initiative

June 14 - 21, 2009 development workshop at The Orchard Project

September 10 - 20, 2009 Work-in-Progress Production at The Off Center

Creation support for I've Never Been So Happy comes from:

The National Endowment for the Arts

The Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

The NEA Distinguished New Play Development Program hosted by Arena Stage

The Orchard Project

WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRODUCTION

September 10 - 20, 2009

The Off Center

book and lyrics by Kirk Lynn

music and lyrics by Peter Stopschinski

directed by Thomas Graves and Lana Lesley

curated by Aron Taylor

This presentation began with the disappearance of our heroine, Annabellee. She's gone missing on her wedding day and the only clue available is a bloody veil found in the mouth of the last mountain lion in Texas. Join Jeremy and his dachshund companions, Sigmunda and Sigfried, as they hunt down the lion. See Brutus Baghand and Julie Jessup, the traditionalist and the pioneer, battle it out to determine who follows the true western way of living. Hear the Mountain Lion's death metal song, as she finally tells her side of this tall tale! And what about Annabellee? Is she in danger? Or is this all just some plot to escape her father's authoritarian rules? Prepare yourself for sorrow, as one of these characters will die!

PRODUCTION TEAM

Ensemble: Cami Alys, Kerri Atwood, Lowell Bartholomee, Hannah Kenah, Jenny Larson,

Jason Liebrecht, Meredith McCall, Paul Soileau, Meg Sullivan

Designers: Noel Gaulin & Erin Meyer - Live Projection Design; Stephen Pruitt - Lighting Design;

Leilah Stewart - Scenic Design; Kim H. Ngo - Costume Design

Musicians: James Alexander, Amy Harris, Eric Roach, Joseph Shuffield, Peter Stopschinski,

Thomas van der Brook, Julie Wang, Elizabeth Warren

Production Staff:

Charlie Llewellin - Sound Engineer

Katie Hopkins - Front of House Manager

Jazz Miller - Stage Manager

Jane Stimpson - Video Operator

TRANSMEDIA PERFORMANCE PARTY

curated by Aron Taylor

Prank A Yank

Touch My Gun

Potty Mouth

Karaoke the West

Country Cage Match

Deep Fried in the Heart of Texas

Lookin' Sharp

side bar Saloon

Do(odle) Mess with Texas

WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRODUCTION

December 4 - 13, 2008

The Off Center

book and lyrics by Kirk Lynn

music and lyrics by Peter Stopschinski

curated and directed by Thomas Graves and Lana Lesley

ABOUT THE DECEMBER 2008 WORK-IN-PROGRESS PERFORMANCE:

A transmedia performance party that purposely defies definition, we invite you to experience a sort of western carnival that may include a short documentary film about the Rude Mechs' parents, our patented "Ask the West" booth featuring a real rancher and a mountain lion ready with answers, a margarita and/or salsa competition, a Rube-Goldberg style art-making installation centered on how the West has affected gender identity, the environment, culture... You might go home with a western portrait, shoot a magical bow and arrow which cannot miss its target, and you just might be listened to for the first time in your life! And at the center of this evening are selections from Rude Mechs' newest musical. A single mother ties her son to the last mountain lion in Texas to toughen him up. A single father tries to keep his daughter from leaving home. Philip Larkin said it best, "They fuck you up, your mum and dad." All this plus a dachshund race, three jokes about rope, a seven-piece band, eight singers, three video puppeteers, and a tiny dance team to create a wild west wonderland in the Rudes' theater, THE OFF CENTER. (And remember, The Off Center was once a feed store!).

From 8 pm to about 8:30 pm: We invited you to roam the space and actively participate in every event - paint a painting, dance, play an instrument, make a documentary, cross-dress for less, meditate in the desert. At about 8:30 pm we invited you to turn your attention to the stage to enjoy selections from the musical.

Scene 2: “A Dog’s Life” - Annabellee and her father, Brutus, race their dachshunds against each other. Sigmunda is racing for the right for her owner, Annabellee, to strike out on her own. Sigfried is racing for his owner, Brutus, to keep his daughter
by his side.
Scene 4: “Everything’s Tied” - The race is won and Annabellee and Brutus negotiate the settlement of the wager as the dogs tell jokes.
Scene 7: “She Likes My Fur” - Enter Jeremy, who hopes to win Annabelle’s hand. The dachshunds dress him up to suit Annabelle’s taste.

ABOUT THE PROCESS:

What you may have witnessed was a work-in-progress. Because our company tears itself up trying to perfect process while attempting to be as collaborative as possible, we hope to bring you along for the ride in a way that will inform the project, our process and the way you absorb this Rude Mechs work as it is developed for its premier in 2010.

Kirk and Peter started work on this play back in 2006 or so after having enjoyed their collaboration on our show El Paraiso. Rude Mechs presented a short workshop viewing of the piece at First Night Austin 2008. Lana and Thomas joined the project this Fall. We all agree the mandate for this project is very simple: if we aren’t having fun doing it, we stop. The underlying goal for the project is inclusion - let every idea in, develop it and give it a home. Ultimately we hope to incubate these independent ideas and install them throughout the city or the web or into the show during the run of the premiere.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Background Vocals: Cami Alys, Kerri Atwood, Carolyn Cremona, Michael Mergen

Cast: Lowell Bartholomee, Jenny Larson, Josh Meyer, Paul Soileau, Meg Sullivan

Dance Team: Thomas Graves, Hannah Kenah, Lana Lesley, Robert Pierson

Designers: Noel Gaulin & Erin Meyer - Live Projection Design; Stephen Pruitt - Lighting Design; Leilah Stewart - Scenic Design

Musicians: Jason Elinoff, Andrew Noble, Eric Roach, Joseph Shuffield, Peter Stopschinski, Julie Wang, Elizabeth Warren

Production Staff:

Charlie Llewellin - Sound Engineer

Mercedes Marteinz - Front of House Manager

Jazz Miller - Stage Manager

Christian Stagg - Video Operator

Meg Sullivan - Costume Coordinator

TRANSMEDIA PERFORMANCE PARTY

*The Western Wing of the Gay Wax Museum*
created by Silky Shoemaker

*They Fuck You Up, Yer Mom and Dad*
created by Michael Mergen

*The Bullseye Lounge*
created by Kirk Lynn

*Paper-Cut Corner*
created by Erin Meyer, Noel Gaulin

*The Clothes Horse*
conceived by Laura Cannon
created by Meg Sullivan

*Your Old Friend*
created by Robert Pierson

*Ask the West*
created by Kirk Lynn

*Cures What Ails Ya*
created by Leilah Stewart

*The Desert*
created by Stephen Pruitt

*Everything’s Tied*
created by Thomas Graves

SPECIAL THANKS

The entire production team for throwing in on everything!
The Transmedia Art Makers for donating their time and skill.
Aron Taylor for making a beautiful art poster.
Howard Shows for painting in “Everything’s Tied.”
Don Hejny for knowing everything about the West.
Margaret Hejny for her willingness to be Leilah.
Celeste DeBardelaben for Susan, again!
Kevin Beltz, William Moses, Michelle Fisher, Michelle Flanagan, and Erin Coscia
for their grueling physical labor.
Mary Moody Northen Theatre for the stoner chair.
Darby & Grady Hillman for the BOBCAT!
Dan Sullivan for filling out the “Clothes Horse.”
Paula’s Texas Spirits for putting the cure in the “Cure’s What
Ails Ya” booth.
Marcella Garcia for sign painting, a lovely story and grueling physical labor.
Laura Cannon for western clothes.
Austin Waldorf School for the music stands!

Rude Mechs is supported by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division

RUDE MECHS Exclusive Worldwide Tour Representation:
Thomas O. Kriegsmann, President
ArKtype
t. (917) 386-5468
f. (212) 749-7696
e. tommy@arktype.org
w. http://www.arktype.org