Let’s paint a picture. You enter a space with beautiful raw wood ceilings and white concrete floors and walls. Everything is flooded with natural light through the windows lining two walls of the space. Hanging on the side of the space is a red dress hung in a kinetic position. There are various other props and set pieces including a DJ table with a life-sized cardboard cutout of Sam Adams (…as in the brewing company).

This was the stage set for thisamericanplayproduced by Blue Flamingo Theater Company. The plot was simple; three women are running for president of the “Foundation for Betterment” and to campaign for this role they needed to complete certain tasks. The first was a cupcake baking competition, where they discussed what and how they were baking demonstrated their presidential platform. The tasks continued and became more and more influenced by the politics of gender and race. If a baking competition wasn’t difficult enough, the characters had to do everything from a talent show to a literal obstacle course. The entire piece was musicalized, curated, and guided by a cowboy, a central icon of Americana.

thisamericanplay was devised by members of the Blue Flamingo Theater Company, and directed by Eliza Laytner, University of California- Los Angeles MFA Alumnae (Directing). Also featured in the piece was Cassandra Cushman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign MFA Alumnae (Acting). Laytner and Cushman have known each other since their undergraduate days at Mount Holyoke College.

Blue Flamingo Theater Company is made up of several UCLA alumni, who enjoyed working together so much in graduate school that they wanted to continue to cultivate the ensemble by creating their own company. The company has now expanded to feature other URTA alums like Cushman, along with alums from other schools. thisamericanplay featured Genee Coreno and Jonathan Schenk from SUNY Purchase, and Chelsea Fryer from UCLA (undergrad).
When we’re told that graduate school is a great place to network, we often think of networking with visiting professional artists or instructors. But the other great opportunity that grad school offers is the network created among classmates, who will continue to be your peers throughout your career.

For more on Blue Flamingo: http://blueflamingotheater.com/