THE WOOSTER GROUP
THE WOOSTER GROUP
For this photo essay I choose the devising group, THE WOOSTER GROUP. THE WOOSTER GROUP is a company of artists based in New York City that was founded in 1975 and has continued to be a full-time ensemble to this day. They have been performing and self-producing outside the commercial system since their foundation, which allows them to create in-depth work over long periods of time. The thing about THE WOOSTER GROUP that interests me the most is that they are self-produced, and they work full time with the group which is amazing to see, especially with the unstable nature of theatre and acting as a carrier in the professional world. This photo essay will dive into their past, their work, and their connection with modern day contemporary theatre.
THE WOOSTER GROUP, HAMLET, 5/6/2010, https://www.thewoostergroup.org/~thewoost/projects/SESC_Sao_Paulo/HAMLET/. Accessed 9/23/2024
Regarding THE WOOSTER GROUP, they are, one if not, the most well-known devising group in the United States. They are very well known for their experimental works with lighting, sound, and inclusion of video technology which keeps them at the forefront of the devising theatre world. They pride themselves on their unique and distinctive collaborative process with a heavy focus on the abnormal and almost cacophony of multiple art forms being brought together to make a piece that is worthy of THE WOOSTER GROUP title. This combination of themes, art styles, and experimental forms is what makes THE WOOSTER GROUP as well known as they are.
These photos are from a performance of Hamlet that was done in 2013. These photos show the very odd and experimental nature of THE WOOSTER GROUP and really express how the group attempts to stay ahead of the times with the introduction of live video on stage and unusual and non-traditional lighting. This is the key staple of the group, and it can be seen very early on in their work. Their early work can feel very Brechtian with their experimental nature, especially when it comes to the giant video wall in the background that was playing the recorded version of the Broadway performance of hamlet that was playing behind them their entire performance.
THE WOOSTER GROUP has very little to offer when it comes to revealing their trade secrets to their rehearsals and processes into creating some of the most iconic and bizarre pieces in theatre. THE WOOSTER GROUP can take up to a year or even two to complete their process in making one of their signature performance pieces. With them having a firm grip on their rehearsal and production process only adds to their benefit and is likely the reason they are allowed to take up an enormous amount of time producing one performance. These few photos that I did find show that they appear to have a somewhat normal rehearsal structure and flow, which is very interesting due to their abnormal and exotic execution with their performance pieces. The photos shown here are from the group’s rehearsal of Brecht’s The Mother and show the behind-the-scenes process of a rehearsal with THE WOOSTER GROUP, which looks not to unsimilar to our own methods and structure for rehearsals.
Stewart, Zachary. "The Wooster Group Finds a New, Funhouse Mirror Version of Brecht." Vulture, 3 March. 2021, www.vulture.com/article/wooster-group-brecht-mother.html. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
THE WOOSTER GROUP, HAMLET, 5/6/2010, https://www.thewoostergroup.org/~thewoost/projects/SESC_Sao_Paulo/HAMLET/. Accessed 9/23/2024
The Wooster Group. "L.S.D. (...Just the High Points...)." The Wooster Group, www.thewoostergroup.org/lsd-just-the-high-points. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
THE WOOSTER GROUP has many performances that they have done that stand the test of time. I will only be covering a couple of them that I feel really pushed the boundaries with their abstract and experimental methods. Starting with the first photo of their production of hamlet. We’ve briefly described this production already and how it really brought a new and interesting theme to the performance. The second group of photos is of their performance of L.S.D (…JUST THE HIGH POINTS…) which is a reflection on drug culture with a primary focus on LSD. The last set of photos are of the groups performance of House/Lights which is a blending of Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights and Olga’s House of Shame which also, like their previous production of Hamlet, incorporates a ton of new and experimental pieces in its performance.
The Wooster Group. House/Lights. The Wooster Group, www.thewoostergroup.org/house-lights. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
THE WOOSTER GROUPS connection to modern contemporary theater is very visible in even some of their older works. We could even make the bold claim that THE WOOSTER GROUP could be considered one of the pioneers of modern-day contemporary theatre with their experimental nature and their use and execution of abnormal lighting and live video from an early time. They have always strived to be ahead of the curve and bring new and innovative ideas and techniques into the theatre world. It is clear that THE WOOSTER GROUP is heavily inspired by or inspired modern day contemporary theatre with their unique and experimental style that they are known for having.
The Wooster Group. Instagram, www.instagram.com/thewoostergroup/?hl=en. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
