Artists & Projects Directory
Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell
Spalding Gray, one of the most revered and
irreverent storytellers of our time, became an indelible image: sitting alone
at a desk on a bare stage, delivering hilarious and moving monologues. But what
made Gray's performances so memorable and timeless was the universal way his
words-- the observations, neuroses, fears and joys they expressed-- resonate so
deeply with audiences. His work lives on in the funny, poignant, and ultimately
life-affirming Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell.
The show appeals to longtime Gray fans as well as
newcomers to his work. It is co-conceived by Kathleen Russo, Gray's widow, and
Lucy Sexton, who have assembled excerpts from both renowned and
never-before-seen work to span the artist's extraordinary life and career. The
piece unfolds chronologically, from recollections of childhood swimming trips
with his mother and tales of awkward adolescent sexual encounters, to the joy
Gray took in being a father himself.
The five-person cast, speaking directly to the
audience, makes each step of Gray's journey engaging. Their speeches have been
divided into categories, so that one actor covers "adventure" while
another tackles "love," "career," "family" or
private journal entries. The conceit lets us focus more intently on the words,
clarifying that Gray could write in multiple voices while continuing to explore
his singular--and often incredibly humorous--quest for self-understanding.
Actors in the ensemble cast included: Ain Gordon, Bob Holman, Carmelita
Tropicana, Kathleen Chalfant, Frank Wood, Hazelle Goodman, Josh Lefkowitz,
David Cale and Jonathan Ames, among others.
Selected presenters of Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell include: PS 122 (New York City); Minetta Lane Theatre (New York City); UCLA (Los Angeles, CA); Paramount Theatre (Austin, TX); Edison Theatre (St. Louis, MO); ICA (Boston, MA); Vineyard Playhouse (Martha's Vineyard, MA); Guild Hall (East Hampton, NY); and PICA (Portland, OR). In the 2010-2011 and 2011-12 seasons, the show toured to: The Egg (Albany, NY); Bay Street Theater (Sag Harbor, NY); Bowery Poetry Club (New York City); Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN); Painted Bride Art Center (Philadelphia, PA); Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh, PA); Newman Center for the Performing Arts (Denver, CO); Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (Scottsdale, AZ); St. John's University (St. Joseph, MN); Emelin Theater (Mamaroneck, NY); and New Territories International Festival of Live Art (Glasgow, Scotland).
Travel to Glasgow for the European premiere of the work was generously provided by USArtists International, a program of The MidAtlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.