Raw Talents

On Friday, April 25, eight composers, eight librettists, two directors and an ensemble of actors came together for the first time ever. They were divided into eight groups, each responsible for creating a 10-minute piece based on guidelines established by two directors. The works that resulted from these collaborations are now being composed, staged and rehearsed for their premiere on Monday, May 5. The final product, an hour-and-a-half revue of the eight mini-productions, is a testament to the creative resourcefulness and abundant talent that stuffs New York City’s music theater scene.

While a Broadway production (or adaptation, as seems more apropos to the current climate of Broadway musicals) can take years to develop, the Raw Impressions crews have just 10 days to put together innovative pieces of musical theater. The guidelines provide a general theme for the participants, who can then interpret them freely. For the first Raw Impressions Musical Theatre event in November 2001, the theme was "The City," and the assignment required that the piece begin with the line, "This isn’t how I was expecting things to go" and involve two characters. The themes can be specific musical or dramatic forms ("rock band," "linear narrative"), conceptual ("sacrifice"), philosophical ("does love transform?"), or anything else that tickles the directors. One event asked for pieces to reflect Marc Chagall’s The Birth; each team had to interpret a different section of the painting.

Created in isolation, the pieces can veer off in any number of directions. During the one I saw last year, "Sacrifice," vignettes ranged from the hysterical story of a family of trapeze artists to the darkly humorous story of two sisters—both named Anna—who don’t think there is room for both of them in the family. Some teams opted for more serious takes on the theme: One centered around two close roommates who separate when one finds a lover; another was based on the biblical story of Isaac.

The freshness and unbridled originality of the results make Raw Impressions a jewel of New York music theater, and a safe place for young composers, librettists, directors and actors to explore their art without filters and the intense pressure of New York criticism. This was one of the goals that drove David Rodwin and Patrick Mellen, who are music theater Renaissance men themselves, to found Raw Impressions. And beyond the initial collaborations, Rodwin cites a number of people who have continued to work together after their event. "There are a lot of people who have met through Raw Impressions who found the collaborator they’d been looking for for years."

With the success of the music theater program, Raw Impressions has expanded to include dance, film and straight theater collaborations fostered through a similar process. Initially the pool of participants was simply drawn from artists Rodwin and Mellen knew, but the number of people has expanded into an impressive network, and those involved now make their own recommendations. "We find that they guide us to the most wonderful, talented people," Rodwin says.

Since their incorporation in 2001, more than 500 artists have come together to create some 20 hours of high-quality, nourishing entertainment, creating a community overflowing with frenetic creativity. In addition to the music theater events on May 5 and 6, the Raw Impressions Film Fest will take place on May 13, and a dance event is being scheduled for early June.

Raw Impressions Mon. & Tues., May 5 & 6 at La MaMa E.T.C., 74A E. 4th St. (betw. Bowery & 2nd Ave.), 212-475-7710.