From Richard Montoya of Culture Clash:
At the height of the global pandemic, Center Theatre Group asked Culture Clash to consider what our theater might look like in a time when audiences could no longer gather. We'd seen enough zoom script readings to realize that was not the answer. But how to get theater to displaced audiences — and where did our audiences go? — was a mystery like the Corona itself!
Two things became clear. The audience was decentralized, with no plan to return to where they normally gathered, and the City of Angels was empty at night! Perhaps we could own — or borrow — the streets, and play out selected scenes of our play about LA that were more filmic? We thought in terms of cinema, or digital video — not theater. Chavez Ravine seemed ripe and ready for episodic storytelling.
What emerged was Chavez Ravine: In Nine Innings, a cinematic reinterpretation of the beloved 2003 play. Using existing footage, newly filmed scenes, original music, and spoken word, the result was a fresh look at the story, with a city in the grips of a pandemic as the backdrop. On February 25, in partnership with San Pedro Waterfront Arts District Culture TALKS!, Culture Clash’s Richard Montoya (he/him) will talk with Retake host John Horn (he/him) about how the filming came to be and why this story continues to resonate almost twenty years after its premiere. We’ll also get a chance to see a few innings on the big screen and get a live performance from a member of the cast.
Written & Created by Culture Clash. Produced by Center Theatre Group.
Listen to more episodes of Retake from LAist Studios here.
Presented in partnership with San Pedro Waterfront Arts District's Culture TALKS!