Abstract
Six Monologues is a performance where the roles of cast and crew are played interchangeably. A story is unfolded from the perspective of four individuals whose sense of self and surrounding is both unstable and unfixed. The piece is a collaborative work, one which could not exist without the endless hours of conversation, experimentation, failures, and collective dedication towards bringing something to life. It is embodied through Richie Greene, Kate Kilbourne, Andy Rayborn, and myself, under the collective Long Drive Theatre.
In this piece, we approach subjects from beyond disciplinary borders and categorizations. That is, it can not be reduced to one singular practice or idea. It looks at human behavior, language, and the very nature of productions themselves through, what could be considered, an absurdist lens and points to the desire for connection and understanding. Six Monologues is shot in a series of takes (from multiple cameras) which allows for both roles of cast and crew to be filmed. Live music is performed by us throughout the piece which includes a 41-equal temperament metallophone that was built specifically for this project, 41-equal temperament guitar, violin, bass clarinet, thunder sheet and musical saw. There are a total of six monologues performed, each embodying a different character and scene.
This piece aims to create itself while performing itself. The main intention of all of this is to set a foundation, to provide the scaffolding for what will become, to establish a working method and group relation, all while giving the piece the space to unfold, rather than having a set or singular pathway. Rather, it desires a space to ask questions, a space for research, a space for studying and enacting relations and actions. This paper looks to the various lines of thought and questions that surround the project but by no means aims to fully answer them.
Artist Statement
Kaitlyn Petrik is an artist and performer currently based in Portland, OR. Her work spans text, dance, video, and radio. She studied at the London Contemporary Dance School and recently graduated from Pacific Northwest College of Art. In 2020 she founded Long Drive Theatre, a hub for the creation of new experimental works in music, theatre, and dance.
