An Invitational Project as Play in 10 Acts and an Epilogue, based on „An American Tragedy“ by Theodore Dreiser.

Premiere: October 22, 2004 HAU 1, (Hebbel Theater), Berlin.

In german and english
approx. 2 Stunden.

Theodor Dreiser’s epic novel „An American Tragedy“, (1923), written in the midst of the American Century, is a classic depiction of the harsh realities of American life, the dark side of the American Dream, and one man’s doomed pursuit of love and success.
Here we see the story of a man driven to commit murder by the desire for financial gain, which he believes is the central part of the American dream. Clyde Griffiths plans to kill his poor, pregnant lover so he can marry his rich, beautiful lover. When the poor woman dies accidentaly, Clyde’s plot comes to light, a jury finds him guilty of murder, and he is executed in the electric chair.

October 2004: coinciding with the high point of the American presidencial elections, Lindy Annis invited 10 artists, asking each to create their own act of An American Tragedy / the American dream and present it on the stage of the Hebbel theater in Berlin.

Nicholas Bussmann
Friedrich Liechtenstein
CHEAP
Thomas Kapielski
Frieder Butzmann
Sven Ake Johansson
Laura Kikauka
Antonia Baehr
Frank Büttner
Boris Aljinovic

Programm:

An American Tragedy – revised and capsulated by Lindy Annis

Future Girl: Nicholas Bussmann und Friedrich Liechtenstein

Room 520: CHEAP, (Dragan Asler, Tim Blue, Daniel Hendrickson, Zazie de Paris, Susanne Sachsse, Anglika Sautter, Marc Siegel, Nina Thorwart, William Wheeler)

Das Bettstättische Epikt: Ein Vortrag von Thomas Kapielski

Doughnuts & the Dealers sing Fast monez, Big Life, Prostitution, Drugs: Frieder Butzmann, Klaus Krüger – Schlagzeug, Kristof Hahn – Guitarre, Jojo Röhm – Bass.

PAUSE

Wepa Rund: Sven Åke Johansson

Revolution of a Schmalz Apparition, a Tableau Vivant: Laura Kikauka, Anita Daumants, Leander Hormann, JJ Jones, Dietmar König, Gordon Monahan, Francesca Noia,
Sabine Schlunk, Gordon W.

Screensaver: Antonia Baehr, Kim Desault, Mirjam Junker, Ida Nathan

O.T.: Regie: Lindy Annis, Schuaspiel: Frank Büttner.

Die Verhandlung: Boris Aljinovic – Staatsanwalt, Paul Netzer – Richter, Helmut Rühl – Verteidiger, Maurice Jones – Leiche des toten Mädchens, Frank Büttner – Angeklagter George, Frieder Butzmann – Wirt, Thomas Kapielski – Leichenbeschauer, Marc Siegel – Gerichtsdiener.

The War Cabinet: Lindy Annis, Nicholas Bussmann, Friedrich Liechtenstein, Susanne Sachsse, Marc Siegel, Thomas Kapielski, Frieder Butzmann, Sven Åke Johansson, Laura Kikauka, Antonia Baehr, Frank Büttner, Boris Aljinovic, Paul Netzer

Concept, Performance: Lindy Annis
Dramaturgy: Johann Barner
Stage design: Katja Wetzel
Lighting design: Benjamin Schälike
Assistant director / prod. manager: Kerstin Schroth
Set construction: Gregor Luft

With many thanks to the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz und Bayoum. An American Tragedy was funded by the Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur / Berlin and the Hauptstadtkulturfonds.