Sunday, July 29, 2012

The Official Apocalypse of John Trailer!


Buy Tickets Now!

The New York International Fringe Festival- Fringe NYC
A production of the Present Company
Tickets $15 - $18.
For tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org


AND

2012 Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe
Tickets $15
For tickets, contact the Festival Box Office at (215) 413-1318
or
 visit www.livearts-fringe.org

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Apocalypse of John- Meet the Artists

The Serious Theatre Collective has formed a special contract with acclaimed Philadelphia Artists Ursula and Norman Stuby to create masks, puppets, and additional surprises for the Apocalypse of John.

These hand made art pieces have been loving crafted by Ursula and Norm to be ridden hard and put away wet by the cast for your entertainment!

Critics agree, the masks, puppets, and set items created by the Stubys are nothing short of awesome:

"...the show is a riot of zippy one-liners and laugh-out-loud set pieces..." —TimeOut NY

"...Excellent masks and puppets by Ursula and Norm Stuby are effectively used when the four horsemen of the apocalypse, aliens intent on Earth’s annihilation, and flesh-hungry zombies are introduced..." —Nytheatre.com

"...the titular burnout must weather no fewer than six global cataclysms—zombies, aliens, plague, nukes, storms, and the devil—all skillfully rendered by prop, puppet, and mask designers Ursula and Norm Stuby." —Backstage

Behind the Scenes Interview with Norm & Ursula!

Making awesome props and masks in five questions....

1. Hi Ursula and Norm. Thanks for doing the interview. Just to let our audience know a little bit about who you are, who are you? What do you do in Philly?

N: We both work in arts related jobs, but generally don't get to be creative at work. Ursula works for a public art exhibitions program installing the work of local artists and institutions. I work in a shop that does small scale commercial sculpture (toys, xmas ornaments, occasional internal organs of the body).  We like to make things on the side that we can really sink our creative teeth into.

U: Norm said it. I love being challenged to solve art problems.

2. How did you guys get your start in art/theater/prop-making/things that look good?

N: I majored in sculpture in college, and went on to working in a few scenic and exhibit shops in the city before landing where I am now. It's really my need to make things combined with my love of all of the detail that makes movies (even really bad movies, which I love) interesting and fun to watch.  Doing props for the theater is sort of a different animal because there are no close-ups in theatre and everything has to be big and bold.

U: I studied Art History, but have never stopped making things since kindergarten.  I enjoy learning new mediums and techniques. The challenge to make props that looked good while being functional was great.

3. And you're husband and wife? What 's it like to collaborate creatively with the One you love?

N: It generally works out well because when one of us hits a wall, the other one is there to pick up a sledgehammer.

U: Working together on art is some of our happiest times.  We like being a team.

4. Reviews have celebrated the props and design of the show. What inspired you in making these items? What was one of the most fun and/or challenging pieces?

N:They're all fun... we both love Halloween, mythology and sci-fi, so the subject matter is perfectly suited to our interests. The masks were took some trial and error with the papier mache, but turned out to be really good.  The nuclear bombs were probably the most challenging, as shadow puppetry is tricky when the puppet, scrim, and light source all have to be hand-held by one person.  We agree that they turned out much better the second time around with the color images of the mushroom clouds painted on the back of less translucent material.

U: I really enjoyed painting Blackstock's portrait.  It had been a while since I did an acrylic painting and I had forgotten how relaxing that sort of painting is.

5. What's up next for you guys as artists?

N: Hopefully somebody will see this play who is working on a sci-fi B movie and decide that spending 60% of thier budget on props made by me will make their movie 85% better.

U: I want to make some masks for myself, do some more painting, design us a set of dishes, finish my quilt and the list goes on. 

Below are exclusive behind the scenes photos of the making of just a few of masks and props featured in our show.

Don't forget to purchase your tickets here to see us lovingly destroy these works of art!

BONUS FEATURE: See more work from Norm Stuby




Cutting lightening bolts from foam core.
FUN FACT: foam core is utterly flammable and therefore prohibited for use on stage. Ursula and Norm have since reconstructed all props that could potentially burst into flame whilst we are performing! You're welcome, Audience!


In it's finishing stages- the Pestilence horsemen mask.


Creating the Death Horseman Mask.
Sowing Nuclear Explosion scrims in the studio.


Creating our very own Nuclear Bombs.


Death!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Serious Theatre Collective WINS at Coney Island!

Saturday July 21st 2012

The Serious Theatre Collective wins 2nd Place at the Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest! 

After spending a day at the beach slowly burning our collective skins the Serious Theatre Collective took home a sweet $200 prize with our Apocalyptic Sand Sculpture which featured a city being swallowed by a tsunami, two crash landed alien space ships, and Satan himself rising out of the Earth to advertise for our Fringe Shows/lead the final battle detailed in Revelations!

Winning Second Place @ the Coney Island Sand Sculpture Contest


Photo Montage STC @ the Coney Island Sand Sculpture Contest



Our winning sculpture featuring a tsunami wave, crashed aliens, and the Devil himself. 


The tsunami rising wave out of the earth to destroy the city. 


Additional views of the tsunami wave as it washes over the city. 


Side view of the end of the world, featuring the lightning bolts shooting forth from the devil's hind quarters as he emerges. 


Beginning at 12pm we worked with feverish intensity until the 3pm judging- where sure we gave the judges the full theatrical experience during their rounds. 



Close up on the doomed city. 




Ricardo Delgado digs to the center of the Earth. 


Erin Salm, aka Maggie in The Apocalypse of John, enjoys an appropriately themed "Zombie" at our after-contest celebration. 


The Serious Theatre Collective and friends celebrate our win. 

(Left to Right) Lizz Leiser, Damian Martinez, Becca Worthington, Andrea Fellows, Katherine Harris, Jacob Moore, Kymm Walker, and Erin Salm. 

(Not Pictured, but part of the team: Rachel Lewett, Antonio Flores, & Maria)



The envelope containing Two Hundred American Dollars. 

Lots of Additional Fun: 










Thursday, July 12, 2012

Introducing the Apocalypse of John- Trading Card Style

The incredible Morgan Shortell has created 
the Apocalypse of John
 a set of totally awesome Trading Cards!













Love Morgan's work as much as we do? Visit him at KMEstudio12.com

Sunday, July 1, 2012

New Page!

In the interest of giving credit where it is most certainly due, we're proud to debut our Supporters page. There, you'll find the names of all the excellent human beings who helped us get the show the backing it needed. We love them, and you should too!