wornmagazine washington, dc
a head of the curve fall/winter 2010/2011 fall/winter 2010-2011
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Worn Magazine is a DC-born publication intended to bring greater awareness of local fashion and art to the District and to the nation. It is our view that lives embellished with art and style are the best lived, and the magazine exists to encourage the flourishing of both in the DC community. We believe that creativity has the power to bring people together, showcasing commonality rather than difference. Through our partnerships with local artists and businesses, we strive to make DC a more art- and style-conscious city that is more accepting of various forms of personal expression.
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fall/winter 2010-2011 WORN BLOG One of our favorite posts since the wornmagazine.com website launched in March 2010
UNFURGETTABLE Knitwear by De*Nada Designs, clothing by Wink, and pups from the Washington Humane Society
TUMBLEWEED Clothing by G Starr and accessories by Derringer Friday
REDUCE REUSE REVAMP Midwestern redheads bringing new meaning to the word thrify By Nicole Aguirre
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WORN OUT Washingtonians bringing original style
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THE NEW SPIN CROWD DJs taking the DC music scene by storm By Charles Sutherland
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CHOCOUTURE A chocolatier turns Miss DC 2009 into a sweet version of Cruella De Vil By Maura Judkis
DRAMA QUEEN Emerging director talks dramaturgy and foodfights Interview with Jenny McConnell Frederick
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editor’s letter The highs and lows of being editor of Worn Magazine are thrilling. There’s nothing like getting that awesome interview then dropping your recorder in a glass of orange juice to make you feel alive (or dead). There I was, the day before deadline, attempting to dry the recorder (and praying for a miracle) while walking the dog to Josh’s house to go over photos, texting our copy editor Emma, planning the launch party in my head, and wondering what I was going to make for dinner, all at the same time. Only then did it start to rain. On some days you need a stiff drink to get through it. I, and all the other young entrepreneurs, know this story all too well. This is why I chose the artists featured in this issue. Because we’re all on this same, crazy boat together in a place called Washington, DC whose reputation is known worldwide but whose creative offerings are only beginning to be discovered. DC is no longer just a place to come to work, the artists on our pages are putting the real DC on the map. They are pushing boundaries, reinventing old concepts, and making sacrifices every day for what they love. They believe in themselves and in their work more than ever. And we believe in them. I’d like to thank Joshua Yospyn, Emma Fisher, Merin Guthrie, Avi Gupta, Kristen Swenson, Erin Derge, Marina Grushin, Sondrea X, Daniel Yu, Irene Kaushansky, Katie Musser, Sam Vasfi, Clementine Thomas, Lauren Bailey, Emy Gelb, Tara de Nicholas, Pamela Leonard, The Washington Humane Society, Scoop, Harley, Liv, and Thistle, Moustafa Hassan, Travis Poffenberger, The Phelps Family, Jordan Culberson, Virginia Arruseno, Paige Speyer, Greggory Lennon, Natalie Goins, Ada Polla, Alina Alvarez, Dan VanHoozer, Rasheed Jabr, Alex Shinko, Jason Colston, Room11, National Geographic and U St Music Hall.
Nicole Aguirre, Editor-in-Chief 4
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wornmagazine.com/blog Since the publication’s launch in March 2010, wornmagazine.com received visits from nearly 20,000 people in 100 countries. The 120 blog posts we wrote (photographed, really) in the first six months followed the beat of DC’s art, culture and fashion scene. We had a blast shooting a wedding dress mega-sale, art openings, roller derby bouts, street portraits, seersucker bike rides and fashion shows. Josh even rented a Zipcar for the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival (“My jacket grew off a goat!”). If the print edition is our World Series, then the blog is our regular season. One doubleheader we played over the summer shined a light on GAIA’s mural in an alley off of P Street. On July 7th, we wrote about the street artist’s opening at Irvine Contemporary and his gigantic painting of a mutant chicken and floating hands that took a few nights to complete. One month later, Lauren Gentile with Irvine informed us that Whole Foods covered up the mural. GAIA’s work was buffed out in response to a mysterious neighbor who complained about graffiti. Our resulting August 5th blog post became our most popular. Commenter Tracy wrote, “Street art... Here today, gone tomorrow.”
Photography by Joshua Yospyn
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Tenesa, U Street fall/winter 2010-2011
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BK Adams, H Street NE
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Justin, Adams Morgan
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road trip
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Photography by
Nicole Aguirre
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Shorts, cardigan, and shirt by G-Star, salmon linen tie by Derringer Friday at derringerfriday.com, hat by Zara.
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Shirt and trousers by G-Star, Indigo Raw Silk tie by Derringer Friday at derringerfriday.com, hat is vintage Stetson. 14
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First page. Blazer, shirt, and jeans by G-Star, Blue Floral tie by Derringer Friday at derringerfriday.com.
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Words by Maura Judkis Photography by Joshua Yospyn 18
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Chocouture A chocolatier turns Miss DC 2009 into a sweet version of Cruella De Vil
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“I growled at the judges as I walked by, and when I got to the photographers, I pretended to ash my cigarette holder on their heads.”
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atie Musser is a little too cavalier with her blowtorch. Usually, the 27-yearold Co Co. Sala chocolatier uses it to melt the inevitable smears of chocolate off of the marble slab that comprises her workspace, walled in behind glass like a fishbowl. And since customers are always watching her work, she shows off a bit. That’s what the blue flame is for. “The servers think it’s badass,” she said. “Damn right it is.” But on this day, there is no one at the window to watch Musser and her flame. The restaurant is closed, and she isn’t using the torch to clean or melt chocolate – instead, she lights up the tip of a thin metal rod, punches a hole
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in fake cheetah fur with the hot prong and attaches chocolate beads to it. She tries to work quickly and carefully in vain. “This seems like the easiest way, but I’m not even sure,” she says, with a shrug. “I like to burn things.” But not her fingers. “This thing burns me every time,” she says, wincing. There are 50 hand-crafted chocolate beads to be added to her cheetah shawl, which will go over a chocolate-covered dress with a chocolate and sugar belt. The dress will feature tiger-print pastillage: a decorative showpiece created from a hardened mixture of sugar and vinegar. There is a sugar veil
and a sugar necklace, all under a wig sprayed with chocolate. The seam down a pair of stockings will be comprised of tiny bones, made of sugar. Musser’s final creation will bring to life the 101 Dalmatians canine predator Cruella De Vil at the 2010 Sweet Charity chocolate fashion show. But at this moment, the day before the competition, Musser doesn’t entirely know how it will come together. Despite her weeks of preparation, her designs are all in her head and she has never drawn a sketch. There is no time to linger over burned fingertips. Musser pulls back her hair and spikes the fur with the prong once more.
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Shirt and trousers by G Starr, Indigo Raw Silk tie by Derringer Friday at derringerfriday.com, hat is vintage Stetson.
Sweet Charity is in its 7th year of fundraising for the Heart of America Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes literacy. Each year, the foundation selects a theme to inspire more than a dozen area chocolatiers and pastry chefs. This year – Musser’s first – the theme is “Literacy on the Silver Screen.” Musser starts with the dress. It is Calvin Klein, white, and the first one she sees at the consignment store. It also happens to be a perfect fit for her Sweet Charity model, Miss D.C. 2009 Jen Corey. Then, she is off to the fabric store for supplies: fake fur, felt, ribbon and trim. Musser’s design includes no Dalmatian fur, even though her character’s desire for a dog-skin coat is her claim to literary and cinematic villainous fame. It is Musser’s way of staying true to the character. “She never goes through with it in the movie,” she says. Musser’s Cruella will march down the runway with a live Dalmatian wearing a harness that says “Property of C. De Vil.” A live animal is one of several variables that Musser has to consider on the day of the competition, and it’s the least of her worries. The greatest concern is her temperamental medium, chocolate. Co Co. Sala co-owner Nisha Sidhu knows the drawbacks all too well. “Chocolate’s melting point is very close to our body temperature,” says Sidhu. “And everything is so fragile. One year, I had done an outfit where the bodice was covered in 200 chocolate jewels. By the end of the night, 75 percent were gone. They had started to pop off from heat and movement.” Sidhu advises Musser throughout the design process, helping her with technique and offering advice for making wearable art that is also durable. Musser uses chocolate for items that won’t directly touch the model’s skin, like the belt, and more durable molded sugar for items that will, like her jewelry. Other items, such as decorative accents on the dress, and a long cigarette holder, are made out of pastillage, the keystone of competitive pastry showpieces because it’s incredibly durable and flexible, like an edible clay. When it
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hardens, the sugar has the texture of ceramics - solid, but not durable enough that it would survive a fall to the floor. Musser creates backups of every element of the outfit, just in case something should melt or break. The chocolates are made with an eye for their hardiness, not their flavor. There are no filled truffles or bonbons in the outfit - just plain, molded chocolate. Musser adjusts the recipe of her chocolate depending on its use. The molded chocolates for Cruella’s necklace and belt must stay hard, so they are the most pure. Cocoa butter makes chocolate flexible; Musser mixes it with chocolate to spray on the dress and wig, items that move with the model’s body. At the bottom of Musser’s list of priorities for the next day is her own walk down the runway. Since she plans to wear her white chef jacket with black pants, the only sartorial choice she has to make is between sneakers or heels. “I’m not sure if I want [Corey] to be taller than me,” says Musser. As for the task of walking down her first runway: “That doesn’t faze me,” she says. “I walk every day. So it shouldn’t be a struggle.” By now, Musser has worked nearly 50 hours on the costume with no idea if Cruella will win. And regardless of the competition outcome, she isn’t sure what will happen to her outfit after Sweet Charity is over. “I guess it gets thrown in the trash,” Musser says, nonplussed. Chocolate couture has a short shelf life, and she is used to her showpieces – edible sculptures she makes for the restaurant – melting or being reshaped into other creations. Such are the constraints of her medium, not unlike street artists who expect their murals to get painted over or performance artists who create an ephemeral experience, a moment of beauty to be remembered only. She cleans off her work surface with her blowtorch and closes down the kitchen for the evening.
Transporting a chocolate dress is rather like how an EMT delivers a transplant organ – the outfit is placed delicately into a cool container and swiftly loaded into a heavily air-conditioned van. Once it arrives at the Mandarin Oriental, the outfit is taken into a chilled room, where model Jen Corey carefully wriggles into it.
pumps. This time, the screams are louder – mainly from Musser’s personal cheering section of friends and Co Co. Sala coworkers.
Musser puts the sugar jewelry and pastillage fingernails on, and lastly, the chocolate belt. She briefs Corey on how to keep the costume from melting to pieces.
“She calls me over, and I’m thinking, ‘Did we forget to do something on stage?’” Musser says. “I’m walking over there with Jen, and there’s some confusion. [The woman] says, ‘We don’t want the dog. The dog can’t come because confetti guns will go off and scare him.’”
“We went over all the things I cannot touch,” says Corey. “I can’t touch my fingertips together for four hours. I can’t put my arms down, because they would touch the chocolate belt. I can’t sit down for more than four hours.” Photographers begin to arrive. They interview the pair, but are forced to stop when the lights outside the dressing room become too hot. Now, Musser has a chance to check out the competition and compare their handicraft to her own. “I’m hard on myself. I’m thinking, ‘Someone else is going to win,’” says Musser. “I worked hard, but so did they, so I can’t be upset losing to someone who did a good job.” Musser and Corey are scheduled to walk down the runway last, which pleases the chocolatier and likely the other pastry chefs as well: “I would not want to go after a dog,” says Musser. When Corey’s turn comes, she steps out onto the runway. Musser can hear the screams. “I growled at the judges as I walked by, and when I got to the photographers, I pretended to ash my cigarette holder on their heads, and everyone cheered,” says Corey. She comes back around to collect Musser for the second turn down the runway, together. Musser decided on the heels, a pair of simple black
They go backstage to wait for the judging. A few minutes pass. Then, a woman from the Heart of America foundation approaches them.
The woman from the foundation speaks discreetly. “She says, ‘Obviously you won,’” says Musser. “And I think, ‘WHAT?’” Corey congratulates Musser, and a split second later, they are calling her name. “It is weird to hear Chef Katie Musser, because I’m not a chef,” she says. “The guns go off and I think, we’re seven steps away from victory and we’re missing it.” After they receive their congratulations, Corey goes backstage to get out of the chocolate dress, which is finally beginning to show signs of wear. There is a chef after party, but Musser doesn’t stay long. She’s not the type to linger over victory. Musser’s win is a resume item for sure, but she’s not certain that the competitive pastry circuit is for her. Upper level competitions consist of a grueling two days of nonstop desserts, with no breaks for meals or the bathroom. For now, the title of Sweet Charity champion is enough. As for the dress? Musser was wrong. Sidhu is preserving it in a cool room in her house and hopes that another model will wear it again. But like all chocolate couture, it has a short shelf life. The sugar loses its shine.
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ReVamp
reduce.reuse.
Kristen Swenson and Erin Derge Bringing Thrifty Back
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urgeoning designers Kristen Swenson and Erin Derge are not your traditional tailors. These eco-savvy seamstresses have a knack for fashionforward ideas and a soft spot for thrift store rejects. Brooks Brothers they are not. In their hands, your old denim jacket, boho blouse and favorite threadbare sweatpants meld into a one-of-a-kind creation that transcends the boxy navy suit that defines the typical Washington powerbroker. Maybe that’s because they’re not from around here. Midwestern transplants, in less than a year Kristen and Erin have become the go to sew-ettes for DC’s artsy crowd. Budding designers, established boutiques and everyday folks looking for custom pieces seek out these sartorial experts for their striking and green approach to crafting new garments out of once-loved discards. In recessionary times like these, what is old can become truly new again. Kristen Swenson arrived in town a year ago with a needle, thread, and a good dose of creativity. She waitressed to pay the bills and spent much of her time dropping by local stores with her designs, hoping that someone would share her vision. When she climbed the stairs to 14th Street’s Treasury, she had no clue that the boutique had been toying with the idea of an in-house seamstress. It was a match made in design heaven, and Kristen immediately began crafting an original Treasury collection for ReadySetDC’s spring fashion show. Soon Kristen found herself with more work than she could handle. So she did what any girl would do – called her best friend and asked her to hop on the next plane down here. Erin Derge was living in Minneapolis and having a typical twenties moment: waitressing, sewing big bird costumes for Sesame Street Live and wondering what she was doing with her life. “Kristen came home for Christmas and we had a really great time together. She called me a few weeks later and said, ‘What would it take to get you to move to DC?’” recalls Erin. So she put all of her stuff in storage, sublet her apartment and - voilà - less than two
Words by Nicole Aguirre Photography by Joshua Yospyn
months later she was DC-bound, and ReVamp was born. Kristen laughs, “For both of us it was ‘Got to move to DC! Ready, set, GO!’” While firmly ensconced in District life, Kristen and Erin haven’t lost their charming Midwestern attitude. They finish each other’s sentences, and everyone marvels at just how nice they are. “We are too friendly,” says Erin, “Once this guy asked if anyone had a light. And no one said anything. So I said, ‘Oh, I don’t have a lighter, but good luck with that!’ He looked at me like I was insane. In Minnesota, it’s rude not to say anything.” While customers enjoy Kristen and Erin’s easygoing charisma, the designers take their work seriously. They consistently design with an eye towards sustainability: reworking existing pieces to create something fabulously new with very little going to waste. When Erin and Kristen go thrifting, they seek out items that, for one reason or another, aren’t likely to find a home. A hole, stain, or ripped seam, it doesn’t matter – the ladies of ReVamp rescue even the most forlorn pieces. “Poorly made clothes leave so many extra materials. We end up with piles and piles of throw away clothes. Some make it to the thrift store, but others are ripped up. Thrift stores won’t take them. There’s so much out there we can use that would otherwise just rot in a landfill,” says Kristen. “We want our customers to have the confidence to put something on and feel good not only about the style, but where the piece came from. As a society, we’ve been trained to expect really good deals. We go to the store and buy really cheap jeans, but realize they are just going to fall apart in a month. That’s when people start asking questions. Is it better to invest more money in stuff made by people you know? Maybe so. Maybe they’ll even repair it if something happens to it.” Unlike the one-size-fits-all, greater-volume-with-lower-quality attitude that typifies much of the fashion industry today, Kristen and Erin are never
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“The economic crisis is making people reevaluate their closets.” looking for the easy way out. Not only do they salvage the unsalvageable, but custom pieces yield unique (read: tricky) designs. Want plaid? They’ll weave their own with strips of silk, velvet and lace. And they thrive on a creative challenge. In fact, the less you give them to work with, the more they’ll push you to improvise. They’ll suggest a chunky zipper here, random stripes there, and before you know it you’re totally out of your comfort zone, and you’ve got the dress you’ve always wanted in a color you never dared to wear. Basically, they get you. But it’s a you that is cooler and more adventurous than you ever dreamed. Considering our shrunken pocketbooks and new-found understanding of the word value, it
makes sense for ReVamp to discard the never-ending cycle of trends in favor of fashioning individualistic clothes that last. As they see first-hand, “the economic crisis is making people reevaluate their closets.” Unlike pricey brands whose clientele has dropped along with disposable incomes, ReVamp is in the perfect position to thrive. We all have pants with a broken zipper or that shirt that no longer fits quite right. The one that we were going to, um, mend sometime… Maybe. Now we know just who to call.
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Photography by Nicole Aguirre
THE NEW SP
Words by Charles Sutherland
PIN CROWD
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Previous page: Adrian Loving, Will Eastman
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he last couple of years have seen an unprecedented increase in the number of DJ-lead parties, with DC’s most talented DJ’s enjoying unprecedented recognition. This gifted group now dominates many District venues. Local standouts like DJ Dave Nada, DJ Matt Nordstrom, DJ Sam “The Man” Burns, and DJ Stereofaith have revived the dance music scene. Burns has been spinning in DC for 32 years, and says that there are more DJs in DC than ever before. But while the scene may be saturated with people going by the title DJ, Burns says there is more to being a great DJ than standing behind a turntable. “A great DJ does great things. It’s the person that goes beyond the norm, has a vision, and isn’t afraid of the naysayers.” Exemplary DJs move beyond their comfort zone, branching out to new venues and artistic media, expanding not only their skill sets, but also their network of contacts and relationships. Adrian Loving is leading the wave of DJ talent that bridges the visual arts and dance scenes. As a graphic designer, DJ, and cofounder of the former art gallery and multimedia studio, Dissident Display, Loving has made a name for himself at art happenings and rooftop parties alike. Loving says his varied artistic skill set has been a reputation builder, giving him access to the crowd seen patrolling DC galleries and museums. “It’s helped me get a different level of credibility than I would receive just playing clubs all the time. There’s an advantage in being able to speak both languages.” DJs like Loving have not only helped raise the profile of the dance scene in DC, but have also attracted the interest of galleries and museums looking to tap into new audiences. The willingness of DJs like Loving to build partnerships and collaborate is a tradition born out of the dance hall culture. Gavin Holland, Nacey, and Steve Starks have been playing as Nouveau Riche since early 2006. The strength of their varied musical tastes has attracted 32
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a loyal following from Nouveau Riche’s days at DC9 to their most recent move to U Street Music Hall.. Collaboration, says Holland, is what has made Nouveau Riche what it is today. It continues to keep them on their toes. “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and it’s hard to judge yourself, so having partners and people with you to give you new ideas and keep you in check really elevates you as a DJ,” says Holland.
and other out-of-town talent. TnT was the perfect venue: cavernous, raw, and open to anyone who wanted to dance and hear top class DJs in a positive environment.”
Today, U Street Musical Hall, or U Hall, is instrumental in the dance hall scene revival. This March, the opening of the dance club and performance venue breathed new life into the community with a 40,000 watt sound system, which, according to U Hall, actually has the Nouveau Riche’s monthly dance party capacity to shake your eyeballs in their regularly brings in more than 500 people. sockets. Nouveau Riche has begun to incorporate other artistic media into their shows, It’s impossible to underestimate the namely fashion, via local men’s clothing impact U Hall has on DC DJs. “Thank line Durkl. Holland remembers coming God for U Street Music Hall,” says Sam across the Durkl logo and thinking, “This Burns. “It’s a dance arena. Not bottle is Nouveau Riche embodied in an image.” service,” he says of the venue’s nothing He soon hit it off with the founder, Will but dance attitude. U Hall has gone as far Sharp, and today they’re experimenting as to instill a no photo policy in order to with bringing audiences “visual keep distractions to a minimum. surprises.” Holland says friendship is key. “I have a really bad time separating “There’s a renaissance underway in creative collaborations and friendship. I dance music culture and production in DC right now. Better DJs, better music, basically can’t do it.” better clubs and - most importantly One of his closest friends and musical good attitudes, which all contribute to collaborators is DJ Chris Burns, whose more people coming out to dance,” says background in soulful house and disco co-owner Will Eastman, who came up music brings a new element to Holland’s with the idea to open the space about five sound. Producing together under the years ago. name Party Bros., Burns says working with Holland not only provides healthy “I listened to a Chic record backwards and checks and balances, but also results in, Nile Rodgers sent a subliminal message “a great product with a unique sound that I heard as, ‘Open aaaaaaa dance that draws upon our different tastes and clubbbb,’” he jokes. After working as a project historian at the Smithsonian for experiences.” nine years, Eastman now spends his days Chris Burns has a knack for creating headlining shows such as this summer’s new and unusual party experiences. He Virgin Festival at Merriweather Post is well known for playing and promoting Pavilion, and his wildly popular Blisspop epic underground parties in alternative party recently celebrated birthday number venues such as abandoned warehouses, 10. church basements, and the Trinidad and Tobago Association Clubhouse (TnT) on His business partner, Jesse Tittsworth, is equally respected. His ascent from local Georgia Avenue. DJ to global headliner and now club Burns says about TnT, “We did well there owner, has earned him cult-like status because at the time there were no other in the DC music scene. Add to this his proper clubs or underground platforms in talent for working the crowd as well as DC to showcase local dance music talent his reputation for humility and unerring
Jackie O, Jesse Tittsworth, DJ Cassidy
professionalism. It’s clear why Tittsworth started becoming respected members of has made it to the top. the music industry, taking on producer roles, as well as becoming promoters for “Every DJ has a very similar dream their own events.” On the third Saturday club in mind, but Will Eastman and of each month at the Rock and Roll Hotel, Jesse Tittsworth really took it to the next DJ Cassidy and DJ Fabiana’s monthly level,” says Sam Burns. “Their model of Garutachi stands out among the influx of an open door policy and great bookings dance parties in DC. makes [U Hall] the Black Cat of dance music in DC.” “Fabiana has a unique, eclectic style and a wealth of musical knowledge which The open door policy has extended to spans across all genres. During our sets, many dance venues in DC, allowing we not only challenge and inspire each for DJs that don’t fit the stereotype to other but we have a lot of fun doing so,” start spinning. DJing is, “one of those says DJ Cassidy. jobs where there are a higher number of men than women,” says DJ Lil’ Elle, Ryan Duncan, also known as DJ Rad, has or Ellen Lovelidge. Regardless, female created Pink Sock, the self-proclaimed selectors like DJ Jackie O, DJ Cassidy, party “for gays and for the straights who DJ Fabiana, and Lovelidge are quickly are cool enough to have gay friends (or gaining recognition. DJ Jackie O brings want to meet some).” Since its debut in a fresh perspective with a signature November 2009, Duncan has transformed blend of electro and hip hop. Her skills the second floor of Wonderland into a are showcased at the monthly party cross-dressing, high-heeled glittered Sweatshop with DJ Trevor Martin and extravaganza, “I’m proud to say that KIDS, a collaboration with Lovelidge Pink Sock seems to bring an influx of and Nouveau Riche’s Nacey and Steve DC’s most interesting, creative, and fun Starks. guests every month,” says Duncan. The crowd is drawn to Pink Sock’s reputation DJ Fabiana says, “Women DJs have for delivering an over the top experience,
complete with stripper poles and x-rated performances. “I set out with a vision for Pink Sock to be something completely different than what DC is used to,” says Duncan. Lucas Brown a.k.a. DJ Smudge and Keenan Orr have been playing together for two years under the name Two Sisters. While both DJs are well respected individually for their skills behind a turn table, their collaboration makes them stronger. “I met Smudge in 2008. We knew about each other but we never met. By chance we spun together at Rock N Roll Hotel and we just clicked,” says Orr. Brown says that skill is only 50% of what you need to be a successful DJ. The other half is all marketing, self promotion, and according to Brown, “shaking hands and kissing babies.” “This goes way deeper than spinning records for people at a club. This is my job. It’s not a hobby of mine that I’m exploring in my free time. This is my life.”
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Chris Burns
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DJ Smudge
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DJ Lil’ Elle
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DJ RAD
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Jesse Tittsworth DJ Sam “The Man� Burns with his son Mason. DJ Jackie O
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Nouveau Riche: Gavin Holland, Steve Starks, Nacey
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Tittsworth DJJesse Cassidy DJ Jackie O
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DJ Keenan
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unfurg 42
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getable
Photography by Joshua Yospyn
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Last page. Left: Diane Von Furstenberg leather skirt, Theory leather/knit cardigan at Georgetown’s WINK. Eternal Diamonds scarf by De*Nada at denadadesign.com. Shoes by Nine West. Right: Troubadour plum dress, Fullum and Holt high waist belt at WINK. Hooded Cowl in white by De*Nada at denadadesign.com.
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This page. Left: BB Dakota leather dress, Fullum and Holt high waist belt at WINK. Eternal Diamonds scarf and Long Armwarmers by De*Nada at denadadesign. com. Shoes by Nine West. Right: Theory khaki knit dress at WINK. Cowl Zigzag in knaki/white and fingerless gloves in khaki by De*Nada at denadadesign.com. Shoes by Nine West.
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Thistle (left) and Harley (right) are just two of the many dogs at the Washington Humane Society that need a home. Man’s best friend is always in style. Rescue a dog today by calling 202-576-6664 or logging on to http://support.washhumane.org.
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ize matters. DC’s theatre scene is not too large, not too small, and now more than ever, that size is an asset. With the rise of annual theatre extravaganzas like Fringe Festival and Source Festival as well as the emergence of training programs like the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, entrepreneurial artists working in the field are poised to bring a resounding new wave to DC. For emerging directors like DC’s Clementine Thomas, access plus opportunity means the chance to work with theatre impresarios steeped in accolades as well as develop personal projects and new work for the stage. Veteran director Jenny McConnell Frederick, co-founder of the innovative explosion that is Rorschach Theatre and producer of Cultural Development Corporation’s Source Festival, first met Clementine when she was an intern with Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. This summer, the two joined forces again when Clementine had her first major directorial debut with Splinters at the 2010 Source Festival. Jenny and Clementine met up for breakfast to talk about theatre, life and what’s coming up next. Jenny McConnell Frederick: Good morning Clementine Thomas. Let’s talk about what you’re up to and how you got to be up to it. How did you get into performing arts? Clementine Thomas: I grew up in DC and was into theatre as a kid. I always did plays. I was in Junior Shakespeare in middle school, so I was a big theatre nerd. My high school had a pretty intensive theatre program. Then, when I went to college, I auditioned for a play as an actor and they were intimidating and rude, so for three years I didn’t do any theatre at all. JMF: Tragic. How did you get back into the theatre scene here? CT: College opened my eyes to the whole world of feminist thought, so I found this feminist theatre company in DC, volunteered there one summer and worked for them after I graduated. It was run by essentially one woman, Deb Randal, and because the company was so small I did everything. I got to see all facets – for better or worse. Then she moved to a permanent space, and I applied for an internship at Woolly Mammoth doing literary work.
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JMF: And that’s where you met me. CT: And that’s where I met Jenny… and dramaturgy. Dramaturgy marries my interest in new plays, reading and writing, but also theatre. And it wasn’t as scary as claiming to be a director or actor. I was able to slip in the back door. JMF: For the sake of the Worn readers who may not know, what is dramaturgy? CT: There are different types. The first is based on a Shakespeare play. We do historical research, work with the director to cut the script, and study all those words that no one knows the meaning of. Then there is new play dramaturgy, where the dramaturg works with a playwright and director to develop a script. JMF: Which do you prefer? CT:
I love new play dramaturgy.
JMF: What are some of your favorite projects? CT: Splinters, the play I directed for Source Festival, was the first full-length play I’d directed since high school. It was such a rewarding experience, it was a crash course in directing. What’s great about directing is asking questions and not having to have all the answers. That particular group of actors was great at listening and responding to each other. But then again, as an assistant director, I’ve worked on a couple of really incredible projects where I didn’t have any input and no one cared about what I had to say. Sometimes you’re just more of an observer. JMF: Or a coffee getter. CT: Exactly, but it’s really exciting to be in a room with someone who absorbs what you say and then incorporates it into what they’re doing. JMF: What are some moments where you’ve looked around and thought, ‘This is my life and I do this?’ CT: One time an actor flipped out about a bag of potato chips. You just watch these conflicts flare up and you’re like, there is so much strife over a bag of chips and this is not even real - it’s theatre. JMF: I once covered for Randy [Baker,
Rorschach Theatre Co-Artistic Director] in a Theatre J show and they had ice cream on stage. The ice cream was instant mashed potatoes, some brown and some white, mixed together on an ice cream cone. I’m sitting backstage holding the cone and I was like, this is the saddest, grossest thing that I could ever imagine: an ice cream cone in the dark that’s made of cold mashed potatoes. How do you decide what projects to take on? CT: Historically, its just been what’s offered to me, but now that I’ve fallen in love with directing, I have to restructure how I think about projects and opportunities. Being a director is very different than acting, you don’t just go audition for plays. JMF: If only it were that easy. You received an honorable mention for your performance in Some Girls. How does your experience as a director inform your acting and vice versa? CT: Having acted recently and then gone straight to directing, I respected the actor process a lot more. If I hadn’t gone through the experience as an actor, there were moments where I would have pushed too hard. JMF: What sets DC’s performing arts scene apart from other cities? CT: You have a lot of great traditional theatre, but you don’t get as much of the non-traditional forms - performance art and things like that, but I love DC. What excites me is that it’s changing, I feel like there is something shifting in this town. I don’t know that I could articulate exactly what that is, but there is a new energy and a lot of young people committed to creating more diverse opportunities. JMF: Things like the Fringe Festival, Source Festival and Flashpoint’s Mead Theatre Lab Program create a strong foundation for starting a company. When I started Rorschach, there was nothing in place to help us produce, we just did it. Now there are support systems. It’ll be interesting to see how many new companies crop up, and how many stick around versus doing a couple of summer shows and disappearing. So, what’s next? CT: My homework is to think about my ideal project. I love so many plays, but it would also be exciting to do devised work. There are just so many options.
Drama Queen
fall/winter 2010-2011
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masthead Editor-in-Chief & Publisher Nicole Aguirre
Photographers Joshua Yospyn Nicole Aguirre
Copy Editor Emma Fisher
Design Assistants Moustafa Hassan Travis Poffenberger
Contributors Maura Judkis Charles Sutherland Jenny McConnell Frederick
Outreach Coordinator Merin Guthrie 50
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