INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
The lark has a long history of developing international writers and international plays. Through our International Program, we use our play development model to help artists of different cultures communicate and create work that is strong and accessible to multiple audiences. Like our domestic program, our international program is focused on the playwright's intentions and helping him/her to create the play he/she wants to write. Language and cultural barriers can make this process more difficult so we enlist the help of translators, interpreters and members of the community to make sure the artist has all necessary resources to workshop his or her play. Activities supported by this program include “observerships,” creative brainstorming, translation and play development work, facilitated planning sessions, and, ultimately, opportunities for playwrights to participate in the rehearsal process of new translations in university and professional productions.
While the Lark has worked with artists from nearly 40 countries, our current areas of focus include Canada, China, Ivory Coast, Mexico, The Netherlands, Romania, and Wales. Work with artists of each country manifests itself in unique ways. Some relationships are newer than others and some exchanges are more regular than others based on the artists and institutions involved. Visit these links to find about more about some of these programs:
U.S./México Playwright Exchange Program
U.S./Romania Playwright Exchange Program
U.S./The Netherlands Program
Philosophy behind our international work
We recognize that the needs and capabilities of the artistic communities and the public differ between the United States and other countries. We will embrace these differences by supporting our common goals of mutual respect and artistic dialogue, and exploring our differences with interest and care. Integral to the Lark’s strategy is the engagement of producers, directors, actors and designers in supporting playwrights and translators in creating works of beauty, depth and relevance. By supporting the collaboration processes of playwriting and play translation, and by allowing theater leaders a window into those processes, we will build a stronger base of writers and producers who are able to work in new cultural contexts and who, ultimately, will collaborate on fresh, vital, cross-cultural theater projects.
It is our strong conviction that continuity and reciprocity are essential components of productive international collaborations and their long-term success; therefore, with each country, our goal is to establish a stable infrastructure for developing creative relationships over time in reasonable ways. We are also committed to collaborating closely with decision makers at our partner institutions to select and assess program participants—some of whom we are getting to know, and some of whom will be new to us.
International Success Stories
Recent Lark international collaborations have involved Javier Malpica's OUR DAD IS IN ATLANTIS being produced by Queens Theatre in the Park and Working Theatre here in New York, Marcus Gardley's THE DANCE OF THE HOLY GHOST being presented in Amsterdam, Jeroen Van Den Berg's POLAROID being presented in Romania, and both Rajiv Joseph's BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO and Chantal Bilodeau's PLEASURE AND PAIN being produced in Mexico City. Past collaborations have included Beijing People’s Art Theatre (DOG AND HIS MASTER), Turkish playwright Sinan Unel and actor Ali Poyrazoglu (PERA PALAS), Ivory Coast playwright Koffi Kwahulé and translator Chantal Bilodeau (JAZ/BIG SHOOT), Mexican playwright Sabina Berman (HAPPY NEW CENTURY, DOCTOR FREUD), and Argentinian playwright Jorge Goldenberg (KNEPP). Our current projects include the development of: FIEBRE 107 GRADOS with Mexican playwright Silvia Peláez and translator Cardidad Svich, a new play by Indian playwright Vijay Tendulkhar, and the translation of a new play by Russian playwright Max Kurochkin. These projects have created a meaningful cultural exchange between The Lark and an international community.
