Asking For Trouble 2011: How Trouble Is Asked For

What's that sound? That sort of, that...it's a little bit like crying, a little bit like laughing, a little bit like screaming, a little bit like the sound of twenty-five plays being written and produced in two weeks. Oh, that sound, yes, of course. Why, that could only be

Asking For Trouble!

Every year, the we of Youngblood draw actors, a director, and a point of inspiration from a hat. Several hats, actually, but that's not the point. The point is that everything is random, and fast, and excellent. We draw those actors, and that director, and those points of inspiration--this year we drew both a title for our play and a song--and then we run off to our hovels and bathtubs and blanket forts and we write. We write like hell. You ever seen the playoffs? It's like the playoffs. Any playoffs. Except without eliminations. It's just like playoffs in that we all get sweaty and passionate and every game counts every word counts.

You see?

After the writing comes the rehearsing, and the rehearsing. We rehearse wherever we can. Perhaps you will recall how earlier I said "twenty-five plays," I was not joking. Twenty-five plays are being rehearsed right now. As I type, and as you read this, that is happening. We rehearse in theaters, in rehearsal spaces, in hallways, in offices, in bathrooms, on the backs of flatbed trucks. Anywhere. Everywhere. Then, just as things are picking up steam, suddenly everyone realizes that every single play has, at minimum, one completely ridiculous prop or costume piece, like, a working waterfall, or, a fighter jet, or, an exact replica of a 19th-century Prussian Army uniform, or, an entirely authentic genie that grants actual wishes.

This is about the point that the actors and directors start to get the crazy murdery looks in their eyes, start to ask the playwrights questions like "what were you thinking" and "dear god, what were you thinking" and "I hate you?" And the playwrights smile Cheshire smiles and say the only permissible response: "I was thinking of trouble."

In less than a week, Asking For Trouble will be on its feet and ready for you, and I think you should be there. I think you should absolutely be there. Because the real beauty of Asking For Trouble is all the little gems that are created out of all this chaos. The chaos emeralds, you might say. With very little time to second-guess and absolutely no time to get soft, the twenty-five plays and twenty-five directors and ninety-five actors draw from deep within themselves some amazing, courageous, hilarious, and poignant theater.

Details are below. I hope you'll join us.

Asking For Trouble 2011 will be performed in 4 series.

• A single series ticket is $12, click here to pick a single series.
  
• 2 series for $20, click here
• 3 series for $30, click here
• 4 series for $36, click here

Performance Schedule:

Wednesday, October 5th
Series A - 7pm
Series B - 9pm

Thursday, October 6th
Series C - 7pm
Series D - 9pm

Friday, October 7th
Series B - 7pm
Series C - 9pm
Series A - 11pm

Saturday, October 8th
Series D - 3pm
Series A - 5pm
Series B - 7pm
Series C - 9pm
Series D - 11pm

All performances will be at Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street, 2nd Floor (between 10th & 11th Aves).

RSVP on Facebook! Also, tweet @ESTnyc using #AskingForTrouble and tell us what you think of the shows!