The Sloan Initiative encourages a breadth and range of topics and forms – providing the issues, characters, settings, or plots address the disciplines in the ‘hard’ sciences (i.e. mathematics, biotechnology, physics, etc. as opposed to psychology, psychiatry, sociology, etc.). Commissions are awarded to individual playwrights and creative teams for full-length plays based both on the submission of proposals, and early drafts of science and/or technology plays. Five commissions, totaling $26,000, during The Magic Theatre’s 2005/2006 season, and nine commissions, totaling $24,000, during the 2004/2005 season were awarded on behalf of the Sloan Initiative.
2005-2006 Season
DARK MATTERS by Oliver Mayer
Science Advisor: Clifford V. Johnson, Physics and Astronomy, USC
K, OR THE FURTURE’S SO GREEN by Kenn Watt
Science Advisor: Paul Lombardo, Professor UVA
THE RUBY VECTOR by Karla Jennings
Science Advisor: TBA
UCSB Stem Cell Research Project
Magic Theatre Sloan Initiative commissioned eight student playwrights, chosen by Professor Naomi Iizuka, to write 10-30 minute one act plays on the subject of Stem Cell Research. Playwrights collaborated with faculty and students in the sciences to create their plays. Professional Directors from the Bay Area and Southern California were invited to the Summer Theater Lab to direct/workshop the commissions. Recent alumni and current acting students were invited to the Lab to perform/workshop the commissioned plays.
Participating Plays, Playwrights and Directors:
The 8th Day by Kevin Best directed by Irwin Appel
ISO Explosive Possibility by Erin Bregman, directed by Josh Chambers
Word of the Day* by Jessica Fleitman directed by Irwin Appel
Thermoception by Amelia Harris directed by Josh Chambers
The Shortstop* by Clayton Hoff directed by Ian Belton
Cell Scandal* by Kristina Hotalas directed by Ian Belton
Now’s the Time* by Stacy Johnstone directed by Mark Routhier
New Lease on Life by Tim Smith directed by Mark Routhier
All eight plays were performed in a script-in-hand presentation on Sunday,
July 30th, 2006 as part of the three-week long UCSB Summer Theater Lab. Three UCSB scientists took part in the discussions afterwards.
Participating Scientists:
Dennis O. Clegg, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.
Kenneth S. Kosik, MD, Harriman Chair in Neuroscience Research, Co-Director, Neuroscience Research Institute, Professor, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.
Dr. Lois Jovanovic, Director and Chief Scientific Officer of Samsum Diabetes Research Institute, Adjunct Professor, Biomedical Science and Engineering.
SF Exploratorium Nanotech Project
Magic Theatre and the Exploratorium commissioned six local playwrights to be in residence at the Exploratorium during their Nano Scale Informal Science Education Network (NISE), a five-year project funded by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation. The six playwrights will steep themselves in the exploration and understanding of nanotechnology in preparation to write a ten minute play interpreting what they have learned. Three plays will then be selected by the artistic staff of the Magic, as well as Nanotechnology scientists to be named. The three plays will be rehearsed and produced live on stage and in streaming digital format.
Project advisor: Chris Smith
Playwrights: Eugenie Chan, Robert Ernst, Lynne Kaufman, Jonathan Luskin, Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, Michael Gene Sullivan.
Science Advisors: Various Viz Lab and NISE Network collaborators.
2004-2005 Season
THE LOS ALAMOS PROJECT by Gary Leon Hill, David Dower, Frances Lee McCain, and Luis Saguar
Science Advisor: David Bohm, Physicist.
JOAN’S BRAIN by David Ford and Joan Mankin
Science Advisor: TBA
YELLOWCAKE by Ann Cummins
Science Advisor: Dr. William Willis, Physicist
DRAGON, TIGER, PHOENIX by Cherylene Lee
Science Advisor: Dr. Joseph Derisi, Microbiologist, UCSF
THE GIFT OF MAGI by Michelle Carter
Science Advisor: TBA
DANDELION by Mia Chung
Science Advisor: Dr. Robert Tjian
CEESTIAL BODIES by Pam Winfrey
Science Advisor: Dr. Thomas Humphrey, Senior Scientist, SF Exploratorium
‘BOT by C. Michèle Kaplan
Science Advisor: TBA
WALK INTO THE SEA by Elaine Romero
Science Advisor: Dr. Luis P. Villarreal, Professor of Virology in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
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