Paris Commune. A World Premiere of this Musical Docudrama at Boston’s ArtsEmerson
Kate Buddeke
ArtsEmerson’s début play of the 2012-2013 season was a world première, Paris Commune, a musical docudrama created by the Civilians. Founded in 2001 by Artistic Director Steve Cosson and a group of associate artists including writer and composer Michael Friedman, the company is committed to investigative theatre, which means researching topics of socio-political significance to generate a play. Most often the finished work is based on interviews. Paris Commune is the Civilians’ first production adopted from historical documents.
A non-profit organization, the company relies on grants, donations, and artist residencies to fund and develop its productions. Its relationship with ArtsEmerson began three seasons ago with In the Footprint: The Battle Over Atlantic Yards. The Civilians spent part of the development/rehearsal period at ArtsEmerson’s facilities before presenting it here in January 2011. Tales from My Parent’s Divorce, a collective creation directed by Anne Kaufman, underwent a similar procedure in the fall of 2011.