Well, it has been a long and winding road to THE LION IN WINTER ,but hopefully, we are finally on the path to getting this wonderful play by James Goldman on it's feet for 2023.
COVID affected us like it did so many creatives during it's most pandemic state. New York City basically shut down for 18 months. Businesses shuttered and people wisely withdrew to get through this horrible time.
TETCNY had already worked out deals with the rights holders , TDF for costume rentals, Actors Equity had been contacted for showcase approval, a team had been assembled and fundraising had begun. A theatre space had been found and a time agreed upon . Things were looking up.
Then , as everyone knows, the world stopped. Doing a show seemed minor during such an unimaginable global crisis. Still, ideas were worked upon where they could. Then , theatres began closing permanently in NYC. Shetler Studios , with whom we had worked out a rental, shuttered forever. Then, shockingly, the historic 13th Street Repertory Theater shuttered in 2021.
During the shutdown, people also discovered new desires or moved , and thus several key people with whom we had planned to work with were no longer available.
Any sensible person would say that perhaps this is a sign to give it up. However, if you are in theatre, being sensible is not the same as having the NEED to create. So , we continued.
New theatres have been approached for 2023. Initial contact has begun to negotiate with TDF, the play rights owners, Equity , exploring needed insurance options, all over again.
Some of the old team has rejoined ,including fight choreographer Teel James Glenn ( https://theurbanswashbuckler.com/ ) . Hopefully new talents will come aboard as we move forward. I'm excited that we may have an original score by David Walker.
As time passes , I will be posting new updates as we work towards bringing THE LION IN WINTER to a NYC audience. I hope you will follow, and if possible, help/contribute to make our
tale a reality. (May 11, 2022).
-Kevin G Shinnick
AEA SAG-AFTRA
https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/the-ensemble-theatre-company-of-new-york