Les Freres Corbusier
Encyclopedia
Les Freres Corbusier is a New York based theatre company, founded in 2003 by three then-recent Yale
graduates – Alex Timbers
, Aaron Lemon-Strauss, and Jennifer Rogien. It is currently led by Artistic Director Timbers.
production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
. Other works include Heddatron, Hell House
, Boozy, Dance Dance Revolution, President Harding is a Rock Star, The Franklin Thesis, and A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
.
Les Freres is devoted to creating irreverent work that re-envisions well-known historical figures in new idioms and contexts, which allow for their fresh reappraisal and suggest contemporary relevancies. The company makes aggressively visceral theater that combines historical revisionism, sophomoric humor, and rigorous academic research. Les Freres is committed to the notion of a Populist Theater that draws on prevailing pop cultural tastes and comedic sensibilities to speak directly to a mainstream audience. Timbers stated "The idea of mixing comedy and politics has been around as long as mankind has been doing theater." Referring to Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, he noted that "It’s political theater, but one that happens to have this giddy, pop-rock soundtrack."
With Heddatron, "Les Freres Corbusier claims to be forging on in its 'irreverent massacre of historical icons and academic esoterica by taking on famed playwright Henrik Ibsen, the well-made play, and contemporary issues in robotics.'"
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
graduates – Alex Timbers
Alex Timbers
Alex Timbers is a Tony-nominated writer and director and the recipient of Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards, as well as two OBIE Awards....
, Aaron Lemon-Strauss, and Jennifer Rogien. It is currently led by Artistic Director Timbers.
Productions
Les Freres Corbusier is responsible for the BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is a rock musical with music and lyrics written by Michael Friedman, and a book by its director Alex Timbers.The show is a comedic Wild West rock musical about the founding of the Democratic Party...
. Other works include Heddatron, Hell House
Hell house
Hell houses are haunted attractions typically run by American, fundamentalist Christian churches or parachurch groups. These depict sin, the torments of the damned in Hell, and usually conclude with a depiction of heaven...
, Boozy, Dance Dance Revolution, President Harding is a Rock Star, The Franklin Thesis, and A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant is a satirical musical about Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard, written by Kyle Jarrow from a concept by Alex Timbers, the show's original director. Jarrow based the story of the one-act, one-hour musical on Hubbard's writings and Church of...
.
Les Freres is devoted to creating irreverent work that re-envisions well-known historical figures in new idioms and contexts, which allow for their fresh reappraisal and suggest contemporary relevancies. The company makes aggressively visceral theater that combines historical revisionism, sophomoric humor, and rigorous academic research. Les Freres is committed to the notion of a Populist Theater that draws on prevailing pop cultural tastes and comedic sensibilities to speak directly to a mainstream audience. Timbers stated "The idea of mixing comedy and politics has been around as long as mankind has been doing theater." Referring to Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, he noted that "It’s political theater, but one that happens to have this giddy, pop-rock soundtrack."
With Heddatron, "Les Freres Corbusier claims to be forging on in its 'irreverent massacre of historical icons and academic esoterica by taking on famed playwright Henrik Ibsen, the well-made play, and contemporary issues in robotics.'"
Awards and honors
- Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson won an LA Critics Award for "Best Score" for composer Michael Friedman, as well as a Drama Desk AwardDrama Desk AwardThe Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for "Best Book of a Musical" for writer Alex Timbers. The musical won the Outer Critics Circle AwardOuter Critics Circle AwardThe Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
for "Best Musical" and the Broadway.com Audience Award for "Favorite Off-Broadway Musical."
- Hell House was nominated for a 2007 Drama Desk Award for "Unique Theatrical Experience."
- Heddatron won the 2006 George Oppenheimer Award from NewsdayNewsdayNewsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
.
- Boozy was named "Ten Best of 2005" by both the New York Daily NewsNew York Daily NewsThe Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
and Time Out New York. Its video design, by Jacob Pinholster, was nominated for a 2005 American Theatre WingAmerican Theatre WingThe American Theatre Wing is a New York City-based organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre," according to its mission statement...
Hewes Design Award. The script was published, with a foreword by playwright Timbers, by Theater Magazine.
- A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant was the winner of two 2005 Backstage West GARLAND Awards for its LA Production including "Best Production" and "Best Director." Its New York production won an Obie AwardObie AwardThe Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
. The cast recording was released on Sh-K-Boom Records.
- The Franklin Thesis was named "Best of New York 2004" by The Village Voice and was the winner of "Best in Festival" at the 2002 American Living Room Festival.