3 Astoria residents staging fourth show

Three Astoria residents came together to form the Hipgnosis Theatre Company and will open their fourth show, Bertolt Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle,” on Saturday, April 26.
Margot Newkirk, John Castro and Demetrios Bonaros had all previously worked together with a theatre company upstate that eventually disbanded.
“We realized we were all sort of itching to do good, quality work,” Castro said.
The company started by getting together to read plays and bounce ideas off of one another. Bonaros explained that the three pillars of their work are now doing ensemble work, using unconventional staging and performing classical work.
The first three productions to be put on by the Hipgnosis Theatre Company were Shakespeare plays. “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” is being directed by Newkirk, who said that she selected this particular show because she wanted to take a departure from Shakespeare. She also said that she wanted to do something that would highlight the ensemble and push them artistically as a group.
Bonaros, who is also an actor in the show, composed an original score for the production and said that he found the challenge of doing so very intriguing.
“I was very excited about it,” he said of the selection. “It was very appealing to me.”
Rehearsals for the show began around the end of March, although there was training prior to that. In order to create a more shared experience with the audience, as they have done with their other productions, Newkirk said that the performance takes place “in and around the audience.”
“The main thing that I hope the audience leaves thinking is ‘wow, what a community experience that was’,” Newkirk said.
Castro, an actor in the production and Assistant Director, said that he is looking forward to seeing how everything fits together and seeing all of the pieces fall into place. He also said that it is exciting to see the company putting on its fourth production since its founding three years ago, although he added that it is still a struggle because of it being a young theatre company and that it is a lot of work.
In the fall, the Hipgnosis Theatre Company will be doing a production of “Macbeth.”
For their future goals, Castro said that they want to establish themselves as an alternative contemporary stage company and ensemble. Newkirk added that they also want to find a permanent home base.
The Hipgnosis Theatre Company will hold performances of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” from April 26 to May 11. They will be on Wednesdays through Sundays at 7 p.m. There will also be a 7 p.m. performance on Tuesday, April 29 and a 2 p.m. one on Saturday, May 10.
The performances will be held at The Theatres at 45 Bleecker, which are located on Bleecker Street between Lafayette Street and Mott Street.
Tickets are $18, available through www.telecharge.com or can be bought by calling 212-239-6200.
For more information on the Hipgnosis Theatre Company, visit www.HipgnosisTheatre.org.