May 2006
 “Tribe” Can’t Turn Back From Posh New Building
Controversial Theatre Troupe Grows Up & Into New Home

By D.S. Meyers
QueenCityForum.com Magazine staff writer

Cincinnati ’s The Know Theatre Tribe will inaugurate its new outlook and new home on Jackson Street in late April with the regional premiere showing of In the Blood.

“In The Blood brings close to home the passionate, humorous and rich stories we pass on the street,” says Executive Director Jay B. Kalagayan, “It’s the perfect play to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood.”

From Suzan-Lori Parks, the Pulitzer Prize winning writer of Topdog/Underdog, comes the story of Hester and her five children and their struggle to survive on the streets. An urban rendition of The Scarlet Letter and Mother Courage. In The Blood recounts a harsh, yet compelling world where passions are raw, need is profound, success is elusive and adaptation is essential. And despite these surroundings, love exists.

Know Theatre's New Jackson Street Location

 

The Jackson Street location places the Know Theatre strategically near The Ensemble Theatre and the new campus of the Art Academy.

The Know Theatre Tribe has built up a reputation over the years as a controversial performance company. It was the Know Theatre that produced Corpus Christi in June, 2003. The play, which depicted Jesus and his disciples as gay men, drew piles of angry form letters and protesters. Not since the Mapplethorpe Exhibit of 1990, had there been such a broo-ha-ha raised over the arts.

Shows since then at Know have been similarly provocative. It seemed as though the mission of the Know had been to make the audience feel uncomfortable under the weight of heavy subject matter, to merely perform works of shock and awe. Know advertisements suggest as much with the warning: “For Mature Audiences Only.”

“[Controversy is] not something we actively seek out,” said creative director Jason Bruffy about Corpus Christi and any reputation the theatre sustains following the performance. Controversy is not a trend they feel compelled to follow in order to pack the new theater.

The Know Tribe has been evolving. In addition to moving to the new space, their productions have grown beyond controversy into a more meaningful, mature schedule.

So then what’s the plan? There has to be a bigger and bolder plan for the Know. Its new home is a step towards legitimacy and an added sense that suddenly, something important hangs in the balance.

If they aren’t relying on controversy to sell tickets, then does the mission become focused on more mainstream works?

“It’s always that fine line,” Bruffy says thoughtfully. “You’re looking for things that will, in fact, be popular with your audience. You’re looking for things that will still hold true to your mission, and what you want to be producing as an artist. And trying to ride that line of ‘don’t get too mainstream.’”

Jay Kalagayan (L) and Jason Bruffy Head Know Theatre Tribe

 

“I don’t think we’ll ever get too mainstream,” Bruffy reassures. “I don’t think it’s really that much of an issue. With most of the works we’re doing now, the oldest piece was only a few years old. We’re dealing with that kind of fresh work coming out. Well, wherever it may be coming out of.”

Regarding the Know’s new theater, next to the new Kroger garage, there was an atmosphere of eagerness and energy. The space is the beginning of something great. They seem to regard it as a challenge to take their company farther. The motto on their website says “No turning back.”

The new space is light years from the old theater on Gabriel’s Corner. It has a long entry way which leads to the ticket counter. Around the corner from that is a broad, open space that surpasses the Gabriel space. It even has the bar from the space’s previous incarnation as a nightclub. Additionally there is a performance hall on the upper floor.

A theater company could not have asked for a more creative venue to call home.

“Giving us a permanent home,” according to Bruffy, “gives us viability. We’re going to be here for a while. Cincinnati definitely needs to take us seriously in entertainment. I guess that’s the best way to put it. Because we’re still in the business of entertainment.”

Mr. Bruffy has been with the Know Theatre Tribe for two years. Before this, his job was with the Shakespeare Festival. He is also one of the founders of the Fringe Festival. His experience has complimented Kalagayan’s vision.

“We fight all the time.” Laughed Bruffy.

We go around and around like a mongoose,” replied Kalagayan.

Kalagayan handles creative talent with a light touch. He allows enough space for talent to flourish but has enough wisdom to put a cap on something that isn’t working.

Creative Class and Cincinnati

Tribe newcomer, actress Elizabeth Holt has only been in a couple of shows, though she has quickly becoming a fixture. In addition to taking on challenging roles on stage, she has also taken on the roles of constructing the new space, costume design, and set design. 

Before her expanded role, she felt the Know Theatre was different from others in Cincinnati .

“When I auditioned for Jason [Bruffy] last spring, out of all the companies… He cared about the theater and they sounded as though everyone else who worked for the theater cared about what they were doing.”

“I wanted to be a part of something that wasn’t just there,” Holt said, “That wasn’t just doing theater just to keep doing theater. I wanted to make a difference in theater; to make new theater; to push the boundaries of what theater is.”

Jason Bruffy says he thrives on the Knows proximity to the creative class, which falls into his raison d’être.

According to Bruffy, the big joke in Cincinnati is that everyone’s complaining about how young professionals are leaving the city. That in order to thrive, the city needs to support the creative class.

“And we’re all sitting here like ‘that’s who we are,” Bruffy said. “This company is run by the creative class. We’re the young professionals.”

“But having an artist hub like this- with the art academy, with [the Ensemble Theater] and the Know, it’s great for a smaller city like Cincinnati to have an opera and ballet and orchestra. . . And we’re probably one of the smaller cities in country that has all those things.”

“Until the city can really support the contemporary arts, the more experimental arts, the arts that are doing new and interesting things; until the city can embrace that culture and that community, you’re never really going to have a vibrant arts scene. I think that’s a big thing about the Know’s success. Right now, for Cincinnati , it means that we can support that.

Bruffy continued: “You know, the Fringe Festival is a success, the MidPoint Music Festival is a success. Now we’re on the verge. We’re starting this slowly exploding process that has happened to different cities and now it’s about our time.”

Does the city attract creative people? Or do creative people have to attract the city?

Jason Bruffy has been down this path before.

“I think it takes some brave individuals to step forward and just do it," says Bruffy. "Make it happen. One of the great things we’ve been talking is being able to go to the community, to the city of Cincinnati and say ‘Look, we did this without you. Now embrace us.’ We’ve been able to do this on our own…

"…For the city of Cincinnati. Everything we do, in terms of our programming, in terms of the artistic product is for the city. We are theater of Cincinnati, created by Cincinnati . And completely reactionary to what’s going on in the city.”

The Know Theatre Tribe kicks off it’s new space on April 27 th with a party and previews of In the Blood. For more info, go to the KnowTheatre.com.

 

 

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