for-word company

the for/word company

dynamic stagings & innovative interpretations
of material from the historical record

Productions


 

for-word company

North

Conceived by
Christina Ritter & Jennifer Schlueter

More info

North
Conceived by
Christina Ritter & Jennifer Schlueter

for-word company

Little Book

Written by Jennifer Schlueter

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Little Book
Written by
Jennifer Schlueter

for-word company

Autograph

Written by Jennifer Schlueter

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Autograph
Written by
Jennifer Schlueter

for-word company

Patience Worth

Written by Jennifer Schlueter

More info

Patience Worth
Written by
Jennifer Schlueter

 

About Us


 

 

Mission Statement

The for/word company is dedicated to dynamic stagings and innovative interpretations of material from the historical record. To create our work, we begin by opening up the archive and the library to uncover stories and chronicles of individuals that fascinate us. Then we build our playtexts exclusively out of the text written by and about of those historical figures.

In that process, we collage fragments of text from scores of sources. These passages are transformed as we arrange, split, repeat, juxtapose, and shift them so that, in the new structure that we have built for them, they tell a stageworthy story with a narrative driven both by historical events and, most importantly, by our own interpretation of them.

But the construction of the playtext is just the beginning point in our creative process. In the rehearsal room we prioritize the physical and emotional investigation of the material at hand, creating a textured live performance of material not initially intended as spoken dialogue. Sometimes, because there really is no name for it, our work has been referred to as "adaptation." For us, that is an insufficient description of our work, which is really something more like reimagining, remaking, reanimating, or recreating.

 

Company Members

for/word Christina Ritter
Joint Artistic Director

with the for/word company:
Katharine: Little Book
Anne: North
Director: Patience Worth

 

Christina trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and earned her doctorate in theatre at Ohio State University. Currently, she is a lecturer at the University of Kentucky.

Her recent performance credits include Doubt (CATCo), Ghost Light: The Shorts Festival (CATCo), The Weir (CATCo), Top Girls (Wetco), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Virginia Arts Festival).

for/word Christopher Marlowe Roche
Artistic Associate

with the for/word company:
Andy: Little Book
Saint Ex: North

 

Christopher Marlowe Roche is an artistic associate and founding member of the for/word company. With for/word, he has originated the roles of St. Ex in North at American Theatre Company in Chicago as well as the Off-Broadway production at 59 East 59th Street Theatre in New York City, and the role of EB White in the for/word production of Little Book in Seattle, Washington. He has played the role of Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf in I Am My Own Wife twice; at Seattle Repertory Theatre (Washington), and CATCO Theatre (Ohio). He has worked at Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, Woolly Mammoth, The Studio, Theater J and Source Theatre, all in Washington D.C. He was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for his work in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Source Theatre. Other regional credits include Timeline Theatre Company and Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, both in Chicago, as well as Walnut Street Theatre, Bristol Riverside, EgoPo Classic Theatre, Maukingbird Theatre Company, The Freedom Theatre, and Philly Fringe, all in Philadelphia. He has ​also performed at Teatro Technis in London, England. Television credits include "Another World" (NBC), and "Pinnfield Suite" (MTV). Roche holds a BA in Musical Theatre from The Catholic University of America, an MFA in Acting and New Works  and a PhD in Theatre from The Ohio State University. He is an Assistant Professor and Head of The Musical Theatre program at Rowan University in New Jersey. Chris is a proud member of The Actors' Equity Association.

for/word Jennifer Schlueter
Joint Artistic Director

with the for/word company:
Author: Little Book
Author, Director: North
Author: Patience Worth

 

Jennifer is a playwright, director, and scholar motivated by a fascination with the limits and possibilities of the archive, and the challenges to fair use, copyright, and creative transformation that this work can engender.

Her plays (hailed as “wistful, poetic, and wise” by the Chicago Tribune) have been staged in Lexington, Chicago, Columbus, Eugene, Seattle, Cleveland, New York, and London. Her scholarly work has been published in TDR, Theatre Survey, Theatre Journal, and in several edited collections. She also writes a regular column for Dramatists Magazine.

More on Jen's work is available at www.jenniferschlueter.com.

for/word Brad Steinmetz
Producer and Resident Designer

with the for/word company:
Scenic & Lighting Design:
Little Book
North

 

Brad Steinmetz is a designer whose work for theatre covers a range of areas including: scenery (Hand2Mouth Theatre), sound (The Builders Association), projections (Available Light Theatre), lighting (Oregon Children’s Theatre), as well as puppetry and spectacle performances (Redmoon Theater). His design work has been recognized regionally by the American College Theatre Festival, nationally as the recipient of the Rose Brand Award for excellence in Scene Design, and internationally by World Stage Design.

His art and design work have been influenced by his collaborations with scenographer Jaroslav Malina, sculptor Malcolm Cochran, and architect Tim Lai. His research interests include new works, digital media, spectacle and performance objects, and non-traditional materials and techniques. Steinmetz is a founding member of the for/word company where he serves as producer and resident designer. Steinmetz is currently the head of design and technology at The Ohio State University department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts.

More on Brad's work is available at bradsteinmetz.com.

 


Support


We Need Your Help

Thanks for supporting the for/word company. Without patrons like you, we would be unable to produce the groundbreaking work you expect from us. We are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. There are two quick, easy ways to send your gift.

1. Online

You can use your credit or debit card, or your PayPal account.
Just click the big button below.

2. By Mail

You can send your gift to us directly through the mail. Just reach out using our contact form and we'll share our mailing address and tax exempt information.

Other Ways To Help

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Questions?
We'd love to hear from you. Just contact us.

 

for-word company

the for/word company

 

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