Robert Wilson Directs 'Ubu' at The Watermill Center

Here's your chance to see legendary avant-guarde theater director Robert Wilson’s work at his performance laboratory in the Hamptons known as The Watermill Center. Wilson’s "Ubu" will be performed at The Watermill Center on July 29th. Wilson will also host a VIP dinner for The Watermill Center patrons for a premiere performance on Friday, July 28th. "Ubu" is a special workshop restaging, pared down to a one-hour presentation for The Watermill Center’s summer benefit. 

Robert Wilson is known as much for his attention to detail and his artistry as to the marathon length of his shows. His Einstein on the Beach opera with Philip Glass was four hours at BAM, but that was a blink in time compared to the Civil Wars which runs twelve hours. He has been celebrated, memed, and mocked in pop culture; he is the inspiration for The Counting Crows songs, “Einstein on the Beach,” and referenced in tv shows from Fraser to Mr. Robot. But his list of honors and awards for excellence includes a Pulitzer Prize nomination, two Premio Ubu awards, the Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale, and an Olivier Award. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the German Academy of the Arts and holds 8 Honorary Doctorate degrees. France pronounced him Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters and Officer of the Legion of Honor,  and Germany awarded him the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit, to name a few.  

The Watermill Center’s workshop restaging of Robert Wilson’s “Ubu,” inspired by Alfred Jarry’s 1896 classic, “Ubu Roi,” a critique of war and totalitarianism. Originally presented at the Es Baluard Museum in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, “Ubu” is a surreal reflection of paradoxical inequalities throughout history and the modern day. The production will be presented outdoors and features the ensemble cast: Yunseo Choi (Republic of Korea, Germany), Bonnie Comley (United States), Evelyn Dugan (United States), Cecilia Xuetong Feng (China, Germany), Marianna Kavallieratos (Greece), Casilda Madrazo (Mexico), Katimari Niskala (Finland), Sorin Prodea (Romania, Germany), Anthony Roques (France), Agathe Vidal (France), Sienna Vila Holloway (Spain).

Originally presented at the Es Baluard Museum in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, “Ubu” is a surreal reflection of paradoxical inequalities throughout history and the modern day. The production will be presented outdoors, featuring The Watermill Center’s summer Artists-in-Residence as performers. “Ubu” is presented by invitation of Imma Prieto, Director of Es Baluard Museum.

UBU Production Team @ Watermill Center is as follows: Robert Wilson (Direction, Set & Lighting Design), Charles Chemin (Co-Director), Marcello Lumaca (Associate Lighting Designer), Stephanie Engeln (Associate Set Designer), Flavio Pezzotti (Associate Set Designer), Flavia Ruggeri (Costumes), Joan Baixas & La Claca (Puppet Design, based on original designs by Joan Miró), Andreas Andreou (Assistant Director), Lyuba Todorova (Stage Manager), Chloé Bellemere (Set, Light, & Prop Assistant), Simon Cristian Petru (Set, Light, & Prop Assistant), Johan O.R. Sterner (Set, Light, & Prop Assistant), Sienna Vila Holloway (Set, Light, & Prop Assistant), Afra Al Dhaheri (Production Assistant), Ava Locks (Production Assistant), Silver Roostik (Production Assistant), Dovydas Strimaitis (Production Assistant).

The Text was written by Eli Troen, Robert Wilson, and Charles Chemin based on the play "UBU" by Alfred Jarry. Originally created at the Es Baluard Museum @ Palma, Spain. Production and Original Creation by Jenny Vila and original idea by Imma Prieto.

Since 1993, The Watermill Center Annual Summer Benefit has celebrated the work of International Artists through an engaging and dynamic evening. Described as “an enchanted forest” and ”performance art extravaganza,” the Annual Summer Benefit unites the worlds of art, theater, design, and fashion to raise funds to support The Watermill Center’s year-round programming. 

For more information, see: www.WatermillCenter.org

Photography by Eugene Gologursky