Citizens of the Universe
Encyclopedia
Citizens of the Universe, also referred to as 'COTU', is a guerrilla theatre
specializing in 'found space' performances and is currently headquartered in Charlotte
, North Carolina
. There are branches of COTU also located in Orlando, Florida
, Baltimore, Maryland, and Greenville, South Carolina
.
COTU was founded in 2001 by James Cartee and Andrew Bryant in Greenville, South Carolina
with core artist Dan A. R. Kelly, Jason Bryant and Traysie Amick. COTU's work ranges from original works and foreign language pieces to classics with a recent focus on films that have been adapted for stage.
In 2004, the group's production of Arthur Miller
's The Creation of the World and Other Business
was banned from playing at Greenville Technical College
.
Guerrilla theatre
Guerrilla theatre, or Guerrilla Performance, is a term coined in 1965 within the San Francisco Mime Troupe to describe its performances, that in spirit of the Che Guevara writings from which the term guerrilla is taken, were committed to "revolutionary sociopolitical change." The group...
specializing in 'found space' performances and is currently headquartered in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. There are branches of COTU also located in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Baltimore, Maryland, and Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
.
COTU was founded in 2001 by James Cartee and Andrew Bryant in Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
with core artist Dan A. R. Kelly, Jason Bryant and Traysie Amick. COTU's work ranges from original works and foreign language pieces to classics with a recent focus on films that have been adapted for stage.
In 2004, the group's production of Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
's The Creation of the World and Other Business
The Creation of the World and Other Business
The Creation of the World and Other Business is a play by Arthur Miller.A parable inspired by the Book of Genesis in the Bible, it explores the classic theme of good versus evil by way of a comedic retelling of the story of the creation of man . Miller's God is powerful but lacks wisdom...
was banned from playing at Greenville Technical College
Greenville Technical College
Greenville Technical College is a technical college located in South Carolina. Founded in 1960, it began operation in September 1962.-Campuses:Greenville Tech currently has six locations in Greenville County:...
.
Current Core Artist
Diego V. Francica, James Cartee, Rebecca Brown, Berry Newkirk, Nick Iammatteo, Amanda Liles, Bret Kimbrough and Mimi HarknessShow History
- Ives in the Back of My Head (2001). A collection of David IvesDavid IvesDavid Ives is a contemporary American playwright. A native of South Chicago, Ives attended a minor Catholic seminary and Northwestern University and, after some years' interval, Yale School of Drama, where he received an MFA in playwriting...
one acts performed at the Handlebar in Greenville, SC
- Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are DeadRosencrantz & Guildenstern Are DeadRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the courtiers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern...
(2002).
- The Tragedy (2003). An original piece by Dan A. R. Kelly that was taken to competition at the South Carolina Theatre Conference. Traysie Amick was given 'Best Actress' for her performance in the piece.
- EquusEquus (play)Equus is a play by Peter Shaffer written in 1973, telling the story of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious fascination with horses....
(2004). Performed in an horse stable located in Cleveland Park in downtown Greenville, SC.
- The Creation of the World and Other BusinessThe Creation of the World and Other BusinessThe Creation of the World and Other Business is a play by Arthur Miller.A parable inspired by the Book of Genesis in the Bible, it explores the classic theme of good versus evil by way of a comedic retelling of the story of the creation of man . Miller's God is powerful but lacks wisdom...
(2004). This show was banned by the President of Greenville Technical College where the show was being performed due to complaints from the community. COTU was performing Equus show simultaneously with this production.
- 3/24: A 24 Hour Theatre Project (2005)
- The Tragedy (2005). Performed at the Old Faithful InnOld Faithful Inn-Sources:*Barringer, Mark Daniel. Selling Yellowstone: Capitalism and the Construction of Nature, Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 2002. ISBN 978-070061167-3...
in Yellowstone National ParkYellowstone National ParkYellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
.
- TrainspottingTrainspotting (film)Trainspotting is a 1996 British satirical/drama film directed by Danny Boyle based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. The movie follows a group of heroin addicts in a late 1980s economically depressed area of Edinburgh and their passage through life...
(2008). Performed at the World Famous Milestone in Charlotte, NC
- Night of the Living DeadNight of the Living DeadNight of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent black-and-white zombie film and cult film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was completed on a USD$114,000 budget. After decades of cinematic re-releases, it...
(2008). A 'Zombiewalk' was organized and timed to end in the parking lot of the performance space as the show ended
- GONZO: A Brutal Chrysalis (2009- 2011). An original piece by Paul Addis about the late Hunter S. ThompsonHunter S. ThompsonHunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
during the years 1968-1970
- Fight ClubFight Club (film)Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
(2009). Performed in a parking lot with lighting and sound elements provided by vehicles
- Reservoir DogsReservoir DogsReservoir Dogs is an American crime film marking debut of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast: Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and...
(2010). Performed in a warehouse in Charlotte, NC, this production won a Metrolina Theatre Award for Outstanding Special Technical Effect (Amanda Liles and Rebecca Brown) and Outstanding Supporting Actor (Tom Ollis). James Cartee won a 'Best Director' and Berry Newkirk won a 'Newcomer of the Year' (for Mr. Orange) Perry Award for their work.
- Uncle VanyaUncle VanyaUncle Vanya is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and received its Moscow première in 1899 in a production by the Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski....
(2010) James Cartee won a 'Best Costume Designer in a Comedy' and Annette Saunders won a 'Best Supporting Actress'(for Yelena Serebryakov) Perry Award for their work on Uncle Vanya.
- TrainspottingTrainspotting (film)Trainspotting is a 1996 British satirical/drama film directed by Danny Boyle based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. The movie follows a group of heroin addicts in a late 1980s economically depressed area of Edinburgh and their passage through life...
(2010). James Cartee won a 'Best Director' Perry Award for his work.
- The Princess BrideThe Princess Bride (film)The Princess Bride is a 1987 American film based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy. The film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman...
(2011) Performed in an 80's dance club in uptown Charlotte, NC.
- Love Conquers All: A Quiet Evening with Sid & Nancy (2011). This is an original piece written by James Cartee.