Jim Neu
Encyclopedia
James A. "Jim" Neu was an American playwright who was best known for his quirky, experimental plays
, many of which were staged Off-Off-Broadway
.
Neu was born on November 18, 1943, in Brooklyn
and moved to Huntington, New York
with his family when he was seven years old. He graduated from State University of New York at Oneonta
and was drafted into the United States Army
, where he was stationed in South Korea
during the Vietnam War
. As he described in his biography, he was "unlucky enough to be drafted after graduating college, but lucky enough not to be sent to Viet Nam".
After completing his military service in 1967 he moved to Manhattan
's Lower East Side
, beginning a "quest for self" that many went through in that period. At a friend's suggestion, he attended a workshop with avant-garde
theatrical director Robert Wilson
in 1970. Wilson was looking for actors with no prior theater experience, and Neu became involved with Wilson's work as a performer with the Byrd Hoffman School of Byrds troupe and as a contributor to some of his plays. Neu started a career writing plays of his own, many of which were staged at Ellen Stewart
's La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
. Neu would often appear in his own works and was fond of including jazz riffs from Duke Ellington
and Thelonious Monk
. Works he staged include his 1995 play The Floatones, Mondo Beyondo in 1997 and 1999's Undercurrent Incorporated. In a 2001 collaboration with choreographer Douglas Dunn
, Neu presented Aerobia, his first dance theater production, which told the story of six characters at a health club of the future where people come to exercise their "sociomuscularity". In what The New York Times
called "a brief but engaging torrent of intriguing ideas and dizzying wordplay" that "rewards repeat viewing", his 2008 production of Gang of Seven directed by frequent collaborator Keith McDermott
featured seven stage cliche characters who are part of a focus group for an unidentified product interacting with each other using marketing neologisms. Andrew Horn directed two screenplays he wrote, the feature films Doomed Love in 1983 and The Big Blue in 1988.
A resident of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
, Neu died at his home there at age 66 on July 19, 2010, due to lung cancer
. He was survived by his wife, Carol Mullins.
Experimental theatre
Experimental theatre is a general term for various movements in Western theatre that began in the late 19th century as a retraction against the dominant vent governing the writing and production of dramatical menstrophy, and age in particular. The term has shifted over time as the mainstream...
, many of which were staged Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
.
Neu was born on November 18, 1943, in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and moved to Huntington, New York
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
with his family when he was seven years old. He graduated from State University of New York at Oneonta
State University of New York at Oneonta
The State University of New York College at Oneonta is a four-year liberal arts college in Oneonta, New York, United States, with approximately 5,800 students. The College offers many bachelor's degrees and a number of graduate degrees...
and was drafted into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, where he was stationed in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. As he described in his biography, he was "unlucky enough to be drafted after graduating college, but lucky enough not to be sent to Viet Nam".
After completing his military service in 1967 he moved to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
, beginning a "quest for self" that many went through in that period. At a friend's suggestion, he attended a workshop with avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
theatrical director Robert Wilson
Robert Wilson (director)
Robert Wilson is an American avant-garde stage director and playwright who has been called "[America]'s — or even the world's — foremost vanguard 'theater artist'". Over the course of his wide-ranging career, he has also worked as a choreographer, performer, painter, sculptor, video...
in 1970. Wilson was looking for actors with no prior theater experience, and Neu became involved with Wilson's work as a performer with the Byrd Hoffman School of Byrds troupe and as a contributor to some of his plays. Neu started a career writing plays of his own, many of which were staged at Ellen Stewart
Ellen Stewart
Ellen Stewart was an American theater director and producer and the founder of La MaMa, E.T.C. . In the 1950s she worked as a fashion designer for Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Lord & Taylor, and Henri Bendel.-Biography:Ellen Stewart was either born in Alexandria, Louisiana or Chicago,...
's La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club is an off-off Broadway theatre founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, and named in reference to her. Located on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the theatre grew out of Stewart's tiny basement boutique for her fashion designs; the boutique's space acted as a theatre for...
. Neu would often appear in his own works and was fond of including jazz riffs from Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
and Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
. Works he staged include his 1995 play The Floatones, Mondo Beyondo in 1997 and 1999's Undercurrent Incorporated. In a 2001 collaboration with choreographer Douglas Dunn
Douglas Dunn (Choreographer)
Douglas Dunn is an American postmodern dancer and choreographer. He is considered a highly eclectic and minimalist postmodern choreographer, who uses humor, props, and text in his dances.-Training and education:...
, Neu presented Aerobia, his first dance theater production, which told the story of six characters at a health club of the future where people come to exercise their "sociomuscularity". In what The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called "a brief but engaging torrent of intriguing ideas and dizzying wordplay" that "rewards repeat viewing", his 2008 production of Gang of Seven directed by frequent collaborator Keith McDermott
Keith McDermott
-Biography:Born September 28, 1953 in Houston, Texas. Graduate of Ohio University Theatre School. In the 1970s lived with author Edmund White in New York City. Appeared in Equus on Broadway opposite Richard Burton...
featured seven stage cliche characters who are part of a focus group for an unidentified product interacting with each other using marketing neologisms. Andrew Horn directed two screenplays he wrote, the feature films Doomed Love in 1983 and The Big Blue in 1988.
A resident of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Carroll Gardens is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. The area is named for Charles Carroll, a revolutionary war veteran who was also the only Roman Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence...
, Neu died at his home there at age 66 on July 19, 2010, due to lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. He was survived by his wife, Carol Mullins.