ABOUT

The Three Matadores is the name we have given to a complete micro-play that appears embedded in the book-length poem The Presentable Art of Reading Absence (Dalkey Archive Press, 2008) by American poet Jay Wright. Like much of Wright’s writing for the theater, this play had never been staged. We attempted a staging that presents all the words exactly as written, including a bracketing selection of the poetry. The Three Matadores micro-play constitutes the second act of a two-act performance. The first act is comprised of four original solos by the participating artists. The second act is physical realization of Wright’s text, executed by the four performers from act one.

We selected this passage for several reasons. Its choreography, alternating between mathematical permutations of patterns and movements derived from bullfighting maneuvers, seems particularly suited to our company’s esthetic, and its language in a similar way alternates between the speech of the matadors and the voice of the poetry. The text’s bilingual nature (English and Spanish) appeals to our mission as an international company. Furthermore, it seems to offer a perfect microcosm of Wright’s writing, presented in theatrical, textual, and temporal terms.

We made The Three Matadores collaboratively, staging the text from The Presentable Art of Reading Absence (Dalkey Archive, 2008) with permission and encouragement from the author Jay Wright. The development of The Three Matadores was made possible, in part, by the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography at Florida State University. This project was supported by the MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Poetry Foundation, Link’s Hall, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Sector 2337, and private donors. Thank you Shoni Currier, Jim Moore, Leigh Fagin, Erin Brenner, Ira Murfin, Carla Peterson, David Levin, Seth Bockley, William and Abrienne Schmelling, Shawn Convey, Ashley Fargnoli, Dalkey Archive Press. Special thanks to Jay and Lois Wright, Will Daddario, and taisha paggett.