Directing alumna Marcina Zaccaria '06 has been accepted to the 2021 Catwalk Artist Residency. Zaccaria is attending the residency from September 21 through October 3, 2021 and will devote the time to her newest play, Now and Then.
Zaccaria describes Now and Then as “a collaborative, progressive investigation of time, tracing the root of Americana from the 1800s, past the 1960s, through 2021.” She continues, “[The play is] a startling glance at technology and nature. It follows painters of Hudson Valley, sports stars who vacation at hotels in the Borscht Belt, and playwrights, yearning to get past the threat of pandemic domination. Central to the play is the importance of beauty, the necessity of song, and the joy of movement. Topics include American baseball, Broadway and song, and the discovery of jazz. Characters will speak on color, survival, and celebrity. They will describe what it is like to cross mountains and smoky music halls, breathing in the atmosphere and remarking on its splendor. Their exceptional frailty will be countered with their extraordinary strength.”
Catwalk Artist Residency takes place in New York State’s Upper Hudson Valley region and accepts residents from selected alumni, faculty, and staff of four academic institutions: Columbia University School of the Arts, NYU Tisch, Vassar College, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago. This year, three residents—two novelists and one playwright—were chosen.
Started in 2004 by James and Purcell Palmer, The Catwalk Artist’s Residency has hosted many artists. The Palmers started the residency with emerging artists in mind, but they also wanted to share the beauty and inspiration of the landscape with others. Zaccaria said, “I wanted the chance to be outdoors, and I wanted the space to write about time. I got here just yesterday and already it’s been wonderful to see the amazing landscape in Hudson Valley.”
Zaccaria has worked on various projects since the beginning of the pandemic, including a piece she wrote and directed, Love, The TV, and Me. “It’s been very interesting trying to find the right vehicles and models for these projects,” Zaccaria says. “One of the things I loved about the School of the Arts was that it was a constant collaborative process. I treasure working with great artists. Being out here is definitely a different, solitary experience. It’s looking into these pockets of time, and I feel like I will be discovering those moments while I’m here for the next ten days.”
