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Julie Portman

JULIE PORTMAN

  (1941 - 2008)
Nationality:    USA
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    represented by Paul Reisler

Julie Portman (18 May 1941-2008) was a New York Obie award winning Theatre artist who write and performed plays inspired by people's stories. Her plays have received hundreds of productions nationally and internationally. Her play, Three Roses, is broadcast on Public Television under the direction of Academy award winner Paul Wagner. Under a 2006 Fellowship in Playwriting from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, Julie completed her most recent work, the Man Who Eats Books, a three-act play that is a love story illuminating the mysteries of old India the week before she died on the winter solstice, 2008. Under a Fulbright grant Julie lived in India and studied the classical India dance/Drama Kathakali. She served as artist in residence for four years at Tufts University, was director of the East/West program for Movement Theatre International and was founder and Artistic Director of Theatre Workshop, Boston. In 1986, she founded Ki Theatre which was based in Washington, Virginia with both local and two national programs: Life Stories and Kid Pan Alley. Story is at the center of Julie's work on stage, television, as a writer and a Master teacher. Julie is the creator of the Life Stories Workshop Process, which empowers people to become the author of their lives.

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below is a list of Julie Portman's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Children of the Earth         Conference of the Birds, Part 1         How Dad Created the World         Katie Malone         Magic Words         Man Who Eats Books, The         My Sister's Sister         Om Service, The         Riot         Three Roses

Children of the Earth

Synopsis:
Native American poetry and the poetry of Carl Sandburg interweave to follow the theme of awakening. A musical setting is provided by 5 musicians performing live with a storyteller/dancer

Notes:
Music composed by members of the ensemble Trapezoid with Tom Espinola

1st Produced:
New Playwright's Theatre Washington, Dc    1985

Organisations:
Ki Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
play with music One Act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  5 musicians

Further Reference:
-

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Conference of the Birds, Part 1

Synopsis:
Based on the classic 12th century Persian allegory, "Conference of the Birds," the play charts what happens when a group of birds decides to go in search of the King of the Birds hoping to find solutions to war and fighting. Part 1 recounts the journey of the birds as they make their decision to leave home.

Notes:
Music is composed by Bobby Read And Paul Reisler. the script is Adapted from Peter Brook And Jean-Claude Carriere's work for the stage And the translation of the 12th century Persian Allegory by Farad Uddi Attar. Video At the Publick Playhouse, Hyattsville, MD for Arlington Cable Television, directed by Linda Lewett

1st Produced:
Seven Stages Theatre, Atlanta, Ga    1991

Organisations:
Ki Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
play with music One Act

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  3            Other:  2 musicians

Further Reference:
-

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How Dad Created the World

Synopsis:
A daughter explores her relationship with her father, an opera singer and her father's passion for singing and belief that the world would be different if everyone sang. the play includes childhood creation stories (how we all lost our ability to sing when we got booted out of Paradise), a rollicking episode in which the audience has a singing lesson with Dad, and tender scenes of old age in which Dad tries to convince his daughter to change her career to singing. This is a theatrical tour de force for solo performer.

Notes:
Music is composed by Paul Reisler. Video by Arlington Cable Television, Arlington, VA, directed by Rob Faar

1st Produced:
Ki Theatre, Washington Va    1993

Organisations:
Ki Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
play with music One Act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  1 musician

Further Reference:
-

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Katie Malone

Synopsis:
Stories interweave to reveal the character - graceful, girlish and incredibly wise - the challenges and experiences that are part of Katie Malone's life. they are told from a daughter's perspective and include humorous episodes revealing the mother/daughter relationship. But mostly the play focuses on the "broken promise" and Katie Malone's bittersweet marriage with her husband, a perfectionist and forever a singer from New York City. This is a theatrical tour de force for a solo performer.

Notes:
Music composed by Paul Reisler. Video by Arlington Public Television, Arlington, VA , directed by Rob Faar.

1st Produced:
Ki Theatre, Washington Va    1990

Organisations:
Ki Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
play with music One Act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  1 musician

Further Reference:
-

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Magic Words

Synopsis:
A fusion of acting, storytelling, music and song the play includes traditional and original stories and songs about flying, magic and transformation.

Notes:
Music is composed by Paul Reisler

1st Produced:
The Theatre At Washington    1987

Organisations:
Ki Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
play with music One Act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  musician

Further Reference:
-

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Man Who Eats Books, The

Synopsis:
The The Man Who Eats Books is the story of Julie Portman's time in India. It chronicles her experiences as the first woman and westerner to study Kathakali in the traditional way, one teacher, one student, and of her life long relationship with her teacher. It started with a dream where she saw the naked back of an actor and just from the control of the muscles of his back, she could feel his every emotion. She walked out a very successful theatre career a few weeks later and found her way to South India, looking for the man in her dream so she could learn how to have such control of every muscle so that every emotion could be transmitted directly, without words&just like music. After months of fruitless searching, she found him performing in a small village in Kerala on the southwest coast of India- V.P. Ramakrishnan Nair, one of the last of the great Kathakali artists.

Notes:
It was a story that she had been wanting to tell for the 40 years since she left India and she finished it the week before she died. Musical score by Howard Levy

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Personal narrative

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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My Sister's Sister

Synopsis:
My Sister Mary Jo and I, we live on two sides of the looking glass. Mary Jo lives at Western State Psychiatric Hospital with people who are living mostly on the other side; and I live on this side, fairly much, most of the time. Two sisters live on either side of the looking glass. One sister has schizophrenia and the other is an artist. the beauty and challenge of living together and apart forms the core of a relationship that explores the impact of mental illness not only on a sister but on a family's life. A triumph of hope, My Sister's Sister is about normal family life, the games we play and kids and how our dreams unravel. It's about two sister's and the bond they have that endures when one sister becomes ill. This is a theatrical tour de force for a solo performer.

Notes:
Music is composed by Paul Reisler

1st Produced:
Ki Theatre, Washington Va    -

Organisations:
Ki Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Two Act Drama with music

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  1 musician

Further Reference:
-

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Om Service, The

Synopsis:
A ritual of poetry, movement, words and music for a congregation of people gathered for a spiritual purpose.

Notes:
Written with Arthur Sainer, music by Phil Corner; choreography by Elizabeth Martin

1st Produced:
Arlington Street Church, Boston, Massachusetts    1968

Organisations:
Theatre Workshop, Boston

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
ritual One Act

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  6            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Riot

Synopsis:
A panel of two blacks and two whites is brought together, repre-senting four points of view on America's racial problem, but before the dis-cussion is concluded, a riot breaks out in the theatre. Obie Award as Best Off-Broadway play, 1971

Notes:
written with Bryant Rollins

1st Produced:
Om The-Atre Workshop, Boston, Mass    1967

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Drama One Act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  10 B, 10 W

Further Reference:
-

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Three Roses

Synopsis:
A writer has a series of evocative dreams that convince her to create a play which she call "Three Roses," although the writer has no idea what the play is really about. As soon as she makes her commitment to writing the play, the first of three women appears in her studio with stories of deep hunger and passion for life. the women have indeed stepped out of the writer's dreams and now the playwright no longer knows who is writing the play. Each woman dares to open the secret box of her life. Each woman's life is marked by violence and is a mysterious journey of guilt and truth, of courage, healing and hope. This spellbinding Drama celebrates the journey of three women who overcome insurmountable obstacles becoming modern day heroines who heal themselves and help others; and, it also celebrates the journey of the writer who ultimately experiences the healing power of listening. This is a theatrical tour de force for solo performer

Notes:
Music is composed by Paul Reisler. Public Television broadcast directed by Paul Wagner.

1st Produced:
Ki Theatre, Washington Va    2000

Organisations:
Ki Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
3 Act Drama with music

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  1 musician

Further Reference:
-

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