Combining Art and Business in Six Tee Collective, a Three-Woman Theater Collective
Young women artists are not expected to be businesswomen at the beginning of their careers, if ever. An unfortunate truth, the deemphasizing of these ladies not only weakens their voice, but also their reach as performers and creators.
Enter Antonia Lassar, a writer, performer and one-third of Brooklyn’s Six Tee Collective. Having wrapped up a national tour for her one-woman show, God Box, Lassar joined forces with two of her Boston University friends, Nikki DiLoreto, Maria Gilhooley also living in New York, to create a three-woman theater collective bent on telling women’s stories with women actors.
For this trio it is a joking matter; but they take humor very seriously. “We want to be funny all the time,” says Lassar. Which explains why Six Tee’s first production, Tina and Amy: Last Night in Paradise, is a comedy about two very famous comedians: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
“Tina and Amy are really en vogue right now,” says Lassar. “They’re great models for young women to project ourselves onto. They’re not overly concerned with image, and most of their comedy doesn’t revolve around men in anyway.”
The entirety of the [fictionalized] play takes place the night before Tina (played by Gilhooley) leaves New York and Amy (Lassar) to join the Saturday Night Live writers’ team in Chicago. As the writers, both Gihooley and Lassar focused the storyline on the pair’s friendship, as well as their professional careers.
“Theater makers are discouraged from thinking about the business aspect of what we do,” says Lassar, who is currently living off her theater work, disapproves of this school of thought. “It takes away a level of professionalism, and as a young woman it’s hard to get people to take you seriously. Coming from both sides it’s overwhelming, and you’re supposed to be okay with this.”
Not one to sit quietly and wait her turn, Lassar, along with her Six Tee cohorts actively pursued the business side of theater as well as the artistic side. “We’ve learned to change our language in some ways. I’ve stopped using ‘I think/I feel’ statements,” explains Lassar. “Now I use more absolutes. It takes away the wishy-washy feel and has a more masculine edge to it.”
The Six Tee Collective ladies are passionate about changing the way young women in theater are treated and perceived. It’s why the teamed up, and it’s why they choose comedy as a vessel to tell their stories. Not only can humor heal it also works to create a conversation in ways that the doom and gloom of a drama cannot.
This concept carries over into Lassar’s next one-woman show. Currently untitled, it’s still in the early stages of creation, but her intention for the piece is to explore sexual assault through comedy. Her inspiration drawn from the way we celebrate cancer survivors today.
“I think the same thing is needed for sexual assault – sometimes we need to celebrate being alive.” And that’s not the only advice Lassar imparts. Persistence is key, but she also emphasizes the importance of making your own opportunities. “When theaters said no to me I started putting on plays in living rooms. Write something for yourself or ask someone else to.”
With several sold out shows – including opening night – already under their belt it looks like Lassar is onto something. Tina and Amy is currently running in New York’s Frigid Fest through March 8. After that the girls are looking to find another venue. Lassar jokes about Broadway, but then again, these ladies take jokes very seriously.
Graphic by Lindsey Yadon, Photo courtesy of Keke Brown
10TAGS: Amy Poehler New York Six Tree Collective theater Tina Fey