Artist Spotlight: Iyvon Edebiri

Nov 4

Name: Iyvon Edebiri

Pronouns: she/hers/hers

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Role in Mixily Presents: Submission Judge/Reader

Current Pandemic Anthem (Musical, Culinary, Dealer’s Choice): The Good Place

What was it like judging Mixily Presents and then seeing the work up? Any recollections from the process?

It was such a whirlwind of time, but so exciting since the emergence of Zoom theater was pretty new and folx were still experimenting with how to make theatrics and spectacle happening. So I remember reading a bunch of cool projects proposed and saying yes to a number of them because of the bold and inventive ideas that folx had conceived. Seeing them happen was exciting as some things did work out and others didn’t, but in the end we’re all still creatives learning and adapting to things we’ve never done before or had to do.

What has 2020 been like for you as an artist, activist, and human aiming for connection, empathy, and vulnerability in a period mediated by screens and distance?

This time has been pretty non-stop for me, which I’m both grateful for given our industry is at a weird standstill. I’ve been fortunate to work on some cool audio projects like SHIPWRECK (The Public Theater and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company) and some other projects under the Parsnip banner. While most of the theater industry is on this pause and as I oversee and manage some creative projects being generated in this time, I have begun to lean into process (what it means, what it looks like, how long things should take organically) and really dissect what that means for me as a creative producer and a dramaturg, who deals with process on a daily basis. Part of this deep thinking is shifting towards a mentality of both building and deepening interest and intention slowly. I’m using this as it relates to (re)connecting with artists and friends. We’re in a weird time that we’ll be unpacking the effects of this period for a long time so if I can start to build a creative and producerial process that allows for connection, empathy and vulnerability for both me and the collaborators I work with, I’d love to start there.

How has the emergence of Zoom theatre (and or the pandemic) challenged you and/or made you grow as an artist and producer?

This fall has really got me thinking about process and time more than I used to or had the luxury to before. I will say that now that everything is online there was an industry wide assumption that if it’s online it takes less time or people to get it done, but it’s definitely not always the case.

What’s your current thesis on livestream vs live Zoom performance vs pre-recorded video and the lines between theatre vs film vs ??? Where do you feel like radio plays live in this landscape?

I have gone back and forth on my thoughts on this, and the one thing I’ve felt firmly about the last few years and even more so during this pandemic is that theater is an experience. Specifically, theater is an experience stemming from a live energy of people, sets and stories. Anything that propels this forward can be considered theater to me.

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www.theparsnipship.com | IG: @theparsnipshipny