Class Notes: Virlana Tkacz “The Magic of Light”

Summary

BroadwayRadio Episode Summary

Title: Class Notes: Verlana Koch “The Magic of Light”
Host: Lauren Klash Schneider
Release Date: March 12, 2025
Podcast: BroadwayRadio
Description: Broadway's Premier Podcasts

Introduction to Verlana Koch and "The Magic of Light"

The episode opens with host Lauren Klash Schneider introducing Verlana Koch, the director and creative force behind the theatrical production The Magic of Light, currently playing at La MaMa. Lauren highlights Verlana's multifaceted role as both director and conceiver, emphasizing the production's intricate blend of poetry, language, and music that portrays the cultural and spiritual awakening of a Ukrainian artist in the 1870s.

Inspiration Behind "The Magic of Light"

Verlana shares the genesis of The Magic of Light, revealing that her inspiration struck during a visit to a museum in Kharkiv in 2019. She encountered stunning pencil drawings by Porfiry Martinovich, an artist she was previously unaware of. This discovery sparked her curiosity upon learning that Martinovich had engaged in early projection techniques during Ukrainian epic concerts, an area her company, Yara Arts Group, has explored since the 1990s.

Verlana Koch [00:40]: “I was at a museum in Kharku in 2019... One of them just took my breath away... Porfiry Martinovich did projections during the first epic concert of Ukrainian epics internationally.”

Verlana explains that her projects often begin with a spark of interest in a largely unexplored subject, leading to extensive research and collaborative storytelling. For The Magic of Light, she collaborated with Julian Catasty, a bandura player with deep historical knowledge, and Tom Lee, a puppeteer, illustrating the collective effort behind the production.

Verlana Koch [03:27]: “It isn't like I made all of it myself. We always work as a team... We made it together.”

The Role of the Bandura in Ukrainian Culture

Lauren inquires about the bandura, prompting Verlana to delve into its significance. She describes the bandura as a traditional Ukrainian string instrument, akin to a lute or harp, with 30 to 60 strings, making it complex to play. Historically, it accompanied epic narrations in the 19th century, a role it has since evolved from.

Verlana Koch [03:41]: “Bandura is a traditional Ukrainian instrument... It was originally used to accompany epics in Ukraine.”

The Epic Songs of Ukrainian Blind Bards

The conversation shifts to the epic songs performed by Ukrainian blind bards, which form a core element of The Magic of Light. Verlana explains that these bards, often blind either by birth or as a result of conflict, traversed villages performing historical, moralistic, and humorous tales. The specific narrative in the production centers on three brothers escaping from the fortress of Azov.

Verlana Koch [04:44]: “There were blind-eyed bards that walk from village to village... telling long tales about the Turkish wars... about three brothers as they escaped from the fortress called Azov.”

Lauren probes further into the significance of the bards' blindness. Verlana draws parallels to historical figures like Homer, noting that blindness was common among epic singers as it allowed them to focus on their oral storytelling roles. Additionally, being part of a guild provided these artists with protection and a sense of community.

Verlana Koch [05:56]: “All the great epics, singers very often were blind because this was a job they could do... They had laws and just like other guilds, medieval guilds, that sort of protected them.”

Collaboration and Translation Efforts

The discussion moves to Verlana's collaborative work with Wanda Phipps on translations, a partnership that has secured three New York State Council on the Arts grants. Verlana recounts the origins of this collaboration, which began over three decades ago when she encountered poor translations of Ukrainian poetry that failed to capture its poetic essence. This realization led her and Wanda to strive for more authentic and poetic translations.

Verlana Koch [07:09]: “We never set out to be translators. We just wanted to... the translations were just horrific... Wanda was my dramaturg, and she turned around to me and said, we could do much better.”

Verlana emphasizes the importance of poetry in her work, often placing a poem at the heart of her productions. This dedication to preserving the lyrical quality of the original texts underscores the artistic integrity of her projects.

Verlana Koch [08:48]: “Very often at the very beginning of a piece... it's just like, usually there's a poem at the core... at the center.”

The Genesis of the Project at La MaMa

Verlana shares a serendipitous encounter with Ellen Stewart, the founding artistic director of La MaMa Theatre. While discussing potential projects, Verlana spontaneously expressed a desire to work on Ukrainian poetry, leading to the birth of The Magic of Light. The timing coincided with Shochenko Day, a significant event that further connected the production to Ukrainian cultural heritage.

Verlana Koch [09:19]: “I said, Ukrainian poetry...I thought, light from the East. It was the first thing that came into my mind... And she said, oh, terrific. How about March 9th?”

This fortuitous alignment not only facilitated the production's debut but also affirmed Verlana's belief in being prepared for unexpected opportunities.

Verlana Koch [12:15]: “The best of the best... you just have to wait for the door to open at the right moment.”

Insights and Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Verlana Koch highlights the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of her work, blending historical research, music, translation, and visual art to create immersive theatrical experiences. Her passion for Ukrainian culture and dedication to authentic storytelling resonate as she reflects on her journey and the organic development of her projects.

Verlana Koch [12:44]: “It was a pleasure.”

Lauren expresses gratitude for Verlana's insights and the extraordinary artistic environment she fosters among her colleagues, concluding the episode on a note of appreciation for The Magic of Light and its cultural significance.

Notable Quotes

• Verlana Koch [00:40]: “I was at a museum in Kharku in 2019... One of them just took my breath away... Porfiry Martinovich did projections during the first epic concert of Ukrainian epics internationally.”
• Verlana Koch [03:27]: “It isn't like I made all of it myself. We always work as a team... We made it together.”
• Verlana Koch [07:09]: “We never set out to be translators. We just wanted to... the translations were just horrific... Wanda was my dramaturg, and she turned around to me and said, we could do much better.”
• Verlana Koch [12:15]: “The best of the best... you just have to wait for the door to open at the right moment.”

Conclusion

This episode of BroadwayRadio's Class Notes offers an in-depth look into Verlana Koch's The Magic of Light, revealing the intricate process of bringing Ukrainian epic poetry and historical narratives to contemporary audiences. Through passionate storytelling, collaborative artistry, and a deep respect for cultural heritage, Verlana Koch exemplifies the heart of Broadway's premier podcasts, providing listeners with rich insights into the world of innovative theater.

Transcript

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Hi, I'm Lauren Klash Schneider with Flash Notes for Broadway Radio. I'm here with Berlana Koch, the director of the Magic of Light playing at La Mama. Hello. Hi. Well, the Magic of Light, you're not just the director, you're the conceiver and the artistic vision behind it. It interweaves poetry, language, music to illustrate the cultural and spiritual awakening of an artist in Ukraine in the 1870s. So what compelled you to create a story of the Ukraine Ukrainian artist in 1870s for today's audience?

[Verlana Koch]

Well, I was at a museum in Kharku in 2019, and they had these pencil drawings that were just stunning. One of them just took my breath away. And I couldn't believe it was a pencil drawing. And I looked at the name tag, and I'd never heard of the artist. It was Porfiry Martinovich. And then a few months later, I'm reading something and the name comes up again and it says, porfiry Martinovich did projections during the first epic concert of Ukrainian epics internationally. I was like, what? 150 years ago, somebody was doing projections. And I mean, this is what Yara Arts Group, my company, has always been doing, you know, projections during traditional music or poetry or theater pieces. We've been doing projections since 1990s. And kind of. That was kind of one of the things we were really into. And here I had never heard of this person, and he was doing all this amazing things, and. And I started getting interested in his story, basically. And that's kind of how most of the projects that Yara does is start. It's just something about something gets us interested and there's nothing on it. And we start doing research and suddenly we pull this, you know, threads here and there, and a story emerges. And in this case, I was working with Julian Catasty, who's a bandura player. He plays the same kind instrument as the epic singer is played. And so. And he'd been working with us on a lot of theater pieces at La Mama. Really experimental, all kinds of things. And yet he has this very deep historical knowledge. And so it's. He seemed to be part of the project right away. And then one day, Tom Lee, who's somebody who's worked with us over the years, who's a puppeteer, told me he was really interested in this too, as a story. And this is how our project came to be. So it isn't like I made all of it myself. I made it. We always work as a team. We make it all together. We start by just Sifting through these ideas. And of course, I do a lot of the text and the translation and Tom, of course, does a lot of the design and Julian does the music. But we all cross talk to each other and sort of. We made it together.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

It sounds like such a beautiful environment to be a part of that you've created among your colleagues and fellow artists and storytellers. Will you explain a little bit more about bandura?

[Verlana Koch]

Bandura is a traditional Ukrainian instrument. It's like a lute or a harp. And you hold it up, you know, and it has many strings. I mean, anywhere from 30 to 60 strings, you know, so it is a difficult instrument to play. And it is. Was originally used to accompany epics in Ukraine, sort of. Certainly at that time in the 19th century, it was used only exclusively for accompanying epics. And then it's become sort of adapted to other things in the 20th and 21st centuries.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Now the magic of light is inspired by haunting epic songs of Ukrainian blind bards. Yes, is accurate. And will you elaborate on that a little bit and what drew you to it in addition to the visuals that you had already seen?

[Verlana Koch]

Well, the epic songs of Ukraine, it's a. There's about. There's a whole series of them that were collected in the 19th century or recorded, you know, but from about the 16th through the 20th century, there were blind eyed, you know, bards that walk from village to village and would play in the village rare and. And would sing, sing these old songs. There's a lot of them are historical songs and some of them are sort of moralistic ones and others are funny. You know, there's many different types of songs, but the epics were usually the historical songs telling long tales about, you know, the Turkish wars or about. The one we were doing was about three brothers as they escaped from the fortress called Azov. You know.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

The fact that they're blind seems to be a pretty small group of individuals that could fill this. Is there.

[Verlana Koch]

What.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

What is it about them being blind that.

[Verlana Koch]

Well, it's. I think this was true of traditional societies. You know, Homer was blind. Right. All the great epics, singers very often were blind because this was a job they could do. And very, very often they were, you know, some of them were blind all their lives. Others were blinded after, you know, they were captured and, and released. Blinded very often. That would happen sometimes. So this was, this was. And they had a guilt, you know, there. There was a group that they all belonged to that sort of. They had laws and just like other guilds, medieval guilds, you know, that sort of protected them.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Thank you. You frequently work on your translations with Wanda Phipps?

[Verlana Koch]

Yes.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Well, I also just love the calling card of the fact that you've been awarded with three different New York State Council on the Arts grants. Will you collaborate? I mean, will you describe the collaboration between you and Wanda?

[Verlana Koch]

Well, I think we've. We've gotten three different types of grants in terms of three different languages we've dealt with, but we've gotten a number of them.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Oh, you explain that also.

[Verlana Koch]

Yeah. And Wanda and I both. We never set out to be translators. We. We just. When we read. We wanted to. My very first piece was in 1990 about Leish Kurbas, this Ukrainian theater director, and he had staged a few poems by Shevchenko, and I wanted to translate them or to have them in the show. And then I read the translations. They were just horrific. You. And I thought, oh, my God. And it's. And it wasn't that they were incorrectly. It just wasn't poetry, you know? And I don't mean rhyme or anything, but it wasn't poetry the way we understand it in English. And I had studied poetry, love poetry, really. And, of course, Wanda was my dramaturg, and she turned around to me and said, we could do much better. And that's how we started. And we. That was like, you know, 36 years ago.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Oh, my gosh.

[Verlana Koch]

Yeah. And. And this is what we've been doing. Very often at the very beginning of a piece, when I start assembling the material, you know, it's just like, usually there's a poem at the core, because I just adore poetry.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

And.

[Verlana Koch]

And I think almost at the core of every piece, there is a poem. I could say this is. At the center.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

You. You talked about your company, the Yara Arts Group, and you are the founding artistic director. You have a residency at La Mama, and talk about working with, collaborating, and knowing the great Ellen Stewart, who's, of course, the founding artistic director of La Mama.

[Verlana Koch]

Right. Alan is the one who. Well, I came to La Mama with, with a show. It was Amiri Baraka's jazz opera. And. And. And Ellen asked me if I'd work on something else, and I said yes, and I did. And that's kind of how I wound up staying there. And she had me work with Native American company with Ping Chung. I worked mostly with George Ferencz at that point, but also many Polish theater I did stuff with. And then one day, I saw her sitting at St Mark's in the Bowery Church. Right in front, there's a triangle. It's right near my house. And I walked up to her and I said, hi, Ellen. She said, hi, Verlanda. So what are you going to direct this year? And I was like, I hadn't thought about it at all. And she said, what do you really want to do? And I don't know what made me say it, but I said, ukrainian poetry. It was like the last thing I would have consciously have said, you know, I thought the devil made me say, you know, because I had no. No concept, nothing. And she said, and she starts pulling out her little notebook, and she says, oh, that's great. What is the name of the show? Well, I. There was no show. There was nothing. And I thought, I better say something because I'm not going to get a date otherwise.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Uhhuh.

[Verlana Koch]

So I said, light from the East. It was the first thing that came into my mind. I have no idea why. And she said, oh, terrific. How about March 9th? And this is like, in August, you know, so.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Oh, my gosh.

[Verlana Koch]

So I thought, oh, that's. That's great, because it's far away. As far as I was concerned, it wasn't like next week. And. And. And then March 9, it occurred to me right at that moment, like a lightning bolt. Oh, my God. Every Ukrainian knows this. This is Shochenko day. And this is why we wound up having to translate Shochenko. And I thought. I went home and I read his whole book, and I like three poems. And it turned out to be the same three poems Leish Korbas had done. So it's like it was just truly a bizarre coincidence, all of it. And the best of the best, you know, and always said you just have to wait for the door to open at the right moment. And that was it.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

You just walk down the street and be able to run into the right people and have the right answer at the. Somehow you never know when it happens.

[Verlana Koch]

And there's nothing you can do to prepare for it. But you've been preparing for it all your life, I guess.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

Yeah. Right, right, right. Well, thank you so much for your insight and sharing a little bit about the extraordinariness that you create. I'm so grateful.

[Verlana Koch]

It was a pleasure.

[Lauren Klash Schneider]

I'm Lauren Klashchneider with Verlana Koch, the director of Magic of Light playing at La Mama. Thank you.