Maui Arts and Cultural Center to Host Chicago's Lucky Plush Productions and New Zealand's Indian Ink Theatre

Maui Arts & Cultural Center is set to present two returning arts companies for two theatrical performances later this month in Castle Theater. Lucky Plush Productions will present their pandemic-delayed performance of Rink Life on Thursday, March 24. Indian Ink Theatre will present a new play, Paradise or The Impermanence of Ice Cream, on Saturday, March 26. Both performances are at 7:30 pm. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 4 at 10:00 am only at MauiArts.org.

Lucky Plush Productions: Rink Life

Rink Life combines theater, physical comedy, postmodern dance, and social commentary that nods to the visual aesthetics and social dynamics of 1970s roller rink culture. Rink Life's staging and choreography are built from the spatial rules and social codes of a roller rink, and its script-turned-libretto-created from passing conversations, distant whispers, pop-song earworms, and found scripts-is entirely spoken and sung live. As the ensemble sings full-throatedly to score their experiences, they demonstrate through effort, risk, beauty, and failure that they-and its audience-are utterly dependent on one another. The performance features music ranging from the Bee Gees to James Brown, Paul McCartney, Cat Stevens and many other artists.

Rink Life has been created and directed by Lucky Plush Artistic Director Julia Rhoads, along with Collaborating Director Leslie Buxbaum Danzig and with added collaboration by the work's seven-person ensemble. This production was originally scheduled to visit Maui in March, 2020 but was delayed by the onset of the pandemic.

Lucky Plush Productions is an ensemble dance-theater company based in Chicago, led by founder and Artistic Director Julia Rhoads. The company is committed to provoking and supporting an immediacy of presence-a palpable live-ness-shared by performers in real time with audiences. A unique hybrid of high-level dance and theater, Lucky Plush's work is recognized for its layered choreography, nuanced dialogue, surprising humor, and socially relevant content.

Since its founding in 2000, Lucky Plush has created more than 30 original dance-theater works including 13 evening-length productions. In addition to regularly performing in Chicago, the company has presented work in over 55 US cities from Maine to Hawaii, and its international partners span from New Zealand to Cuba.

Indian Ink Theatre's Paradise or The Impermanence of Ice Cream

With this new presentation of Paradise or The Impermanence of Ice Cream, the MACC welcomes back to Maui New Zealand's acclaimed Indian Ink Theatre, who last presented Mrs. Krishnan's Party early in 2020. The company's series of well received productions of intimate scale that blend western theatrical traditions with eastern flavors have shaped Indian Ink to become one of New Zealand's most successful theatre companies - 13 national and international awards, significant critical acclaim, standing ovations and sell out seasons in New Zealand and overseas. Since 1997 over 400,000 people have had their lives enriched by these original plays. The aim is to leave an indelible imprint on the audience's heart which is why the company is called Indian Ink.

In this new production, audiences take a wild ride to paradise with Indian Ink's powerful new play by Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis about impermanence - of life, love ... and ice cream. This production is inspired by Ernest Becker's Pulitzer prize-winning Denial of Death, and the vibrant, life-filled chaos of India's most cosmopolitan city, Mumbai. Jacob Rajan delivers an acclaimed solo performance as he channels seven characters, weaving the afterlife and a dash of Bollywood disco into the real life mystery of India's vanishing vultures. A man trying desperately to avoid death is flung between limbo and his past where a rebellious young woman holds the key that may guide him to paradise. Infused with serious laughter, exquisite puppetry and inspired sound design this show is guaranteed to entertain, enlighten and melt audiences' hearts.

Indian Ink Theatre is based in Auckland and is considered one of New Zealand's most successful theatre companies with a reputation for "total theatre which offers humanity and psychological insight in a package of good plain laughs, luminous performances and brilliant staging" according to Wellington's Dominion Post newspaper. And the New Zealand Herald said of this production, "To label this as a must-see is an understatement..."

Tickets for both shows are $30 and $45 plus applicable fees with a ten percent discount for MACC members. Tickets are available at MauiArts.org. Non-members may become members at MauiArts.org/membership. The MACC Box Office is not currently open for window transactions but is accessible for email (boxoffice@mauiarts.org) and phone (808-242-SHOW) inquiries Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm.

COVID POLICY: Patrons are no longer required to show proof of full vaccination. Masks are still required to be worn over the nose and mouth at all times while indoors. The MACC's current COVID related health and safety protocols are available HERE on the MACC website. Policies may change and will be updated accordingly.

Pictured: Rink Life