Cohesion Theatre Company Presents Two Plays In Repertory: LA LLORONA By Cecelia Raker & THE ORPHAN SEA By Caridad Svich

Cohesion Theatre Company is proud to announce the third production of their 2017/2018 season and their first ever repertory production. Continuing to explore the season theme of "E Pluribus Unum," the shows in repertory will utilize the same diverse cast to tell two seemingly very different stories, La Llorona by Cecelia Raker and The Orphan Sea by Caridad Svich. Despite the plays' notable differences, it is the hope of Cohesion that these stories in conversation with one another will inspire discussion and thought long after leaving the theater.

"The Cohesion Rep is both a challenge and a joy," said director Susan Stroupe. "To stage two full-length plays with the same cast is a huge undertaking, but it also allows our ensemble and audience a rare gift of seeing two works of art in conversation with each other. In many ways, they are very connected: both re-imagine important and old mythologies from American culture, both confront the narrative of gender in those mythologies, and both paint a vivid view of the land around them."

"Individually, they compliment each other wonderfully," Stroupe adds.

When widely diverse young women get thrown together on a school project about the local urban legend, La Llorona, they get much more than they bargained for after a horrifying, teary and murdering ghost enters their lives. La Llorona, with her irreverent, haunting advice and constantly changing stories, seems intent on steering them away from her fate, but is she just luring them to a watery, weeping demise? Funny, irreverent, and a little creepy Cecelia Raker's La Llorona brings legends to life and looks at the real impact they have on the futures they shape.

Caridad Svich's The Orphan Sea is a reimagination of the story of Penelope and Odysseus from The Odyssey. A tale about love and migration, it presents us with what we lose when we are forced onto new shores, but also the strengths we bring with us, and the memories we can't put down. In an open and poetic format the play is the story of the many transformations that humans have undertaken as they moved from shore to shore. This is a tale told in poetry, movement, and song, and provides an immersive and thought provoking experience as it expands on the ideas of cultural narratives and their power through reflecting on geography, memory, and community.

Though the plays differ in tone and style, both stories observe the way myths, legends, and histories impact us today, and how we, in turn shape them.

"La Llorona, while set in culturally-unique New Mexico, is a powerful and relatable narrative of teenage girls grappling with identity and haunted by history. The Orphan Sea is an image-rich epic poem-play that traverses time, space, and gender, all in the frame of Penelope and Odysseus' epic long-distance relationship from The Odyssey." Stroupe said. "A diverse, versatile ensemble of nine actors and an incredible team of designers have taken on this challenge, and I can't wait for audiences to witness their amazing work."

Opening night for La Llorona is Thursday, March 22 at 8pm. Opening night for The Orphan Sea is Thursday, March 29 at 8pm. Following opening night the shows will run Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7:30 pm with select Saturday matinee performances at 4:30 pm. The performances run from March 22 through April 15, 2017.

Tickets are $20 for Adults and $15 for students and seniors and can be purchased online at www.cohesiontheatre.org

Special industry night performances will be held Thursday, April 5 at 8pm for La Llorona and Thursday, April 12 at 8pm for The Orphan Sea. Tickets for all artists will be just $10.

Cohesion performs in "The Fallout Shelter" at United Evangelical Church (923 S. East Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224) at the corner of East Avenue and Dillon Street in Canton. Patrons should enter the space through the grey doors on East Avenue. For more information about the 2017/18 Season at Cohesion Theatre Company, visit www.cohesiontheatre.org

SHOW DETAILS:

The Repertory runs March 22 - April 15, 2018

Directed by Susan Stroupe

Performances Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm

Sundays at 7:30pm

Weekend Matinee performances at 2pm

La Llorona

By Cecelia Raker

Opening March 22 at 8pm

Dates: March 22, 23, 24, 25, 31* and April 5, 6, 8, 14

Industry Night: Thursday, April 5 at 8 PM

The Orphan Sea

By Caridad Svich

Opening March 29 at 8pm

Dates: March 29, 30, 31, and April 1, 7, 8*, 12, 13, 15

Industry Night: Thursday, April 12 at 8 PM

*Indicates Matinee performance

The Fallout Shelter at United Evangelical Church

923 S. East Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224

Tickets $20, or $15 for Students and Seniors

www.cohesiontheatre.org/tickets

Cast:

Emily Sucher - Rachel/City

Mani Yangilmau - La Llorona/Odysseus

Jonathan Jacobs - Gatekeeper/Penelope

Laura Malkus - Mom/Penelope

Mia Ybarra - Molly/City

Chara Bauer - Gatekeeper/Odysseus

Natanya Washer - Maria/Penelope

Mika J Nakano - Gatekeeper/City

Christian Gonzales - Gatekeeper/Odysseus

Production Team:

Susan Stroupe - Director

Betse Lyons - Stage Manager

Abby Cady - Dramaturg/AD

Helen Garcia-Alton - Lighting Designer

Meghan Stanton - Sound Designer

Jessica Rassp - Set Designer/ Technical Director

Elizabeth Ung - Costume Designer

Brad Norris - Fight Choreographer

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