Agnes Borinsky's A SONG OF SONGS to Open This Week
A Song of Songs unpacks and remixes the Biblical poem, treating it as a jumping off place for thinking about love, erotics, collectivity, and justice.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Mar. 07, 2022
The Bushwick Starr is partnering with Jeremy O. Harris, El Puente, and Clubbed Thumb to present A Song of Songs by Agnes Borinsky (Weird Classrooms at University Settlement, Of Government with Clubbed Thumb), and directed by Machel Ross (Jeremy O. Harris' Black Exhibition at The Bushwick Starr, Ars Nova 2022 Vision Resident and 2020 Sundance Theater Lab fellow).
A Song of Songs unpacks and remixes the Biblical poem, treating it as a jumping off place for thinking about love, erotics, collectivity, and justice.
Two femmes find themselves in a charged romantic relationship:
I love you.
I don't believe you.
Ah well.
When one takes an unexpected journey to the underworld, the other is left wondering what they might have missed. Meanwhile, a third challenges them both to crack open their love and let it spill out into the world.
A Song of Songs is being created at and in community with El Puente. For a play about love, power, care, and justice, process and product are inextricably linked. Performances will be part performance, part ritual, featuring song, refreshments, and visual art.
Featuring Sekai Abeni, Agnes Borinsky, and Ching Valdes-Aran*
Creative Team: Frank Oliva (Scenic & Lighting Designer), Machel Ross (Costume Designer), Patricia Marjorie (Props Designer), Nazareth Hassan (Lead Sound Designer), Sheldon Bennett (Sound Co-Designer/A1), Joe Matunis & Vera Weinfield (Muralista Co-Conspirators), Joseph White (Composer), Gineiris Garcia (Stage Manager), Jana Lynne Umipig (Company Manager), Federica Borlenghi (Associate Director), Itzel Ayala (Production Manager), Jay Maury (Technical Director), John Del Gaudio (Creative Producer)
*These Actors are appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. Equity Approved Showcase.
This project received development at Hubbard Hall in Cambridge, NY through a new partnership with The Bushwick Starr.
A note on the project from The Bushwick Starr's Artistic Director:
"The Starr is extremely excited to be working with Agnes Borinsky, and Machel Ross and to have the support and partnership of El Puente, Jeremy O. Harris, and Clubbed Thumb. A Song of Songs is in dialogue with this difficult period of time we're all living through, providing an opportunity for reflection and discovery. At the center of the piece is the question of how love governs us as individuals as well as a society and how love can conquer fear to allow for change and growth. Agnes is one of the most generous creative minds I know. She's always framing her work through the lense of bringing people together through ritual and shared experience. Machel is a visionary director and is truly one of the best collaborators around which is perfect for a project that brings multiple organizations together to embark on a new way of working together.
While we are undergoing the renovation of the Starr's new home at 419 Eldert St. we are very privileged and proud to be producing this show in partnership with El Puente at their space on S 4th St. The problem of not having our theater open has turned into an incredible opportunity to work closely with an organization we deeply admire and whose partnership we treasure. We've been working with El Puente to offer arts workshops for the past 7 years and this production is an exciting next step in our work together. El Puente's mission to promote leadership through peace and justice, their 40 year legacy in Brooklyn, and their commitment to the arts makes them such a special collaborator on this work centering love, community, and growth."
- Noel Allain, Artistic Director
Tickets are now available at:
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