THE ENCOUNTER: AKRON Announced At Rubber City Theatre, August 10-12

Rubber City Theatre (RCT) announces performances of The Encounter: Akron, a live physical theater work by Kimberly Bartosik/daela (Brooklyn, NY) featuring a cast of professional, pre-professional, and non-professional performers from Northeast Ohio. The Encounter: Akron is developed in partnership with RCT, the National Center for Choreography-Akron (NCCAkron), and CDS Creative Productions. The Encounter: Akron performances take place August 10-12.

The Encounter: Akron is an expansive performance project created by choreographer/director Kimberly Bartosik. Joined by creative associate Burr Johnson, Bartosik has been creating unique Encounter projects in communities worldwide, exploring intergenerational cross-geographic, global conversation about the ferocious power of the body as a form of communication. The work is an encounter with oneself, pulling from what people currently carry in their bodies-grief, hope, fear, desire, newfound power-pulsing through and between generations.

"It is incredibly exciting to collaborate with NCCAkron and present The Encounter: Akron as part of Rubber City Theatre's 10th Anniversary Season," shared Dane Leasure, Artistic Director of Rubber City Theatre. "The Encounter features a unique cast of professional and non-professional performers from the Akron community. We plan to continue our exploration of different types of theater and performance."

Cast

The Encounter: Akron features a regional cast of professional, pre-professional, and non-professional performers.

Melissa Ajayi, 37 (Shaker Heights, OH), is a recreation therapist, mother of two children, loves to be outdoors, and is learning to garden.

Neema Bal, 26 (Akron, OH), is co-artistic director of Gum-Dip Theatre, was born and raised in a refugee camp, and has a passion for theatre and a strong dedication to uplifting and advocating for refugee children.

Katie Beck, 31 (Akron, OH), also co-artistic director of Gum-Dip Theatre, is a theatre maker, creative community builder, and social entrepreneur who loves her house plants, two cats, and the North Hill neighborhood.

Kobe Calain, 20 (Newton Falls, OH), loves to move, dance, perform, and make people smile.

Kay DePew, 28 (Akron, OH), former Miss Akron, is an experimental artist and business student.

Julia Dillard, 37 (Cleveland, OH), loves swimming in the ocean, making plum tortes, chasing her toddler, and being in nature.

Josy Jones, (Akron, OH), is from a theatre background and tends to ask a lot of questions that she answers with research and movement; dinosaurs are her favorite animal.

Estefania Montes, 26 (Akron, OH), loves The Monkees, enjoys game shows, and lives for making memories with their partner and family.

Elyse Morckel, 31 (Akron, OH), enjoys snuggles with her cat David, baking macarons, supporting her local library, and hiking the many trails a part of the Summit Metro Parks.

Britt Oliver, 39 (Akron, OH), enjoys yoga, travel, museums, painting, and any activity that sparks creativity.

J2 Shepherd, 11 (Akron, OH), loves music, dancing, and singing. He also enjoys learning to play new instruments, playing video games, and joking around with his friends. His happy place is at home surrounded by his family.

Larry White Jr, 21 (Akron, OH), has a passion for baking sweets, obscure fashion looks, and rarely is seen without a smile.

The Encounter: Akron

August 10 at 7pm, August 11 at 7pm, August 12 at 3pm

Rubber City Theatre

Sandefur Theatre in Guzzetta Hall

228 E Buchtel Ave, Akron, OH 44325

Tickets: Pay what you can, with a suggested donation of $0-10. A limited number of free tickets are available for each show. Reserve at bit.ly/theencounterakron-tickets.

Bartosik's past Encounter projects include The Encounter: Buffalo, created in partnership with Torn Space Theater; The Encounter: Italia, supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture; The Encounter: Rockland (2023), created in partnership with The Strand Theater; and The Encounter in NYC, which had its world premiere as part of French Institute/Alliance Francaise Crossing the Line Festival, with performances in FIAF's Le Skyroom. For more information on the work, visit daela.org/the-encounter.

This engagement marks Kimberly Bartosik's third visit to Akron. NCCAkron hosted her as a Dancing Lab: Female Choreographers participant in September 2017 and for a Technical Residency in August 2018.

The Encounter: Akron is made possible by lead support from the Knight Arts Akron Community Fund at The Miami Foundation. NCCAkron received a $125,000 grant to be invested in local collaborations expanding presentation opportunities for dance with theater organizations in Akron. Anchor events resulting from this investment include Dominic Moore-Dunson's inCOPnegro: Aftermath at Center for Applied Theatre and Active Culture (CATAC) and Kimberly Bartosik's The Encounter: Akron at Rubber City Theatre.

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