Ophelia's Jump Announces 2021 Season

Ophelia's Jump Productions, a critically acclaimed nine-year-old non-profit theatre company, announces a three-play season in the second half of 2021.

The first play will comprise its Midsummer Shakespeare Festival, a co-production with Pomona College. The play will be presented at the College's Sontag Greek Theatre, an outdoor venue with plenty of space to accommodate social distancing. The play presented will be Twelfth Night, directed by Caitlin Lopez (July 15 through 18, 22 through 25). All performances begin at 8:00 p.m.

Prior to the performance, the venue will be open early to accommodate picnickers, with booths featuring artists and artisanal vendors. There will also be a nightly Green Show (a pre- show entertainment). To make sure all participants can enjoy a fun, safe event; safety protocols will be in place. Visitors will be required to wear masks and maintain social distance, tickets will be sold in advance only, and household groups will be assigned picnicking space and seating. Concessions including craft beer, wine and snacks will be available.

For the uninitiated:

Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy. The play centers on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (who is disguised as Cesario) falls in love with Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her, thinking she is a man.

The Midsummer Shakespeare Festival is sponsored by Discover Claremont. The picturesque City of Claremont with its walkable tree-lined streets, stately college campuses, Botanic Gardens, museums and quaint shops is a popular getaway for Southern Californians. Each summer Claremont hotels offer getaway packages featuring lodging, dinner and tickets to the Midsummer Shakespeare Festival. This summer will be especially festive as the city and Festival both reopen. For information about local activities and hotel packages in Claremont, visit discoverclaremont.com.

The subsequent two plays of the season will be performed at the company's indoor venue, the OJP Studio at 2009 Porterfield Way, Suite H, Upland, CA 91786. If COVID protocols this fall make it necessary, the theatre may operate at reduced capacity. Masking, ventilation, and other safety protocols will be in place in accordance with county and state guidelines.

September 1- October 2: West Coast Premiere. The Hall of Final Ruin. Written by Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos. Directed by Beatrice Casagran. A magical Western with an all-female cast. Someday, the 'madrina' of 19th century Santa Fe would like to die a good Catholic death and be buried in her beloved church, La Parrochia. But Death is coming sooner than she thinks and the arrival of a needy Protestant, a fortune in gold, and the invasion of the American Army complicate her perfect exit into Purgatory. In order to save her family from ruin and earn her way into Heaven, the gambler must orchestrate a final, high-stakes card game in which all is both lost and won.

November 17- December 19. World Premiere. CJ:An ASpanglish Play. Written by Mercedes Floresislas. Performed in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL) with projected supertitles. Fifteen-year-old Carolina Juarez must go live with her estranged aunt and grandmother when her mom ODs. CJ doesn't know her extended family, Spanish, ASL, or her own history and she's not interested in getting to know any of them, much less her deaf grandmother who struggles with dementia. During a teenage tantrum, she destroys her grandmother's childhood toy. The Family's comadre conjures up CJ's personal Nahual (Aztec spirit guide) and gets two Aztec deities to take CJ on a journey to give her a chance to appreciate her family and her roots before it's too late.

With its mix of Shakespeare and cutting-edge contemporary female playwrights, Ophelia's Jump is preparing for an exceptionally ambitious season. Single tickets and subscriptions are now available at the company's website, http://opheliasjump.org, where you can also find more information about Ophelia's Jump Productions. Ophelia's Jump Productions presents shows that prominently feature the work of women, queer artists, and artists of color.

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