Theatre Novi Most to Present DANCING ON THE EDGE at The Southern Theater

Theatre Novi Most returns to the Southern Theater with the world premiere of a new play, Dancing on the Edge, about American modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan and her lover, the Russian poet Sergei Esenin.

Both a poetic examination of Russian/American relations and a look at two remarkable historical figures, Dancing on the Edge begins with Duncan and Esenin's first meeting in 1921 in Russia and through a mix of realism and fantasy, explores their stormy relationship, marriage, and disastrous tour of the US and Europe.

The play is an unflinching look at a cross-cultural and complex couple who rode through the tumultuous birth of the USSR together with shared passion but no common spoken language.

The play includes text in both Russian and English and has embedded within it several of Duncan's dances and Esenin's poems. Dancing on the Edge is written by Adam Kraar and was commissioned by Theatre Novi Most. It has been in development since 2011.

Dancing on the Edge is presented as part of The Southern Theater's ARTshare program and includes a team of local and national talent: Theatre Novi Most co-artistic director Lisa Channer will play Isadora Duncan and Twin Cities based Sasha Andreev will play Sergei Esenin. Both Channer and Andreev have been with the play since its inception in 2011. Visiting New York actors Katya Stepanov and Sergey Nagorny will round out the cast playing several supporting roles and a group of local children will join the company to play the young students of Isadora Duncan's school.

Co-artistic director Vladimir Rovinsky directs Dancing on the Edge and Jeanne Bresciani (Artistic Director of the Isadora Duncan International Institute) is Duncan consultant and primary choreographer. The rest of the creative team includes Michael Burden (scenic designer), Dan Dukich (sound designer), Heidi Eckwall (lighting designer), Deb Ervin (stage manager), Andrea Gross (costume designer), Zeb Hults (technical director), Elizabeth Larsen (assistant stage manager, props designer), Sharon Picasso (movement consultant and choreographer), Wendy Weckwerth (dramaturg), Lisa Cole and Natalie Dess (run crew).

The premiere of Dancing on the Edge is possible thanks to the support of the Playwrights' Center, the Isadora Duncan International Institute, the University of Minnesota, the Talle Family Fund, The Fulbright Foundation, The St Petersburg Academy of Theatre Arts Russia, the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, and our supporters. Past workshops of the play were supported by The Playwrights' Center, the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan and the Unison Arts Center in New Paltz, NY.

Tickets available for purchase online at www.southerntheater.org, by phone at 612.326.1811, and at the box office 45 minutes prior to showtime.

Theatre Novi Most means "Theatre of a New Bridge" in Russian. Founded in 1998 by Russian director Vladimir Rovinsky and American director Lisa Channer, Theatre Novi Most makes art for the stage connecting the traditions of Russia and the U.S. through a rigorous process of exploration and improvisation. Our methodology combines experiments from Russian training and traditions with physical theatre methods from the U.S. and Europe. Novi Most is: Brave Physicality + Excellent Writing + International Aesthetics.

Minneapolis productions by Novi Most include Delirium for Two (2008), M2: Mayakovsky and Marinetti (2009), The Oldest Story in the World (2010), Picnic on the Battlefield (2012), Something About a Bear (2013), Rehearsing Failure (2015), The Seagull (2016), and The Master Builder (2017). Other ongoing work includes a Russian play reading series in partnership with The Museum of Russian Art and Terry Hempleman.

Adam Kraar's plays include ALTERNATING CURRENTS (The Working Theatre); WILD TERRAIN (EST Marathon of One-Act Plays), EMPIRE OF THE TREES (NY Innovative Theatre Awards nominee, Outstanding New Script), NEW WORLD RHAPSODY (Manhattan Theatre Club commission), and FREEDOM HIGH (Queens Theatre in the Park). His plays appear in six BEST AMERICAN SHORT PLAYS anthologies.

Adam grew up in India, Thailand, Singapore and the U.S. and as a young child, visited Russia. He earned an M.F.A. at Columbia University, has taught at the University of Rochester, Adelphi University, and Hampshire College, and lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Karen. Member of Ensemble Studio Theatre; Affiliated Writer, The Playwrights' Center.

The Southern Theater fosters a community of exceptional artists. Located in the West Bank district of Minneapolis, the intimate 165-seat house serves as a leading and valued venue for eclectic, experimental, and engaging work. The Southern houses ARTshare, the Twin Cities' first all-access performing arts membership program. For $18 a month, ARTshare members can attend any production, any time they choose, as many times as they want.

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