CHAPTER 1, SECTION 1 OF THE DANCING MANIA Plays At HERE Arts Center, 07/09-11

Chapter 1, Section 1 of The Dancing Mania

July 9, 10, 11, 2019

8:30pm

HERE

145 6th Ave.

(Enter on Dominick, 1 Block South of Spring)

C/E to Spring St.

1 to Houston St.

N/R to Prince St.

Tickets & Information: visit here.org or

call 212-352-3101

Tickets $20

Chapter 1, Section 1 of The Dancing Mania is an evening-length dance theater piece based on the bizarre true story of a medieval dancing plague.

In 1518, the residents of Strasbourg were stricken with an unexplainable, irresistible, extremely painful urge to dance madly until they collapsed. Hundreds were affected; dozens died; two months and many rival curative attempts later, it was suddenly over. It was after the invention of the printing press, in the midst of the Protestant Reformation, in the aftermath of plague, famine, and natural disasters, when great societal trauma was about to erupt into a new social order - a time not unlike our own. Chapter 1, Section 1 of The Dancing Mania takes a close look at the moment when blood starts to boil.

An all-female creative/design team, cast, and crew weaves together their experience in dance, theater, design, crafts, comedy, and new age healing to explore this story through a contemporary lens.

In short scenes that alternate between stylized physical comedy and intimate full-body movement, the victims of the dancing plague feel their symptoms multiply. The powerful clergy, merchants, and physicians of the town council experiment with increasingly unsuccessful treatment strategies. Period costumes contrast with contemporary language and anachronistic surprises. Comedy builds to urgency as performers card and spin raw wool into yarn, creating a rhythmic soundscape underlying this moment of mass hysteria.

Concept/direction by Jessie Winograd (performer with Donna Costello, Barbara Mahler, Pele Bauch, Brain Melt Consortium); costumes/scenery by Sydney Maresca (Hand to God on Broadway; The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical national tour); lighting design by Dante Olivia Smith (Tell Them I'm Still Young at SOPAC) ; sound design by Janet Bentley (Roly Poly Productions); with Jamie Graham (Then She Fell; The Raving Jaynes); Kym Bernazky (Plasticland; Six Characters); Ellie Jackson (co-AD, The Neighborhood Theatre Project); Ira Joan Macner.

This production is a part of SubletSeries@HERE: Co-op, HERE's curated summer rental program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical support.

FULL CREDITS

Chapter 1, Section 1 of The Dancing Mania

Directed & conceived by Jessie Winograd

Developed & produced by Jessie Winograd, Sydney Maresca, Ira Joan Macner

Created & performed by

Kym Bernazky

Jacqueline Calle

Jamie Graham

Ellie Jackson

Ira Joan Macner

Sydney Maresca

Jessie Winograd

Costume & scenic design: Sydney Maresca

Lighting design: Dante Olivia Smith

Sound design: Janet Bentley

Stage manager: Lauren Blanks

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