Dixon Place will present the world premiere of Rachel Klein's Symphony of Shadows: A Tale From the Land Beyond the Veil on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from June 8 to 23 at 7:30pm at Dixon Place / 161A Chrystie Street. This movement-based spectacular tells the story of a woman combating a variety of sleep disorders, phantasmagorical night terrors, hypnotic horrors, and other, visually stunning conjurings from the subconscious depths of her own disturbed mind. Symphony of Shadows merges striking elements of circus and aerial arts, dance and movement, burlesque, and operatic productions to vividly illustrate its storyline in a genre defying form, which "evokes a live-action silent film."
Symphony of Shadows was commissioned by Dixon Place as a world premiere as part of the theater's Monde Cane original works series. Starring the expressionistic theatrics of the Rachel Klein Theater Ensemble (The Tragedy of Maria Macabre, Act Up! At Howl Festival), aerialists from the House of Yes (Brooklyn's foremost aerial venue-Circus of Circus, Caligula), dancers from Martha Graham Company II, Alvin Ailey, the Love Show (Nutcracker: Rated R) and Desert Sin Dance Company (Museé de Femmes at The Zipper Factory) along with acrobatic interludes from Bro Circus (Oh! You Pretty Things at (le) Poisson Rouge, Blunderland at Red Lotus Room), an original concerto by Sean Hagerty (Steampunk Haunted House at Abrons Art Center), and a live electric string orchestra.
Symphony of Shadows will be the company's largest production to date which includes a cast of 25 dancers, aerialists, musicians, a contortionist, and silent film style actors.
Rachel Klein (Director, Choreographer, Costume Designer) is a director, choreographer, producer, and costume/production designer. Miss Klein established the RKP ensemble in 2007 with her adaptation of Oscar Wild's The Canterville Ghost and since has worked with RKP and other collaborators (including Junta Juleil Theatricals, the Jackie Factory, Disgraced Productions, HQ Rep, the House of Yes, Bluebox Productions, and Razors Edge Productions) to build and develop the full length productions The Tragedy of Maria Macabre, Metro, All Kinds of Shifty Villains, Sir Sheever, Aenigma, Go-Go Killers!, Hound, Princes of Darkness, Circus of Circus, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Lizardman, a Musical. Shorter works and dance pieces include: Our Prison, La Enferma, Medusa, Sisters of the Moon, Sweeter Than Wine, Killer Workout, Beat Girl, Rocky Horror at Oh! You Pretty Things, London Calling, March of the Black Queen, ACT Up! Ballet: Why?, and Night of the Living Dolls. The Rachel Klein Theater Ensemble's choreographic work has been presented all over the city at several venues, festivals, art galleries, and nightlife events including the Kitchen, Dixon Place, Theater for the New City, DUMBO Dance Festival, Night of 1000 Stevies, the Highline Ballroom, La MaMa, Banzai! at the Red Lotus Room, legendary rock ‘n roll club Don Hill's, the Hiro Ballroom, the Bushwick Site Fest, Bushwick Open Studios Festival, the World Famous Bob's Give Thanks!, Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO, the House of Yes, HOWL Festival, and Off-Broadway at the Bleecker Street Theater. Miss Klein was a 2010 recipient of the Emerging Artists' ResidenCy Grant from the Field in Association with the Tides Foundation, currently curates a monthly performance art review at Bowery Poetry Club, and was nominated for Outstanding Director of a Play and Outstanding Choreography/Movement for the 2011 New York Innovative Theater Awards. - www.rachelkleinproductions.com
Sean Hagerty (Composer, Musician) is a composer, sound designer, and violinist, specializing in live electronics and music for theater and dance. Upon arriving in New York, he found himself writing arrangements for the Broadway cast of Sweeney Todd, performed at the 20th Annual Easter Bonnet Festival. He also performed with the cast, playing violin on his arrangement of "Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down" at the Bowery Ballroom.
Symphony of Shadows features a story by Rachel Klein and Sean Gill, Costume design by Rachel Klein, Kae Burke, and Make Fun Studios, and will be stage managed by Marina Steinberg. Starring Elizabeth Stewart, Michael Porsche, Danielle Marie Fusco, and Eric Schmalenberger. Featuring: Ted Caine, Brian Ferree, Xavier Hageman, Zahra Hashemian, Abdiel Jacobsen, ChrisTina Johnson, Natasha King, Kristen Lee, Freddy Mancilla, Ka Mazing, Danny Mendoza, Nicki Miller, Robyn Nielsen, Megan O'Connor, Scooter Pie, Evgenia Radilova, Brian Rubiano, Francis Stallings, and the Shadow Orchestra.
Tickets are advance online, $15 General Admission / $12 Students & Seniors, from www.dixonplace.org / 212 219-0736.
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