Review: IS IT THURSDAY YET? at La Jolla Playhouse

IS IT THURSDAY YET? Takes on a seemingly impossible task -how do you explain to strangers how you perceive the world using the language of dance?  Created, choreographed, and performed by Jenn Freeman, the show is a captivating and creative performance that fuses dance, music, and video to bring audiences on her journey of past and present self-discovery after her adult Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.  IS IT THURSDAY YET? Is playing at the La Jolla Playhouse through August 6th.

Freeman, along with Sonya Tayeh who also choreographed and directed this piece, shows how life-changing it can be to get a diagnosis that helps put the puzzle pieces of your life together in a way that makes the image clever.  Freeman’s autobiographical piece shows through dance, music, audio of her therapy sessions, and many home videos taken by her family, how her childhood behavior, preferences, and dislikes now make more sense with this additional context of her diagnosis.

This is accompanied by live music composed and performed by Holland Andrews, and drums and percussion by Pierce McGuffey.  Woven throughout the audio clips from Jenn’s therapist, the ethereal vocals, and the mix of electronic music and childhood giggles show the breadth and complexities of Jenn’s world.

The show is carefully constructed, as the audience is invited into Jenn’s world, and by design points of the show has so much going on that it can feel overwhelming to your senses.  This is a common experience for people on the spectrum and this is a way to help the audience understand and empathize with how difficult that can be at times.  There are also well-placed moments to break any tension, with a dance break or moments of silence to reset. 

The sound design by Melanie Chen Cole is excellent, balancing all of the audio stimuli, and is complimented by the ever-changing lighting by Cha See, projections by Joseph DiGiovanna, costume design by Márion Talán de la Rosa, and the scenic design by Rachel Hauck.

For Freeman, nature was a place where she could find a sense of peace, and there is a lovely moment where she invites the audience to that as well, literally rolling out the carpet of grass, and raising some clouds in the sky.

IS IT THURSDAY YET? Offers an extraordinary glimpse into the creative mind of Jenn Freeman, and how learning more about yourself, no matter how old you are, can only lead to enlightenment.  The gift Jenn gives the audience is that our world is expanded further by learning about her journey.

How To Get Tickets

IS IT THURSDAY YET? Is playing at the La Jolla Playhouse through August 6 in the Playhouse’s Forum Theatre. For tickets and information, please visit LaJollaPlayhouse.org.
 

Photo Credit: IS IT THURSDAY YET? Photo by La Jolla Playhouse 

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