Try Something New on a Monday Night This August in Downtown Redwood City

Since 2016 Dragon Productions Theatre Company has hosted the Monday Night Play Space. On select Monday nights Dragon Theatre opens its doors to local artists to use the space for anything that they need, including staged readings of new plays, local film screenings, poetry slams, stand up comedy, improv demos, books readings, and anything else that the Bay Area artistic community comes up with! These events are pay what you will in cash at the door in order to encourage the local community to try something new and support developing artists. There are two very different events in August that should be both entertaining and thought-provoking.

On Monday, August 14th at 7:30p local actor Marjorie Hazeltine will perform The Notorious B.U.G., a new one woman show that Ms. Hazeltine has written about the true story of a very special praying mantis. In 2016 a praying mantis was named after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This mantis was big news, even making The Washington Post, because she was discovered in a very particular way. Scientists typically classify mantids using the males of a given species. However, doctoral student Sydney Brannoch, who happens to be a young woman, decided to investigate several female specimens and thus discovered Ilomantis ginsburgae, a whole new species that had been misidentified for decades. News organizations interviewed Brannoch about the role of women in science and the use of female specimens in scientific taxonomy, but now, the mantis herself is speaking out, telling her story in this one-woman show. She traces how her life has changed since being discovered and named after the notorious R.B.G. Up until now, gender and womanhood have been foreign concepts to the mantis, but now she must reconcile her new gendered identity, her relationship to one of the most famous advocates for gender equality, and her pesky, ever-present desire to devour her mates.

Then on Monday, August 28, the Dragon Theatre will present a workshop production of Blood and Silk, a new musical based on the classic story Beauty and the Beast. In the land of Alterra, a curse has been placed upon the royal family of Ravenswood. Doomed to spend the rest of his life alone, Prince Alexiel guards nothing but his vacant castle and precious roses, and he finds loneliness to be his only true companion. Circelae Alverdine is a young man thirsting for adventure and looking for his place in life. Longing for his own knight in shining armor, he soon finds adventure in Alterra, and with that, much more than he ever possibly dreamed of. Adapted by the author of the beloved book, Jeffrey L. Love has created stunning orchestrations and a story that is lifted up by the lyrics written by the talented Jo Kiech. The classic story of Beauty and The Beast is showcased in a new light, and asks, what really is love? Is it as fragile as a rose? Join Alexiel and Circelae as they find out what love really is.

WHEN: Monday, August 14th (The Notorious B.U.G.) and Monday, August 28th (Blood & Silk)

WHERE: The Dragon Theatre in downtown Redwood City

2120 Broadway Street at the intersection of Broadway and Theatre Way

HOW MUCH: Pay what you will in cash at the door, Suggested minimum donation of $5-$10. The concessions bar will be open so you can purchase a snack to enjoy during the show.

CONTACTING THE BOX OFFICE: Leave a voicemail at 650-493-2006 x 2 and your call will be returned within 2 business days. If you'd rather email, contact Josiah at tickets@dragonproductions.net. The Dragon Box Office is not staffed 7 days a week so there might be a delay in response. Please note that there are no advance tickets available for these events and all sales are made in cash at the door.

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