Rorschach Theatre to Present SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA in March

Following a public workshop last year, Rorschach Theatre will present SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA by Julia Izumi March 24 - April 16, 2023 at Atlas Performing Arts Center.

An adaptation, a reimagining, and a critique of The Little Mermaid, SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA is a story of romantic, obsessive, and unrequited love.

Once upon a time, a rain cloud fell in love with a human. Dolan, who bears an uncanny resemblance to author Hans Christian Andersen, tries to tell this simple and sweet story, but characters in the story keep turning into figures from Dolan's own history of turbulent relationships.

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA was developed by Rorschach through the MAGIC IN ROUGH SPACES new play lab in 2022, and will be further developed with the playwright in February 2023. The production will be directed by local artist Gregory Keng Strasser, who previously directed [410] GONE by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig with the company in 2018.

Julia Izumi is a writer, performer, and educator who makes plays, musicals, theatrical nonsense, and everything in between.

Her work has been developed and presented at Manhattan Theatre Club as part of the Ted Snowdon Reading Series, Clubbed Thumb, Bushwick Starr, WP Theater, Berkeley Rep's Ground Floor, SPACE on Ryder Farm, Ojai Playwrights Conference, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, WP Theater, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Trinity Repertory Company, the CAATA National Asian-American ConFest, among others. She has received the NY Society Library's Emerging Women's Artist Grant, a Puffin Artists' Grant, and the inaugural Dr. Kerry English Award from Ojai Playwrights Conference. Her plays have been a finalist for the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference ((An Audio Guide for) Unsung Snails and Heroes), and an honorable mention on the Kilroys List (miku, and the gods.).

She received her MFA in Writing for Performance from Brown University, and she is the 2011 recipient of the Goddard Rhetorical Prize for excellence in performance at Tufts University, where she earned her B.A. in Drama.

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA is receiving its professional world premiere with Rorschach Theatre after numerous acclaimed academic productions with Iowa State University, Northwestern University, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Cal Poly Tech San Luis Obispo, Williams College, UArts, and Brown University, where it won the Dorry Award for Outstanding New Play in 2018.

Director Gregory Keng Strasser says about the play, "SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA is chaotic-good bursting at the seams, a torrential downpour of emotions running rampant, frenetic journeys of the heart's transformation, deep desperation to be seen (yet a little bit of intrigue to leave some sexiness for the imagination), and desperately utilizing all ... at my disposal, sometimes literally, as a tactic of wooing." Adding that "Julia Izumi is brilliant and hilarious, but beneath that charm and whimsy of her delicious writing is something so sincerely heartbreaking ... I'm excited to direct this show because there's simply nothing like it."

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Cast & Production Team

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA will be directed by Gregory Keng Strasser and feature Janine Baumgardner (she/her) as Midi; Jordan Brown (he/him) as Ralmond; Sydney Dionne as Rain Cloud; Colum Goelbelbecker (he/him) as Edvard; Jordanna Hernandez (she/her) as Ina; Jolene Mafnas (she/her) as Little One; Nick Martin (he/him) as Dolan; and Arika Thames (she/they) as Bessie.

The design and production team - many of whom are returning to Rorschach Theatre - includes Sara Beth Hall as Set Designer, Dean Leong as Lighting Designer, Roni Lancaster as Sound Designer, Roo Sultan as Props Designer, Alexa Cassandra Duimstra as Costume Designer, Simone Schneeberg as Technical Director, Adam B. Ferguson as Production Manager, and Caraline Jeffrey as Stage Manager.

Strasser will lead this talented team of designers and technicians to transform Atlas Performing Arts Center's Lab II into Izumi's whimsical world of floating umbrellas, sentient clouds, and animated storytelling.

Gregory Keng Strasser directs and writes for theatre, opera, film, and video games. Raised between Shanghai and Bloomfield Hills, Greg builds thriving worlds through consensus organizing and field research. Greg's previous work with Rorschach Theatre includes the DC premiere of 410[GONE] by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, which The Washington Post called "irreverent audacious, and ultimately moving." Recent work includes the world premiere stage adaptation of Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey; the world premiere stage adaptation of The Infinite Tales from Irish myths; Dark City, a four episode visual novel video game with art by Sara Eskandari; and the festival production of Por Lo Que Soy by Jordanna Hernandez. He has developed work with Odin Teatret in Denmark; puppet and dance artists in Bangkok, Thailand; and new international work addressing the climate crisis with the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics in DC. Greg was the 2020 Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow at Arena Stage, a 2021 Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellow for the city of DC, and a 2021 Directing Fellow for Horticulture Playwrights Workshop. He serves as Producing Director for 4615 Theatre Company.

Rorschach Theatre tells stories that allow for innovative design and visceral performances. The company treats productions as "installations" that surround the audience with the world of a play. Our work centers on the intersection of magic or impossible moments and every day human experiences. Without proselytizing, it provides a complex, intellectual catalyst for self-exploration of challenging subjects. Catalyzed by the circumstances of 2020, the company leveraged our unique strengths to create Psychogeographies, a groundbreaking project that combines history, fiction, magic realism and real world excursions in a new kind of theatrical experience. This season-long immersive narrative takes participants to lesser-known spots around their city as a story unfolds through letters, artifacts, and objects mailed in monthly chapters.

Beginning during the Covid-19 pandemic, Rorschach began producing "Psychogeographies" - season-long immersive narratives that take participants to lesser-known spots around their city as a story unfolds through letters, artifacts, and objects mailed in monthly chapters.

Rorschach is also a vital launching pad for emerging artists. By trusting early-career actors, directors, playwrights and designers with substantive artistic responsibilities, and surrounding them with established professionals and ample resources, the company has become an essential showcase for new talent. In addition to its regular season, Rorschach produces "Magic in Rough Spaces," an annual new play development series; "Klecksography," an annual new artist development event (for actors, local playwrights, and directors); and "Fight Camp," a stage combat training program held every summer.

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