The Barrelhouse Theatre Presents Blackbird by Adam Rapp 3/2-18

The Barrelhouse Theatre is set to present Blackbird by Adam Rapp March 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18th at 7:30pm and March 11 at 3:00pm at District of Columbia Arts Center, located at 2438 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009.

About the show: Blackbird is a ferocious modern love-story between two troubled individuals who are caught in a continuing loop of bad luck and bad choices. Julie Roundtree plays Froggy, an ex-stripper and amateur prostitute with a penchant for heroin who is recently diagnosed with hepatitis. She is living with Baylis (played by Tony Bullock), an incontinent, impotent, and ill-tempered Gulf War veteran. Together they explore the blurred lines between seemingly defined archetype relationships, while holding true to the belief that regardless of how screwed-up they may be as individuals, together they can get through anything.

Director Gabriel Swee once had the pleasure of meeting Adam Rapp over a friendly game of basketball near Swee’s hometown in Illinois. They discussed Rapp’s work as they played, but most specifically Blackbird, as Rapp had recently finished production on his film variation. Rapp mentioned that often times a director will sacrifice the point of the story for the depravity and repulsiveness the play has the potential to present. The point of the work is, of course, love and what it takes to survive love in even the most squalid of conditions. Looking back to that game (which Rapp handily won), Swee embraces the advice from the playwright to explore love as a beautifully indefinable
necessity in a near-impossible world. 

Blackbird runs evenings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from March 2 through March 18 with a matinee performance on March 11 at the District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009). To purchase tickets ($16 per show/$12 for DCAC members), please contact DCAC at (202)-462-7833 or through their website at www.dcartscenter.org.