Shows - BorderLight Festival

#txtshow (on the internet)

“#txtshow (on the internet)” is a crowdsourced, immersive, multiscreen performance featuring a mysterious character named txt (pronounced “text”) who recites a script written anonymously in real-time by YOU! It’s the best show you’ll write all year.

Please Note: This LIVE online show relies on a high level of audience interaction. Audience members must keep their camera and microphone on the entire time they are in the show. The content of the show is based entirely upon what audience members write in anonymity and, as such, may contain mature themes, profane language, sudden loud noises, and potentially triggering content or themes.

Awards + Achievements:
Audience Choice Award, Pittsburgh Virtual Fringe Festival (2021)
Experimental Production of the Year, The Young-Howze Theatre Awards (2021)
Les Meilleures Expériences Immersives, UXmmersive (2021)
NoPro Critic's Picks, No Proscenium (2020)
Best Artful Adaptation to the Pandemic, Orlando Weekly Best of Orlando (2020)
Artistic Innovation, St Lou Fringe Virtual Festival (2020)

2 The Left: A Tribute to the Life of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes

An inspiring, music-filled, multimedia experience chronicling the life and spiritual journey of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, the controversial member of 90s pop music phenom TLC. The show reveals a young woman of color endeavoring to find her artistic voice and purpose, allowing the audience to glimpse behind the legend--and discover how her path may mirror our own.

A Kingdom, A Chasm

Three unlikely companions must sustain a "community" in the ravaged wilderness that was once New Orleans. Brought together by disaster, living in the shelter of a disintegrating Mercedes Benz, Emelda, Dudley, and Chauncey have created their own mini-society in a land where no society is left. Their social biases have survived while the city around them did not, however, and their little world is at the point of collapse. Through absurd humor and exuberant physicality "A Kingdom, A Chasm" explores the dysfunction of defunct social systems and the tenuous compassion that holds humans together in spite of it all.

Taking inspiration from the likes of the mad tea party in Alice in Wonderland and Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Vagabond Inventions uses its contemporary approach to classic clowning to tell this surrealistic tale of friendship amidst crisis.

A Secret in Plain Sight

At the age of 43, Kevin Gladish discovered the truth behind a family secret that completely altered everything he thought he knew about who he was and what was true, sending him on a journey to uncover his roots. This one-hour solo show tells the story of his discovery and search for the truth.

At the time of his search, Kevin wrote a serial blog called A Story With No Beginning (http://kevingladish.blogspot.com/), which documented his discovery and search in real time. This solo performance grew out of those writings and attests to the healing power of reclaiming and telling your story.

Accidental Comedy Presents: Che Guerrero

GET OUT. LAUGH. MAKE FUN. Accidental Comedy is a group of performers dedicated to enriching the arts in Cleveland through live comedy and other productions.

Enjoy a night with Philly-based CHE GUERRERO, whose comedy tackles race, marriage, and the experience of growing up as an undocumented immigrant in America. Enjoy an evening with a fresh and revolutionary voice of the national comedy scene plus a lineup of local favorites Cody Cooper, John Bruton and Raj Suresh.

ABOUT CHE GUERRERO
Che Guerrero has spent 12 years tackling race, marriage, and work through stand-up comedy. A revolutionary voice on the modern comedy scene, Che's style is rooted in his experiences growing up undocumented. His sense of humor and command of the stage is the result of obstacles often unseen by the average American.

In 2014, Che broke out on the New York scene with a feature on Gotham Comedy. He released his first album, "Thank You That's My Time" in 2016 and continued to hit every stage from The Hoboken Comedy Festival to The Laughing Skull Comedy Festival. By 2018, Che was being highlighted on BET as part of 50 Central's "Artist Spotlight."

While his album remains in constant rotation on Sirius XM, his "American Immigrant Podcast" chronicles the lives and work of comedians of all backgrounds to illustrate the true fabric of the scene.

Accidental Comedy Presents: Nancy Norton

GET OUT. LAUGH. MAKE FUN. Accidental Comedy is a group of performers dedicated to enriching the arts in Cleveland through live comedy and other productions.

Enjoy a lineup of comedians headlined by nationally-acclaimed NANCY NORTON, whose hilarious and fast-paced improvisational style leaves audiences with little time to catch their breath. Enjoy an evening with one of the most unique and authentic voices of the national comedy scene (Winner, 2018 Boston Comedy Fest).

Supporting acts include local favorites Josh Morrow, Mary Santora, John Armstrong (7pm show) and Cody Cooper, Jimmie Graham, Mike Ivy (10pm show).

ABOUT NANCY NORTON
Nancy Norton has been featured on A&E‘s An Evening at the Improv and starred in her own one-woman show on PBS, The Yellowish-Green Girl, and recently featured on Nickmom Night Out on Nickelodeon.

Aim’d so near

Two spirited women, a locked room, a tape recorder, and a puzzle. Based upon significant, courageous, and often overlooked characters from Shakespeare’s 'Othello' and 'Romeo and Juliet', Emilia and Angelica uncover the secrets keeping them trapped. Will accepting past sins free them from confinement?

AntiCone

Inspired by Sophocles’ Antigone, AntiCone is the largely wordless story of an immigrant who is put to work building a wall against her country of origin (and, therefore, her brothers), under the dangerous eye of new leader, Creon, and against the pull of her ancient namesake. Scored by evocative and visceral original music, the play combines physical theatre, clowning, and audience interaction with unique, powerful dances. AntiCone was an official selection of FringeNYC festival in the fall 2018. Recommended for ages 13+.

Anywhere But Here, a solo experience

Congratulations! You are a winner of Allegiance Travel Agency’s WORLDWIDE SWEEPSTAKES! You have won a ticket to anywhere in the world, well, anywhere but here, obviously. Set up your appointment with an agent to undergo this 15-minute immersive production, uniquely experienced by one audience member at a time.

AppeTeasers

An appe-teasing performance that will leave the audience hungry for more; This show was created in 2023 as part of Maelstrom Collaborative Arts' Bricolage series during which artists of different disciplines are selected through an application process and challenged to create a new work.

Be Local

BE LOCAL by Juliana Silva is a solo monologue that tells the story of her mother´s migration from the northeast to the southeast of Brazil, Pernambuco to São Paulo, during the early years of her childhood. The work crisscrosses her immigration from São Paulo to NYC, bringing to the stage the beauty of a multitude of experiences, the power of diversity and the simple feeling of belonging nowhere.

Beauty Freak: A Staged Reading

BEAUTY FREAK is a new multi-media play exploring the complex and controversial life and legacy of the German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. Riefenstahl was born in Germany and rose to prominence as a silent film actress. In the 1930s, she turned her astonishing talents as the pioneering female filmmaker of her time to the service of the Nazi regime.

Set between 1935 and 1939 in both Germany and the United States, this source-based play explores the creation of art as propaganda and questions the culpability of the artist in how their work is consumed. This piece puts on stage the hatred and hypocrisy at the core of that regime, and places a magnifying glass over Riefenstahl’s unique life. Performed as a staged reading.

Being B.A.D.

Embodying creative resistance against oppressive gender stereotypes and domestic violence, BEING B.A.D. is a piece about personal acceptance and redemption from the cycle of abuse. This show explores the lengths to which one decides to take that power back after years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her family and romantic partner. In the wake of the #MeToo and Times Up movements, this applied theatre work is relevant to our community in providing insight to a cathartic resolution and engaging in civil dialogue.

Betsy Carmichael’s BINGO Palace

Join the fabulous Betsy Carmichael as she hosts an unforgettable night of BINGO. Betsy brings the audience "into the act" with special games, prizes, fun and surprises! A BINGO bash beyond belief... don't miss a moment of the hilarity.

Black Mass

Black Mass is a drag and burlesque group in Cleveland, Ohio that features alternative, spooky, gothy, and avant-garde performers. From Drag kings, drag queens, burlesque acts, and ballet dance, they bring glitter and likely a bit of fake blood. The acts are often irreverent, sacrilegious, campy, and chaotic. This isn't your Nan's brunch. Dusty Bucket shaved her head for this. Dr. Lady J tied her arms to a corn stalk crucifix for this. Kimmy Katarja jumps into a split over your face for this. It's not to be missed.

BlackBlade

Told in four short episodes, BLACKBLADE reveals the climax of a decades-long witch hunt through various perspectives: a charismatic wayfarer who has seen more of the world than almost anyone else alive; the bartender of a famed tavern with a wild history of violence; two of the most brutal, feared assassins the world has ever known. Featuring ancient forests, mythical creatures, and unearthly magic, BLACKBLADE tells the story of a world wracked with power struggles and environmental crisis.

BLACKBLADE is the second part of a theatrical fantasy series called THE TITAN CYCLE, conceived and written by Arif Silverman, and developed and directed by Lillian White. Each play tells a standalone story with its own cast of characters, chronicling sixty years of tumultuous political and environmental transformations in a world not unlike our own.

BLACKBLADE was originally commissioned by the Dixon Place theater, a non-profit, NYC-based company committed to telling diverse, radical stories by emerging and established artists.

Blood Earth Water

"Blood Earth Water" unites historical language, physical theatre, and autobiography to depict the lush and complicated experience of being mixed-Black in contemporary America. This solo performance was inspired by the author's travels, ancestry, and particular brand of suburban angst. Conjure the past, present, and future as we explore the age-old question: "What are you?"

But to work!

Using keen awareness of her physical senses and propelled by a strong commitment to family, a young mother navigates through a medical crisis as a black woman in the US health system.

BUTT Why?? An ass-inine show about our cushiest asset

Sit your ass down! Get comfy on your cushy, squishy, tushy! You are about to dive deep into the whole truth about your butt…WHY? Because it’s the most beautiful, versatile and underestimated part of you. Don’t believe me? Look around! We ALL have this asset, and who the heck knows why it’s praised as sexy, yet also the butt of most jokes; why it’s shamed and objectified but also super necessary to our bodily functions. You, your butt, your neighbors and their butts are about to go reeeaalll deep into each other…no, not like THAT. We’re going to dive into the backstory of the butt, and I hope you’re ready, because this shit is b-a-n-a-n-a-s!

Christmas in July

Connect your body to your voice in this workshop and learn to sing some Ukrainian Christmas and winter carols. It’s so much more than “Carol of the Bells”! The Ukrainian winter caroling tradition asks that carolers sing at every home and to every member of the household. The songs are sung to help bring forth good health and a bountiful harvest. This workshop is open to singers of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and levels of experience. All songs will be taught in the oral tradition. Ability to read Ukrainian or musical notation is not required and some of the time in the workshop will be spent on the vocal technique used to create the folk singing style.

Cleveland Comedy Festival Presents

Cleveland Comedy Festival takes place annually in November and showcases comedic talent from all over the country (sometimes internationally) and of course from right here in Northeast Ohio. Enjoy these showcases as examples of what you could enjoy during our annual Festivals! Our Festival has grown since its inception 17 years ago and now includes a sister festival in Akron, Rubber City Comedy Festival, that takes place in May!

Cleveland Public Theatre’s STEP (Student Theatre Enrichment Program)

A community caught in an ancient conflict receives a message from a mysterious Mist. On the verge of collapse, the City looks to four citizens seeking a truth that would unravel a devastating secret hidden in the stars. As midnight approaches, four divided nations must carve a path towards a united tomorrow or crumble into ruin.

CPT’s Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) is a rigorous arts-based program that provides hands-on job training, engages youth from Cleveland families in a powerful learning experience that develops job skills, academic achievement, and interpersonal skills. As part of this eight-week summer program, youth ages 14-19 work together to create, produce, perform, and tour their own play. This program is the longest-running arts-based, workplace development program in Cleveland and is an international model for engaging youth. Since its beginning in 1994, STEP has received multiple awards and recognitions including those from the City of Cleveland, The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Through STEP, teens see themselves as a positive and inspirational force, and watch as their work has an impact on the larger Cleveland community.

Code Red: A Drag Manifesto

Inspired by Willa Cather's "Paul's Case," a New York City drag queen retells the story of her journey from the mundane Midwest to NYC, while tackling childhood trauma. This one-person show combines elements of theatre, drag, cabaret, and storytelling.

Cookie Tongue’s Kaleidoscopic Bone House

A theatrical freak-folk musical menagerie, tumbling through a series of animated worlds with puppetry, animation, butoh-inspired dance, and ritual magic, featuring original songs and whimsical interludes inspired by Cookie Tongue's surreal mythology, fairytales, childhood, ghost stories, and a sprinkle of the occult.

CPT’s Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP)

Cleveland Public Theatre’s celebrated Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) is Cleveland’s longest-running arts and job training program for teens. STEP returns to city parks this summer, celebrating its 25th year with an original play, "Color the City," inspired by a South American Los Andes story, Huatiacuri, the Story of a Mountain.

The citizens of the Black and White City have forgotten the Colorful Mountain, once their landmark and prized jewel with otherworldly powers. As the wealthy White family seeks a cure for their sick father, a colorful woman from the Mountain, named Star, roams the city to unlock a mysterious dream. Can a black and white land rediscover the beauty and richness of colors? Led by Bolivian artist Diego Aramburo, "Color the City" showcases Cleveland youth as they work to build a brighter and more colorful world. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy free theatre in the park!

This work is made possible through the support of the Creative Fusion artist residency, a program of the Cleveland Foundation.

CPT’s International Ensemble Projects

A double bill presentation of original works by Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi and Teatro Público de Cleveland, multi-national and multi-lingual community ensembles resident to Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT).

Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi, Raymond Bobgan and Faye Hargate collaborate to create an original play based on the members’ own stories. Alejandro Moreno's "Colt 45" (performed by Teatro Público de Cleveland) begins in the aftermath of a horrible natural disaster. Dolores and Daniel are surprised to find an unconscious Donald Trump. Drama ensues as they decide what to do next.

CREATURES by Roger Titley

Presented in partnership with Cleveland Public Library's 150th anniversary celebration.

Be amazed as a fantastical menagerie of life-sized animals take over the streets of downtown Cleveland. Created by acclaimed puppeteer Roger Titley and powered by human volunteers, the procession will feature cheetah, kudu, elephants, birds and more. Volunteers (ages 12+) can join in before the event and learn to build and operate a beautiful raven puppet. This spectacular event kicks off with African drumming and dance by Cleveland's own Djapo Cultural Arts Institute.

The procession will depart from Cleveland Public Library Main Branch, located at 325 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44114.

1:00 - 2:00 / 2:00 - 3:00 FREE puppet workshops open to the public
2:45 – 3:15 Performance of "Toukii - Journey" by Djapo Cultural Arts Institute
3:15 - 3:30 Puppet procession travels from Cleveland Public Library to Public Square
3:30 - 3:45 Photo opportunities with "Creatures" on Public Square

Ingenuity Cleveland is proud to support the work of BorderLight and groundbreaking creatives across the city by helping artists and entrepreneurs grow, connect, and find opportunities. Special thanks to Ingenuity for their generous in-kind offer of space for "Creatures" auditions, rehearsal, puppet storage and assembly.

Dear Cleveland: The Polyphonic Soliloquies

Historical revelry meets delusions of grandeur in a quagmire of dizzying poetry. Set to a soothing classical soundscape of Claude Debussy compositions.

Di Yiddishe Vayb

Adapted from the stories of Chelm and Bertolt Brecht’s “The Jewish Wife,” Di Yiddishe Vayb deftly interweaves classic Yiddish folk tales with a frank look at the choices we make when confronted with the rise of authoritarianism. Both comedic and cutting, Di Yiddishe Vayb is a great family show for audiences from 3 to 103. Musician Byron Asher’s emotive score carries the audience between the worlds of recent memory and ancestral story. Performed in English with a small amount of Yiddish.

Distant Shores

A collaborative storytelling ‘game’ where the audience determines the outcome. A small group of audience-explorers work with two guides to tell a story that might be fantastic, mundane, profound, light-hearted, or tragic. Based on past interactive works by Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, Distant Shores is both a game and a play, a journey and a destination.

promo 3, english, art trópico macbeth, oct-10-2022

Doncan’s Execution: A Scene from Tropico Macbeth By John Rivera-Resto

Tropic Macbeth is an original story based on 'The tragedy of Macbeth' by William Shakespeare. Although the basic plot remains close to the original - a tragedy of murder and political ambition, this adaptation, set in the 1935 Caribbean, has a Different story and new characters.Is a story of strong women, and how they use men to achieve power, justice and revenge. The decades-long hatred between the Orillan and Doncan families explodes when "the lady Macbeth" (lady Macbeth), uses her husband, the commander Macbeth, in a Machiavellian plan to overthrow the Doncan regime and reinstate the the Orillan to their orginal power.

Dreamscape

The Collected Few Dance Project is proud to present their second production, “Dreamscape”. The 40 min dance concert explores the many adventures our minds takes us on daily. From moments of heavy regret and grief that we cant seem to shake. Feelings of love and passion that constantly fuel our hearts. Recurring moments that we see over and over, and even our deepest nightmares that haunt us to our core.

Election Day

Ohioans tell their life stories on the way to the voting booth. Are we really so different? Exploring our common humanity amidst political differences.

Elijah G Live! International Afrobeat Recording Artist

International Afrobeat Recording Artist Elijah G has toured all over the world with his band the Tribe of Eli. He’s also toured with Jazz Recording Artist Joe McBride, Half Mile Home, and the Empress of Soul Gladys Knight to name a few

Enter LegLand

After a standing ovation at the International Physical Theatre Festival, we are debuting our full production of “Enter LegLand”. Witness our distorted leg-creatures existing in a desert of lost words under the ever-watching free-trial of a censor god, who makes sure all content is EXACTLY PG-13, (never veering into the evils of PG-12 or PG-14.)

Leaning on foundations in bouffon, drag, and sketch comedy, LegLand guides you through a dense and energetic world of absurdity. Incorporating bizarre props and costumes, surreal language, and warped video elements, we distort the traditional sketch comedy show into something that is both distasteful and delicious, lampooning whatever we can get our legs on.

Fairy in the Lake

Fairy in the Lake is a short opera in three acts that follows the coming of age story of a young man from Brazil. He overcomes racism and choses to start a new life. Wanting to leave the pain of his life behind he loses a part of himself, his culture and creativity. Still, he hears the call of a fairy, and is drawn to a lake, where he is reborn.

Music and story written by Obediya Jones-Darrell, and the accompaniment is performed by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra (previously recorded in Prague, Czech Republic). Story is narrated by Opera singers Carla Chambers-Jeffreys (Canada) & Liz Huff (Cleveland). The fairy is portrayed by aerial circus performer, Lucretia Denise (Cleveland), as she flies through the air during the performance.

Five and a Half Feet of Fearsome

What if I could do everything Fox News says I’m doing as a trans person?
Kind of an empowering thought, really… Obviously, I’d have to begin by gathering some recruits to help spread the “transgender agenda.” Consider this your official invitation to the 55th annual meeting of the Gender Deviants and Other Queer Folk of Ohio!

Part storytelling, part recruitment meeting, part puppet show, all heart and biting wit, Five and a Half Feet of Fearsome is a comedic takedown of anti-LGBTQ politics in 2024. This solo show blends jokes and physical metaphor to poke the holes in the logic underneath the misinformation surrounding trans identity and community currently circulating from the headlines to the legislature. Much like the transgender community, the show doesn't fit neatly into one box. It's a celebration of community and identity and a battle cry. The storytelling is both hilarious and heart-wrenching. Past audiences have described Five and a Half Feet of Fearsome as ""the softest sucker punch,"" “so truthful, so deeply resonant,” “engaging, educational, and emotionally moving.”

Five Spoons

FIVE SPOONS is a uniquely interactive, community-building theatre piece for adults and children alike. Created by the “powerful” Maryland-based devising team of Natasha Mirny and Tia Shearer Bassett, the piece combines clowning, object puppetry, meditation and physical theatre (thru Zoom!) to guide you through an experience inspired by a Hindu parable of the five Powers of Life.

Join these two brilliant kooks as they make silly, beautiful magic (with the help of YOUR brilliance!) from their cozy homes. You are invited to sit around the table with them as, together, you cook up a Happy Soup and an experience that will leave everyone more connected to the self and to each other, like the best meals do.

It's basically "Sesame Street" for grownups. (But kids are invited, too.) Recommended for ages 7 to 107!

Flamencodanza

Award-winning contemporary flamenco show from an international duo based in Spain. Flamenco, Brazilian music and jazz fuse in this inspirational showcase of strength, elegance and beauty embodied in dance and live guitar. ‘Hot’ (TheStageRaw.com). ‘Amazing to watch’ (TheTVolution.com).

"Flamencodanza is more than just a show—it’s a breathtaking journey, with its fusion of tradition and contemporary flair, it showcases the enduring power of artistic expression.. The synergy between Bayaz and Mannola, evident in their remarkable performances and captivating visuals, underscores the profound impact of artistic collaboration. Their shared passion and consummate skill resonate deeply, leaving an enduring impression on every fortunate spectator." -Dancelife.com.au

Floored

This site-specific work takes place in an elevator and elevator lobby across multiple floors. As audience members enter, exit and ride the elevator at their own will, who knows what they will encounter?
Each time a door opens, a new scene and new opportunity awaits both in the elevator and in the lobby. Places are exchanged, shoulders are nudged, whole conversations are had with a glance, a gesture, or a choreographed interaction. The movement of the audience through the elevator and the opening/closing of the doors causes interactions to be viewed in an interrupted context and much like life, lends itself to interpretation based on the viewers own experiences, inferences, thoughts and desires. As the performance progresses, and groups become intertwined at each intersection, it may become difficult to impossible to know who is performer and who is audience.

This new work in progress is intended to be a fun, surprising, sometimes revealing experience rooted in movement improvisation that invites and welcomes audience participation.

Fly Girl

Follow us on a journey of how aerial dance helped me gain my wings to soar beyond doubt, imposter syndrome and depression. Embracing new normals and gaining new wings through growth and perseverance!

Form I-485

A newly married couple is put to the test by immigration officers.

This "pop-up" performance can be seen during these times:

Wed 7/24/2019 6:00pm-7:30pm (Playhouse Square)
Thu 7/25/2019 6:00pm-7:30pm (Playhouse Square, then wandering)

7/26/2019
6:10pm (Hermit Club Patio)
6:35pm (Outcalt Theatre Lobby)
7:25pm (Miller Classroom Lobby)

7/27/2019
4:30pm (Outcalt Theatre Lobby)
5:30pm (Helen Theatre Lobby)
7:20pm (Hermit Club Patio)

Future Perfect

Love lost and the journey to heal a broken heart. A rock odyssey in the style of David Bowie and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, join the band Future Perfect as they blast off beyond time and space to find the completion of the self.

Galahad and the Dragons

The town of Galahad is dwindling in population. Its current residents include the janitor of an old church, the lonely matriarch of a once-great family, and a priest gone mad with grief. Individual secrets and hopes are revealed as the townspeople recall the arrival of a floating island in their skies, carrying with it the remnants of a distant world. Enjoy this powerful story about the many ways a community can react to newcomers unlike themselves.

Give Us Our Stars: a trans play

In “Give Us Our Stars: a trans play,” creator and performer Sam Caley takes audiences through five theater experiences that shaped their journey as a trans person. Funny, touching, and heartfelt, their observations on the nature of trans representation as told through personal anecdotes will make you laugh, (possibly) cry, and think. While this show is not a primer on trans identity, you might just learn a thing or two about how folks outside the gender binary move through the world.

Goes Without Saying

MK Lebeaux is a clown of few words, lesser logic, and isn't sure if you’re laughing with him or at him. A silent, eccentric variety act that speaks for itself using clowning, magic, and mime. MK Lebeaux was named a Top 10 Artistic Performer in Columbus for 2023 (Columbus Underground) and was the recipient of the Individual Artist Grant from the Greater Columbus Arts Council in 2024.

MK’s unique physical comedy has been featured everywhere from television to festivals, in the street, at burlesque houses, on the stage, and will be appearing this summer in the Playhouse Square District performing their solo show, Goes Without Saying, and was the featured clown in the 2024 Opera Columbus production of Mozart’s final opera, A Magic Flute Experience: The Temple.

MK Lebeaux is also involved in the local Columbus community and has been the producer for the variety show Two Dollar Soup, hosted by local independent book publisher Two Dollar Radio, since July 2022. This monthly event showcases the best and upcoming variety acts and also doubles as a food drive for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.

Good at Heart

South Korean theatre-maker Hyeja Ju, is the director of B.K.G. Theatre, which translates to Actors, Audiences, and Spaces Theatre. B.K.G. Theatre creates new work seeking to explore the human essence through experimental theatre and actor-centered stagecraft. “Good at Heart” is a physical, non-verbal performance inspired by the story of Anne Frank reminding us that genocide is a problem all people must be vigilant against.

This work is made possible through the support of the Creative Fusion artist residency program, a program of the Cleveland Foundation.

Good Vibes Fest Burlesque Extravaganza

Join us at Good Vibes Festival, a vibrant celebration of performing arts! We shine a spotlight on underrepresented talents like burlesque, belly dancers, drag artists, and circus performers, celebrating their diversity and creativity.

Experience three days of incredible performances. Thursday brings feel-good acts to lift your spirits. Friday takes you on a space adventure with acts inspired by your favorite fandoms from movies and TV shows. Saturday invites you to a Jazzy Speakeasy night with sultry performances.

Don't forget to dress to the theme each night and immerse yourself in the magical world of Good Vibes Festival!

GYM Shorts: Presented by the Playwrights’ GYM

Dobama Theatre’s Playwrights’ GYM presents an array of 10-minute short plays featuring fantastic Cleveland actors, written by Claire Robinson May, Logan Cutler Smith, Greg Vovos, Mary Weems, and Rachel Zake. Laugh, cry, ponder, be entertained: look into the mind of a playwright. These pieces take us from the present to the future and tackle couples trying to outwit the neighbors or each other, dinosaurs who have come back from the past, a fateful dinner, and the vast. Entertaining and timely in theme and personal connections, this 55-minute extravaganza will not disappoint. Playwrights GYM is a program provided by Dobama Theatre, Cleveland’s Off-Broadway Theatre located in Cleveland Heights. The upcoming season begins October 6, 2023 and offers five shows running through May 19, 2024. Check out what’s coming to the Dobama stage and read more information about our playwrights at dobama.org.

Hard Candy

HARD CANDY is a laugh out loud, adult themed comedy that takes a revealing look at the human side of the phone sex industry. A consultant for the phone sex industry signs on to help a small company and finds a group of women struggling with more than slow business growth. As she navigates through a series of revelatory online meetings that culminate in a fistfight between one of the operators and her ex-boyfriend, the consultant comes to realize this eccentric family of women has just as much to offer her as she has to offer them. At once old-fashioned and forward looking, this funny, heartwarming and quirky play explores the idea of family, friendship and finding your tribe.

Heirloom

A true-life account of three generations of a Cleveland family affected by incest, alcoholism, violence, and genocide. Based on interviews and historical records, "Heirloom" is a non-fiction solo performance that examines this social and emotional inheritance, in an attempt to shed understanding on how any single person may affect the generation of family members that follow.

Her Mark

I Am But a Whisper

As dancers, our job is to interpret the music. As people we have so little control over how others interpret us. I AM BUT A WHISPER allows the audience to choose how the physical dance they see on stage is shaped by the personal playlist they select before each performance. The playlists have been created and curated by the dancers, but the audience will decides the tone of the show they view. Using a silent disco format, I AM BUT A WHISPER creates multiples shows and experiences out of a choreographic outline, fleshed out by the viewers perception and interpretation.

I Know It Was The Blood: The Totally True Adventures of a Newfangled Black Woman

In a story of triumph tinged with bits of heartache, a scrappy girl-child navigates a changing world and finds the courage to live life on her own terms. Actress, soprano, and storyteller Tara Lake takes audiences on a journey into the world of African-American Jersey girlhood in the 1980s-1990s – a world steeped in family Sundays, church conventions, and extravagant reunions, weddings, and funerals. In this unforgettable sojourn embracing southern roots, gospel rhythms, and queer identity, one family’s love conquers all. I Know It Was The Blood: The Totally True Adventures of a Newfangled Black Woman has racked up an Artists’ Choice Award-winning World Premiere at Chicago Fringe 2018, a Rochester Fringe 2018 Best Bet nod, a “Not to Miss at Charm City Fringe” title, and a CultureTrust of Greater Philadelphia 2019 Independent Artist Festifund Award. Join us for an unforgettable performance of soul-rich theatre, storytelling, song, and poetry!

(This play with vocal music runs approximately 80 minutes. Suitable for ages 13 & Older)

I Stumbled Through a Magic Portal and All I Got Was This Dumb T-Shirt

Choose your own adventure! I STUMBLED THROUGH A MAGIC PORTAL AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS DUMB T-SHIRT is an exercise in collaborative storytelling, where wild and mysterious characters will guide you through a unique interactive experience. Modeled after simple tabletop role-playing games, the audience is the primary player in the story and must work together to find a way home. Absurd and heartfelt, irreverent and intimate, every performance is one-of-a-kind. Whether you're a seasoned campaigner or brand new to the table - welcome!

I Wear My Dead Sister’s Clothes

“I Wear my Dead Sister’s Clothes” written and performed by Amy Schwabauer, is a dark comedy framed around the process of cleaning out her deceased sister’s house. Based on her own experience, Amy explores what it means to grieve a difficult person. From the care-taking, to the death, to the funeral, and the haunting aftermath that follows Amy finds comedy even in the darkest of moments and readily admits she still wears her dead sister’s clothes.

Illuminate

It's about the chemistry between dancers and a high energy section that fuses hip-hop, afrobeats, and HBCU dance styles. Celebration the “Then” and “Now”.

Immersive Rituals – Your Hero’s Journey

This theatrical adventure uses movement, music, and multimedia to transform you from an audience member to a mythic adventurer. Embark on a quest of self-discovery and rediscover the joy of play and connection.
Inspired by Jung and Campbell, Immersive Rituals is a unique blend of movement, music, and visuals that will leave you feeling refreshed and inspired.

In Their Footsteps

Thousands of American women served in the Vietnam War. Infinite Variety Productions (IVP) interviewed five of these women - all volunteers. Through a script created from the oral histories and an innovative set using five blocks, IVP tells the often unknown, yet timely, story of the human side of war.

Indigenous Enterprise

Indigenous Liberation,” an evening of jubilant story, song, and dance. Founder and champion Fancy Dancer Kenneth Shirley leads the intertribal group in highlighting traditional pow wow categories, including Jingle Dress, Hoop, Chicken Dance, Flute, and Grass Dance. Building on the company’s mission to share their culture and increase the understanding of Native identity, “Indigenous Liberation” is a celebration of the power that lies at the heart of tradition.

Inhabitants

INHABITANTS follows the process of two bodies, Maya and Aysia, finding, making, and exploring space inside of a twig hut in snowy winter woods. In an ecological journey, Maya and Aysia access a deep connection between each other and the environment.

It’s A Lot Going On

This is a story of resilience through adversity told through poetry and song. The overarching theme is one's awareness of their mental health. It's a message of the many things that are behind the generic phrase It's A Lot Going On.

It’s a Match!

A comedy show about navigating the world of online dating!

Our comedians will take you on a journey through the online dating experience. The show will feature real online dating interactions read dramatically, an improvised live dating app where our comedians create personas based on audience suggestions and then "swipe" on each other until we find a match, and a live interview with an audience member about their dating profile and potential matches. Finally, our cast will improvise a set of scenes, on the spot, inspired by the experience!

This delightfully improvised, interactive evening of live improv comedy will take you on a journey through the world of ‘swipe‘ romance using real online dating interactions. We all know that swiping with comedians just feels better.

And to think, this is how you could meet the love of your life!

It’s Now or Never: My Life in the Late Middle Ages

Boston-based/Cleveland-raised writer/storyteller Judah Leblang presents a humorous look at middle age, life on the road, and dealing with times when "man planned and God laughed" in a fast-paced 50-minute performance. Leblang’s show, “It’s Now or Never: My Life in the Late Middle Ages,” is an exploration of aging, dating/looking for love, and pursuing one’s dreams in mid-life and beyond.

The show was chosen “Best of Festival” at the Calgary, Alberta Fringe Festival 2019, and won praise from audiences in Boston, and Edmonton, Canada. The show combines humor, pathos and vulnerability in reminding us that time is precious and that dreams -- such as taking our stories on the road -- can come true. Performed in English with some American Sign Language.

Journey to the Kingdom of Hypnos

Do you remember where Sleep is, Dear Ones? Mnemosyne invites you to close your eyes and journey to the court of that benevolent Greek god-creature of Slumber. But beware, here in the Underworld the River of Oblivion is spilling over her shores and threatens the Waking.

This will introduce you to a place you’ve rarely been deep enough to find. The source of your sleep. Stand near, listen, and remember your way to this place again and again. Travel and discover the vast environs of collective unconsciousness... all whilst the outside environment restricts where our physical forms may go.

*This immersive audio experience is meant to be listened to on headphones.*

Awards and Achievements:
Carmel's previous work "The Marvelous Mechanical Maiden" earned two Innovation Awards - Adelaide Fringe Festival (2019) and New Zealand Fringe Festival (2019)

Journey to the Kingdom of Hypnos

Do you remember where Sleep is, Dear Ones? Mnemosyne invites you to close your eyes and journey to the court of that benevolent Greek god-creature of Slumber. But beware, in this Underworld the River of Oblivion is spilling over her shores and threatens the Waking.

*This immersive audio experience must be listened to on headphones.*

Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center Latin Social Dance Group

An exciting performance by the Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center Latin Social Dance Group, featuring talented dancers aged 5 to 18. They will be showcasing their skills with captivating performances of Bachata, Pop, and Salsa.

Just Go With It

We poke fun at pop songs about butts and then lead the audience in a sing-a-long of Queen's 1978 hit, Fat Bottomed Girls. This will be a productive use of your time.

Kami Around Us_Main_Square-Jesse Rhinehart

Kamis Around Us

“Kami Around Us”, personified as colorful, silk, giant puppets, brings a mythical experience to Cleveland sidewalks. The Kami, Shinto spirits, playful and mischievous, share our world and wait in anticipation to be welcomed in. This is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a conversation with a Kami in Cleveland.

“Kami Around Us” is a street performance with no specific beginning or end. It is simply the story of a Kami and its person out for a stroll to enjoy downtown Cleveland. Kami are Shinto spirits/deities, which were an integral part of daily life in Japan from 800 to 1900 CE.

My Kami take their form as colorful, 9’ tall, silk puppets. For each performance the Kami and I will stroll the sidewalks of the Borderlight footprint. I will introduce spectators to my Kami and visa versa. In the Shinto faith the sacred Kami is also a trickster. Be ready to suspend belief and submerse yourself in the way of the Kami.

Kindness Grows

Kindness Grow is an upbeat and inspiring exploration of the history, science, and benefits of Kindness!

Let there be BorderLight: New theatre festival is drawing performers from around the globe

Living on the Moon

"Living on the Moon" a play filled with music, puppetry, humor and love between a mother and daughter facing truths and letting go. You can't heal what you're not aware of, and what’s holding you back. Facing the truth is what "Living on the Moon" is all about and the freedom for one woman to let go. Tonight, "Living on the Moon" will take you on that journey between Molly, her daughter and Molly's mom who comes back as a puppet called Memory. Memory and Kate having the love and courage to encourage Molly to face her reality and her truth so she can go back onstage and live life to its fullest. Through the performance you will see what the impact of Alzheimer's had on Molly when she went through that journey with her mother's illness. Molly's mother returns as a puppet (Memory) who along with Molly's daughter; Kate helping Molly to finally...let go and be free.

Love’s Lost Raree Box

"Step right up and take a peep inside this wonderous box!” ...an enticing invitation from the Raree Box Madame, an unusual woman in possession of a precious box with mysterious origins. Solo artist Chris Seibert seduces willing audience members to share in stories of love and loss, magic and origins.

This "pop-up" performance can be seen during these times:
Thu 7/25/2019 7:00pm-8:30pm (Playhouse Square, outdoor)
Fri 7/26/2019 8:45pm-11:00pm (Public Square)
Sat 7/27/2019 5:30pm-7:45pm (Public Square)
Sat 7/27/2019 9:30pm-10:30pm (Public Square)

Lupus

O followed her friend Liam in the woods. He thinks he’s turning into a wolf. If only that was their worst problem. A raw and chilling quest to find togetherness, a descent into hell told through the eyes of two school children. Says Neph Frank, writer and founder of Les Choreutes: “My goal is always to write something haunting, that stays with you for days afterwards”.

Luz Del Abismo

Luz del Abismo is a dance theatre production portraying a pack of women that incite a civil rebellion to repair the loopholes of wealth disparity.

Mahisashura Mardini

Goddess Durga is the goddess of power. When all the gods failed to kill the mighty demon Mahishasura, they united all their powers and created a goddess and endowed her with all their weapons. With ten weapons in ten hands goddess Durga fought and killed Mahishasura.

Durga Stuti is a hymn describing the goddess. The dancer bows to goddess Durga whose matted hair is adorned by the half moon. Her face is as bright as the full moon and she has three beautiful eyes (one on the forehead). Her complexion is as bright as that of the Atasi flower and she has beautiful teeth. She stands in the tribhanga posture and has ten hands. In her ten hands she holds ten weapons. In her right hands she holds the Trishula (spear), the Kharga (salchion), the Chakra (wheel), the Vana (arrow) and the Shakti (club). In her left hands she holds the Khetaka (shield), the Chapa (bow), the Pasha (lasso), the Ankusha and the Ghanta (bell) or the Parashu (axe). With these ten weapons she fought and killed the demon Mahishasura and after this act she was reffered to as godess Mahisashura mardini.

Marie Curie Horror Story

This Marie Curie mystery unfolds as the famous scientist finds herself in an unknown place inhabited by a mysterious woman. As Marie reflects on the triumphs and tragedies of her life, she slowly unravels the puzzle of the present. The play paints a vivid picture of Marie's passion for science, her deep love for her partner and husband, her tenacity in weathering the great storms of her life, and her complicated relationship with her “radiant child.” Through memory, music, and poetic and horrific storytelling, Marie is confronted by her past and is forced to come face to face with the chilling realities of her radioactive discovery. Marie Curie succumbed to radium poisoning in 1934. She was still alive when a group of young women worked as watch dial painters in the US, using glow-in-the-dark paint.

Needs

A performance art video about a woman in a wheelchair's needs and an awesome friend's needs. With humor and connection, Amanda and Tom peel back the curtain to share their everyday life as performance art. Featuring beautiful original music by Joy Hughes.

NEUROVISIBLE

NEUROVISIBLE is a variety show that seeks to feature and uplift the many hidden talents neurodivergent people and create a safe and nurturing space for both entertainers and audience members. NeuroVisible shines a light on those who often don't get to shine in mainstream arts venues. One never knows what to expect-that is the beauty of variety. We hope you'll join us as we uplift one another in this unique show.

Night Just Before the Forest

NIGHT JUST BEFORE THE FOREST is described as “an unstoppable monologue that must be uttered. Not sure where it came from. As definite and unknown as love, life and death is. Will you find the words to say what you want to say? Will you manage to love, live, or die? Will you manage to finish this monologue?"

NIGHT JUST BEFORE THE FOREST (written in 1977) was Koltès’ first widely acclaimed play. He is considered to be heir to Samuel Beckett, Jean Cocteau and Jean Genet and his plays have been translated into more than 36 languages. Koltès died of complications from AIDS in 1989.

No Two Flowers

No Two Flowers is an expanded cinema installation; exploring the intersection between masculinity, disability, and how those concepts poetically relate to nature.

Occupied

Brandi Carlisle once said it takes lesbians months to break up...

Well, this is a one-woman show about becoming a one-woman show.

Ohio Shakespeare Festival Stage Combat Workshop

Ohio Shakespeare Festival's resident fight director Ryan Zarecki will share the basics of stage combat, with a focus on safety and consent.

Our Dad is in Atlantis

A Staged Reading

A Mexico-US migration story told from the point of view of children. When their dad drops Big Brother and Little Brother off at their grandmother’s, the boys are not quite sure where he is going or when they will see him again. All they know is grandmother’s house smells like old people and they are a little afraid of her. And that dad has crossed the border to build a life in Atlantis…or wait, Atlanta? As the months go on and no word comes from dad, the boys are bounced between family members and encounter first loves, bullies, and loss. They soon find themselves at the border in search of their father and a place to call home. "Our Dad is in Atlantis" is a funny, candid, and ultimately heartbreaking tale of separated families, growing up, and the children lost in migration.

The play was originally written in Spanish by one of Mexico’s premiere writers, Javier Malpica, and will be presented as a staged reading in an English translation by celebrated Cuban-American playwright Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas.

Paper Cut

A lonely secretary remains in the office after everyone else has gone home. From her little corner, using photos from old film magazines, she escapes into a world of daydreams. There she is a glamorous movie star from the 1940s and finds her ideal love at last. But as the story unravels, as imagination and reality collide, her romantic tale becomes a Hitchcock nightmare! This one-woman show reveals the obsessions and dangers of romantic fantasies. The language of black and white is transformed to the “low-tech” universe of paper cut-outs and object theatre, creating a tension that is absurd, painful and humorous.

Parents & Children, Husbands & Wives: It’s All Relatives

Acclaimed storyteller Penny Sterling (Spy in the House of Men) teams up with musicians Mike and Mel Muscarella (Violet Mary) to present songs and stories about our relatives. It’s an evening of tales about the people we love, told with humor, poignancy, and great music. And maybe a little wine. Okay, more than a little.

Peek-a-Booth

The Peek-a-Booth is a pop-up performance art vending machine. When you (and your plus one) are permitted to enter, you'll find the name of an artist, and their menu of actions to choose from, aligning with 6 different buttons. You insert a token, choose one of the buttons, and put on the headphones. There is a live performer waiting behind a one way mirror. The lights turn on, the music starts, and the performer is revealed, enacting what you have selected. It's inspired by the peep show, mysterious and sometimes a little seedy, but the mystery is part of the fun. There is a rotating cast of performers, so you can keep coming back for more and always see something new, maybe even walking away with a souvenir.

Perhaps,Perhaps…Quizás

A clown piece playing with the idea of loneliness, hope, love, humor. In an era where nothing seems to impress one another anymore and longing for “real love” seems to be the burden of our time.

Peter Pan and Wendy

A fresh take on a beloved story follows Wendy's adventures in Neverland with the charming immortal Peter Pan. Through make-believe that becomes all-too-real in battles with the fiercest lady on the seas, Captain Hook, Wendy discovers that to love truly is to risk loss - but to risk loss at the ticking hands of time is to embrace the possibility of loving truly.

Pinch and Squeal’s WIZBANG!

Step into the WIZBANG! Circus Theatre tent and be transported to another world! Hosted by kamikaze vaudeville duo, Pinch and Squeal, WIZBANG! features a full lineup of live musicians, circus acts of all genres (that fit inside and out), big production numbers, and complete mayhem. (Winner, Best of Cleveland 2017)

Poems of An Angry Feminist

Poems of an Angry Feminist is a thought-provoking, multimedia performance, bringing together poetry, music, dance, and imagery. With a strong feminist voice running through her poems, award winning poet Fatima Matar gives a moving performance on themes of sexism, misogyny, domestic violence, sexual harassment at work, and social justice. Interested in capturing the human experience, Fatima’s poetry also touches on her experience of immigration, belonging, motherhood, loss, and depression.

Fatima’s performance has been described as: profound, moving, spellbinding, and poignant.

Poetry Free Cleveland

Poetry Free Cleveland is a street poetry team writing typewriter poems by request on the spot for free. We're all about bringing poetry to the people. What do you need or want a poem about? We'll use your response to craft a personal and meaningful poem. Poetry Free Cleveland started in 2021 as a solo act, popping up at local festivals, parks, neighborhoods, and online. The response has been enthusiastic, so the project has expanded into a team of published poets active in the Cleveland literary scene.

Poetry Free Cleveland

Experience the magic of spontaneous poetry creation with Poetry Free Cleveland, a street poetry team that specializes in writing typewriter poems on the spot. Step up and give us a word, an image, or topic, and watch as we craft a personalized and meaningful poem right before your eyes.

Pretty Good Comedy Show

Snowflake Comedy Club exists to give a space in the local Cleveland comedy scene that is empathetically welcoming and striving for inclusivity. We want to bring light to underrepresented groups, including people of color, women, and folks in the queer community. Our goal is to create safe and fun spaces for both comics and audience members in these communities.

Public Fransit

Featuring original music by Cleveland based public transit rock band The Frans, “Public Fransit” explores the history of public transportation in the US and Cleveland. This new short play was created through a partnership with Cleveland Public Library, and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.

Puppetry Playshop

Join Aretta Baumgartner (she/her), Education and Advocacy Director of Atlanta’s renowned Center for Puppetry Arts, and open new doors to creativity and connection through the magic of puppetry! As puppetry is an art and craft for ALL theatre-makers and ALL creative humans, everyone is welcome! This means YOU!

Participants will have a blast working together as they dive into puppetry basics. We'll explore the definition of puppetry as theatre history and global culture, enjoy an interactive overview of the five types of puppets, remind ourselves of the power of play with actor to puppeteer transformation exercises, ground ourselves in transfer of energy work (the liberating act of “disappearing” so the puppet takes focus), and learn puppetry manipulation skills applicable to styles of puppetry.

Puppets have been used to tell stories since theatre began, can be found everywhere from stage to screen and represent a “must-have” skill on every artist resume. They remind us of our deeply human connection to object use as storytelling since the beginning of civilization. Whether you're attending as an artist or curious audience member (or a bit of both), you'll find a home in puppetry! COME READY TO MOVE AND PLAY!

Quest for Equality

In QUEST FOR EQUALITY, the Dancing Wheels Company brings a unique concert that speaks to the importance of equality and features two works by choreographers Dianne McIntyre and David Roussève.

“Dancing on a Dream,” choreographed by Dianne McIntyre, was inspired by events in the life of Mary Verdi-Fletcher, President and Founding Artistic Director of The Dancing Wheels Company & School, in celebration of three decades since the Company’s inception in 1980. The Company is now celebrating its 40th anniversary season in its quest for fully integrated and inclusive arts for all!

"Walking on Clouds" was choreographed by David Roussève at the request of Artistic Directors Mary Verdi-Fletcher and Michael Medcalf (of then Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre) to bring to the stage a work that would reflect the similarities and challenges encountered throughout history by people with disabilities and people of color.

“Mixing words and movement into a powerful cauldron, this new work celebrates a common humanity that survives the boundaries of difference. With equal parts humor and grit, the work blends fact, fiction, and possibility to find the connections- both emotional and historical- between people with disabilities and people of color. Commissioned by both Dancing Wheels and Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre, this work represents the first time the two companies have culled forces to share, create, and comment.” - David Rousseve

Readings in the Shed – Letters of Love

“Readings in the Shed,” presents a theatrical reading of original love letters (some scandalous, some passionate) from some of the world's best known creative geniuses. The show includes love letters between writers Zelda & Scott Fitzgerald, the yearnings of photographer Andre de Dienes as expressed to actress Marilyn Monroe, letters from painter Frida Kahlo to her lovers, as well as private letters by Oscar Wilde, Kurt Vonnegut, political dissident-turned-statesman Vaclav Havel, and school teacher Hildreth Heiney, among others.

Resistance

Written by Golden Globe award-winning actress and playwright, Regina Taylor ("Crowns"), "Resistance" is a series of short plays that tackle a range of topics, from LGBTQ rights to gun rights to voting, to the 13th amendment's tie to modern slavery and the prison system. These diverse plays take an unflinching look at our current social political terrain.

This project is made possible through grant support from the Minority Arts and Education Fund (MAEF), a program of the Cleveland Foundation.

"Resistance" is made up of the following 6 short works:

DEJA VU
As 101-year old Pearl waits her turn to cast her ballot she recalls her participating in the marches for the Voting Rights Act, Pearl has a hard time figuring if she stands in the past or present as things seem painfully familiar in the age of MAGA.

JIM JOHNSON
Real life Jim Johnson was a janitor at Princeton University. One of the students recognize him as a runaway slave. Johnson had the right to contest his being dragged back down south into slavery by fighting his identity. He lost the case but the town "bought" him from his owner. Johnson had to pay off the debt. He lived to see the passage of the 13th amendment which abolished slavery except in the case of imprisonment. Under this law - Johnson's descendants remain slaves to this day.

BITING THE BULLET
Maya and Harold share the memory of the death of their son by gun violence. They do not share the same opinions on gun control laws.

ANY OTHER NAME
On the eve of the birth of their first child - Serena and Cynthia can't agree on the name of their first child: Penelope... which has a safe and traditional family history and meaning to one... or Dragon Planet Boxer which is fierce and in your face to the other, who doesn't want her child to ever feel that she has to hide. As their child listens to her parents stories, she readies herself to take on the names that the world might give her even before she takes her first breath.

MARS
The devastation of global warming has passed the point of no return. People are lining up to buy a one way ticket to Mars. Mars is a planet named after a god of war and has its own thoughts about being colonized.

HEADRAG
A centenarian African American woman is getting ready for God to land on earth in a spaceship and carry her home. She believes that God must look like her since no one sees her/hears her and treats her like a foreign body.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT:
Regina Taylor (PLAYWRIGHT) is an actor, director and playwright. Playwriting credits include: “Bread” (Edgerton Award. Water Tower Theater), “Crowns” (four Helen Hayes awards, including Best Director), "Oo-Bla-Dee," (Steinberg-ATCA award) and "Drowning Crow," (Broadway, MTC), “The Trinity River Plays” (Edgerton Foundation Award) and “stop.reset” (Signature Theater Residency Five).

Ms. Taylor received the Denzel Washington Endowed Chair Fordham University at Lincoln Center. An Artistic Associate of Goodman Theatre, Taylor is its most produced playwright. Signature Theater residency five playwright.

Taylor in her TV role as Lily Harper in "I'll Fly Away” received a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress, 3 NAACP Image Awards and two Emmy Award nominations. Her other television roles include “The Unit”. Taylor was first African American lead in Masterpiece Theatre’s "Cora Unashamed," starred as Anita Hill in HBO’s “Strange Justice” and “A Good Day to Die” starring Sidney Poitier. She has co-starred in USA Networks’ Dig and guest starred in “Elementary” and “The Black List”. Next year Taylor is featured in Netflix’ One Day and a Night starring Jeffrey Wright, Ashton Saunders and directed/written by Joe Robert Cole (writer: Black Panther) and guest stars on Red Line (Producer Ava DuVernay for CBS).

Taylor’s film credits include “Saturday Church”, "The Negotiator," "Courage Under Fire," "Clockers," and "Lean on Me." Taylor was also the first Black woman to play Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet" on Broadway.

Revealing: BURLESQUE

When you hear "Burlesque" what comes to mind? Vegas style show girls covered in feathers and rhinestones? Vaudeville era shenanigans? The Moulin Rouge?

In Revealing: BURLESQUE The Sex Kitten Purrlesque is will demonstrate that burlesque is an art that contains many different styles, all with the common theme of music, dance, and of course, a little bit of sensuality. You'll see comedy, tragedy, and occasionally something just plain weird. The Sex Kitten Purrlesque entertains themselves first, which has resulted in enthralled audiences across the midwest. What can we say? We have great taste!

Burlesque is for everybody, and every body, so you'll see a diverse cast of performers of varying sizes, shapes, and genders. Gone are the days of lines of identical showgirls, bring on the spectrum of beautiful performers!

This show is adult in nature, so please be 18+, bring your sense of humor and an open mind, and get ready to have your world rocked by Revealing: BURLESQUE!

THE SHOWS

2019 SHOWS

Choose your own adventure. Explore over 100 performances over 4 days.

Use the filters to browse shows by date, genre, venue, age-appropriateness, and more. There’s something for everyone!

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