Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, 5403 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102
Friday, April 7, 5:00-5:45pm
Pre-show Director’s Talk by Nicolas Shannon Savard
In this director’s talk, ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Humanities in Leadership Learning Series postdoctoral scholar Nicolas Shannon Savard will describe how feminist performance practice, queer theory, disability aesthetics and principles of community-engaged artmaking informed their approach to the design and the collaborative process. The talk will offer behind-the-scenes insight into how the cast and crew of Seahorse has worked to bring the story to life in a way that prioritizes inclusion, collaboration, community care, and the well-being of both the artists and audience.
Friday, April 7, 7:00-8:00pm
Opening Night Performance of Seahorse
Synopsis: Reuben is a trans man continuing his attempts to conceive a child after the death of his husband. In processing his grief and hope, Reuben turns his insemination endeavors into moments of self-recognition by donning different costumes and personas for each try. (Juliet, Zeus, and St. Francis all make appearances.) Instead of a funerary parade, this play seeks the purpose of life for the living, for the dead, and for the not-yet-arrived. Surrounding Reuben is an ensemble of actors who provide live audio description of the onstage action. Inspired by disability aesthetics, the production approaches accessibility not as simply accommodation but as a rich opportunity for creative exploration: What layers of meaning come out when the audio description becomes a character (or three) in and of itself? How might different voices describing the action add nuance to the story and deepen our exploration of queer-trans embodiment and narrative?
Saturday, April 8, 7:00-9:30pm
Performance of Seahorse followed by Artist-Audience Mixer
Following the Saturday night performance, the audience will be invited to join the cast and crew for an informal "mix and mingle." Inspired by Detroit-based performance collective A Host of People's "post-show potluck" model of audience engagement, the mix and mingle format provides an alternative to the traditional post-show talkback, encouraging personal connection and deeper conversations. Attendees will have the chance to ask questions and reflect on the story with the artists involved in the production over snacks and drinks.
These events are free and open to the public.
These events are co-sponsored by ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½â€™s Humanities in Leadership Learning Series, Baker Nord Center for the Humanities, and Synecdoche Works Theatre.