20th Anniversary!
2024-25 Season: Mythogenesis “To celebrate TWO DECADES OF DARING ARTMAKING, Spooky Action is conjuring up an electrifying mix of gods, drugs, and rock and roll: a season of CUTTING-EDGE NEW WORKS that put a unique spin on ancient mythologies and classic narratives. People have always relied on myths to celebrate milestones, understand the world, and loudly proclaim the values they’re willing to live and die by. At Spooky Action, we aspire to not simply rehash old stories, but BIRTH NEW MYTHS - riotous theatrical experiences that help us make sense of the chaos, terror, and infinite beauty of the world we live in - today, tomorrow, and always.” -- Elizabeth Dinkova, Artistic Director |
CRACKING ZEUS
by Christopher Hampton Directed by Reginald L. Douglas, Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater Company September 19-October 13, 2024 CAST: Christina Daniels, Charles Franklin IV, DeJeanette Horne, Dupre Isaiah, Destiny Jennings, Lolita Marie, Nicole Ruthmarie, Jacobie Thornton Have you ever considered what crack cocaine might do to the powers of a Greek god? And what would happen if Zeus’ newest illegitimate child was the son of a pastor? This outrageous provocation takes center stage in Christopher Hampton’s ingenious contemporary epic. Hera, a goddess with a grudge to settle, has found her husband Zeus’ newest illegitimate child. On the outside, Baniaha is a pillar of his community: he helps his mother run her church while mentoring orphaned youth. On the inside, he is lost: the mystery of his paternity leaves him yearning for answers. When Hera arrives to exact her revenge with the help of Rufus, a homeless crack addict she thinks she can exploit, relationships are strained and faith is put to the test. This wildly inventive dark comedy is a present-day myth about religion, dependency, and redemption. Cracking Zeus was developed through Spooky Action’s New Works in Action play development program and a Kennedy Center Social Impact Residency workshop in the Spring of 2024, directed by Reginald L. Douglas. TICKETS ON SALE STARTING AUGUST 19 |
PROFESSOR WOLAND'S BLACK MAGIC ROCK SHOW
Music by Michael Pemberton, Lyrics by Michael and Andrea Pemberton, Book by Jesse Rasmussen Directed by Elizabeth Dinkova Musical Direction by Marika Countouris March 20-April 13, 2025 Written during the darkest days of Stalin’s reign, and banned for decades, Bulgakov's “Funny, devilish, brilliant satire”* "The Master and Margarita" became a literary phenomenon with a cult following. In this new musical retelling, a band of dissident rock musicians (or perhaps the demonic retinue of Satan himself) visit 1930s Moscow to expose social climbers, bureaucrats, and profiteers. The Master, an idealistic writer working on a novel about Christ and Pontius Pilate, is silenced and detained in an asylum. Margarita, his collaborator and lover, embarks on a journey through heaven and hell to save him and his manuscript. This fantastical, wildly comedic political satire celebrates love that defies all odds, the interplay of good and evil, and the freedom of the spirit in an unfree world. Professor Woland’s Black Magic Rock Show channels the resistance of artists in totalitarian states across the globe. Fans of Hadestown and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 – belly up to the stage! *Publisher’s Weekly Professor Woland's Black Magic Rock Show is developed in partnership with Quinnipiac University, which will put on a workshop production in October 2024 under the direction of Elizabeth Dinkova. |
NEW WORKS IN ACTION
Spooky Action Theater’s New Works in Action Program is an incubator for new theatrical experiences by generative artists - playwrights, composers, performers, creators. We offer developmental workshops, staged readings, and one-night-only opportunities to take a new work to the next phase of its evolution. Sign up for our newsletter to hear first about these unique opportunities to actively participate in the creative process.
Information about individual tickets and on-sale date is forthcoming.
Spooky Action Theater’s New Works in Action Program is an incubator for new theatrical experiences by generative artists - playwrights, composers, performers, creators. We offer developmental workshops, staged readings, and one-night-only opportunities to take a new work to the next phase of its evolution. Sign up for our newsletter to hear first about these unique opportunities to actively participate in the creative process.
Information about individual tickets and on-sale date is forthcoming.