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Patron Note:
* The venue is not currently wheelchair accessible. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Agreste (DRYLANDS) 
​by Newton Moreno

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Translated and Directed by Danilo Gambini

CAST: Raghad Almakhlouf, Irene Hamilton, Kate Kenworthy, Miss Kitty

​October 26 - November 19, 2023
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RAVE REVIEWS:
“A FRUITFUL THEATRICAL HARVEST. Agreste (Drylands) proves fertile territory for Spooky Action Theater, thanks to the directorial green thumb of Danilo Gambini and high-yield visual design...the production achieves its lyrical intensity through factors that complement the performances: artful stylized movement, light and shadows, and an overall seamlessness that reflects the director’s well-gauged calibrations." - Washington Post

“Gambini brings folkloric theater into a new age. BEAUTIFUL in its simplicity, but HEARTBREAKING to behold. Spooky Action’s HAUNTING new production has an impact that will be felt when the stage lights dim for the final time" - Washington City Paper

"a MESMERIZINGLY BEAUTIFUL production...a HAUNTING queer-themed narrative in poetry composed by renowned Brazilian playwright Newton Moreno, STUNNINGLY DIRECTED By Brazil native Danilo Gambini, who also translated. A MESMERIZING QUEER PARABLE. A heartbreaking story about two people for whom love is love is love — in a play that challenges fundamental assumptions about human embodiment." - DCTheaterArts

In the drylands of northeast Brazil, a kingdom of sand and thirst, Maria and Etevaldo fall in love across a fence. After living together as husband and wife for 22 years, the sanctity of their union gets invaded by the gossip and gibes of a conservative community. Four storytellers breathe life into this tale of love and loss, desire and death, ignorance and illumination. Based on real events, Newton Moreno’s stunning narrative shows that love can bloom even in the harshest climate. Content warning: bigotry, transphobia, arson.

DIGITAL PROGRAM

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT - Newton Moreno was born in Recife, Brazil, and holds a Performing Arts bachelor's degree from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), and both Master and Doctoral degrees from Universidade de São Paulo (USP). He taught at ELT (Escola Livre de Teatro de Santo André) and at São Paulo School of Drama (SP Escola de Teatro), chairing their Playwriting programs. He participated as an actor and director in several plays, and in 2001 he staged his first text, Deus sabia de tudo e.../God knew all about it and.... Since then he has written many other plays, including Agreste/Drylands, which won several awards in 2004, including the APCA and the Shell Award, the two most important awards in Brazil. Agreste was also performed in London, Mexico City and Buenos Aires. His most recent play, Sueño, is currently playing in São Paulo, Brasil.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR/TRANSLATOR - Danilo Gambini is a director, writer, and producer, originally from São Paulo, Brazil. He is currently the Associate Artistic Director at Studio Theatre. Upcoming productions include the opera The Rake's Progress, by Igor Stravinsky, at Yale Opera in 2024. His recent directing credits include the world premieres of Ni Mi Madre (Rattlestick Theater/OBIE Award Winner, Drama Desk Nom., New York Times Critics Pick), and the musical Sabina (Portland Stage Maine, co-directed with Daniella Topol). Other credits include Fun Home, The Tempest, Rock Egg Spoon (Yale School of Drama), Agreste (Drylands), Bakkhai, The Swallow and the Tomcat, Truck (Yale Cabaret). Opera credits include Don Giovanni, Ariadne Auf Naxos, Eugene Onegin (Theatro São Pedro). Before Studio Theatre, he was the Associate Artistic Director at New York’s  Rattlestick Theater, Co-Artistic Director at Yale Summer Cabaret, and a member of Roundabout Director’s Group. He has developed work at The Public Theater, Joe’s Pub, The Old Globe, Ars Nova, Vineyard Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Chautauqua Opera, Yale Opera, Gulfshore Playhouse, amongst others. Danilo holds an MFA in Directing from the Yale School of Drama (David Geffen School of Drama at Yale), a BFA in Film and Television (Curso Superior do Audiovisual) and an artist diploma as an actor from the School of Dramatic Art (Escola de Arte Dramática – EAD) both from the University of São Paulo. danilogambini.com

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