Archive: Arts & Entertainment

The Hangar Theatre announced the titles for its upcoming Wedge Series.  These four shows will be under the direction of the Drama League Directing Fellows, and will feature members of the Hangar Theatre Lab Company.

The Wedge Series opens with This Property is Condemned and Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen, on June 19 and 20. Both plays are by Tennessee Williams and will be directed by Teya Sugareva. "We deal with the idea of how difficult it is to escape from a bad environment where we hardly can breathe. It is easy to say 'this property is condemned', but it's hard to find beauty in a world of indifference.

On July 3 and 4, the Wedge will be presenting Oedipus directed by John Michael DiResta.  "His kingdom in disarray at the hands of a deadly plague, King Oedipus arrives at the newly erected medical relief tent at the Hangar Theatre to assess the crisis and appease his constituents. But all goes awry when the past that he didn't know, begins to destroy his future."

The Grind, or How We Became Posthuman, directed by Zi Alikhan will be performed on July 17, and 18,  "In 2014, we live in a world where it's possible to unlock your phone, swipe somebody right on Tinder, and be completely naked with them in 10 minutes flat without exchanging a single spoken word. As the advent of new technology enables us to make sexual and romantic connections in less conventional, less personal, less 'human' ways, will the act of having sex as we know it become just a ghostly relic of humanity's past?"

The Wedge will present its last two performances of the season on July 24 and 25 with The Map of Lost Things directed by Melissa Crespo. "We lose things all the time and we mourn them. But is there such a thing as potential loss? What about the things we don't want and never had, but wanted the potential of having? The play features a woman who is in the aftermath of a miscarriage. Her friend mourns his unrequited love and the One-We-Don't-Talk-About mourns nothing."

Jen Waldman, Hangar Theatre Artistic Director and Drama League directing fellow mentor comments, "Our directing fellows have put together an electrifying Wedge season. I am beyond excited to share these sexy and edgy productions with our audience.  The Wedge offers the Ithaca community the kind of theatre that pulses, vibrates, breathes, and celebrates the experience of being alive."

Established in 1983, the Wedge has been the proving ground for some of the most innovative and dynamic theatre artists working today.  Serving as a home for our Lab Company and led by directors selected for the Drama League Summer Program, The Wedge produces provocative, cutting edge theatre. Over the years it has produced original productions by some of our most exciting playwrights including: Kenny Finkle, Anne Washburn, Kathryn Walat, Gregory Moss, Caridad Svich and Lauren Yee.  The Wedge has also launched the directing careers of such theatrical ground-breakers as Michael Mayer, Mark Brokaw, Lisa Peterson, Rob Jess Roth, Sam Gold, Rachel Chavkin, Kevin Moriarty, and Joe Calarco.

Each year the Hangar offers free admission to Hangar patrons and all community members to its Wedge Series of cutting edge performances. These shows take place under the Hangar Tent, which is transformed into a unique performance venue for each Wedge show. Performances begin 15 minutes after the scheduled Mainstage performances on June 19 and 20, and July 3, 4, 17, 18, 24, and 25. Wedge performances are open to all ages; however they may contain mature language and situations that may not be suitable for all children.

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