Archive: Arts & Entertainment

The Cherry Artists' Collective, Ithaca's company for "radically local, radically global and formally innovative" theater, announced our 2019-20 season of productions.

September 26–October 6, we kick off our season with The Shoe by Québec playwright David Paquet. Paquet is a recipient of the Governor General's Award for Drama and the Prix Michel Tremblay, and The Shoe is his newest play. To be produced at the Cherry for the first time in English, The Shoe is an emotionally profound and very funny work about the world of an unusual young boy named Benoît and the adults who care for him. The production will feature Emma Bowers, Godfrey Simmons, and Sylvie Yntema.

October 25–November 3, the Cherry presents Listen to Her, a mini-festival of three solo shows for women. Asylum, written and performed by Elizabeth Mozer, focuses on the lives of patients at the now-deserted psychiatric hospital in Binghamton known as "The Castle." The beloved classic about Emily Dickinson, The Belle of Amherst, will be performed by Kathleen Mulligan in a reimagining by director Norm McDonald. Finally, the English-language premiere of The Saint brings the work of Santiago Loza back to the Cherry stage. The Saint will star Jennifer Herzog under the direction of Amina Omari. Over two thrilling weekends, Listen To Her will fully encompass the Cherry Collective mission: radically local, radically global, formally innovative.

February 20–March 1 the Cherry débuts The Other Side of the Sea, winner of the Casa de las Americas award for Drama, by Salvadoran writer Jorgelina Cerritos. This lyrical, humorous and powerful play explores the pressing issue of "documentation" from a thought-provoking perspective. The Cherry Collective is thrilled to produce the award-winning play for the first time in English, featuring Ithaca favorite Susannah Berryman.

(from left): Samuel Buggeln, Artistic Director; Mickie Quinn, Membership & Sponsorship Coordinator; Maya Jones, Interdepartmental Intern; Sarah Chaneles, Marketing Manager; Rose Howard, Operations Manager
Rounding out the season, April 9–18 the Cherry presents Rosa and Blanca by Rebekka Kricheldorf, author of last season's smash hit Testosterone. Like Testosterone, Rosa and Blanca is adapted from a Grimm fairy tale, telling the story of two vivacious sisters who tire of civilization and embark into the woods to make a life among the animals. Kricheldorff's trademark anarchic humor and deep intelligence are once again on display in Rosa and Blanca, one of her internationally most-produced plays, seen here for the first time in an English-language professional production.

Artistic Director Samuel Buggeln says, "Time and again I'm bowled over by the ways international writers teach us about how much is possible on our stages, and about how many different ways stories can be told. I couldn't be more excited to be embarking on this 2019-20 series of 'Fantastic Tales,' once again bringing to life strong, innovative, irreverent theater voices from around the world and here in Ithaca. Last season, our second in the Artspace, was a thrilling step forward for our company, and I can't wait to get to work with my wonderful Cherry Collective colleagues on our next season!"

In addition to the Cherry Collective productions, in 2019–20 as always the Cherry Artspace will host a wide range of exciting art and performance. These include productions from Opera Ithaca and gothic theater company House of Ithaqua, the third annual hit Crankie Cabaret from LilyPad Puppets, as well as their monthly LilySilly shows for children, the return of the neo-vaudeville cabaret La Cerise Noir, our famous Pop'd at the Cherry dance parties, and much more.

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