Dada Mail » New World Arts Press List » Archives » 2/13/08 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New World Arts begins Season Ten with magical epic: Marisol

February 13, 2008 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Please add this upcoming event to your events listings:

Event: "Marisol" by José Rivera
Dates and times: Feb. 22-24, 29 and March 1-2;
Fridays and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.
Location: New World Arts, 211 South Main St., Suite B, Goshen, Ind.
Cost: $15 General Admission, $10 Students & Seniors
For more information: (574) 975-031; www.newworldarts.org; info@newworldarts.org


New World Arts begins Season Ten with magical epic: Marisol

GOSHEN, Ind. — Apples and coffee are extinct, common rainwater turns skin bright red, and Earth's moon is lost in the orbit of Jupiter.

New World Arts opens its historic Season Ten with a reprise from its very first season: "Marisol" by José Rivera. Originally performed to sold out audiences at the theatre ten years ago, "Marisol" depicts a world beginning to fail and slowly deteriorating. When New York City resident Mariol Perez learns that angels are planning celestial war in order to save the world, she is set on a unavoidable journey to find faith, security and hope while the world, rent apart, is seemingly bereft of any.

In an election year where four out of five Americans are seeking change in government, the play could not come at a more important time. Rivera, most well-known for his screenplay "The Motorcycle Diaries," references the genre of magical realism, describing a need for change and revolution through spectacle, through grand imagery and through metaphor.

"I have been involved with this script twice before, and I find it to be one of the most fascinating I have ever directed," said director Bryan Falcòn. "Rivera draws heavily on Catholic religious imagery to redraw a fantasy world where the blood of fallen angels have salted our seas, the moon has fled from our skies and celestials plan a war on God. In the original production, New World explored the play as a voice of the under-represented, the poor and the oppressed. It was a production which deeply resonated with our first audience. The relevance of this voice for the under-represented has not changed."

The reprise of "Marisol" comes as New World Arts begins it's tenth season exploring the relevance and importance of local and global communities, and how each shapes the people that exist within it. "'Marisol' questions the validity of the powers that be and asks us to take a close look at the societal structures we prop up with our belief," said Falcòn.

"Marisol" starts the season with one of New World Arts' largest and most talented casts and design staffs to date. During the past month, over a dozen designers and craftspeople have been creating the costumes, sets, music and visuals of Falcòn's interpretation of Rivera's script, and transforming the stage of New World Arts into a slum in the near-apocalyptic Bronx.

Local actress Cassie Greer returns to the New World Arts stage as the character of Marisol. Greer has previously headlined New World Arts performances of "Anna in the Darkness," "Lysistrata," and "Hello and Goodbye."

"As the opener of Season Ten," said Greer, "a season focused on examining human community, 'Marisol' is telling the story of human community at its point of destruction into its rebirth, addressing the importance of a people empowered, free of limiting societal structures, united in community with each other and with the heavenly realm. It is a celebration of language, imagery, sound - an incredibly artistic show that challenges the entire production crew to think critically as well as artistically about the work we are doing, allowing us to develop and expand our abilities as actors and designers."

The season opener also brings some new faces to the New World Arts stage, including Jessica Hage, playing across from Greer as the character of June. "Reading the script, I don't want it to end. I want to read more, I want there to be a solution," said Hage. "But I think you must take your own solution, interpretation, and peace of mind from the story."

"The message I derive from 'Marisol' is that, no matter who we are or what our status is in society, we have to pull together and help one another. The structures of our jobs or what religion we follow do not necessarily define us," she added.

During their rehearsal and design process, the cast and designers of 'Marisol' have documented their progress on the New World Arts' blog web site, blog.newworldarts.org. Each member has put in their thoughts on the discussions of religion, power and identity as they have parsed the script during the last few weeks.

Falcòn, looking over his notes and some of the recent blog posts observed, "Marisol is us. She is every homeless person on the street, every believer in a church, every voter at the polls. Through her journey we can take a look at our own lives."

"It's a wonderful bookend to an exciting ten years in existence, and a play which speaks to the diverse Goshen community."

Performances of "Marisol" at New World Arts are scheduled for February 22-24, 29 and March 1-2; curtain times on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $15 general admission, $10 for students and seniors. For more information or to make reservations, call (574) 975-0311 or go online to www.newworldarts.org. New World Arts is located at 211 S. Main Street in Goshen, Indiana (parking lot and entrance are located at the back of the building, accessible from South Third Street).

Founded in 1998 as New World Players, New World Arts seeks to expand the boundaries of human potential through live theatrical experiences that instigate dialogue and encourage growth among artists and audiences alike. We believe that collaboration, risk-taking, play and promoting new work are essential to fulfilling this mission.

Located at 211 S. Main Street, New World Arts produces a yearly theatre season and hosts occasional visiting ensembles, musicians and visual artists. For more information, call (574) 975-0311, email info@newworldarts.org, or visit www.newworldarts.org.

# # #

Editors: For more information about this release or to arrange an interview or press showing, contact art director Daniel Palmer at (574) 229-4780 or press@newworldarts.com.

PHOTO CAPTIONS
Actors Cassie Greer (left) and Thushan Hemachandra (right) rehearse "Marisol" at New World Arts. "Marisol" opens February 22 at the theatre in downtown Goshen.
(Photo by Daniel Palmer)

Derek Bontreger and Jessica Hage, brother and sister in New World Arts' "Marisol" argue across one another in Rivera's magical epic about the end, and rebirth, of the world.
(Photo by Daniel Palmer)

(archive rss , atom )

New World Arts Press mailing list.

Subscribe to New World Arts Press List:

Powered by Dada Mail 2.9.2
Copyright © 1999-2005, Simoni Creative.