PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
VIVIENNE BENESCH
Dear Friends, Thank you for joining us. As we all continue to adapt to our given circumstances, theatre artists across the globe are finding ways to do what we do best: tell transformational stories in the face of any circumstances. And so it is with great pride that we open our 45th— virtual—season with an encore presentation of Kane Smego’s Temples of Lung and Air. As both creator and citizen, Kane is a living embodiment of how art can make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Which is why, despite a totally sold out premiere of this piece as part of our PRC2 series in 2018, we were so disappointed that more of our community was not able to see the show. We are thrilled and eager, therefore, for audiences near and far to now have access to this singular piece. In fact, at this moment when we are so isolated, Kane’s story of finding connection and intersection feels even more vital than when we presented it two years ago. As a Next Level Artist supported by the U.S. Department of State, Kane Smego has spent years traveling to Zimbabwe, Thailand, Brazil, and Morocco to promote understanding and conflict resolution through hip hop, and to support the professional development of artists in those communities. As a theatre artist, Kane is an heir to Shakespeare, Molière, and Lope de Vega—and I’m not exaggerating. Kane’s extraordinary gift is to bend, turn, twist, and massage words in ways that make them feel entirely new again, and to arrange them into sentences, stanzas, images, and metaphors that drop our jaws and leave us panting to keep up. So you’re in for a treat. If you’re already a member of our PlayMakers family, welcome home. If you’re new to PlayMakers, we hope you’ll consider us a resource and a hub for the highest quality entertainment and dynamic, provocative, and inspiring discussion. We’ve got an amazing line-up of theater for you this season, even though you may experience it differently than if we were able to gather. Until then, all we ask of you is to settle yourselves into your couch and let yourself be transported and transformed. Warmly,
Vivienne
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