From the Sublime to the Ridiculous is a work of physical theatre exploring the resiliency of humankind. Performed in 2018 at ArtKlub Theatre in New Orleans, current issues were addressed through movement in an attempt to work through the realities we were facing at that time. The #metoo movement, racism, climate change, social media, and gun culture were just some of the topics explored in our production. While nearly everything felt pretty damn dire, we sought the love, decency, beauty, and humor in humanity.
As I look back on the production today, I marvel at how the issues we were exploring have escalated, and I am reminded of the importance of coping with life events through art. The time spent moving in space, pushing the body to its outer limits physically to analyze emotion, is what we do to maintain our strength in these uncertain times.
Eva Alom, Samuel Floyd, Gracie Fulghum, Zoe Hester, Taylor Hutchison, Danielle Mumpower, Drake Parrott, and I travelled to New Orleans to perform the production as part of InFringe Fest. Being part of the Fringe Festival scene was rejuvenating and inspiring. The Fringe experience is like no other, and it was amazing to be a part of it!
Take a look at the video below, which showcases some of the themes of the production. In it, you'll see movement that explores society and gun culture. You'll see the peaceful protest of "taking a knee" against police brutality. And you'll see the performers leaning on each other for support and reaching higher to do better for more.
I was thrilled to have ETSU alums, Danielle Mumpower and Samuel Floyd, fly in from NYC to join the production. They created Double Tap for the show, which explored the struggle with identity in the social media age.