This November, theatre dybbuk brings its bold theatrical vision to Cincinnati, offering the community a rare opportunity to engage with the company. In partnership with the Mayerson JCC and with support from The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati, theatre dybbuk’s residency will include a series of artistic workshops, culminating in a performance of Dracula (Annotated) at Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine.
Founded in 2011 and led by Artistic Director Aaron Henne, theatre dybbuk is a Los Angeles-based company made up of theatre artists, scholars, and nonprofit leaders. theatre dybbuk creates provocative performances and innovative educational encounters that explore Jewish thought to illuminate universal human experience. The group envisions a world where people challenge themselves to revel in the complexity of our shared humanity.
Eowyn Garfinkle, Manager of Arts & Culture at the Mayerson JCC, describes her first encounter with Henne when researching the residency. “It was impossible not to be captivated by his vision and the artistic opportunities that theatre dybbuk offers. The idea of bringing community together through theatric pieces that expand people’s understanding of how different power structures of oppression impact our society felt like a new and bold way to engage our audience.”
Workshop opportunities, like the Workshop for Young Artists and One Community, Many Stories, are exciting spaces for people to look inward, learn about storytelling, and explore their ideas, in a safe space. All workshops are free to attend and will take place at the Mayerson JCC. Learn more at mayersonjcc.org/theatredybbuk.
Personal Narrative Writing Workshop – November 17, 10am – 12pm
On Monday, November 17, 60 & Better Center members are invited to a personal narrative workshop, led by Henne, who will take aspiring writers on a journey through their own personal narratives, giving them the opportunity to develop stories of visibility and invisibility in our world, exploring both challenging and joyful experiences in their past and present.
Workshop for Young Artists – November 17, 5:30 – 7:30pm
Join us for this dynamic, fun, and interactive session led by Dracula (Annotated) director and actors from the cast of the show for those ages 9 – 18. The team will take all participants through a workshop that includes tips and tools for playwriting, as well as movement theatre techniques that any artist can use as they perform on stage. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn with the theatre dybbuk ensemble! Light snacks will be provided.
One Community, Many Stories – November 18, 6 – 8:30pm
Another workshop, One Community, Many Stories, will provide an exciting opportunity for community members of all ages to craft their own personal narratives on Tuesday, November 18. Led by Henne, this workshop allows writers to bring their stories to life right before their
eyes, as a selection of the writings will be performed by theatre dybbuk’s team of professional actors. Dinner will be provided.
Dracula (Annotated) – November 20, 7pm
The concluding act of the residency is a one-night only production of theatre dybbuk’s current project, Dracula (Annotated) on Thursday, November 20, at 7pm at the historic Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine.
In Dracula (Annotated), theatre dybbuk excavates Bram Stoker’s famous tale, using a unique blend of historical investigation and heightened theatricality to weave together the gothic characters and plot of Dracula with references to societal forces at play in Victorian England that are still timely today. Under Henne’s direction and accompanied by a live musical score, a company of five performers plays the multitude of characters in the novel while also bringing to life a variety of voices from its time.
This is the second in a series of “Annotated” productions in which theatre dybbuk explodes and explores classic or well-known and culturally influential works to disrupt more familiar or comfortable ways of engaging with them.
Immediately following the performance, the audience is invited to stay for a conversation with the writer/director and the ensemble to talk about the piece’s themes and to learn more about the process of creation.
Tickets are available at memorialhallotr.com
From young artists to seasoned theatergoers, the residency offers opportunities to engage, reflect, and be inspired. Garfinkle says: “I hope that our Cincinnati community takes advantage of the opportunity to interact with theatre dybbuk while they visit us from LA! I think they will get so much from their time with Aaron and the entire cast, from using movement in your theatrics, to writing your story, and enjoying a stage production at Memorial Hall. While we have a limited amount of time with the company, I know that their workshops and performances will be incredibly impactful!”
