Cry Havoc and Kitchen Dog to Present SHOTS FIRED and THE GREAT AMERICAN SIDESHOW This Summer

Today, Cry Havoc Theater Company announced the return of Shots Fired as well as the creation of a new work, The Great American Sideshow, both to be co-produced with Kitchen Dog Theater.

In July, the company will return with a second run of Shots Fired which played to much acclaim and to sold-out houses earlier this year. In Dallas on July 7, 2016, a peaceful rally in response to recent police shootings of unarmed black men by white police officers around the country ended in tragedy when an African American Army Reserve veteran ambushed police officers, killing five and wounding nine. In the Fall of 2016, a group of teenagers interviewed police officers, protesters, the trauma surgeon on-call that night, and other community members about the events and their impact. Their stories and the company's reflections on them offer a snapshot of race relations in Dallas. The production will open with the original cast on the one-year anniversary, July 7, 2017 at the Trinity River Arts Center. The production is co-directed by Ruben Carrazana and Mara Richards Bim.

In August, the company will open its newest creation, The Great American Sideshow. The devised piece is a political allegory about the current state of affairs in the United States. Otto Barron is the new owner of The American Sideshow. He, along with the carnival barker Narcissa, set out to sow discord and wreak havoc all in the name of making the sideshow great again. Through intimidation, manipulation, and lies, the pair convinces some of the sideshow performers to embrace Barron's version of reality and in doing so, to turn on the rest of their little carnival family. Those who refuse to go along with Barron's vision begin disappearing one-by-one until there is no one left who remembers how The Great American Sideshow began or what it once stood for. The production will open August 4, 2017 at the Trinity River Arts Center. Auditions to round out the ensemble and to be a part of the creation of the work will be held in April. The production will be directed by Mara Richards Bim with Shelby-Allison Hibbs serving as the Dramaturg and Assistant Director.

The collaboration to bring these two shows to audiences this summer marks the first official partnership between Cry Havoc and Kitchen Dog. "When I founded Cry Havoc Theater in 2014, Kitchen Dog was the first theater I approached about a possible collaboration," said Richards Bim. "I'm a huge fan of the stories they tell, the quality of their productions, and their commitment to cultivating new voices in the theater. I'm honored and grateful for their partnership and commitment to bring Shots Fired back and for their invaluable support in the development of The Great American Sideshow."

"Given both of our companies' proclivities for new work and timely, provocative subject matter, this partnership seemed like a natural fit to me", says Co-Artistic Director Tina Parker. "I was very moved by the performance of Shots Fired I saw this past winter and it is my sincere hope that KDT can help increase visibility for this amazing young company."

Performances for Shots Fired are July 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 at 8:00 pm and July 9 at 2:00 pm. Performances for The Great American Sideshow are August 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 at 8:00 pm and August 6 at 2:00 pm. All performances will take place at the Trinity River Arts Center, 2600 N. Stemmons Fwy, Ste.180, Dallas, TX 75207. Tickets will be sold on Kitchen Dog Theater's website www.kitchendogtheater.org or via the KDT Box Office at 214-953-1055.

Founded in 2014 by Mara Richards Bim, Cry Havoc seeks to fill a gap in the Dallas theater community. Too often, the material young people are given to work with is simplistic, condescending and uninspiring. And, while numerous "pay to play" performance options exist, there is a scarcity of opportunity for students to be cast purely on their talent rather than on their ability to pay. At Cry Havoc we are passionate about providing young people with access to pre-professional training under the direction of professional artists. We are uncompromising in our belief that young people have the intellectual appetite and emotional maturity to tackle complex, provocative material. And we are dedicated to providing serious (and seriously talented) young people the opportunity to create artistically viable theater, regardless of their financial means. Cry Havoc Theater Company is supported, in part, by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, TACA, and individual donors.

Founded by graduates of the MFA program at Southern Methodist University and now in its 26th season, Kitchen Dog Theater has established itself as one of leading theaters in the region, boasting a 40-member artistic company comprised of the area's top talent. A mission-driven company that's been a staunch champion of new work, KDT is a founding member of the National New Play Network, producing timely, provocative plays that may have otherwise never been seen in Dallas. In the fall of 2016, Kitchen Dog purchased a 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse in the Northern Design District for its new permanent home and recently launched a capital campaign to renovate the space and add infrastructure to the company, firmly planting its flag in the cultural landscape of Dallas. Kitchen Dog Theater is supported, in part, by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, Communities Foundation of Texas, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Shubert Foundation, Sullivan Perkins, TACA, Texas Commission on the Arts, corporate and individual donors.

 

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