First Look: DED! Inspired by Dia De Los Muertos

An original multimedia play inspired by the Mexican tradition of Día De Los Muertos (Day of The Dead) is premiering at the Matrix Theatre on October 10. This unique theatrical experience will combine performing arts disciplines such as mime, clowning, live orchestral music, stunts, puppetry and video art.

LOS ANGELES, CA: Latin Grammy-winning director Carlos Lopez Estrada, in collaboration with director/puppeteer Cristina Bercovitz, is premiering on October 10 his new show DED!, a multimedia play inspired by the Mexican tradition of Día de Muertos (Day of The Dead). This unique multimedia experience will combine performing arts disciplines such as mime, clowning, live orchestral music, puppetry, stunts and video art. DED! will have performances every weekend in October at the Matrix Theatre. (15 shows total with possible extension into November)

Día De Los Muertos is a time of celebration on remembrance. It is a time to come to terms with our mortality and become aware of the cycle of life. DED! is a colorful theatrical representation of this important holiday. The show will present an imaginative, visceral, and artful exploration on the concepts of death and dying. Rather than deny, fear or mystify the subject, DED! encourages its audiences to contemplate the meaning of our mortality.

The show was created by Carlos Lopez Estrada and Cristina Bercovitz, who will be co-directing and performing alongside actress Elizabeth Rian and a 5-piece orchestra led by composer John W. Snyder (UCLA's Henry Mancini Award, and an honor by the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award). DED! design team is formed by: Scenic Designer John Iacovelli (Emmy award, LA Weekly award for best scenic design), Lighting Designer Jared A. Sayeg (Broadway: Bravo Bernstein, 3 seasons at LA OPERA and the touring production of Blithe Spirit, starring Angela Lansbury), sound designer Jonathan Snipes (member of the rap group Clipping), Video designer Hana Kim (Best Projection Design by Bay Area Theater Critics, Best Video Design by Stage Raw Award), costume designer Maggie Morgan (Broadway: Soul Doctor, Los Angeles Critic circle nominee). Choreographed by Jillian Meyers and Teresa Toogie Barcelo. The show is being produced by Kimberly Stuckwisch (Cannes Lions nomination, 2 MTV Awards) and Jessica Hannah, producer and management director of the Bootleg Theater. The production is being sponsored by the Jumex Foundation of Contemporary Art and endorsed by The Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles.

DED! Dates & tickets
Previews: October 8th & 9th
Opening: Saturday, October 10 - 8pm
Rest of shows
October 11th
October 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th
October 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th
Possible extensions: October 29th, 30th, 31st and November 1st

For tickets and show times go to:
www.dayoftheDed.com
Photos courtesy of DED! team