James Whiteside To Star In THE TENANT At The Joyce Theater This November

James Whiteside, ballet's most daring principal artist known for his theatrical and technical versatility, will star in The Tenant, a unique dance play based on the novel by Roland Topor, at The Joyce Theater, November 6-11. Directed by London based choreographer Arthur Pita, Whiteside, in his portrayal of the protagonist Trelkovsky, will be joined by his American Ballet Theater colleague Cassandra Trenary, playing the role of Simone Choule, and Kibrea Carmichael, as Stella. Set in Paris in the near future, Trelkovsky rents an unassuming room where the previous tenant, Simone Choule, has committed suicide by jumping out the window. Becoming fascinated by the previous tenant, the work follows Trelkovsky's demise down a psychological paranoia spiral, ultimately succumbing to the same fate.

Exploring the psychic terrain of identity, paranoia, fear, hysteria, obsession and possession, The Tenant is a dance play, set to the soundscape of Frank Moon, merging together contemporary and pedestrian movement, marked by a highly stylized vernacular. Topor's novel-later made into a film in 1976, starring and directed by Roman Polanski-is seasoned with mature themes, violence, drug use, nudity and explicit language. The Tenant, which has been in development for two years, will create a cinematic atmosphere to pay homage to Topor's literature.

"I have been wanting to explore this piece for years," explains choreographer Arthur Pita. "When I met with James I immediately felt he was a perfect fit for the character of Trelkovsky. The Tenant is so rich in its disturbing and provocative themes. I am so excited to witness this dynamic cast execute a profound journey."

"This is not a vanity project," explains Whiteside. "I've dreamed of doing a contemporary project at the Joyce- this standalone show has given me a rare and terrifying opportunity. I hope all will join me on this sparkling yet harrowing journey."

Produced by Joyce Theater Productions, The Tenant is commissioned and created, in part, with the support of The Joyce's Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work and its Artist Residency Center, made possible by lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, and Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

• Tuesday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 8 at 8:00 p.m.
• Friday, November 9 at 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, November 10 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

A curtain chat will be held following the performance on Wednesday, November 7.

TICKETS AND VENUE INFORMATION

Tickets for The Tenant are $75, $50, and $20, and can be purchased by telephone at 212-242-0800 or online at https://joyce.org/node/5141.

The Joyce Theater is located in Chelsea at 175 Eighth Avenue and accessibly by the 1, A, C, E, and L trains.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy