FEEDING ON LIGHT Announced as Inaugural Commission From Katherine Owens/Undermain Theatre Fund for New Work

In celebration of the birthdate of Katherine Owens, the Undermain Theatre has announced the inaugural commission of $10,000 from the Katherine Owens/Undermain Fund for New Work: a collaboration with playwright Lenora Champagne of her new play, Feeding on Light, an exploration of the life and influence of French philosopher Simone Weil. The play is based on the playwright's personal relationship and discussions with Undermain Theatre's late Founding Artistic Director, Katherine Owens, to whom the play is dedicated.

Champagne explains "I was asked to write this play by Katherine Owens, a friend, director and supporter of my work. We met in New York City and upstate, to discuss the project and work on it together. Over the summer of 2019, I was deeply involved in re-reading Weil's biography and her work, which had fascinated me some years ago, when I learned that Katherine had died. She was only 61, and I'd had no idea that she was ill. She only knew she was ill a short time herself, and had thought she would recover. Katherine was a stellar director and such a generous and inspiring collaborator and friend.

I have tried to take to heart the exhortation to wait for the light, to humbly hope for grace to somehow lift these words to a place of joy."

The funding for the play will come from the Katherine Owens Fund for New Work, which was established by her husband, Bruce DuBose, Producing Artistic Director, and Undermain's Board of Trustees in her honor in order to support the continuation of the work Katherine fostered during her 36 incredible years at Undermain Theatre. Feeding on Light will be featured as a staged reading in Undermain's Whither Goest Thou America Festival of New Plays in the spring of 2021 and as a full workshop production in Undermain's 38th season. Along with directing, Katherine was an avid painter, photographer and experimenter in various film and video mediums. In order to give audiences a look behind the scenes of Katherine's awe-inspiring career, her artistic partner and husband, Bruce DuBose has put together a compilation of her experimental films, videos and photographs, set to his original score. This very special look into Katherine's life and work will be streaming for free on Undermain's Vimeo platform from October 27-November 1, 2020. It can be viewed below!

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