The Performance Corporation Perks Up Washington DC with Theatrical Espresso

An Irish theatre company is set to thaw out snow-bound Washington DC with a romantic Valentine's Day to remember.

The Performance Corporation has signed up hundreds of performers to participate in KISS - a mass outburst of theatrical smooching outside The White House. The under-cover performers will mingle with unsuspecting sightseers outside President Obama's Pennsylvania Avenue residence on the afternoon of February 14th. At a signal, the performers will lock lips for a lingering embrace. They will then melt back into the crowd, leaving the US capital with a suitably romantic glow.

KISS is just one of two Theatrical Espresso events being created for Washington by The Performance Corporation, in co-production with Irish-American producer Solas Nua. On February 17th, the company will be setting the mood early for St Patrick's day with GAA - an outbreak of hurling magic where it's least expected. The choreographed clash-of-the-ash involving members of the DC Gaels GAA club is set to surprise lunchtime passers-by in Farragut Square, in the heart of the city's business/military district. As with KISS, the performers in GAA will arrive "under-cover", before unveiling hidden hurls and sliotars. A "Hurling Haka" accompanied by the recorded music of Liam O' Connor with commentary by Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, will be followed by the puck-out and a master-class in "the world's fastest field sport".

The Performance Corporation's Artistic Director Jo Mangan said: "We are really excited about creating these events for Washington DC. To borrow a sporting expression, it's going to be a game of two halves and we hope that in different ways, KISS and GAA will surprise and delight everyone who sees them. It's also a wonderful opportunity to showcase Irish creativity on a big stage. Thanks to support from Culture Ireland and partnership with Solas Nua, KISS and GAA will offer the people of Washington a kind of Irish theatrical experience they won't have previously encountered."

http://theperformancecorporation.com/