Broadway is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about plays in New York City. But the city has a lot more to offer than just Broadway. Interactive plays, where the audience is encouraged to join in on the festivities, are my favorite type of shows. Choreography by company co-founder Emily Smyth Vartanian, in collaboration with actor/sculptor Kevin Reese and set to music by Donna Viscuso, Up and Away is like no other.
Presented by The General Mischief Dance Theater, the piece features a large mobile designed with support from the Washington D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and created by hundreds of volunteers as part of the Atlas Arts Center’s “Mobilizing Our Community” project. The General Mischief performers assemble the mobile little by little while they dance without missing a beat. While some plays are strictly for adults, Up and Away was for the enjoyment of all ages. The mission of the General Mischief Dance Theater is to reinforce “the power that joy and laughter have in communicating ideas.”
The audience was invited up to walk around the mobile. Appealing both to children and their parents, the dancers are upbeat, charming and the costumes are a mix of colorful versions of dancewear and street clothes. The engaging play combined dance with the onstage construction of a beautiful work of art. Not to worry if you missed this entertaining show. There will be another performance in January at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as part of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference.
Twisted Talk: Have you seen any performances by The General Mischief Dance Theater? Will you be seeing their upcoming show at Alvin Ailey? Discuss below!
