The Golden State by Dell'Arte Theatre Company Moves Downstate

There are many things which are not praised enough in the world of live performance; events which are rehearsed and seemingly pedestrian in their execution but which can alter the viewer’s perception, shift consciousness, alter reality. Some performance is so beautiful, so eye-opening, so original and inventive that people walk away from performance more aware and fundamentally changed. So it is for the Dell’Arte Company; their internationally recognized brand of physical, ensemble theatre has earned their reputation the world over.

The Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre was founded in the early 1970’s and has been offering training in acting, voice, movement, and related physical skills with particular attention paid to mask, tragedy, clown, as well as the legendary commedia dell’arte.

The group is heading south from their home in Northern California down to present their interpretation of Moliere’s “The Miser” entitled “The Golden State.” Their show series begins at Occidental College’s Keck Theatre (1600 Campus Rd Eagle Rock CA) February 1st & 2nd. Then the show will move into a temporary home at the 24th Street Theatre (1117 W 24th St Los Angeles CA) February 8th- 24th.

Even though this is the Dell’Arte companies first visit to Los Angeles in almost 19 years that will likely soon change. According to Dell’Arte’s producing artistic director and the director of this production, “We want to make 24th Street our Los Angeles base so we can come down every year and people will know where to look for us.”

The humor found in Moliere’s cannon is not lost on this production and their modern spin on this classic text is emblematic. First written in 1667, this “incarnation of greed was a rich old coot named Harpagon, whose love for his cashbox eclipsed all other loves, even that for his children.”

Without the least bit or irony Dell’Arte have taken their “The Golden State”, adaptation and turned this premise around to the mirror. The people in California are heady, the people in California are into themselves, and this is where the humor takes off. According to their press release, this piece gets steam from “hedonisticSouthern California (and) also draws its inspiration from humanity's blinding and passionate lust for money. The Dell’Arte Company have taken Moliere's comedy of profit-driven family relations and turned it on its head, re-inventing the miser as an elderly California widow with a fortune stuffed in her bra and whose adult children are the desperate products of her fanatical hoarding.”

Ticket prices vary and there are discounts for students at both venues with valid ID. If you are looking for something completely different than you should check out Dell’Arte Theatre Company and their presentation of “The Golden State."


http://www.24thstreet.org/
dellarte.com/
www.oxy.edu/MapsDirections.xml