A “beautiful and disturbing” piece (NYTheatre.com), Butoh Electra presents Sophocles’ Greek revenge tragedy as the story of a woman whose vibrant inner life is corrupted by the world of walking dead in which she lives.
The Ume Group’s fresh take on this much loved classic combines glimpses of Electra’s “dance of utter darkness” with impressive fight choreography and martial arts.
REVIEWS
“…commanding, physically impressive performances from the Ume Group.”
– The Village Voice
“This visceral incarnation of Electra is not for purists or the faint-hearted. But adventurous theatergoers who like their Greek drama with a twist may enjoy Rosin’s new take on the old revenge tale.”
– CurtainUp
“A beautiful, cohesive interpretation of the ancient text”
– nytheatre.com (August 2011)
“Butoh Electra features some fantastic practitioners of the titular Japanese movement form… The chorus of four women … embodied Electra’s struggle with a risky physical vulnerability… I hope this company continues to produce work using Butoh.”
– nytheatre.com (September 2012)
Production Credits
2012 at the Irondale Center (Off-Off Broadway)
Creative Team
Creator/Producer Jordan Rosin
Director/Choreographer Sophia Schrank
Lead Production Designer Mo Geiger
Composer/Sound Designer Thomas Murphy
Butoh Choreographer Luca Nicora
Fight Choreographer Christian Leadley
Casting Director Daryl Eisenberg, CSA
Production Stage Manager Sarah Jones
Technical Director Steven Brenman
Graphic Designer Chloe Fox
Cast
THE DEAD
Electra Hannah Scott
Orestes Torrey Wigfield
The Mother Yokko
The Usurper Shang-Ho Huang
Old Shogun Peter Trojgaard
The Sister Erika Weinheimer
THE REMNANTS OF HUMANITY
Love Peter Trojgaard
Hope Robin Singer
Trust Christina Stone
Virtue Eiko Kawashima
Mercy Janice Amano
Additional Credits: Elements of the costumes were created by Timothy Westbrook. Original fight choreography was by Felix Ivanov with additional choreography by Eric Myers. Emma Logan created original music, Allison Shumway and Robin Dill created lighting designs, Pedro Carmo, Olivia Gjurich, Alexandra Hellquist, Vin Kridakorn, Pei Pei Lin, Cara Loften, Eric Myers, Sarah Neslusan, Costa Nicholas, Sally Song, and Brittany Visser performed, and Sylvia Baeza and Hoi Ning Yau provided dramaturgical support for earlier versions of the piece.
This piece was presented by The New York International Fringe Festival, a production of the Present Company, in 2011.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
2012 August 29 – September 8: BUTOH ELECTRA performances at The Irondale Center in Brooklyn, NY, USA
2012 June 3 – August 30: BUTOH ELECTRA rehearsals at Grace & St. Paul’s Church in New York City
2011 August 12 – 27: BUTOH ELECTRA performances at FringeNYC: The New York International Fringe Festival
2011 July 12 – August 12: BUTOH ELECTRA rehearsals at Grace & St. Paul’s Church in New York City
2011 June: BUTOH ELECTRA rehearsals at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY
2010 December 3 – 11: BUTOH ELECTRA performances at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY
2010 October 12 – December 2: BUTOH ELECTRA rehearsals at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY