She killed her own kids… but the art lives on. Indianapolis-based performance group paperStrangers is making a triumphant return to local theater during the 2010 IndyFringe Festival after a wildly successful national tour.
Michael Burke’s adaptation of “Medea,” which won awards and sold out shows during IndyFringe 2009, went to Washington, D.C.; Hollywood and Cincinnati, where more sellouts came.
Rave reviews included this: “If you want to know why Greek tragedy is still vital to modern theater, go see paperStrangers Performance Groupʼs adaptation of Medea.” DC THEATRE SCENE Jenn Larson
And the LA Theatre Review honored Medea with “Outstanding Contribution to the Theatre of Los Angeles in an Ensemble Production.”
Medea, of course, is the character created by Euripides who kills her own children after a betrayal. Michael Burke, a recent Butler University graduate, is being called a “wunderkind director” by theatre critics. He serves as co-artistic director of Indianapolis-based company paperStrangers, with Tommy Lewey. Beginning this Friday, paperStrangers brings another emotion-filled production to Indianapolis as part of IndyFringe 2010.
“They Touch in Flood” is an exploration of making love, a distinctly human concept, using performers and multimedia. It might seem strange for the company to move from Greek tragedy to such an ethereal subject. But it ties in flawlessly with the company’s goal, as Burke and Lewey explain: “It is our mission to have our audiences truly feel. Our focus is evocation.”
In “Medea,” paperStrangers took the audience inside the tormented mind of the title role.
In “TTiF,” they want to take you on a reflective journey that begins with heavy emotions. “We are a theatre of feeling−an experience−one that resonates deep within each of us.” What’s next for paperStrangers? The success of “Medea” has the company already in talks to bring it to even more cities for another festival tour next summer. But the immediate plan for the company is to take a breather and enjoy their successes from a whirlwind summer of performances.
“They Touch in Flood” at the IndyFringe Theatre Festival
Venue: Theatre on The Square
• Tuesday August 24. 2010 6:00 PM
• Wednesday August 25, 2010 9:00 PM
• Saturday August 28, 2010 3:00 PM
• Sunday August 29, 2010 10:30 PM
For more info on the IndyFringe Festival or to buy tickets visit indyfringe.org or m.indyfringe.org for mobile.