David Roussève/Reality presents the World Premiere of Stardust at Clarice Smith, Jan 31-Feb 1

January 31 & February 1, 2014 . 8PM

Presented By:
Clarice Smith Center
Venue: Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Kogood Theatre. Reserved Seating.

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Regular: $35
Subscriber: $28
Senior Citizen: $30
UMD Alumni Association: $30
UMD Faculty & Staff: $28
Students & Youth: $10

Fri, Jan 31, 2014 . 8:00PM
Sat, Feb 1, 2014 . 8:00PM

Description:

Choreographed, written and directed by David Roussève, Stardust follows an African American gay urban teenager’s dreams, misgivings and challenges.

Never seen onstage, the protagonist is present only by the emotion-laden tweets and text messages he sends, which are projected onto multiple surfaces by Roussève’s long-time collaborator Cari Ann Shim Sham.

Stardust juxtaposes fluidity and freneticism, in both its movement and musical score. Lush, jazz-inflected dancing is leavened by frenetic, angular representations of the teenager’s anxious states of mind, in movement performed by a mixed-age company of dancers.

The soundscape pairs the intimate romanticism of Nat King Cole standards with rough-edged, hip-hop inflected original music by d. Sabela Grimes. Designer Christopher Kuhl’s lighting will support both the emotional textures and surreal quality of the work.

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center co-commissioned Stardust, which will receive its world premiere at the Center. As part of his engagement at the Clarice Smith Center, Roussève will be in residency in several visits during fall 2013, working with local ministries on issues of homosexuality and acceptance in the African American community.

This tour of David Roussève is made possible by a grant from Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The presentation of Stardust was made possible by the MetLife Community Connections Fund of the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project. Major support of NDP is also provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.