Dzieci Theatre Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Gypsy-infused Macbeth performed in a shipping container.
September 6 - October 8 at Bushwick's Sure We Can
"An altogether different experience… remarkably lovely." -- The New York Times
“One of the most gut punching productions of Macbeth I ever saw... Makbet is not to be missed. The beauty of Dzieci’s production is that, seemingly without trying, it can satisfy the tastes of very diverse audiences. A Shakespeare scholar, glamorous partygoer, adventure seeker, spiritual person and theater enthusiast or not, all kinds of folk will find something precious in this experience.” -- OnStage
"Intimate and powerful… Catch it while you can." -- Reviews Hub
"Triumphantly recreates the story of Macbeth in a shockingly unconventional way… six voices reverberate off the metal walls of the cozy container and fill the air pockets of the junkyard, creating an otherworldly sensation. Those lucky enough to attend Makbet will thank Fate for allowing them to end up at such an important theatrical experience." -- Stage Buddy
"You haven’t seen 'Macbeth' until you’ve seen it presented by the Dzieci Theatre...The unexpected undertaking is an eye-popping-ear-poking confirmation that Shakespeare constructed something not easily degraded." -- Huffington Post
“With the combination of ceremony, improvisation, and Shakespeare, Dzieci has created a fascinating, risky, and original work.” -- nytheatre.com
To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Dzieci Theatre will present a 5-week run of their most adventurous work, MAKBET, a Gypsy-infused take on Shakespeare's Macbeth. With haunting folksongs from Eastern Europe and a mere handful of props, this exuberant, ritualistic production is performed in a shipping container at Bushwick's Sure We Can. Adapted, directed, and designed by Matt Mitler, MAKBET begins performances September 6 with opening set for September 10. Running time is 90 minutes, no intermission.
You have not seen anything like MAKBET. A riotous clan from 'The Old Country' greets you with libations and divinations then takes you into the ‘box’ where they embark on their wild, ritualistic take on Macbeth. Shakespeare’s ageless tale of greed, omens, and foul deeds comes alive through the unflinching performance of a handful of actors who take turns spontaneously trading off parts, quite literally, at the drop of a hat. With MAKBET, Dzieci explores (and explodes) the very nature of theatre and storytelling.
MAKBET stars Megan Bones, Yvonne Brechbuhler, Jesse Hathaway, and Matt Mitler with a chorus featuring Ryan Castalia, Cris Cook and Felicity Doyle. The production team includes Karen Hatt (costumes), Ryan Castalia (music supervisor), Jesse Hathaway (choral direction) and Rene DelCarmen (site supervisor) with special assistance by Golan, CJ Louverture, and Liz Stanton. It is co-produced by Sure We Can (Augustina Besada, Executive Director).
Founded in 1997 by Matt Mitler, Dzieci (djyeh-chee - Polish for children) is an international experimental theatre ensemble dedicated to a search for the “sacred” through the medium of theatre. Integrating techniques garnered from such theatre masters as Jerzy Grotowski, Eugenio Barba and Peter Brook, and ritual forms derived from Native American and Eastern spiritual disciplines, Dzieci aims to create a theatre that is as equally engaged with personal transformation as it is with public presentation. Their repertoire includes Fools Mass, presented annually at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine every Christmas season; A Passion, the Biblical tale as set in the shadow of the Warsaw ghetto; The Devils of Loudun, inspired by Aldous Huxley's 1952 novel; Cirkus Luna!, the worst family circus act ever; and Ragnarok, the End Days fable from Norse mythology. Their work has been seen at venues including La MaMa ETC, Irondale Center, The Brick, P.S. 122, Rockaway Center for the Arts, St. Marks Theater, Brooklyn Museum of Art, the cell, Z Space in San Francisco, as well as countless theatres, schools, hospitals, and houses of worship in the tri-state area and beyond. Dzieci is a two-time recipient of the Ann Bogert Fund for the Study and Practice of Christian Mysticism, and in 2004, was the only theatre company invited to participate at The Parliament for the World’s Religions in Barcelona, For more info, visit www.dziecitheatre.org
Matt Mitler has designed and directed over 80 theatrical productions; among them, his own adaptation of Nathaniel West's Miss Lonely Hearts for the 29th Street Repertory Theatre, and the critically acclaimed musical Sofrito (featuring The Latin Legends All Stars) for the New Victory Theater. He has also staged the works of dozens of solo artists and ensembles at a variety of NYC venues including The Samuel Beckett Theatre, LaMama ETC, and The Public Theater. His feature filmmaking debut, Cracking Up, (producer, director, writer, editor and actor), garnered a number of awards, including “Best Film” in The Venice International Film Festival Critic’s Week and the “People’s Choice Award” in The New York Underground Film Festival. Matt has taught theatre and creative therapy worldwide for actors, therapists, and spiritual communities, but his primary focus is on Dzieci, which he has been with since its inception in1997.
Sure We Can is a non-profit recycling center, community space and sustainability hub in Bushwick, Brooklyn where canners (people that collect cans and bottles from to streets to make a living) come together with students and neighbors through recycling, composting, gardening and arts. Last year, they collected over 10 million cans and bottles and composted over 50 tons of organic waste.
MAKBET runs September 6 - October 8 with performances Thursday-Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 4PM with an initial performance on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 7:30pm. Sure We Can is located at 219 Mckibben Street in Brooklyn, NY 11206 -- accessible from the L train at Montrose or Morgan Avenues. Tickets are $20, available at www.dziecitheatre.org.