The Southern takes on experimental theater with "New Breed"

“Minneapolis New Breed”
WHERE: The Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S.
WHEN: Feb. 25 – 28
TICKETS: $18

The lines between dance and theater seem to have been set in stone long ago. The strict divisive criteria between forms of movement and types of story-telling usually prevent newer experimental production groups from getting a foothold in the theatrical Twin Cities area. With “Minneapolis New Breed,” The Southern Theater is breaking down a few of the barriers to success and celebrating a new type of theater-dance synergy.
“Minneapolis New Breed” is a big shot for three small performing companies, Lamb Lays with Lion, Mad King Thomas and SuperGroup.
According to Jeremey Chatterton, artistic director of performance group Lamb Lays with Lion, his generation of trained performers is underrepresented in this community, but bigger theaters are starting to open their minds and doors to new programming. A chance at performing in a full-sized theater like The Southern is something for groups like these to take advantage of, as opportunities like this don’t come around often. Most beginning companies, like Lamb Lays with Lion, which started two and a half years ago, are usually relegated to smaller venues and sometimes even basements.
“Instead of risking giving each of us our own show, it’s a nice variety evening of three well-crafted productions,” Chatterton said, “Even though they might not directly talk to each other, we are coming from the same generation.” This generation is characterized by new forms of technology that can blur the lines between genres of production.
Chatterton’s company is working this time with Anton Chekov’s “The Seagull” via renowned English Director Katie Mitchell’s production notes. Chatterton reads the notes aloud while two separate groups of actors carry out the scenes. Breaking the illusion of the narrative by introducing its source material can result in fragmentation, but that’s the intention. The chaos reflects Lamb Lays with Lion’s contemporary deconstructive approach to classical theater.
“My actors even get really drunk halfway through the second half,” Chatterton added, “but, you know, they had to work hard before I let them start drinking.”
SuperGroup performer and Co-Artistic Director Erin Search-Wells was in charge of text design for what she calls a “contemporary musical” based on a variety of meshed conversations and sketch comedies. The fledgling dance-theater group consists of four members each given one role: music/sound, movement, text and concept design. Each person writes their own 40 minute section independently. These scores are then blended into a single show.
So what new terminology will form to discuss these “new breeds” of theater? What will the genres be called? Witness the kinetic, physical deconstructed madness to find out.