Theatre and Tonic Interview

What is your show about?

"Grape Culture" is a tragic comedy about the culture of "grape." This show undresses the psychology of grape while unbinding the consciousness of grape. Sarah and I believe grape culture isn't just a part of culture, it is our culture. The mentality of grape is the current that flows through every wire of our societal structures. We wanted to look at the macro issues of how grape culture impacts us all, as well as the micro stories and personal events in our lives that we know also have universal meaning. The comedic aspect of the show is crucial for it helps us talk about these issues in a way that is more palatable for the tongue. Grape Culture is so prevalent exactly because we as a society struggle with how to discuss these issues openly. We need to put down the shame and guilt in order to pick up the puzzle pieces of how we heal.

What was the inspiration for Grape Culture and what’s the development process been to get to this stage?

The inspiration for this show began when I saw Sarah dance. I was so blown away by her raw, feral, femine, wild energy, and as we began to talk about our work, I realized how much synergy we shared. Both Sarah and I had been making art about grape for decades, and I was inspired when she told me about her thesis work - a documentation cataloguing her processing her sexual assaults in real time as a young woman. My own comedic work around the subject of grape was something that I always felt drawn to, but also desired a long format journey with an audience so we could get into the weeds and lay in the fields of this uncomfortable subject. Sarah and I formed a partnership to make this work, for we both felt the beauty of coming together, holding each other up, and supporting each other so we could be free to be honest and real.

Read full interview here on Theatre and Tonic