Saturday, February 21, 2015

Spotlight On...Post Traumatic Super Delightful

Name: Antonia Lassar (Writer/ Performer) and Angela Dumlao (Director)

Hometown: Antonia is from Newton, MA; Angela is from Valley Stream, NY, but exclusively works with people from Newton.

Education: Antonia has a BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University, and Angela has a BA in Drama and Psychology from Vassar College.

Favorite Credits: Fave co-credit is our incredible instagram presence. Antonia loves touring her other solo show God Box, and Angela is a bad-ass who assistant-directed a concert play called Sea Wife (Naked Angels).

Why theater?: Theatre is the hammer we use to smash the patriarchy.

Tell us about POST TRAUMATIC SUPER DELIGHTFUL: We’ve been working on this show together since we had a successful workshop at All For One’s Sololab in November. The play examines how survivors, bystanders, and perpetrators are all hurt by how their colleges fail them after assault. It looks at what role laughter plays in the healing process for both survivors and their communities. We use both personal interviews and clowning to paint a complex picture of campuses struggling to heal.

What inspired you to write POST TRAUMATIC SUPER DELIGHTFUL?: Antonia is a survivor of assault, and started writing this show when she realized that the ways she was feeling hurt by her community resonated among other survivors. She started interviewing over 50 survivors about how laughter had been a part of their healing process. While there was no common experience, it was clear that society has very harmful expectations of what it means to be a “good” survivor. PTSD started as a series of stand up pieces and clown sketches critiquing the way we expect survivors to behave.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: We are in a committed relationship with Anne Bogart’s book “A Director Prepares.” Theatre that speaks to us is that which is unashamed to be a queer feminist celebration! We love Sarah Jones, Sarah Ruhl, Emma Sulkowicz, Marina Abramovic, and Anna Deavere Smith!

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Roxane Gay should cross over to theatre and be our best friend!

What show have you recommended to your friends?: We have a very solid source that says “It Ain’t Going To Be Normal” is going to be the sexiest show of the century. One of our significant others may or may not be ½ of the dream team on this show.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Angela and Antonia would both be portrayed by the entire cast of "Orange is the New Black". Think “I’m Not There” style, ensemble acting masterpiece.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: We would love to go back to the opening show of A Doll’s House to troll all the angry misogynists in the audience. And we’d shout “Get ready for gender equality suckerzzzzzz!!!!”

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Fantasizing about Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss’s true love.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Professional Beyoncé groupies.

What’s up next?: We’re taking PTSD on tour! We’ll be travelling to colleges and crisis centers across the US and Canada!