OUT LOUD SET THEIR SIGHTS ON DUALITY

OUT LOUD announces the launch of their highly anticipated 8th Season, set to unfold throughout the course of 2020.
The "most experimentally adventurous theater group in Rhode Island" announces Season 8: Sinners + Saints (The Duality Between Good / Evil - As Seen through the Exploration of Fashion + Technology), set to unfold throughout the course of 2020. Main-Stage creations will include TARTUFFE in April and a World Premiere Devised Exhibition, DEADLY SINS in November. While both will explore the Duality of Good/Evil, TARTUFFE will engage with key elements of fashion history throughout the ages and DEADLY SINS will delve into the rapidly evolving and deeply personal relationships human beings have with modern technology. In addition to OUT LOUD's Main-Stage creations, the ensemble is set to roll out a series of radically collaborative projects, partnerships, and expansive regional tours, all kicking off with the official launch of their newly minted OUT LOUD Lab this fall. 

The Season 8 Ensemble offer their thoughts on Duality and the unique process of kicking off a Season with OUT LOUD Theatre: 
"Throughout the years, it has been important to give our ensemble ample room and resources to organically grow," says Founding Artistic Director, Kira Hawkridge. "In turn, each OUT LOUD Season has had a slightly (or drastically) different blueprint. Each Season has provided a series of expansive new challenges, questions, and overarching lessons that we are able to take with us into the next phase of our development. The advantage of a continually evolving model is that each year we have the unique ability to engage with what those shifts in style and perspective reveal to our evolving methodology and set of goals. Season 8 is no different."
*Motif Magazine, 2019 ​
"I am eager to explore a Season that grapples so wholeheartedly with our perceptions of duality and the relationship we all have to the concepts of good and evil in our world and in ourselves," says Hawkridge. "I am equally eager to come at this exploration through a potential unusual lens. Fashion and Technology engage with elements of our world that are often in search of internal authenticity; they provide an outlet for pure self expression, both inside and out, They are also both territories that tap into a desire for a highly specific curation and the benefits of developing a marketable persona or cultivated image (consider the existence of social media and its very real effect on our day to day lives). All the while we grapple with how we are seen, how we think we are seen, and/or how we want to be seen by the outside world. There are seemingly endless threads to pull when engaging with these ingredients through the development of our work this year. This Season is as much about an exploration of self as it is anything else." 

"Fashion + Technology engage with elements of our world that are often in search of internal authenticity; THEY PROVIDE AN OUTLET FOR pure self expression, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT." 

"I am excited to tackle a classic script alongside a devised project that will be entirely different than anything OUT LOUD has created in the past," says Technical Director and Core Ensemble Member, Marc Tiberiis II. "We are ready to see how much farther we can go - how far beyond the traditional theatrical forms we can expand. DEADLY SINS is an opportunity for us to continue that expansion." ​While OUT LOUD Theatre's Devised World Premiere Exhibition undoubtedly exists outside of the box, the ensemble's approach to Tartuffe will also venture into experimental territory. In the spirit of duality, OUT LOUD's Tartuffe challenges the Season 8 performance ensemble to tackle not one role, but two, as they switch roles with a specific counterpart from night to night. ​​
"OUT LOUD has such a way of taking what you expect a show or production to be, and completely and utterly turn it on its head," says Season 8 Ensemble Member, Derek Smith. "It blows you away with the sheer creativity and uniqueness of the production team and cast, since both have such an important say in how the production is created. Am I excited? Of course. Do I know why, exactly? Hell, no. But I do know that whatever we end up doing is going to be unique and fulfilling to me personally as an actor."

"Am I excited? Of course. Do I know why, exactly? Hell, no. But I do know that whatever we end up doing is going to be unique and fulfilling to me personally as an actor."

"I’m thinking of the theme of Season 8 as the duality that exists within a single personality, rather than two different kinds of people," says Season 8 Ensemble Member, Beth Alianiello. "Through reaction, growth, and change, good can become evil or vice versa. I’m really looking forward to creating characters within our dual-casting approach to Tartuffe. I think sharing and swapping roles will forge really interesting connections within our ensemble." 
"OUT LOUD has always been good at exploring differences between characters in their shows, and I feel that a season themed around two objectively polar opposites should be fascinating to both watch and be a part of," says Smith. "I think it's unrealistic to think that I could guess what any given audience can take away from the season, both since I don't know what we're going to do with the pieces, and that every single audience member can take different things away from different productions. And that's perfectly okay! I'm a firm believer that a show, with firm intentions. can be interpreted and received in a million different ways, based on the perspective of the viewer. Learning about all of those different takes, many of which I'd never considered, is one of my favorite things about working with OUT LOUD." 

"Ideas of good and evil can be obvious and intellectualized, but the work that Out Loud does allows us to try to physicalize these concepts that would otherwise be only in our heads."

"It feels impossible to hear the word "Evil" and not think about our current political climate, but I really don't want to minimize the concept of Good vs Evil by pigeonholing us to talking about Donald Trump and his factually evil actions," says Season 8 Ensemble Member, Ottavia De Luca. "I think it's much more interesting to explore this concept when thinking of the duality in ourselves, in the choices we make, and in the thoughts we have. We all believe that we are essentially good (at least most of the time), but someone’s good can just as easily be someone else’s evil - not only when thinking of political issues, but also interpersonally. Ideas of good and evil can be obvious and intellectualized but the work that OUT LOUD does allows us to try to physicalize these concepts that would otherwise be only in our heads. I’m excited to be back in the room, getting physical with a classic text, and finding something we maybe didn’t even know was there."
"I am beyond excited for Season 8 for SO MANY REASONS," says Core Ensemble Member, Natasha Cole. "We're even exploring duality in our choice of content - we're tackling a theatre classic in the spring and devising something totally new in the fall. The duality of those two experiences will inevitably inform each other and stretch our muscles. Plus this season we're officially introducing the OUT LOUD Lab, which will offer us so much insight into our theatre methodology and process. YAY SEASON 8."

"Oftentimes good and evil are purely perspective.  I think this season will be a good opportunity for our audience to start to examine exactly what their perspective is."

"Everything exists in balance, a yin and yang, good cannot exist without evil and when taken to an extreme neither is healthy," says Season 8 Ensemble Member, Josh Raymo. Oftentimes good and evil are purely perspective. I think this season will be a good opportunity for our audience to start to examine exactly what their perspective is."
"OUT LOUD Theatre's ensemble driven work utilizes a unique blend of devised performance, visual art, music, ensemble movement, performance art, and traditional aspects of theatre to create a collaborative hub for form defying artists to freely create and explore through a multitude of artistic mediums," says Hawkridge. "With a focus on non-verbal modes of storytelling, OUT LOUD Theatre has organically developed a striking visual aesthetic that exists both on and off the stage. OUT LOUD's collaboration with PIQUANT PHOTO, and Photographer Justine M. Johnson, launched in 2014 and has been going strong ever since. It is an integral part of our process and to our development of visualizing and actualizing our work from Season to Season, project to project. Combining OUT LOUD's unique Art Direction and vision with Justine's artistry continues to be lightning in a bottle for everyone involved."
"I met Justine back in the beginning of this year when she took photos for the Immortal Thirst photoshoot, and I've been hooked on her style ever since," says Smith. "It's really indescribable how she can capture the type of emotion and tone a production has with the way she takes her photos and videos. It just WORKS. As for participating in an OUT LOUD photoshoot in general, it genuinely feels like a social gathering or party when we're all together. Everyone just has fun and experiments different ways to express themselves and the characters they're trying to portray."

"The atmosphere at an OUT LOUD shoot is unlike any other - the air is full of creativity and encouragement, and it's so damn fun." ​

​"Shooting with Justine just never gets old. Each time I am in front of her lens, I feel so free and confident to explore and be open in ways I didn't even know were possible," says De Luca, "She is an incredible photographer and I feel honored to be able to collaborate with her!  The atmosphere at an OUT LOUD shoot is unlike any other - the air is full of creativity and encouragement, and it's so damn fun."

"Our season announcement shoots honestly feel like mini-productions, and they're such an exciting and invigorating way to kick down the door of each new season."

"One of my favorite things about working with Justine is the unique opportunity to explore and embody the overarching theme of each season and production on a purely aesthetic level," says Cole. "Our season announcement shoots honestly feel like mini-productions, and they're such an exciting and invigorating way to kick down the door of each new season. Our season announcement shoots in particular challenge us to engage with the mammoth theme we choose to explore within each season on a granular level by embodying it through a specific lens or aesthetic. This past shoot gave me so many thoughts and ideas to chew on that I cannot wait to explore in our upcoming season!"
"I love the fresh perspective Justine brings to the process," says Season 8 Ensemble Member, Emma Impagliazzo. "Watching a creative mind analyze and showcase the details of a costume, brings new excitement and inspiration. Participating in my first OUT LOUD photoshoot lit a huge spark in me and taught me so much about the process. "

"Participating in my first OUT LOUD photoshoot lit a huge spark in me and taught me so much about the process."

"Justine is an amazing collaborator and artist, and a complete rockstar," says Core Ensemble Member, Siobhan LaPorte-Cauley. " An OUT LOUD photo shoot is a one of my favorite ways to kick off a season. We play with aesthetic and build unique character moments, all before the pieces are created. It's a door into the world before it even exists!"
"OUT LOUD shoots have always made me feel like a celebrity," says Season 8 Performance Ensemble Member, Daria Lyric-Montaquila. "Not only that, but the creativity behind the photo shoot concepts alone make me feel more connected to my identity as an artist. Also, the confidence boost is astronomical and Justine makes me feel powerful and beautiful every time."
"I am very excited to embrace the visual art narrative and perspective,"  says Tiberiis II. "I'm excited to engage with how that plays a major role in our growing process and eventually leads to our final product. I feel that Season 8 will be a true exploration from outside to inside and that, to me, is an exciting way to collaborate on a theatrical experience with an ensemble."

"The company is always creating something visually stunning on stage and I think the theme this season will further elevate that aspect of the ensemble."

"Duality is something that OUT LOUD can really take and run with and create something really worth viewing as an audience member," says Core Ensemble Member, Justin Fortin. "The company is always creating something visually stunning on stage and I think the theme this season will further elevate that aspect of the ensemble. Seeing the whole piece come together from beginning to end is challenging, but also fun and rewarding. With OUT LOUD you are always working with different elements and figuring them out is my favorite part. We always start with what our hopes and dreams and big ideas are for the show and then to see where we end up is fascinating."
"I'm personally excited to explore my role further as a designer and collaborator," says Impagliazzo. "I'm eager to learn from the people around me and get pulled out of my comfort zone. The Duality of Good and Evil, to me, means falling down the rabbit hole of the morality grey area. As a designer, I'm excited to tell a story with the contrasting and blending of elements to represent the duality in each of us."

"As a designer, I'm excited to tell a story with the contrasting and blending of elements to represent the duality in each of us."

"The concept is so spot on in what is hitting people now and today," says Season 8 Performance Ensemble Member, Tabi Baez. "It’s easy to lose yourself while watching and/or being a part of an OUT LOUD production but it’s particularly easy when the subject hits close to home. Then everyone feels it, too. And that is the most powerful thing, I think. To feel so much that other people feel you."
"The duality between good and evil is definitely a difficult subject to broach and boil down into a few sentences," says Montaquila. "However, I think good vs bad is never black and white. I'm interested in exploring the grey areas where you are uncertain if something is necessarily "good" or "bad". When we begin to question things we begin to learn more about them, so I am hoping to confuse and entertain."

"We're pushing ourselves to dig deeper, explore more wildly, think even further outside the box. This season is going to be f*&%ing fantastic."

"I'm so excited to dive into another season and work on every project we're tackling," says LaPorte-Cauley. "Exploring one theme throughout the season really gives us the freedom to allow each process to influence the other, and break down those compartmentalized barriers that can exist in our minds. Is there something that both characters you're portraying have in common? Or a way they completely diverge? This kind of approach opens doors and artistic avenues that are so exciting to me, and I'm pumped to see where they all lead. Season 8 feels like a new chapter for us, another step deeper into the unknown. We're pushing ourselves to dig deeper, explore more wildly, think even further outside the box. This season is going to be f*&%ing fantastic."
​"We are passionate about challenging our ensemble, our audience, and the confines that often attempt to limit theatre and performance to be viewed through only one lens," says Hawkridge. "Our goals don't align with presenting the same version of our work year after year - our goals align with a continual evolution. We explore, we learn, and we expand when we are ready for the next phase. Season 8 is our ensemble continuing on this path, ready to challenge our comfort zones and embrace the next phase of our radically collaborative and form defying work."
​Stay tuned for more exciting announcements as OUT LOUD continues to roll out what lies ahead in 2020!