Kickstarter

Hi, I’m Stephanie Nugent, Artistic Director of Nugent Dance and choreographer for “Yes is Not Passive and other stories”.  Our project is an evening of dance/theater in which six performers create multiple layers of expression inside of shifting contexts, to evoke empathy and provoke questions on the meaning of “Yes”.  

We have been honored with a "Directors Pick" for our premiere performances at the Santa Cruz Fringe Festival this July 19th thru 22nd, and while we have already raised a portion of our budget, We Need Your Help to complete and fully produce the work!

Development began in August 2011, while in residence at UCLA’s Hothouse program. Later that fall, four performers and I presented the first act in Valencia, CA and Los Angeles with support from California Institute of the Arts.

These initial performances at the REDCAT theater in Los Angeles received critical praise from audiences and reviewers alike (read review!) and inspired me towards developing a full-evening event.  I am now hard at work with our company of seven developing this concept into three acts; "Nobody", "Yes is Not Passive" and "Empty is a Hard Place". 

"Yes is Not Passive and other stories" features performance by Megan McCarthy, Lynn Suemitsu, Jose Luis Trujillo, Jones Welsh, Adam Wile, and Tom Tsai (understudy), original text by Olivia Sandoval, video projection by Gordon Kurowski and Roberta Shaw, costumes by Rosalie Alvarez, sound design by Robin Cox, and lighting design by Andrew Muni.

In general, my work is inspired by issues of the human condition, deeply investigated through the medium of the body.  I began this project with an assumption; that one’s ability to be aware of and adapt to ever-changing possibilities is the act of saying “yes”. In rehearsals I became interested in physical and psychological contexts, that when presented, make saying “yes” next to impossible.  Desire, fear, and expectation then became the theatrical tension at the core of the work.

Our budget is relatively small, which means every dollar counts and your support will go a long way!  We have raised a portion of what we need, but meeting our kickstarter goal of $1,775 will ensure our ability to meet all technical needs of the performance and compensate my incredible collaborators. Any additional funds raised will be used to support future performances of "Yes is Not Passive and other stories" already in the works.

For more information about Nugent Dance, please visit www.nugentdance.com

Thank you so much for your interest and we hope you will be able to join us for a performance!