Celebrating their ninth year with their most ambitious work to date, the Danielle Georgiou Dance Group will premiere a new, experimental opera The Savage Seconds at Undermain Theatre in the summer of 2020.
Exploring the genre of tragédie en musique and the concepts inherent in the Greek tragedies of Oedipus and Medea, The Savage Seconds―directed and choreographed by Danielle Georgiou with book, lyrics, and musical direction by Justin Locklear―looks at the effects of obsession and celebrity in a world thrown into disarray by disease and political turmoil. This original 90-minute experimental opera, conceived by Danielle Georgiou and Justin Locklear, centers on the story of a young girl sent home from boarding school during a great plague whose coming of age is hijacked by her powerful but absent parents, malicious siblings, and the surreal confusion of sexuality. The Savage Seconds follows Georgiou’s stage and video work dealing with puzzles found in gender and cultural identity―vulnerability, deformity, and beauty.
Elaina Alspach (foreground) with the cast of The Savage Seconds. Danielle Georgiou Dance Group. Photo by Andrew Ryan Shepherd. 2020 Colby Calhoun, Monet Lerner, and Nick Leos. The Savage Seconds by the Danielle Georgiou Dance Group. Photo by Justin Locklear. 2020
Justin Locklear is an actor, director, and playwright based in Dallas. He is the currently the artist-in-residence at The Ochre House Theatre, an experimental theatre producing seasons of new works, including a bilingual Flamenco show. He is also the producer and conceptual artist of the award-winning contemporary dance theatre company, the Danielle Georgiou Dance Group.
Composer and internationally renowned musician Black Taffy (Donovan Jones) will create an original musical score, and longtime DGDG collaborator Lori Honeycutt will create the set and lighting design
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, The Danielle Georgiou Dance Group and Undermain Theatre released the statement “(We) would like to address the fact that we are taking steps to look to the future in this time of uncertainty; however, we are responsible organizations and our top priority is the health and safety of all. Please be aware that if plans change in any way we will update you as soon as possible. Thank you for support and understanding.” Currently, the dates for The Savage Seconds are May 28–June 7, 2020.