Presented by LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture, as part of NYTF’s KulturefestNYC
THE MAR VISTA
THE MAR VISTA, a dance/theater work written and choreographed by Yehuda Hyman in collaboration with the Mystical Feet Company (Ron Kagan, Dwight Kelly, Amanda Schussel and Hyman), is a fractured memoir about an American Jewish family. Taking place over a span of almost 100 years, THE MAR VISTA weaves together dance, gesture, spoken word, improvisation and ritual to tell a comical/tragical fragmented narrative about Hyman’s parents.
“Mar Vista” is Spanish for “view of the sea.” It’s also the name of the Los Angeles neighborhood where Hyman grew up, a working class area on the Westside that had a high population of World War II and Korean War veterans and their families, many of whom bought their homes with the help of GI loans. The neighborhood’s name held within it a promise of views of the Pacific Ocean for all. Unfortunately, the Hyman’s small house was at the bottom of a big hill which blocked his family’s view. In this lyrical and quirky new work, Hyman attempts to climb that hill and witness the sea below.
June 11-14, 2015
The Theater at the 14th Street Y
East 14th Street (14th St & lst Ave)
$18 presale
$22.50 at the door
646-395-4310
TICKETS HERE
The MAR VISTA was incubated at LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture at the 14th Street Y.
BIO
Yehuda Hyman was born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents from Poland and Russia. He began making dances in NYC at the Riverside Dance Festival and Washington Square Church. His work has been produced at the McCarter Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, San Diego Repertory Theater, and Highways Performance Space among others. Honors include two NEA Grants, Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays Award, Jerome Fellowship and grants from the Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity. He performed his solo piece, The Mad 7 at the NYC Fringe the JCC Manhattan and across the U.S. and performs with Target Margin Theater (at HERE Arts Center, Chocolate Factory and the Bushwick Starr). He was a 2013/14 Artist Fellow at the LABA House of Study/14St Y. He received his M.F.A. in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College and currently teaches in the Dance/Movement Therapy M.S. program at Sarah Lawrence College. He is the Artistic Director of Yehuda Hyman/Mystical Feet Company.
ABOUT LABA
LABA is a laboratory for Jewish culture in which classic Jewish texts inspire the creation of new art. Our programming includes original productions for the stage, special events and art installations for both children and adults. LABA is supported by the 14th Street Y, a program of Educational Alliance. Additional support for LABA comes from the National Endowment for the Arts and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. In 2014, LABA was chosen as one of the most innovative Jewish organizations in North America by the Slingshot Guide.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
THE MAR VISTA is performed in three parts:
Part 1: Hamsa, is a solo performed by Hyman, which deals with curses, Passover, the 10 plagues and the story of his father.
Part 2: Leaning Into Moisture, a duet for Hyman and Amanda Schussel about his mother and her forbidden wartime romance in Istanbul.
Part 3: Cincinnati, takes place in Cincinnati, 1951 on the night that Hyman’s father proposed to his mother – in a hurry.
CREATIVE CREDITS:
Artistic Director/Choreographer:
Yehuda Hyman
Performers:
Yehuda Hyman
Ron Kagan
Dwight Kelly
Amanda Schussel
Costume Designer:
Amy Page