Smoke & Dust

by Joy McCullough, directed by Amy Poisson

macha theatre works 2017-2018 season

Intrigue surrounds Barbara Strozzi, an ambitious 17th century composer rumored to be a courtesan. Her brilliance and musical talent are dismissed in a male-dominated profession that stifles female musicians. In Smoke & Dust, a modern acting troupe explores Strozzi’s music and the personal life of this historical figure: was she a victim, or an empowered woman defying society’s moralistic expectations? Playwright Joy McCullough deftly weaves together past and present as characters in both timelines struggle against the limits society places on a woman’s ambition.

Cast: Bianca Raso, James Lyle, Caitlin Frances, Shelby Windom, Belle Pugh, Peter Cook, Michael Blackwood.

Production team: Amy Poisson (Director), Robin Macartney (Scenic and Props Design), Johanna Melamed (Sound Design), Dani Norberg (Lighting Design), Jocelyne Fowler (Costume Design), Roberta Christensen (Video Design), Natalie Berg (Production Stage Manager), Rena Borg (Assistant Stage Manager), Kyna Shilling (Producing Managing Director).

Produced in association with Theatre Off Jackson.

World Premiere.

Photos by Joe Iano Photography and Kyna Shilling.

Reviews:

Macha Theatre Works’ “Smoke & Dust” Kicks Up History’s Dirt 03/27/2018 Seattle Magazine

Macha Theatre Works’ “Smoke & Dust” is a must-see 04/06/2018 Seattle Gay News

Ballard director prepares “Smoke & Dust” for the stage 03/19/2018 Westside Seattle

Exciting New Play About Unknown Female Composer 04/02/2018 Miryam’s Theater Musings

Ballard director brings whirlwind world premiere “Smoke & Dust” to the stage 04/01/2018 Westside Seattle

“Like a master composer building a climax by overlapping melodies you never guessed would sound great simultaneously, McCullough at last dovetails her tales to provide a denouement as dramatically wrenching as it is deftly constructed.”

— Seattle Magazine

“Playwright Joy McCullough-Carranza’s writing here is intimate and intricate. Director Amy Poisson finds a fine balance between this story’s world of fiction and modern life.”

— Seattle Gay News