BRILLIANT PLAYGROUND
was Rajiv Joseph's Gruesome Playground Injuries + Cindy Lou Johnson's Brilliant Traces performed together
at New Expressive Works in March of 2019.
Poet and translator, Anne Carson, begins her introduction to Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides with the following: “Why does tragedy exist? Because you are full of rage. Why are you full of rage? Because you are full of grief.” 20 years separate Brilliant Traces (1989) and Gruesome Playground Injuries (2009) and yet both wrestle similar demons, both chart our journey in wounds. They are sweet and angry, fueled by grief and the balm of love. They are familiar and funny in that familiarity; they have cosmic concerns but are small scale stories of lives like ours.
Directed by Asae Dean
Featuring: Alex Albrecht as Doug and Henry, and Alwynn Accuardi as Kayleen and Rosannah Stage Managed by Kate Belden Scenic and Lighting Design by Trevor Sargent Intimacy and Violence by Alwynn Accuardi Costumes, Props, Sound by the Team Promotional Photos by Stacy Swartz Production Photos by Heath Hyun |