More Theater/S.B. explores nontraditional theatrical structures in their upcoming production of Queen of Cups. This dramatic reading of writer and scholar Judy Grahn’s epic poem will be read in three parts over three days, presented in a business-style setting within downtown Santa Barbara’s Balboa Building. This story involves a series of divine figures from mythology called to a conference by the Queen of Cups to face an impending eco-disaster.
Meg Kruszewska, who directs and performs, describes the poet/playwright as someone who distills big ideas into meaningful associations by scanning centuries and organizing information. “She’s written a lot in terms of queer theory, culture, and feminism,” says Kruszewska, “and there’s a lineage that she’s insinuating from her poems, which basically looks at the erotic female.” The story follows threads from mythology, archaeology, and history, gathering characters with fantastical gifts to fight environmental toxicity.
Queen of Cups brings Helen of Troy, Mary Magdalene, and John the Baptist (among others) to the conference table with original characters such as Simon, who functions across time as a magician/alchemist/scientist. “It’s highly poetic, coded language,” says Kruszewska. “Something is horribly wrong with the waters. During the course of this conference, the waters start changing.” A villain on the periphery adds to the chaos. Grahn calls it “eco-poetic,” says Kruszewska. “She’s really looking at it as addressing ecological issues — which are tied, in her world, into gender issues, and the way that we relate to elements.”
The show features three performances, each of which presents a different section of the play (note that each piece can stand alone). Experience More/S.B.’s mission to create unique, site-specific work: Introductions and Stories run May 16; The Gifts runs May 17; and Evaluating runs May 18.
All shows are at 2 p.m. at the Balboa Building Conference Auditorium, 735 State Street. See moretheatersb.com.
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