Save the Date: “The Day Shall Declare It” Immersive Performance In Arts District

Posted by

TDSDI3_COVER_V1.1

Imperial Art Studios in the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District transforms one of their seven warehouses into an immersive site-specific performance space for The Day Shall Declare It. This critically acclaimed interdisciplinary theatrical piece–opening Thursday, February 26–weaves together dynamic movement with a collage of text inspired by American labor literature from a variety of iconic American authors including Tennessee Williams and Studs Terkel.

The Day Shall Declare It is presented by the emerging and acclaimed international company Wilderness. The theatrical piece, developed and co-directed by Annie Saunders and Sophie Bortolussi, takes place in period working and living environments which have been built out in the Imperial Art Studios–a creative campus for a diverse group of artists and gallery spaces including Harmony Murphy Gallery and Ibid Gallery– in a 1925-era warehouse. The technical director for the production is local Arts District artist Stone Larkin of Fused Metals, whose studio is on the campus of Imperial Art Studios.

The play, which has been extended with dates now offered on April 4, 5, 10, 11,  weaves together multiple narratives, each of which investigates working and how it affects our relationships to others and ourselves. The audience explores the installation at will, moving through multiple scenes that interrogate beliefs about working, work ethics, and the idea of a “work/life balance.” Brought to life by three performers, this visceral physical theatre piece explores the tension of what work does for us and what it does to us, incorporating a montage of text influenced by iconic pieces of American literature, drama, and history.  The piece’s dynamic choreography is by Sophie Bortolussi who co-directs with artistic director and Wilderness founder Annie Saunders. Saunders performs alongside Nick Konow and Chris Polick, with devising and dramaturgy by the company.

An experimental theatre company founded in 2011, Wilderness works internationally to push the envelope of the traditional theatre-going experience. Transforming disused, unexplored, and uninhabited urban spaces, Wilderness creates experiential and interdisciplinary theatrical environments. In The Day Shall Declare It, audiences roam freely through the world of the play and multiple storylines create a unique multifaceted and intimate experience. The play is produced by Los Angeles Performance Practice, a producing organization and artists’ network dedicated to supporting Los Angeles’ unique contemporary performance community. Founded by Miranda Wright in 2010, it is comprised of independent artists who create groundbreaking theatrical experiences through innovative approaches to collaboration, technology, and social engagement.

The Day Shall Declare It, in the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District opens Thursday, February 26, 2015 and will be running through April 11, 2015, with, performances Wednesdays through Fridays at 8:30pm and 7:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays in a limited four-week run for an intimate audience at Imperial Art Studios, located at 2051 East 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021. The approximately one-hour performances are largely standing room only. Comfortable shoes are recommended. A coat check is available and recommended. General admission tickets are $25, early bird tickets are $20 (available until 2/15/15), and can be purchased here. For more information, please visit This is the Wilderness.

IMG_3325 2

Sophie Bortolussi, Co-Director & Choreographer

IMG_3312

IMG_3315

IMG_3320

Stone Larkin with Fused Metals 

IMG_3322

Leave a Reply