Grape Culture. Written by Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner. Produced by Mike Blaha of Fringe Management and Lee Costello.
One of the reasons theatre has survived for more than 2,000 years is the fact that this artistic expression reflects society in all of its beauty and ugliness. In Grape Culture, performers Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner take the audience out of their comfort zone to explore the struggles of coping with rape in a society that stills puts the blame on the victims.
From sexual remarks to a little girl to harassment in the workplace, this play conveys the uncomfortable situations faced by many women as a result of society’s objectification and ownership of the female body. In some instances, the non-consensual ownership of the body is exercised in medical settings, like when sedated women are used to practice gynecological procedures by medical students.
The stage serves as a platform to emphasize the fact that women own their bodies, and only them can use and manage them as they please. Whether is sex or medical procedures, the woman should be in control to avoid sexual abuse, even in relationships with sexual partners. The key is consent.
Even though the show presents the traumas generated by rape, one positive element is finding the way to heal. For Nagy and Buckner, this can be achieved by somatics and sharing the experiences with the audience to break the cycle of complicit silence. Grape Culture is an effort to dig deep and find the root cause of the toxic attitudes that promote and celebrate abuse.
One of the messages that comes across is that when women expose their bodies, it is not a permit to use them for exploitation, it might be just a way to regain ownership and the narrative about their bodies and womanhood.
For this radical, funny, and entertaining show, Nagy and Buckner use tap, modern dance, film, comedy, and storytelling to represent the challenges of being a woman and the opportunities to heal and find peace. The material might be uneasy for some, but shows like this one present an opportunity to start a meaningful and empathetic conversation.
Grape Culture
Broadwater (Second Stage)
6320 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Dates:
Monday June 17 2024, 6:30 PM
Friday June 21 2024, 9:00 PM
Wednesday June 26 2024, 9:30 PM
Saturday June 29 2024, 5:00 PM
Sunday June 30 2024, 12:30 PM
Tickets: hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10853
Written and performed by Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner. Produced by Mike Blaha of Fringe Management and Lee Costello.
