- The New York Times
- The New York Times
- The New York Times
THE UNDERTAKING
Written and Directed By: Steve Cosson
Creative Collaborator and Psychopomp: Jessica Mitrani
Whatever the path of our lives may be, we all know that somehow, at some time, it ends. Most noteworthy the finitude of life and the mystery of what happens after death lie at the heart of the great archetypal stories.Even more The hero’s journey to the world of the dead and their eventual return with a transformed understanding of life.
In The Undertaking, a single interview evolves into an unexpectedly personal dialogue. So two actors embark on their own playful and idiosyncratic trip to the other side. The mercurial actors also play multiple characters drawn from the project’s investigation. A near-death experiencer, a prominent philosopher, and a cancer patient on a psilocybin trip among others. Along the way, they find humor, terror, and a surprising test of friendship. Made from interviews and recorded conversations, The Undertaking takes the Civilians’ signature form of investigative theater and propels it into the company’s most personal work.
October 2016- Paris
Starring: Irene Lucio and Dan Domingues
Written and directed by Steve Cosson
Creative Collaborator and Psychopomp: Jessica Mitrani
Set and Costume Design: Marsha Ginsberg†
Lighting Design: Thomas Dunn†
Sound Design: Mikhail Fiksel†
Projection Design: Tal Yarden†
Producer: Jane Jung
Assistant Set and Costume Designer: Blake Palmer
*appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association
†member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829
Janurary 2018- New York
Starring: Aysan Celik and Dan Domingues
Written and directed by Steve Cosson
Creative Collaborator and Psychopomp: Jessica Mitrani
Set and Costume Design: Marsha Ginsberg†
Lighting Design: Thomas Dunn†
Sound Design: Mikhail Fiksel†
Projection Design: Tal Yarden†
Stage Manager: Geoff Boronda*
Assistant Stage Manager: Rachael Gass*
Production Manager: Ron Nilson
Producer: Margaret Moll
Assistant Set and Costume Designer: Blake Palmer
Sound Design Associate: Lee Kinney
Dramaturgy: Jocelyn Clarke and Jacey Erwin
Interviews conducted by Steve Cosson, Jessica Mitrani, and Leonie Ettinger.
*appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association
†member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829
OnStage at Connecticut College in Palmer Auditorium – Saturday, September 17, 2016.
World premiere at the 2016 BAM Next Wave Festival – September 21 – 25, 2016
Duke Performances at Duke University, Durham, NC in the Sheafer Lab Theater – September 29, 2016 – October 1, 2016.
Théâtre de la Ville, Paris, France – October 5 – 8, 2016.
59E59 Theatre, New York City -January 2018
Time Out – Theater & Dance
The New Yorker – The Undertaking
The New York Times – What’s New in NYC Theater
The New York Times – 59E59 Theater’s New Season
Theater Mania – The Undertaking
France Culture – New York En Live, Le Point Aur La Scene Americaine