ASU Gammage BEYOND announces 2016-2017 season

ASU Gammage BEYOND has announced its 2016-2017 performance season, including five different performances with topics that cover PTSD, the environment and race in America, time passage, why we go to school and the power of love and loving.

The BEYOND performance series brings world-class artists into the community who immerse themselves by not only presenting evocative and compelling work, but also by connecting to local residents through engaging cultural participation programs. 

For most shows, ticket holders will also be invited to a post-performance after-party with the artists.

“This special access to artists is something many patrons won’t experience anywhere else throughout an entire series,” said Michael Reed, ASU Gammage senior director of Programming and Organizational Initiatives. “Through BEYOND, our audiences have experienced hundreds of unique community and educational interactions as well as remarkable performances by some of the greatest dance, music and theater artists of our time.”

Tickets are on sale now, available at ticketmaster.com and asugammage.com

• General admission: $20

• ASU faculty and staff: $15

• Students and military: $10

ASU Gammage BEYOND 2016-2017 season:

"Speed Killed My Cousin" 
7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15, ASU Gammage

The Carpetbag Theatre brings us the acclaimed production of "Speed Killed My Cousin," a moving story of a young, African-American woman veteran of the Iraq War and her struggle with "Moral Injury," Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) and Military Sexual Trauma (MST). A third generation soldier, the central character courts death by vehicular suicide. "Speed" explores multiple issues related to war, including the history and otherness of African Americans in the military and the experiences of women in combat. Memories and flashbacks unfold before her, and in her rear-view mirror, as she drives. Ultimately she must decide whether to let go of the wheel or to choose life.

The Carpetbag Theatre tells our human story with courage and unfailing integrity. Telling deeply moving stories of communities of color for over two decades has been the calling card of this award winning theater gem from Tennessee. We are very proud to host Carpetbag Theater for their Arizona debut and powerful depiction of issues faced by our deployed military personnel.

"Agua Furiosa / Contra Tiempo"
7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, ASU Gammage

"Aqua Furiosa" Los Angeles-based "Contra Tiempo's" newest evening length dance/theater work, is a burst of energy, passion and physical expression that draws audiences in to confront realities of race in our country. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Oya, the Afro-Cuban deity of wind and storms, artistic director and choreographer Ana Maria Alvarez, harnesses her unique Urban-Latin movement approach to create a visually stunning and thought provoking evening of dance performance. "Aqua Furiosa" merges call and response, a live vocalist, water themes, fierce physicality and the performers’ own personal narratives. Audiences will walk away from "Aqua Furiosa" impacted, entertained and inspired to join the complex and transforming conversation of race in America.

Ana Maria Alverez and the artists of "Contra Tiemop" are a breath of fresh air on the international dance scene, integrating vibrant expression of Latina/o culture, the complexities of contemporary America and passionate, nuanced dance artistry in a signature language all their own.

"Aging Magician" / Rinde Rinde Eckert Paola Prestini
7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, ASU Galvin Playhouse

"Aging Magician" is a new music-theatre work, a composite of sonic and visual elements that paints an allegory on time, youth, and the peculiar magic of ordinary life, and, perhaps, the ordinary magic of a peculiar life. Accompanied by a string quartet and a choir of young people, "Aging Magician" moves us along with Harold, from the surgical repair of a timepiece to the magic show of time itself, lives and deaths, appearances and disappearances. The man’s vibrant last adventure is brought to life by a team of multidisciplinary artists who combine music, theatre, puppetry, instrument making and scenic design to create an enduring work for the stage. This work features vocalist Rinde Eckert, a musical set by Mark Stewart and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus and string quartet.

Rarely do artists of Rinde Eckert, Paola Prestini and director Julian Crouch’s caliber and imaginations collaborate. The result in "Aging Magician" is a richly layered, surreal and transporting multi media musical meditation on life and the passing of time not to be missed.

"It's So Learning" / The Berseker Residents
7 p.m., Saturday, March 4, 2017, ASU Gammage

"It's So Learning" is the seventh show from the comedic trio, The Berserker Residents. The show will push and pull you down a crazy, twisting, hilarious and terrifying path of self-reflection that asks the question, “Why do we go to school?” In "It's So Learning," you’ll be handed a backpack full of the supplies you need to survive inside the classroom; you’ll be hauled through the quizzes, grades, bullies, praises, graded again and hopefully you’ll graduate. Don’t be tardy as a faculty of eccentrics is taking attendance. Prepare for anything in this interactive classroom experience.

If off the beaten path is where you like to go and ironic, brilliant and just plain wacky humor is your thing, The Berserker Residents are a can’t miss experience. "It's So Learning" will take you on a hilarious, awkward and insightful trip through the familiar absurdities called adolescence and public school.

"Dearest Home" / Kyle Abraham / Abraham.In.Motion
7 p.m., Saturday, April 1, 2017, ASU Gammage

MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship awardee, choreographer and dance artist Kyle Abraham comes to ASU Gammage for the first time with "Dearest Home" (working title), an interactive dance focused on Love and Loving.  Abraham’s beautiful, visceral, and unique signature choreography is alive and well in this moving and lush set of mostly solos and duets generated in conversation and collaboration with people of many ages and subcultures. "Dearest Home" interweaves movement, in its most vulnerable or intimate state with an interest in cross-cultural conversation and community action to create an open dialogue on how different demographics view and converse on topics rooted in love and the absence of love.

Kyle Abraham is simply one of the most compelling artists creating dance works today. His rare gift lies in the ability to be completely relevant, exciting and moving through the language of dance ... a movement poet, a visceral social commentator ... for any audience. He is changing the idea of what dance performance is and can be for people from all walks of life.