‘Funny’ and ‘Brutal’ Coming of Age Story by barebones productions Taps Into Feminine Rage
Our Dead Drug Lord opens on June 12 at the Barebones Black Box in Braddock.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BAREBONES PRODUCTIONS
A Pittsburgh theater company known for its bold, stripped-down storytelling is packing a punch with the second Pittsburgh premiere of its 23rd season.
The company, barebones productions, will perform Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, written by Alexis Scheer and directed by Dana Michelle Griffith, June 12-28 at the Barebones Black Box in Braddock. The play follows four teenage outcasts who build a shrine to and summon Pablo Escobar high up in a backyard tree house. The production company describes it as “a ferocious, darkly funny play about power, friendship and what happens when girls stop asking permission.”
Patrick Jordan, barebones productions artistic director, says that this season’s deep-dive works aim to have the audience feeling “strong and connected” when they leave the black box.
“This play is a wild ride but, at its core, it reminds us all what it means to be human as we navigate our personal growth and friendships and relationships in a culture embedded in the ‘cult of personality’,” Jordan says. “Yes, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord is a coming-of-age story and it’s funny and it’s brutal at times, but at its core it taps into feminist rage and body autonomy and reclamation.”
Tickets for Our Dear Dead Drug Lord are available now. Folks are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance, as they often sell out.
As part of its ongoing commitment to accessibility, barebones is continuing its “pay what you can” ticket option for the first Thursday performance. Throughout the run, barebones will also collaborate with local nonprofits and topic-area experts to host special fundraising events and post-show talkbacks. For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Our Dear Dead Drug Lord stars Carnegie Mellon students Aurora Martinez (Kit) and Ava Benson (Squeeze); recent Boston University’s graduate Lila Grace English (Zoom); and Point Park sophomore Gianna Gutierrez (Pipe). It is directed by “Pittsburgh’s own star of stage and screen,” Dana Michelle Griffith. The production team includes Clare Durr (Stage Manager), Tony Ferrieri (set design), Andrew Ostrowski (lighting design), Andrew Michel (sound design), Eric Papineau (production manager) and Rikkilee Rose (props manager).
