June 27, 2019 606 PM
MARFA – The Marfa-based theatre outfit Dresden Collective is hosting an open rehearsal of “Mayhem and Other Delights” on Sunday, June 30 at the Hotel Paisano ballroom.
This ticketed event features signature cocktails and a silent auction to raise funds to perform five shows at the 2019 Capital Fringe Festival in Washington D.C. in July.
Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $10 with a valid college ID. Doors open at 4pm and the Mayhem starts around 4:30pm.
“The show is Riot GRRRL meets Artificial Intelligence meets Kundalini,” said Hope Lafferty, playwright and artistic director of Dresden Collective, “and I encourage the audience to draw their own Venn diagrams.” Short plays include “4 A.M. Feeding,” an early morning reckoning of a childless couple, “Mountain,” a suburban exploration of meditation, and “Busking for Naloxone,” which is exactly what it sounds like.
Community involvement factors heavily into this event. “We so could not pull this off without Vicki Barge and Chase Myers at the Hotel Paisano,” said Lafferty. “Vicki hooked me into Molly Cummings at a DC-based gin maker, and Molly was on board before I finished remarking on the coincidence of the DC-Big Bend connection.”
The signature cocktails feature District Distillery gin products, made with juniper berries harvested in the Davis Mountains. Dresden Collective’s resident mixologist Jason Roman created three tasty concoctions: the Dresden, the Sucker Punch, and the Gabrielle Rule, named after one of Dresden Collective’s founding members.
“I listened to Andy Schneider’s soundtrack to create the drinks,” said Roman, one of the senior staff at Jett’s, “and the first track gave me one idea. Then the music went all over the place. This show is going to be full of surprises.”
The silent auction includes a wide variety of items—a staycation package in Terlingua, a High Desert Facial from Mira Marfa, original artwork and jewelry from local artists, an eight-gallon Shop-Vac courtesy of Marfa Hardware, and much more. “The OG of Dresden Collective will autograph the Shop-Vac,” said Lafferty, “because none of us play guitar.”
To donate an item to support the fundraising effort, contact Lafferty at hope@marfatheatreincubator.com.
“I have been overwhelmed by the response to this event,” said Lafferty, “It seems to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Plus, the most fun part of this is our opening act.”
Cheer Marfa, the Junior High and Varsity Shorthorn cheerleading squads, kicks off the show. They are raising funds to attend cheer camp this summer, so Lafferty encourages audience members to “have a few extra bucks in their pocket” to support the squad. “They’re a fun group and will really help amp up the excitement. Plan to show them some love.”
Advance tickets are on sale at marfatheatreincubator.com/tickets.
“Mayhem and Other Delights” comprises short works written by Lafferty with music performed and composed by Marfa musician Andy Schneider. Dresden Collective includes Theseus Francis, Gabrielle Rule, Jonathan “JB” Fields, and Michael B. Amerson. Mayhem welcomes guest artists Jenny Hatch and Nick Bustillos. This show contains adult content and situations.
