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Hit the Lights! Co.'s "Isla"

Three sisters escape from their island and embark on a journey to redefine the meaning of home. Inspired by the family history of company member Samantha Blain, "Isla" investigates the harsh realities of political refugees, the love of family, Cuban mythology, and the spirit of sisterhood.

Mixing shadow puppetry, poetry, an original live score, and recorded audio interviews of the original sisters, "Isla" blends magical realism and documentary theater to explore the experiences of being torn from one's home and the journey to create another.

Immediately following the matinee performance of "Isla", join HTL! Co-Artistic Directors Samantha, Casey, Claron, and Mikayla along with panelists from Portland's immigrant and artist communities for a discussion of the themes explored in the production moderated by Kifah Abdulla.

Saturday, August 24 at 2:00 PM (doors at 1:30 PM) & 7:00 PM (Doors 6:30 PM), approximately 60 minutes

Tickets are available for $15 in advance, $18 at the door, and $22 for preferred seating (pay-what-you-can available)

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Hit the Lights! Co. is an ensemble born from an artistic agreement to create and perform stories through collaborative non-hierarchy. They follow the motto, "Less Talk, More Rock," in the creative, administrative, and producing processes. This culminates in work that is often:

· Hyper-theatrical: Where performers multitask onstage in real time to create the technical, musical, and narrative components of a story simultaneously.

· Hand-made: Shows are meticulously built by the performers themselves, often including shadow puppets, direct manipulation puppetry, vintage overhead projectors, flashlights, original live music, and immersive techniques.

· Dialogue-light: Believing that motion, color, sound, and atmosphere are more evocative and experiential than spoken text, a heavy emphasis is placed on dialogue-less, action-oriented storytelling.

Consequently, this allows the work to connect with audience members of varying theatrical experiences and physical abilities. All HTL! shows are accessible, offering audio descriptions, ASL, and other elements that help bring the work to life.

The core HTL! company is comprised of four multidisciplinary artists who write, perform, puppet, direct and produce the work as a collective.

Maine Humanities Council Grant Supported

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PAY WHAT YOU CAN

No one will be turned away from MSA events for lack of funds; please contact us at 207-879-4629 or [email protected] for information on our pay-what-you-can admission policy.

ACCESSIBILITY

All performances and most other events held at Mayo Street Arts are wheelchair accessible. If you would benefit from additional information or accommodations, we invite you to contact us at [email protected] or 207-879-4629.

EVENT PARKING

Parking is available on the street. Top of the Old Port Parking is about a 6 minute walk away if you'd prefer.

SEATING POLICY

We will save your reserved seat until showtime, at which point any unclaimed seats may be offered to other people. Please call 207-879-4629 if you are running late.

CANCELATION POLICY

MSA has a no refund policy for all reservations. In the event that MSA is forced to cancel an event due to weather, illness, etc., refunds will be offered via the Ticket Tailor platform.

2:00 PM & 7:00 PM