Jamie...another side of Dean
| Open: 04/19/07 Close: 05/26/07
"Jamie...another side of Dean" takes place in Katherine Dunham's dance studio on the one-year anniversary of James Dean's death, September 30, 1956. On that still evening, Jamie, as he was known to his former dance teacher Eartha Kitt, reappears to her. Eartha guides him through the seven major events of his short life. Jamie revisits the devastating death of his beloved mother, his strained relationship with his father and ultimately the car crash that took him from this world. Jamie's odyssey moves from California's tranquil beaches through Indiana's tribal farms and cemeteries into the neon lit streets and spot lit theatres of New York City with a brief layover in an angel-less Hollywood before a return to the marbled family cemetery in Indiana for his eternal sleep. Along the way, Jamie's quest is constantly interrupted by The Guy and The Girl, archetypal characters who tempt Jamie with their attachment to the physical world. Each has that special something that he or she yearns to show him. Will Jamie be finally freed from fulfilling the earthly desires and dreams of others and himself? Will he move on and find everlasting peace?
This new play portrays the Dante-esque journey for love, truth, and faith of the American icon James Dean. This six character one-act surrealistic drama powerfully blends elements of the Quaker faith, in which Dean was raised; African dance; and Brechtian constructs into a dreamlike theatrical experience.