Annual event presents innovative works from emerging playwrights, including a unique take on the historical dancing plague
By Cami Yates
Lack of potatoes. Bubonic plague. Major agriculture collapse and corrupt leadership. This is 16th century France, and everything is horrible! When there is little to no faith left, what else can a person do but to give in to what the body wants, which is some sort of glimmer of hope? Slowly, a group of potato farmers breaks out into a dancing plague, unable to stop their feet from moving as their lives collapse around them. These are the choreomaniacs, and this is their only semblance of freedom. Unfortunately, people can dance for only so long before succumbing to their demise.
Choreomaniac 1518, written by Malena Pennycook, a third-year M.F.A. in Theatre (playwriting) candidate, was one of two plays fully produced and presented in the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre for the UT New Theatre (UTNT). Created in 2007, UTNT is an annual festival that presents newly developed works from third-year playwrights in the M.F.A. in Playwriting program of the Department Theatre and Dance and Michener Center for Writers. Produced by Artistic Director Alexandra Bassiakou Shaw, the 2023/2024 UTNT lineup contained two readings and two fully staged performances.
The showcase exists as an incubator for new work, with many plays evolving into professional productions across the country. UTNT founder, playwright and former Professor Steven Dietz shares, “Tomorrow’s plays are at UTNT today. UTNT is known as the launching pad to award-winning and widely produced new work for the American stage.”
The genesis of Choreomaniac 1518 lies in a historical anomaly, the Strasbourg dancing plague of 1518, during which 400 people danced themselves into a trance-like state of oblivion amid the backdrop of societal turmoil. Pennycook, with a fervent curiosity sparked by a Wikipedia dive into historical manias, found herself captivated by this enigmatic event and its resonance with contemporary upheavals.
“It felt so relevant, like with COVID, the plague of it all,” Pennycook said, reflecting on the parallels between past and present. As COVID-19 restrictions began to lift in New York City, she found solace and catharsis in the pulsating energy of the club scene, a stark departure from her usual environment.
“Dealing with all the grief without having to talk about it felt extremely cathartic,” Pennycook said, highlighting the profound connection between personal experience and artistic expression.
Navigating through the creative process, Pennycook’s journey intertwines with the collaborative ethos of theatre and dance. The cast includes an ensemble from both disciplines, something not always seen on stage as part of UTNT. From the initial musings in lecturer Jenn Kidwell’s class to the rehearsals with director Caley Chase, Pennycook’s involvement permeates every facet of the production.
“It’s really a new play festival, so it’s kind of playwright-centered, which is great and unique,” Pennycook said, underscoring the symbiotic relationship between playwright and ensemble.
Pennycook harbors hope of Choreomaniac 1518 finding its wings beyond UTNT, envisioning a future when its narrative resonates with audiences far and wide.