On a cool and foggy Saturday evening, May 17, 2025, I saw the premier of “In Search of an Exit” at the historic Sierra Madre Playhouse. This beautiful 99 seat venue opened as a movie house in 1924. Now, 100 years later Executive & Artistic Director Matthew Cook has brought diverse theatrical productions to the stage including the newly added dance series, Dance @ the Playhouse. On this night, Director/Choreographers Steven Atwater and Thomas Ford brought three intriguing new choreographic “Acts” to this intimate space.
“InItsWake” by Steven Atwater and Thomas Ford – Photo by Rose Eichenbaum.
First up was Act I: “Mayday.” James Brown’s “Living in America” started the proceedings off with a bang. Energetic and funky, it was accompanied by a series of words on a blank screen culminating in “Beneath the anthem a silence no one wants to name.” Evolving from this into an ominous sound-music-scape also by Atwater and Ford, four dancers enter, three of whom are dressed in baggy black sweats with strange “alien gas masks” covering their faces. The fourth dancer is the lanky Xavier Williams dressed in a long black tunic slit up the sides, perfect for enhancing his languorous movement. The underpinnings of this piece is the idea of “otherness” which is embodied by both Williams and the creatures that surround him at set intervals. Williams is a beautiful dancer, mesmerizing to watch as he moves like silk from transition to transition, reaching, dropping, extending and posing kinetically all in search of himself. While the point of the “aliens” is clear they seem superfluous here as the solo work by Williams needs no help from these creatures. The music/scape which interestingly includes snippets of dialogue from “Rear Window” the 1954 Hitchcock film, brings us along as we follow Williams in this search. Making the most of the small stage the choreography is layered and absorbing. If the choreographers intend to develop this piece with the “aliens” they need more specific and focused choreography to fully embrace the message.
“In Search of an Exit” – “Hopeless” – Photo courtesy of Steps on Broadway.
Morphing into a new space and time continuum, dancer, Tyler Chang, (they/them) entombed in an exaggerated bridal veil enters in somnambulant fashion. Attended by two bridesmaids Chang collapses to the floor lying in the abundance of white tulle while the maids’ fuss about. This is an arresting image, one that symbolically makes clear the identity conundrum Chang faces. When the maids leave taking the waterfall of cloth with them Chang is alone with their thoughts. Chang is a well-trained and sensitive dancer who fully inhabits this character. Ranging from pliant and soft to edgy and hard, the choreography runs the gamut of expressive contemporary movement. Once again Ford and Atwater use the space well, giving full expression to both sides of human nature and the tumult in between.
“InItsWake” by Steven Atwater and Thomas Forfd – Photo by Rose Eichenbaum.
Act II, “Babylon,” begins with a vibing club atmosphere. Dancers freestyle to “Kilter” by Dark Sky until it is clear that a flirtation between dancer Enzy-J’var Martin and Tyler Chang is heating up. Ala “Romeo and Juliet” the club dancers disappear into the mist and Chang and Martin embark on a dance of seduction. The music morphs into “Fluorescence” by Spacetime Continuum. Both these dancers are appealing and Martin especially oozes charm making it easy to understand the mutual attraction. This in many ways, is a straight forward dance for two with partnering and lifts and though we root for them, their actual connection seems to get lost in awkward moments. Here, the choreography feels stilted and effortful for both dancers, especially Martin as he does not have the fluency of movement needed and the chemistry gets lost with his effort to fulfill the choreography. Like something we’ve seen before, this piece was missing an original flair, something Atwater and Ford are more than capable of providing.
“InItsWake” by Steven Atwater and Thomas Ford – Photo by Rose Eichenbaum.
The nights finale, Act III, “Breach/Solace” was a breath of fresh air. Beginning in silence Sophia Oddi, moves in solitude embodying a Graham style of angles and reaches using her long limbs to their full extent. Soon she is joined by the magnetic Ryann Simone who brings her own relaxed sexy style to the stage. When the Afro-Cuban Rhythm “Acid” by Ray Barretto, kicks in, we feel the joy the infectious music evokes. By adding Xavier Williams and Enzy-J’var Martin to the mix the small stage feels full as the four dancers trade movement, dance in unison or in ever evolving groups. Staying with the spirit of the music Atwater and Ford kept the free flow of Afro-Cuban style within the contemporary movement making for an exciting blend. All dressed in red tops and long red skirts slit to the hip, the dancers seemed to be having a very good time and we did too.
Thomas Ford and Steven Atwater – Photo courtesy of Steven Atwater and Thomas Ford.
Sound Editing, projection design and costumes are all by director, choreographers, Steven Atwater and Thomas Ford. This team is smart in knowing what their dancers are capable of and in using this knowledge to present work that supports their message while presenting the dancers at their best.
Thanks to Matthew Cook and the Sierra Madre Playhouse for adding dance to their ongoing series of theatrical works. Come enjoy a show and the beautiful little town of Sierra Madre.
For more information about Dance @ the Playhouse and full season at the Sierra Madre Playhouse, please visit their website.
Written by Tam Warner for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: “InItsWake” by Steven Atwater and Thomas Ford – Photo by Rose Eichenbaum.
