Darkness flickers under hand-held lanterns. Chalk lines are drawn live across the stage as performers conjure a world from nothing. In Sugar Houses, Rosanna Gamson/World Wide (RGWW) offers a haunting and immersive reimagining of the Hansel and Gretel fairytale—stripped of sweetness and steeped in political resonance.
Presented by the Sierra Madre Playhouse, the work runs June 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced between $12 and $35.
Originally premiered at REDCAT in 2021, Sugar Houses draws on contemporary and historical traumas, including the rise of antisemitism and white supremacy, to explore themes of abandonment, survival, sibling rivalry and the human capacity for cruelty. The result is a multidisciplinary production that combines contemporary dance, original music and narrative text in a stark, minimalist frame.
“It’s up to the performers to be able to do anything, and to make the world out of nothing in the service of the work,” said Gamson.
That world is built using portable hand-held lights, hand-drawn chalk sets created in real time, and lanterns that spotlight both performers and story.
The cast includes Terry Wayne Jr. (Father), Clementine Gamson Levy (Mother), Kayla Gabrielle Aguila (Gretel), Brance William Souza (Hansel), DaveX (Little Bird), and Mallory Fabian (Witch).
The piece features a constructed language blending German, Yiddish, Turkish and other tongues—developed in collaboration with linguist and co-writer Brian Evenson. The script incorporates text adapted from historical documents, the Brothers Grimm and poet Anne Sexton. Music is composed by Tomasz Krzyżanowski, with vocal coaching by Fahad Siadat and sound design by Dylan Marx.
Production design is led by Tony Shayne, with costumes by Lilia Lopez. Megan Fowler-Hurst created the production’s “Starry Night” sequence, and the dramaturgy is by Mona Heinze. Script consultation is also credited to Evenson. The Stage Manager is Réchard François.
The production is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project with major funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Performances are also supported in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture.
Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Phone: (626) 355-4318. Website: www.
