The Voire Dire Project is the signature production of Cosmic Orchid, and this first cycle punctuates our inaugural season. It is an integrative project where four theatrical teams (playwright, actors and director) each develop a one-act play inspired by a separate work of visual art. It culminates in a 4 week production of those plays with a corresponding exhibition of the art that influenced them.
The Hoodie Play launched Cosmic Orchid with a rotating ten show run. We introduced the company and its mission, to both audience and Artists. It was a wonderful opportunity to assess the impact of Integrative Theatre. With 20 Theatre Artists and 4 Visual Artists participating in Voire Dire, it is quite an industrious project and not an easy task to accomplish – even just in scheduling and acquiring available space.
We made a conscious effort to keep production expenses low so we could allocate 40% of our budget to Artists’ fees. Because of the scale of Voire Dire, the allocation for Artist’s fees actually represents 60% of the entire budget. We opt for humble venues and stage with minimal production values. We want the work to speak for itself. We want our Artists to feel fulfilled and empowered.
We are excited about the response we have received from both artists and audience. In concert with our mission statement, we invited the Hoodie audience to a private submission process for participation in The Voire Dire Project. An announcement about the artists will be soon be made!
