POPPEA
March 2025
DUPONT UNDERGROUND | BALTIMORE THEATRE PROJECT | ST MARKS CAPITOL HILL
Stage and Musical Direction by Timothy Nelson
Choreography by Hari Krisnan
With new music composed by Ami Dang and Rajna Swaminathan
Design by Deb Sivigny, Kathryn Kawecki, Paul Callahan
The final part of IN Series’ Monteverdi trilogy, Poppea brings the composer’s most famous and audacious final opera of love, power, sex, and betrayal to life inspired by the performance tradition of South India, and specifically Bharatanatyam dance. This landmark production, running March 14-30 at Dupont Underground, St. Mark’s Capitol Hill and Baltimore Theatre Project, is of one of opera’s undisputed masterpieces. IN Series’ production will be a collaboration with Indo-American choreographer Hari Krishnan, whose work brilliantly combines the aesthetics of this traditional dance form with contemporary movement and questions of gender norms, and will feature original dance music composed by sitar player Ami Dang, and mridangam percussionist Rajna Swaminathan. The work will be directed and conducted by IN Series Artistic Director Timothy Nelson and feature a cast of local favorites and international artists known for their interpretations of opera of the Baroque. The INnovātiō Orchestra, IN Series’ own period baroque band, will blend music of South India in an evening of whirling passion, music, poetry, and dance. Opening night will be a celebration of the Indian festival of Holi.
supported in part by GENEROUS GIFTS FROM
Michael Burke, Jamie Craft, Joe Drach and Janet Farrell, Nicole Alfandre Halbreiner, Sophie Haroutunian-Gordon, Sven Kraemer & Carla Hübner, Linda Lowery, Carl Spatz & Thomas Hesselbrack
CAST
Caitlin Wood - Poppea
Daniel Moody - Ottone
Aryssa Leigh Burrs - Nerone
Peter Walker - Seneca
Maribeth Diggle - Ottavia
Allan Palacios Chan - Lucano
Dawna Rae-Warren - Drusilla
Rob McGinness - The Nurse
Elijah McCormack - Love
Judy Yannini - Damigella
Hunter Shaner - Arnalta
DATES
DUPONT UNDERGROUND
March 14 at 7:30pm - Board Night Reception to Follow*
March 15 at 7:30pm
March 16 at 2:30pm - Talk-back to Follow
*Opening night guests are encouraged to wear all white to this performance. Coinciding with the Festival of Holi, a celebration of color and love, patrons can delight in being covered in showers of colored light activating this unique DC space and bringing our opening night after-party to life.
BALTIMORE THEATRE PROJECT
March 21 at 7:30pm - Reception to Follow
March 22 at 7:30pm
March 23 at 2:30pm - Talk back to Follow
ST MARKS CAPITOL HILL
March 28 at 7:30pm
March 29 at 2:30pm
