Our Work
Our Action
Statement
We are a group of interdisciplinary artists focused on elevating the art of oral storytelling. Collaboration with Dandelion Theatre is fluid* and we strive to achieve a diverse and intersectional artistic community.
Dandelion Theatre’s primary goal is to create immersive artistic experiences with oral storytelling being the foundational element of all of our creation. To us, immersive means utilizing our collective skill-sets to create shows that engage all five senses in their full execution. That way the work is not only physically immersive but also comprehensive and encapsulating of our communal environment.
Given that oral storytelling takes many forms in and of itself, our goal is to boil down any production to its most basic element: the word, and then work up from there. Our shows are theatrical by nature, but they are not always explicitly “theatre”. The purpose of storytelling is to provoke a specific emotional response and we want to utilize every tool in our arsenal to achieve that goal.
* Dandelion Theatre was founded in 2020 by Max Ackerman, Joshua Sidlofsky, Emily Doucette, Ness DeVos, and Patricia Pham
Our
Mandate
COMMUNITY
To promote growth, understanding, and compassion through oral storytelling traditions that have the capacity to breach across any border, societal, and geographic.
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Communicating with compassion
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Share traditions of oral storytelling
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Community is not limited in geography
EDUCATION
To foster a new age of informed and well-rounded theatre makers and artists on the technical and artistic intricacies of our medium.
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Learning from one another
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Instilling a strong base for quality and care
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Team building and personal responsibility
FOOD
To advocate for a cleaner planet and healthier communities through headlining the impact of community sponsored agriculture and local growers alike.
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Supporting local growers
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In food are knowledge and power
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Where there is food, there is community
How We Do It
SOCIAL
To cultivate a holistic theatre experience through
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Education on the history, tradition, and practice of theatre for young people in our wider community.
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Inviting audiences to share stories over food as part of our commitment to the cooperative aspect of storytelling.
SCALE
Nothing is too big or too small. Nothing is too short or too long. Nothing is too radical. Our goal is to take something as big as the cosmos itself and make it presentable for a live audience.
SOUND
Scoring is an integral part of our theatrical process. We emphasize highlighting local musicians’ as a standalone piece of art as well as an addition to the overall experience.
SETTING
We recognize that not only the place itself but also the process of getting there is all part of the story. Shows are not stagnant and must have agility, mobility, and accessibility.
STORY
Traditions of oral storytelling are universal and so we assert our commitment to telling a diverse array of stories to be reflective of our community. As part of that commitment, all first readings will be free and open to live audiences so that they may participate in our process from its very inception.
