The Illusion

By Tony Kushner
Adapted from Pierre Corneille
Directed by Jenny McConnell
June 6 – July 5, 2001

Tony Kushner’s strange and irreverent adaptation of Pierre Corneille’s 17th century Comedy unfolds a complex and mysterious tale about making magic in rough spaces.

“If, a few blocks from the Mount Vernon Square Metro stop, you see some disoriented folk, maybe a little dressed-up, wandering into Blagden Alley, just strides away from the vacant lot with the discarded mattresses, perhaps you can guide them to the cave of Alcandre the magician. Alcandre conjured the cave out of the Signal 66 gallery, a livery-stable-turned-warehouse-turned-art-space.”
— Washington City Paper

“It’s not hard to find talent among the more than 80 theater companies in Washington. But brilliance — that rare confluence of perfect design, direction and performance — that’s something else again… The Rorschach Theatre achieves it with The Illusion, Tony Kushner’s adaptation of the Pierre Corneille classic. It’s sharp and sexy, brilliantly played by a strong ensemble cast, smartly directed and crafty in its design — and all the more exciting because it is not performed in a theater.

Artistic Directors Randy Baker and Jenny McConnell have dedicated Rorschach to performing in “found” space — striving for an “uncommon use” of environment to create new worlds. The Illusion is an inspired work — proof that limited resources do not stymie great talents, any more than big budgets can squeeze works of genius from mediocre minds.”
–Washington Post

PRODUCED BY Randy Baker and Jenny McConnell

FEATURING Mike Glenn, Tim Marone, Scott McCormick, Rahaleh Nassri, Jason Stiles, Jesse Terrill, Yasmin Tuazon, Grady Weatherford.
DESIGNED BY Eileen Daly (set), Marianne Meadows (lights), Josh Rogisin (sound), Deb Sivigny (costumes).

Performed at Signal 66 in Blagden Alley