Theatre Roscius

04/10/2025

Theatre Roscius is beyond grateful to the California Black Health Network and the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture for supporting and uplifting Black women's mental health.

This experimental free workshop will focus on connecting one to their body, calming the nervous system, and finding physical + mental relief from life's stressors, trapped trauma, anxiety, and things we carry in the body that are left unspoken.

RSVP at https://bhn.cablackhealthnetwork.org/event-6120924 Space is limited | We look forward to meeting you

10/11/2024

MEDEA REFRACTED

A Meditation
A Mental health investigation
A Physical Play on Women’s Mental Health
A Healing experiment using the Black Woman’s body as the primary vehicle.

BARYSHNIKOV ARTS OPEN STORY [Part 1]

By Jasmeene Francois

“Dear Black Girl in the Future,
I hope this letter finds you in better times. If not, I hope it serves as evidence and a reminder of passion, desire, and hope at work. I felt compelled to write this letter to you after my initial conversation with Constance. In our first connection, I asked her what brought her to this work, and I loved her mention of speaking to “the little Black girl 20 years from now”. This is a time capsule, and I hope this letter can be included. This letter is in response to Constance Strickland’s piece, Medea Refracted. Archives had been on my mind for a while, and my conversation with Constance struck me. I am writing this letter to whoever may find it in an archive digitally or elsewhere.”

https://baryshnikovarts.org/journal/constance-jaquay-strickland/

* photos by Maria Baranova

10/11/2024

To be in the idea of a new work. To live with an old work. To have time to discover the work. To continue through fear. To listen to what the work is saying. To be in collaboration. To have the right to change one’s mind. To jump into the unknown. To let go and hold on all at once.

Creative Team
Constance Jaquay Strickland—Lead Artist
Lydia Jialu Li (they/them)—Performer
Siera Williams (she/her)—Performer
Ambree Feaster (she/her)—Dramaturg
Alison Greene (she/her)—Rehearsal Assistant
Suvvi (they/them)—Cellist
Deborah Black, Tina Mitchell, & Jen Anaya——Rehersal Facilitators

BARYSHNIKOV ARTS OPEN STORY [Part 2]
Medea Refracted: Observations from the Edges
by Deborah Black

“I am highly influenced by and teach Mary Overlie’s Six Viewpoints, a technique of perceptual practice that encourages each artist to develop their own philosophy. Within this technique is a laboratory Mary called reification1. This laboratory holds the artist’s struggle to go out into the unknown and try to bring something back to an audience without knowing how. This idea uproots what many teachers and directors do when they offer you other people’s tools, tricks and tips in order to reify. Mary believed that artists needed to sit within and find their own way through the struggle. I witnessed Constance working in the reification laboratory, grappling in service to her vision. She sat in the deep end of the unknown (it isn’t comfortable) and figured out how to show what she found to the audience.

As a result, Constance’s work speaks volumes in a way that isn’t tangible and isn’t easy to explain. Medea Refracted was not a dance, was not theater, but was the answer to Constance’s questions and followed her urges and her philosophy. What follows are observations from my own experience in watching Medea Refracted.”

1 Overlie, Mary. Standing in Space: The Six Viewpoints Theory and Practice. 2016.

https://baryshnikovarts.org/journal/constance-jaquay-strickland/

02/26/2024

Theatre Roscius is an experimental theatre company that physically reflects the historical and current lives of women through visual arts and performance art. I’d love your support as we continue into our eleventh year making new and original work. As a small non-profit every tax deductible donation changes everything. Your support creates new space. Your support matters.

https://givebutter.com/nIq6I8?fbclid=IwAR3XFV8ac4KLzdNfRDMPJmBwii_rEHsZTksa4X0AR4UQT61gweXUBeFKrMU

02/09/2024

Contribute to the Future of Theatre Roscius as we continue to build and create new and original works in spaces throughout Los Angeles.

There is never a good time to reach out for help, but Theatre Rosicus understands that what has kept us active is the support from our community.

We have been fortunate to always find ways to continue but recognize the crucial need to preserve it. So, If you have any extra to give this year, please consider supporting our efforts to grow and plan our small non-profit experimental theatre company.

Thank you for your generosity wherever you offer it. We hope to see you at a Theatre Roscius offering during 2024.

Support 10 Years of Theatre Roscius and our 2024-2025 Season in creating Original and New Work

02/06/2024

What: A Physical & Financial Wellness Workshop & Community Exhibition honoring the Black women who are out in the fields fighting for Black Health Justice throughout Los Angeles County.

When: Saturday February 10th, 17th & 24th | 12:30-2:30pm

Where: The Curtis Tucker Health Center 123 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301

How: RSVP at [email protected] | Come thru on the day of is more than welcome!

Cost: Free

02/02/2024

Being a woman brings a wide variety of stressors. For Black women, these challenges are often compounded by racism, financial barriers, blockades, burdens, and sexism. Join us for a three-week workshop series that seeks to create a safe space that is supportive and uplifting that will center on the experiences of Black women and women of color.

The workshop intends to create an environment that allows women to come together to share, rewire, refuel, release, and most importantly rejoice in community together despite any weight, worries, or stressors we are holding/carrying in our bodies.

What: A Physical & Financial Wellness Workshop & Community Exhibition honoring the Black women who are out in the fields fighting for Black Health Justice throughout Los Angeles County.

When: Saturday February 10th, 17th & 24th | of 12:30-2:30pm

Where: The Curtis Tucker Health Center 123 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301

How: RSVP at [email protected] | Come thru on the day of is more than welcome!

Cost: Free

*We give thanks to , the Curtis Tucker Center for Community Wellness and the California Black Women’s Health Project for supporting this workshop. It means everything to us.

01/03/2024

This immense support from and District 3 County Supervisor is inspiring and vital to the arts sector. We’ve never let funding get in the way of making the work but it sure does allow for us to increase the number of women’s mental health stories we tell each year.

As an avant-garde, experimental, research theatre space / an idea; this support is a priceless relief.

All Theatre Roscius has ever wanted to do is create original physical works that magnify the stories of women who go unseen or without empathy in a multitude of ways.

As we learn to translate, transmit, communicate and share our work - the mission remains clear. We look forward to owning our voice, embracing new models, serving our community, and welcoming mistakes + growth along the way. There are not enough thank yous. These grants will be honored. The work will always be made with love. Thank you to our community who has continuously uplifted Theatre Roscius.

12/21/2023

Theatre Roscius's is honored to be a part of the California creative workforce in our own small way. We are proud to announce that our organization is a 2023 grantee!

California's state arts agency is supporting our work through their calartscouncil Organizational Grant.

Thank you for uplifting small, out the box arts organizations. It is honored and not taken lightly.

04/17/2023

Theatre Roscius expands on Medea Refracted
at The Getty Villa.

April 29th 3pm + 7pm & April 30th at 3pm

Tickets
https://lnkd.in/g7XXh4Hh

04/07/2023

To receive this via email from the Getty’s newsletter brought a few tears. Theatre Roscius is celebrating ten years this year. We do not take this lightly. To receive support as a small independent theatre company led by a Black woman is scarce. We honor this support.

Join us for Medea Refracted at The Getty Villa
April 29th 3pm + 7pm & April 30th at 3pm

TICKETS
https://www.getty.edu/museum/programs/performances/theater_lab.html

03/27/2023

The Countdown has arrived:

Theatre Roscius will be in residency at The Getty Villa for two weeks. The work has stayed alive by many hands. We invite you to see the culmination of nine years of work onstage for two nights only. It is a true gift on many levels and frequencies to share this work in a space that has a history of uplifting small theatre companies.

A Meditation
A Mental health investigation
A Physical Play on women’s mental health
A Mental health experiment using the Black Woman’s body as the primary vehicle.

April 29th, at 3pm & 7pm / April 30th, at 3pm

Tickets are available at the link.
https://lnkd.in/g7XXh4Hh


© Alison Saar. Courtesy of L.A. Louver, Venice, CA. Photograph by Jeff McLane.