The Apple and the Pearl

Unfolding like a fairy tale, this enchanting fantasy from Kechacha (To Catch a Moon) plays out over a single day in the life of a dance company devoted to performing an otherworldly ballet. No one knows the origins of the show. The Grub, the train on which the company lives, travels from town to town, and upon the company’s arrival in a new place, their theater building, The Grit, manifests as well. Once pledged to the company—for one year and one day—dancers become beholden to the show, and reneging on a pledge can have dire consequences depending on the will of the Crow, the deity to which they all answer. The narrative jumps between members of the company, exploring their relationships with both each other and the show itself, their motivations for joining the odd and dangerous endeavor, and their intentions for the future. Kechacha weaves these individual strands into a glimmering, dreamlike whole, darkened by nightmares that lurk in the wings. Fans of traditional stories of the Fae won’t want to miss this. (Feb.)