{"id":381503,"date":"2025-10-19T20:49:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T00:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/?p=381503"},"modified":"2025-10-20T10:30:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T14:30:19","slug":"hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/","title":{"rendered":"Hypnotic and ethereal ‘Vesper, a Dream Play’ at The Voxel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are some shows that invite you to sit back and watch, and then there are shows like Vesper, a Dream Play<\/em> \u2014 the kind that pull you inside and don\u2019t let you go until long after the lights come up. This ethereal experience, now playing at The Voxel in Baltimore, was conceived and directed by Jarod Hanson<\/strong>. Vesper<\/em> is less a traditional play and more of an experiment. It\u2019s a journey through dreams and rituals, through sound and shadow, through the kind of mystery that theater can still conjure when it dares to let go of the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The evening begins quietly, almost reverently. The house goes dark, and before a single word is spoken, the air seems to hum. There\u2019s a stillness \u2014 the kind that makes you lean forward. When the cast finally appears, they don\u2019t \u201center\u201d so much as emerge, like figures rising from fog or memory. From the start, you can tell this isn\u2019t a story to follow; it\u2019s something to feel.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Ally Ibach in \u2018Vesper, a Dream, a Dream Play.’ Photo by Chris Ashworth.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Vesper<\/em> unfolds through a series of images and movements rather than a straightforward plot. I liken it to abstract art. There are moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal. The performers move like a single, breathing organism, their bodies tracing shapes that feel ancient \u2014 part ritual, part dream. Sometimes they\u2019re caught in a flicker of light; other times, swallowed by shadow. It\u2019s hypnotic to watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lighting and sound design are major players here. And it was a job well done by John McAfee<\/strong> and Jason Charney<\/strong>. The lights ripple and pulse like moonlight through trees, while the soundscape \u2014 a mix of live music, whispers, and ambient tones \u2014 fills the room like another presence. You don\u2019t just see<\/em> this show; you feel it vibrating through the air. The technical artistry has been elevated \u2014 each element layered so carefully that the boundaries between performance and environment seem to disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program describes Vesper<\/em> as \u201ca surrealistic exploration of humanity\u2019s relationship to the night and the rituals we invoke to heal, find peace, and ward off danger.\u201d That description fits, but the experience is even deeper. It\u2019s about the ways we search for meaning in darkness \u2014 both literally and emotionally. There\u2019s a recurring sense of reaching, of trying to touch something just beyond understanding. The performers express it through gestures, through stillness, through moments when the entire ensemble breathes in unison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What struck me most was the freedom the show gives its audience. There\u2019s no single way to interpret it \u2014 no \u201cright\u201d way to watch. You can let your imagination fill in the blanks, find your own story inside the fragments. At times, I didn\u2019t fully understand what was happening, and I loved that. It felt like a dream you wake up from, remembering only pieces, but those pieces still move you.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
TOP LEFT: Molly Margulies (photo: Chris Ashworth); TOP RIGHT: Matthew Williams and Luu Pham (photo: Chris Ashworth); ABOVE LEFT: Luu Pham (photo: Chris Ashworth); ABOVE RIGHT: Alix Fenhagen, Hailey Withrow, Parker Matthews, Matthew Williams, Luu Pham, Ally Ibach, Molly Margulies, and Chelsea Thaler (photo: Kiirstn Pagan), in \u2018Vesper, a Dream, a Dream Play.\u2019<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Of course, Vesper<\/em> won\u2019t be for everyone. Those who prefer clear narratives and tidy resolutions might find it confusing or even frustrating. It asks a lot of you. Patience, openness, and a willingness to surrender. But for those who crave something different, something immersive and alive, it\u2019s a rare gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few moments I can\u2019t shake: a silhouette bathed in deep blue light, a slow-motion sequence that felt suspended in time, and a final image that left the entire room silent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a city that\u2019s becoming known for its bold and experimental theater, Vesper<\/em> stands out as something special \u2014 a reminder that the stage can still surprise us, still transport us. It\u2019s a piece that doesn\u2019t try to explain itself; it simply invites you to step into the dark and see what you find.Vesper, a Dream Play<\/em> is beautiful, strange, and haunting \u2014 a 75-minute dive into the unconscious. It\u2019s not a story you watch; it\u2019s a feeling you carry with you. I left The Voxel that night still hearing echoes of its soundscape, still seeing flickers of its light. And maybe that\u2019s the point \u2014 to leave us all a little haunted, a little awakened, and a little more willing to dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running Time: About 75 minutes with no intermission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vesper, a Dream Play<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>plays through November 2, 2025, at The Voxel, located at 9 West 25th Street, Baltimore, MD. Tickets ($10 to $100) can be purchased online<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vesper, a Dream Play<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CREATED AND PERFORMED BY
Alix Fenhagen
Luu Pham
Ally Ibach
Chelsea Thaler
Molly Margulies
Hailey Withrow
Parker Mathews
Matthew Williams<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Jarod Hanson
Associate director: Brandice Thompson
Stage Manager: Olivia Dibble
Production Manager: Aran Keating
Sound, Music, and Multimedia Designer: Jason Charney
Lighting Designer: John McAfee
Set & Properties Designer: Joe Martin
Costume Designer: Rowan Gardner
Asst. Stage Manager: Zack Anderson
Understudy: Meghan Ziccardi
Vocal Coach: Britt Olsen: Ecker
Artist Advocate: Katie Hileman
Producers: Jarod Hanson, The Acme Corporation, Aran Keating<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The moving experience unfolds through moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal. By CONSTANCE BEULAH<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":381957,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[588,18],"tags":[95509],"class_list":{"0":"post-381503","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-baltimore","8":"category-reviews","9":"tag-jarod-hanson"},"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nHypnotic and ethereal 'Vesper, a Dream Play' at The Voxel - DC Theater Arts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The moving experience unfolds through moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hypnotic and ethereal 'Vesper, a Dream Play' at The Voxel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The moving experience unfolds through moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"DC Theater Arts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-20T00:49:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-20T14:30:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Constance Beulah\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Constance Beulah\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/\",\"name\":\"Hypnotic and ethereal 'Vesper, a Dream Play' at The Voxel - DC Theater Arts\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-20T00:49:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-20T14:30:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#\/schema\/person\/798ab90efa6db3cfcbc55ac5cbab3fae\"},\"description\":\"The moving experience unfolds through moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":1200,\"caption\":\"Ally Ibach in \u2018Vesper, a Dream, a Dream Play.' Photo by Chris Ashworth.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hypnotic and ethereal ‘Vesper, a Dream Play’ at The Voxel\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/\",\"name\":\"DC Theater Arts\",\"description\":\"Washington, DC's most comprehensive source of performing arts coverage.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#\/schema\/person\/798ab90efa6db3cfcbc55ac5cbab3fae\",\"name\":\"Constance Beulah\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cropped-Constance-Beulah-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cropped-Constance-Beulah-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Constance Beulah\"},\"description\":\"As a Baltimore-based poet and belly dancer, I am no stranger to creative moments expressed as art thru various forms and media. I have enjoyed being a witness to others\u2019 dreams, tragedies, hopes, and desires. As I continue along this journey, I look forward to being able to lend my voice in a way that brings about a progressive and forward change.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/author\/constance-beulah\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hypnotic and ethereal 'Vesper, a Dream Play' at The Voxel - DC Theater Arts","description":"The moving experience unfolds through moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hypnotic and ethereal 'Vesper, a Dream Play' at The Voxel","og_description":"The moving experience unfolds through moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal.","og_url":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/","og_site_name":"DC Theater Arts","article_published_time":"2025-10-20T00:49:10+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-20T14:30:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":1200,"url":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Constance Beulah","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Constance Beulah","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/","url":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/","name":"Hypnotic and ethereal 'Vesper, a Dream Play' at The Voxel - DC Theater Arts","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg","datePublished":"2025-10-20T00:49:10+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-20T14:30:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#\/schema\/person\/798ab90efa6db3cfcbc55ac5cbab3fae"},"description":"The moving experience unfolds through moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Vesper-Northlight-CA-1600x1200-1.jpeg","width":1600,"height":1200,"caption":"Ally Ibach in \u2018Vesper, a Dream, a Dream Play.' Photo by Chris Ashworth."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2025\/10\/19\/hypnotic-and-ethereal-vesper-a-dream-play-at-the-voxel\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hypnotic and ethereal ‘Vesper, a Dream Play’ at The Voxel"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/","name":"DC Theater Arts","description":"Washington, DC's most comprehensive source of performing arts coverage.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#\/schema\/person\/798ab90efa6db3cfcbc55ac5cbab3fae","name":"Constance Beulah","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cropped-Constance-Beulah-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cropped-Constance-Beulah-96x96.jpg","caption":"Constance Beulah"},"description":"As a Baltimore-based poet and belly dancer, I am no stranger to creative moments expressed as art thru various forms and media. I have enjoyed being a witness to others\u2019 dreams, tragedies, hopes, and desires. As I continue along this journey, I look forward to being able to lend my voice in a way that brings about a progressive and forward change.","url":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/author\/constance-beulah\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=381503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381503\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/381957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=381503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=381503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=381503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}