The HT@MTC Performance Incubator Production Woven: Life in Notes and Steps Debuts at Harbison Theatre Jan. 17th
December 15, 2014
Saturday, January 14, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. ~
COLUMBIA, SC – Experience the beauty of live jazz matched with fluid,
contemporary movement when The HT@MTC Performance Incubator debuts Woven: Life in
Notes and Steps, composed by internationally-touring, locally-bred trumpeter Mark Rapp on
Saturday, January 14, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.
In this one-of-a-kind tapestry of jazz and modern dance, gifted jazz composer Rapp teams up
with professional choreographer Stephanie Wilkins to present Woven, developed exclusively as
part of The HT@MTC Performance Incubator. Woven melds choreography with improvisation,
taking the audience on a life voyage through universal human experiences, from passion to
despair; questioning to acceptance.
“Woven alludes to how everyone is connected in the giant web of life, like threads strung
together,” says Rapp. “Each piece; each melody is choreographed while the solos are
improvised by both dancers and instrumentalists – inspiring one another – creating an exciting,
organic and unique artistic presentation each time.”
During their professional careers in NYC, Rapp and Wilkins worked in the uppermost echelons
of the performing arts industry. In Woven, their collective experiences are conveyed through an
evening-length set of works featuring five jazz musicians and six modern dancers, portraying,
through notes and steps, how we are all connected – woven – together in this fabric of life.
“You should expect to be blown away by the caliber of talent in the Midlands,” says Katie Fox,
Executive Director of Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College. “Our composer and
choreographer have a combined two decades of professional experience in NYC and it shows
in the sophistication of their work.”
Rapp has performed sold-out shows for audiences in New Orleans, New York City and Europe,
playing in legendary venues such as The Blue Note and Joe’s Pub with top-tier musicians like
Branford Marsalis and Hootie and the Blowfish. In 2008, DownBeat Magazine listed Rapp on
their very short list of “Top emerging jazz trumpeters.” Rapp has since recorded 4 albums as a
lead musician, including his critically acclaimed debut Token Tales (2009), and has been
featured on various chart-topping jazz albums.
Wilkins, the choreographer for Woven, received her Masters of Fine Arts in Dance Performance
and Choreography from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in New York City, where she lived for
fourteen years. She has taught, choreographed and performed extensively in New York, San
Francisco and Brazil, and has worked with many notable choreographers in NYC, including Bill
T. Jones (as an apprentice), Bebe Miller and David Parsons. Wilkins has since returned to
Columbia, S.C. and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Dance and a choreographer for
the USC Dance Company at the University of South Carolina.
Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College | 7300 College Street, Irmo, SC 29063
(803) 407-5011 | [email protected] | HarbisonTheatre.org | @HarbisonTheatre
Woven will premier on Harbison Theatre’s stage as a part of The HT@MTC Performance
Incubator, with the creative team’s intention to tour the Southeast and beyond.
This project is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission, which received support
from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Ticketing Details
Woven is one of nine shows selected for Harbison Theatre’s 2014-2015 Signature Series.
Individual show tickets and The Flex Pass, offering a 10% discount with the purchase of 4 or
more tickets, can be purchased at www.HarbisonTheatre.org.
Buyers may also order tickets via phone at 803-407-5011, or in person at the Harbison Theatre
Box Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The box office also will open two hours
prior to each show in the Signature Series.
About Harbison Theatre
Rooted in the performing arts, Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College offers programs
and productions that encourage reflection, examination and discovery; and that provide
entertainment, education and opportunity to professionals, learners and community members in
all stages of life. To learn about upcoming events, purchase tickets, or pursue sponsorship and
volunteer opportunities with Harbison Theatre, please visit www.HarbisonTheatre.org.
Harbison Theatre on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarbisonTheatre
Harbison Theatre on Twitter: www.twitter.com/HarbisonTheatre
About Midlands Technical College
Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a comprehensive, two-year, public college serving
Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties of South Carolina. The fifth-largest higher education
provider in South Carolina and the largest provider of transfer students to four-year colleges and
universities in the state, MTC offers an excellent education at an excellent value. Serving
approximately 18,000 academic credit students and 15,000 Corporate and Continuing
Education students annually, MTC equips students with the tools they need to meet the
challenges and opportunities of the modern work world. Learn more at midlandstech.edu.
