WAPP is at it again. After taking home the 2005 Kevin Kline Award for Best Original Play, WAPP has devised DITTO, another exciting original play with music that shines on stage. Throw away all your expectations for what you think theatre should be. Join this brilliant ensemble for a live show at the ArtLoft Theatre. It is a new show examining family ties, twins, astrology, and choices that can change the universe. DITTO will be an evening of theatre you will not forget. Don’t bother traveling to Edinburgh’s famed Fringe Festival to get your fix. You can experience summer fringe theatre right here on Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis. The ArtLoft Theatre will be hosting this exciting world premiere theatrical happening inspired by the electric energy of the 60s experimental groups like Café La Mama, The Open Theatre, The Living Theatre, and current experimental groups like P.S.122.

DITTO is a beautifully orchestrated journey into the fallout of a mistake made by one god and a mortal woman. It often pokes fun at brotherhood and the relationships we all take for granted. Hilarious at times, and never afraid to tug on the heartstrings, this journey into the pain of loss and the joy of connection we experience throughout our quests in life and death, will leave you wanting more. Larry and Terry Love are the featured performers and have been writing material for this show their whole lives. Todd Schaefer takes on the role of director and editor, while Chris Petersen takes on the challenge of orchestrating all the music. Together, their talents for attaining on-the-mark performances, engaging characters and dynamic stage presence take this polished work of fresh and unexpected adventures to a new level. They will be joined on stage by the very talented Mo Monahan, who was last scene as a featured player in WAPP’s previous devised work MoMents. WAPP is pleased to welcome to the ArtLoft stage the talented workings of Jim Kimker, the dynamic Emily Piro, and the vocal stylings of the one-and-only Monica Robinson.   

DITTO is a show that explores why we choose to cross the boundaries that life has set up for us, and how we accept the path fate has established when we realize we can’t go back. So many times in life we are driven by passion. What happens when passion overrides common-sense? This devised work came about when the Love twins approached Todd Schaefer the artistic director of WAPP with the prospect of producing a show that would highlight their story of being twins. Planning the show began last December with part of the ensemble in place. The script was finalized after countless submissions, edits and rewrites.  Like the past two original plays devised by a WAPP ensemble, DITTO will not disappoint the fans. It is fast paced fun with lots of twists. “The last devised work we did was such a joy to create, the ArtLoft is a great location for this type of show, and the audiences seemed to really have fun with them!” says ensemble member Mo Monahan. The success of WAPP’s last two original shows, and an acknowledgment from the Kevin Kline Awards opens up the possibilities for WAPP to continue devising this type of theatre here in St. Louis. It also opens up the possibilities for other companies to do so as well. “We now know what we we’re getting into with this type of project…throwing talented artists into a collaborative creative process where they bring their personal story to the table always makes for unique and exciting art that everyone tends to identify with on some level”, says director and editor Todd Schaefer. WAPP hopes that this project brings about more original work and a better understanding of the diversity that exists in this art form.

 The Washington Avenue Players Project (WAPP) is St. Louis’s most exciting urban theatre project, a professional theatre company using non-equity performing and technical talent from all over the St. Louis metro region in a collaborative urban theater experience. WAPP gives local performers a chance to take control of projects, to explore their talents and shine in ways they never have before, the kind of opportunity that is essential in a well rounded theatre community, both for the development and expression of local talent and also for the full exploration of good theatre by local audiences.

 WAPP’s world premiere presentation of DITTO runs at the ArtLoft, 1529 Washington Ave. every Thurs., Fri. and Sat. August 9^th  through August 18^th at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 (cash or check), can be purchased at the door, or by calling MetroTix at 314-534-1111. All programs are subject to change.