Falling in love again with "The Wasteland

Come see T.S Eliot’s ‘“The Wasteland.” The poem comes to life through Eliot’s descriptive and narrative poetry that blends together dance, theatre, music and video imagery into a visceral theatre experience. Eliot wrote the poem shortly after WWI after witnessing the destruction of Europe and with the hope of uniting humanity and illuminating the beauty of life amongst change.  

I first fell in love with the poem while studying at Roosevelt University in a poetry and philosophy class.  After graduating graduated school, I wanted to work on a performance project that was in the style of “tanztheatre,” but Chicago did not have many companies at that time who did this style of work.  So, in 2001 the project of adapting the poem began. 

Many who attended said that they had never seen such a performance in such a unique style.  The Chicago Tribune wrote, “Adler gently joins artistic forces, even to the point of making the exposed-brick walls of the space speak with a wizened sense of melancholy. When the shadows of the four ensemble members unobtrusively get superimposed on, say an image of a dead tree facing a treacherous sea…conveys in a tactile, aesthetically gorgeous way, the mystical power of fragmented moments weaving through our minds.”

This performance of “The Wasteland” started Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble.  A year later, in 2002, we incorporated and that same year, a full length performance and tour of “The Wasteland” took to the stage.

Over the last 13 years, I have created over nine original works, on top of working with over 3,000 kids a year but “The Wasteland” was always calling me to come back.  

Maybe it has something to do with first love or beginners luck.  After this season, I will be taking a year long artistic sabbatical to focus on a few other projects and to let a some other amazing artists direct work for the company.  Including the other artists who are directing and performing in “Still Small Voices” and “Dance + Activism,” which are also apart of the night. 

With that being said, I hope you can come and see “The Wasteland” and if you saw the first time, fall in love with it again, like I have. 


Fridays & Saturdays     8p.m.
April 4,5,11,12,18,19         
Location: Ebenezer Lutheran Church  
1650 W. Foster @Paulina
Tickets for both shows: $15 Advance, $20 door   (available at brownpaperticket.com)
For more info: 773-486-8261     www.danztheatre.org

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