Love and lust are the ultimate Hallmark emotions, right? According to Bento Bonchev, they’re saccharine marketing gimmicks designed to sell flowers and candy to those gullible enough to believe. But Bento’s world is turned upside down when an astounding discovery forces him to rethink his dogma. Set in the not-so-distant future where love is thought to be a myth, this Russian absurdist satire offers a truly novel take on an age-old question of the heart. 

“Bizarre, intriguing and endlessly original.” — Examiner.com

Born in Ethiopia, raised in Brooklyn and rooted in San Francisco, Meklit Hadero’s uniquely eclectic sound, a joyful blend of jazz, hip-hop, folk, indie rock and more, is imbued with poetry and a haunting grace. A proudly collaborative musical in-betweener, Meklit celebrates the newness of life and the hyphens that bring us together. As a cultural activist, this TED senior fellow and co-founder of the Nile Project (presented at The Clarice in 2015), breathes a fresh, urgent and worldly spirit into jazz.

UMWO musicians explore musical images of darkness and color through the works of contemporary composers. Les Couleurs Fauves (“Vivid Colors”) is a product of Karel Husa’s fascination with brilliant colors in music, nature and art while Rochberg’s Black Sounds is a dark score, originally written as film music for an erotic murder mystery. Kukla’s Folksongs for Winds includes traditional tunes from around the world. UMD faculty member Lee Hinkle also joins UMWO for a performance of the rarely-heard Steven Stucky Percussion Concerto.

MFA Dance candidates Colette Krogol and Matt Reeves present their thesis work in a joint concert that exhibits the overlap between Krogol’s exploration of her Cuban-American heritage and Reeve’s examination of origin myths and metaphors of darkness. The two choreographers present a unified performance — enhanced by interactive multimedia design elements — that explores the themes of waiting, transitions and transformations over time, juxtapositions of old and new and the possibilities of partnering and lifting.

When Annie and Peter decide to adopt, they set their sights on a child from Africa. But just how much of Africa are they willing to bring into their home? Long-buried secrets surface, surprising new tensions with old friends arise, and their marriage is put to the test — all in the face of one startling choice. With keen acumen, this portrait of cultural divide casts global issues into the heart of an American home.

“A thoughtful and engrossing new play.” — The New York Times