wild conspiracy
The year is 2121.
Honeybees are now extinct.
Now the only hives are the ones that humans have built for themselves.
It’s not the next revolution – it’s the one after.
102 years into the future, cities have sealed themselves under holographic domes to protect themselves from the inhospitable climate. Yet, when the robo-bee population begins to die off like their honeymaking ancestors, the fate of this new society rests upon the fading memories of the last living beekeeper, a (former?) revolutionary who goes by the name Queen B.
Directed by Harry Waters Jr., given life by a mulit-talented ensemble, and buzzing with the sonic imagination of Dameun Strange, QUEEN B is a new outdoor play dripping with honeybee futurism.
Queen B: A New Work of Honeybee Futurism trailer
Photos and video by Maxwell Collyard
For Captions, please follow link to YouTube.
Production History and Touring
Queen B: A New Work of Honeybee Futurism premiered August 23-25th on Dahkóta land at Tamales y Bicicletas Urban Farm in the Phillips neighborhood of South Minneapolis. It was directed by Elle Thoni with live performance by composer Dameun Strange. Stage Management by Sea Thomas.
Originating cast:
Queen B: Lelis Brito
Kleo: Qamar Yochanan
Mel: Estefanía Sedarski
C.I. Superior: Scotty Reynolds
Hive Ensemble: Rickey Morisseau, Or Levinson
Set design by the pollinators and community gardeners/stewards of Tamales y Bicicletas, prop design by Mary Jo Nikoli and Remus Huber, and costume design by Linda Slater Thoni.
In 2021, Queen B swarmed to farms and green spaces across Southern Minnesota in partnership with Franconia Sculpture Park (Shafter, MN - Anishinaabe land), DreamAcres Farm (Wycoff, MN - Dahkóta land), Squash Blossom Farm (Oronoco, MN), and The Lake Street Truth Collective (Minneapolis, MN - Dahkóta land). See left column for creative team and link to show notes.
2021 Creative Hive
Written by Elle Thoni, Music by Dameun Strange
Directed by Harry Waters Jr.
Assistant Direction by Katie Burgess
Music Direction by Carlisle Evans Peck
Stage Management by Asher Edes
Featuring the talents of:
Lelis Brito, Tor Chavarria, Andi Cheney, Chasya Hill, Or Levinson, Esther Ouray, Ricky Morisseau, Erika Thorne
with live music performed by Carlisle Evans Peck and Willow Waters
Graphic design by Bryce Burton @strangelyrabideyes
Created on and with Dahkóta land in Minneapolis, MN.
Interested in bringing Queen B to your outdoor space?
Click here for Queen B 2021 program
Contact us here or at wildconspiracy@gmail.com
For book inquiries, please email Elle at elle.thoni@gmail.com
6-10 roles, any gender
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the MN State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
