Culture
Spooky Action Theatre's "The Oldest Boy." Photo courtesy of spookyaction.org
Spooky Action Theater Director Elizabeth Dinkova Is Electrifying D.C. Audiences
August 31, 2023 @ 10:00am
Meet Elizabeth Dinkova, the new artistic director of Spooky Action Theater, who is drawn to work that’s both visceral and “explicitly theatrical.” Read on to find out why.
“Is it life changing?” is the first question Elizabeth Dinkova, artistic director of Spooky Action Theater, asks when considering the production of a play. She loves fun, comedy and satire, but “if it doesn’t feel like it could rip your soul out so you can recognize yourself in a whole new way, I’ve not interested,” she says.
We caught up with Dinkova to talk experimental theater, her passion for global community and what sets D.C.’s theatre scene apart.
What excites you most about making theatre in D.C.?
I’ve always been interested in how power and class reverberate through everything we do, including art. Being at the center of those things in D.C., there’s a real possibility to influence people who are in positions of power. We have so many resources and experts in different disciplines at our fingertips. There are also opportunities to collaborate with organizations who pursue humanitarianism and justice.
Why Spooky Action, one of the city’s more experimental theaters?
I’ve realized I don’t care for realistic things so much. I’m only drawn to work that is explicitly theatrical. Visceral. Enlivening. Electrifying. The best experiences I’ve had in theatre have been in really small, intimate spaces where you commune with everybody around you, with the performers’ and artists’ voices reverberating through the work. Spooky Action is interested in challenging and transforming audience perspectives. We also have a history of collaborations with international writers.
Why is that important to you?
As an immigrant from Bulgaria, I’m always looking for a sense of global community, variety and intersectionality. It is really important for international artists to work in D.C. We need to make sure that we don’t get mired down in hyper-American concerns and forget everything else that goes on in the world.
How does this bridging of the international and the intimate look to an audience?
There’s a lot we take for granted when the performance meets the audience, and we shouldn’t. We are always creating a unique audience relationship. The performance is so much better when you recognize that and actively ask who is in the space and what the invitation to engage with the work is.
Spooky Action’s 2023-2024 season begins with the unconventional Brazilian love story “Agreste,” directed by Danilo Gambini, from October 25 to November 19. Dinkova will also direct a yet-to-be-announced spring show. Learn more at spookyaction.org. Follow the company on Instagram @spookyactiondc.
