Preadolescents: straddlers of a chasm of constant contrasts. Considered “too old” to still be treated like kids yet “too young” to be treated like anything else. Expected to “be themselves” in the face of peer pressure while still figuring out who “themselves” be. Yes, “kids” young and old have cringed, cackled, and clapped in unison over the highs and lows of maneuvering the maze of middle school for generations. But never before quite like this…
Middle school students banter back and forth in class… and have their quips reviewed in real-time by their publicists? Kids engage in the kinds of hi-jinks expected of their age… then reflect on their own motivations with a post-pandemic mental health vocabulary thought to be beyond their age? Viral TikTok dances become the cause of… a zombie apocalypse?
Welcome to the world of… Midiculous.
Preadolescents straddle a chasm of constant contrasts. While many books, shows, and movies have been written about the preadolescent experience, maneuvering the middle school maze has never been captured like it will be in this new offering from Drew Anderson and Dwayne Lawson-Brown, who will engage with D.C. students and invite them into the development of MIDICULOUS, where they will see their own words and ideas brought to life on stage. Building on the success of similarly developed plays at Keegan (PUSH THE BUTTON, FROM GUMBO TO MUMBO), this world premiere will be written for, with, and about middle-school aged students about the issues that concern their lives.
Keegan Theatre will bring 400 D.C. middle school students to attend staged reading performances of MIDICULOUS. As part of the complete field trip experience, students will participate in four in-school pre- and post-workshops, exploring the intersection between creative writing and theater, with the playwrights working directly with the students to create the content of the show. Through this experience, students will develop skills in improv, sketch comedy, creative writing, and performance, and engage in important conversations about issues concerning them in their everyday lives and the world at large.
A science teacher turned teaching artist, poet/parodist turned playwright, and marathon runner turned motivational speaker, DREW ANDERSON is founder and co-host of Spit Dat (the longest-running open mic in the nation’s capital) and co-creator of the critically-acclaimed stage productions Push The Button and From Gumbo to Mumbo (nominated for the 2020 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Production – Theatre for Young Audiences, winner of “Best Of” at the 2019 Charm City Fringe Festival). A nationally-credentialed teaching artist and DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellow, Drew has merged his passions for entertainment and education into such arts integration initiatives as Spoof School and C.R.U.N.K. Academy, bringing his unique spin on hip hop, comedy, parody, drama and poetry to stages virtual and physical, local and international.
Previous shows include: Keegan Theatre: Push the Button (co-writer, music director), From Gumbo to Mumbo (co-writer, performer); THEARC/Woolly Mammoth Theatre: Spit Dat: Homegrown (co-writer, performer); Motor House: Fools and Madmen Present Hip Hop Much Ado About Nothing (Don Pedro), Fools and Madmen Present Hip Hop King Lear (Edmund).
DWAYNE LAWSON-BROWN, aka the Crochet Kingpin, is co-host of Spit Dat, the longest running open mic in Washington, D.C. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., they have performed and hosted at The Kennedy Center, Woolly Mammoth, Keegan Theatre, The Strathmore, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and others. In addition to various poetic accomplishments, Dwayne is a Helen Hayes-nominated playwright, competitive karaoke champion, and CEO of Crochet Kingpin Designs.
Previous shows include: Keegan Theatre: Push the Button (co-writer), From Gumbo to Mumbo (co-writer, performer); World Music Collective at Keegan Theatre: Dear Mr. Duncan (co-writer, performer); THEARC/Woolly Mammoth Theatre: Spit Dat: Homegrown (co-writer, performer).