THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECTS
photo Håkan Larson/
dancer Yvan Azuley
Original full evening length productions created on nationally and internationally critically acclaimed performing artists over the age of 45.
"…moments are the glue that often hold together Corning's dance theater works and raise them to high art. No one in the region does this better and with such consistency."
Steve Sucato, ARTS AIR
THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT, is an award-winning series birthed in 2000, in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Theatre de la Jeune Lune, where it played to sold-out houses through 2003. The series was then re-launched in 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where it has engaged over 50 nationally, & internationally renowned seasoned performers and collaborators, who have rarely, if ever, performed in Pittsburgh.
"I can’t think of another artist who is so intrepidly and bravely
taking on the subject of aging and offering audiences the
opportunity to linger a while …" Wendy Aron, Pittsburgh Tattler
To date, Corning has created 27 original full-evening length productions as part of this unique series, Each have included such esteemed performers & collaborators as:
Charlotte Adams, Chris Aiken, Arthur Aviles, Yvan Azuley, Michael Blake, Felice Begley, Janis Brenner, Danny Buraczeski, Donald Byrd, John Carson, Maria Cheng, Martha Clarke, Dave Covey, Kay Cummings, Jackie Dempsey, David Dorfman, Michele de la Reza, Susana di Palma, Simone Ferro, Evan Fisk, Francoise Fournier, John Giffin, Jacob Goodman, Jens Graff, John Gresh, Mary Harding, Marina Harris, Jillian Hollis, Yoav Kaddar, Linda Kelsey, Nathan Keepers, Russ King (aka Miss Richfield 1981), Li Chaio-Ping, Janet Lilly, Victoria Marks, Paula Mann, Bonnie Mathis, Catherine Meredith, Jezebel d’Opulence, Claire Porter, Michael Robins, Sally Rousse, Alberto (Tito) del Saz, Dominique Serrand, James Sewell, Jane Shockley, Peter Sparling, J.D. Steele, Max Stone, Endalyn Taylor, Tamar Rachelle Tolentino, Dionysios Tsaftaridis, Laurie Van Wieren, Cathy Young.
“THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT is more than just a project, it is a philosophy. Not just a single stand-alone piece but also a continued work in progress — like aging itself. Being “put out to pasture” is an inherent risk in the life cycle of a performing artist. However, these performing artists engaged in the PROJECT, are in their prime, where experience and wisdom have taken root and the most compelling artistry is yet to be discovered.” — Beth Corning
THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR TOURING.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
"…moments are the glue that often hold together Corning's dance theater works and raise them to high art. No one in the region does this better and with such consistency."
Steve Sucato, ARTS AIR
THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT, is an award-winning series birthed in 2000, in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Theatre de la Jeune Lune, where it played to sold-out houses through 2003. The series was then re-launched in 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where it has engaged over 50 nationally, & internationally renowned seasoned performers and collaborators, who have rarely, if ever, performed in Pittsburgh.
"I can’t think of another artist who is so intrepidly and bravely
taking on the subject of aging and offering audiences the
opportunity to linger a while …" Wendy Aron, Pittsburgh Tattler
To date, Corning has created 27 original full-evening length productions as part of this unique series, Each have included such esteemed performers & collaborators as:
Charlotte Adams, Chris Aiken, Arthur Aviles, Yvan Azuley, Michael Blake, Felice Begley, Janis Brenner, Danny Buraczeski, Donald Byrd, John Carson, Maria Cheng, Martha Clarke, Dave Covey, Kay Cummings, Jackie Dempsey, David Dorfman, Michele de la Reza, Susana di Palma, Simone Ferro, Evan Fisk, Francoise Fournier, John Giffin, Jacob Goodman, Jens Graff, John Gresh, Mary Harding, Marina Harris, Jillian Hollis, Yoav Kaddar, Linda Kelsey, Nathan Keepers, Russ King (aka Miss Richfield 1981), Li Chaio-Ping, Janet Lilly, Victoria Marks, Paula Mann, Bonnie Mathis, Catherine Meredith, Jezebel d’Opulence, Claire Porter, Michael Robins, Sally Rousse, Alberto (Tito) del Saz, Dominique Serrand, James Sewell, Jane Shockley, Peter Sparling, J.D. Steele, Max Stone, Endalyn Taylor, Tamar Rachelle Tolentino, Dionysios Tsaftaridis, Laurie Van Wieren, Cathy Young.
“THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT is more than just a project, it is a philosophy. Not just a single stand-alone piece but also a continued work in progress — like aging itself. Being “put out to pasture” is an inherent risk in the life cycle of a performing artist. However, these performing artists engaged in the PROJECT, are in their prime, where experience and wisdom have taken root and the most compelling artistry is yet to be discovered.” — Beth Corning
THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR TOURING.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
photo: Frank Walsh c2024
|
This production will be CORNINGWORKS 27th in this award-winning series.
2024 what did you think you just heard me say?! |
choreography by BETH CORNING
additional choreography victoria marks
set design by stephanie mayer staley
lighting design by iain court
performed by beth corning, evan fisk, claire porter, alberto del saz
addressing our ever-growing challenge of interpersonal (mis)communication, CORNINGWORKS returned to City Theatre’s LILLIE THEATRE with a multi-disciplinary dancetheater work strategically created for intimately-sized audiences of 50 — up close & very personal.
Is EVERYTHING we hear just interpretations sifted through our personal sieves of experience, culture, gender, language? In which case are we only hearing what we want to hear?
Is it possible to get beyond our immediate knee-jerk reactions and REALLY listen to what is being said?
In a world that is continually growing in ways to communicate – via texts and IMs, zooms and chats, Instagram and TikTok – we are literally saturated. Yet in the meantime, we have stopped listening.
Employing theatrical visuals with humor, visceral & poignant choreography, a seasoned group of performers cruise, crash, & glide through all the emotional nooks & crannies of human (mis)communication…
“Wait, that’s not what I said!”
“Well ... that’s what I heard!”
REVIEWS
" I have come to look forward to choreographer Beth Corning’s next curiosity, that is, what aspect of the world she will question, deconstruct and ultimately expose to her audiences. Yes, Corning has a constantly probing mind, so delicious to those who like to dive into the maze of mysteries that her brand of dance and theater affords. She reminds us of what we are missing when perspective and history inhabit a performance. — Jane Vranish DANCE CURRENT/ ON STAGE PITTSBURGH
"Conversation through dance might seem like a tall order. Then again, as Corningworks’ points out, conversation with words isn’t too easy, either...our inability to truly communicate amid a flood of constant connection is put on display — sometimes with wit, sometimes with despair, always with intrigue...the lightly interactive show is intimate and immediate, ... It will likely leave you with plenty to consider" — Sean Collier PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
"CORNINGWORKS most recent dance performance will undoubtedly communicate something different to each person who sees it...the question of how we pass along what we think we’ve understood – recurs throughout the hour-long performance, which movingly meditates both on how the meaning of something can shift as it travels between different bodies and minds, as well as on our failures to connect not only through verbal communication but also through body language...The four performers each bring their own unique quality of movement to the piece, all four perform with a lovely understated affect which invites you to bring your own thoughts, feelings, and context to bear on what you see and hear ..."
— Wendy Arons THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
what did you think you just heard me say?! is made possible in part with support from: CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, PA Council on the Arts, The Pittsburgh Foundation, The SPACE UPSTAIRS & Nancey Rosenswieg & Dan Arshack.
additional choreography victoria marks
set design by stephanie mayer staley
lighting design by iain court
performed by beth corning, evan fisk, claire porter, alberto del saz
addressing our ever-growing challenge of interpersonal (mis)communication, CORNINGWORKS returned to City Theatre’s LILLIE THEATRE with a multi-disciplinary dancetheater work strategically created for intimately-sized audiences of 50 — up close & very personal.
Is EVERYTHING we hear just interpretations sifted through our personal sieves of experience, culture, gender, language? In which case are we only hearing what we want to hear?
Is it possible to get beyond our immediate knee-jerk reactions and REALLY listen to what is being said?
In a world that is continually growing in ways to communicate – via texts and IMs, zooms and chats, Instagram and TikTok – we are literally saturated. Yet in the meantime, we have stopped listening.
Employing theatrical visuals with humor, visceral & poignant choreography, a seasoned group of performers cruise, crash, & glide through all the emotional nooks & crannies of human (mis)communication…
“Wait, that’s not what I said!”
“Well ... that’s what I heard!”
REVIEWS
" I have come to look forward to choreographer Beth Corning’s next curiosity, that is, what aspect of the world she will question, deconstruct and ultimately expose to her audiences. Yes, Corning has a constantly probing mind, so delicious to those who like to dive into the maze of mysteries that her brand of dance and theater affords. She reminds us of what we are missing when perspective and history inhabit a performance. — Jane Vranish DANCE CURRENT/ ON STAGE PITTSBURGH
"Conversation through dance might seem like a tall order. Then again, as Corningworks’ points out, conversation with words isn’t too easy, either...our inability to truly communicate amid a flood of constant connection is put on display — sometimes with wit, sometimes with despair, always with intrigue...the lightly interactive show is intimate and immediate, ... It will likely leave you with plenty to consider" — Sean Collier PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
"CORNINGWORKS most recent dance performance will undoubtedly communicate something different to each person who sees it...the question of how we pass along what we think we’ve understood – recurs throughout the hour-long performance, which movingly meditates both on how the meaning of something can shift as it travels between different bodies and minds, as well as on our failures to connect not only through verbal communication but also through body language...The four performers each bring their own unique quality of movement to the piece, all four perform with a lovely understated affect which invites you to bring your own thoughts, feelings, and context to bear on what you see and hear ..."
— Wendy Arons THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
what did you think you just heard me say?! is made possible in part with support from: CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, PA Council on the Arts, The Pittsburgh Foundation, The SPACE UPSTAIRS & Nancey Rosenswieg & Dan Arshack.
photo: Frank Walsh c.2023
2023
the fisherman, the butterfly, eve & her lover — a parable
choreography by beth corning
dramaturge by nathan keepers
set design by stephanie mayer staley
lighting design by iain court
projection design by joe spinogatti
performed by Beth Corning, Evan Fisk, Jillian Hollis, Nathan Keepers
an experiential, visceral, multi-disciplined, dancetheater production, created for intimately-sized audiences of 50 specifically for CITY THEATRE’s intimately-sized LILLIE THEATRE. Sitting nearly on the stage proffers a reminder to the audience that they are not just spectators,
but part of this performance world.
Considering the extraordinary scope of climate change and its unraveling around the globe, how much do our little, individual, personal, efforts REALLY matter? Do they make ANY difference at all? And if we choose not to make changes, are we just burying our heads in the sand? What will our world literally look like in the future?
"Water, water, everywhere...Nor any drop to drink" (RIMES OF AN ANCIENT MARINER)
REVIEWS
"Corning is the most politically astute choreographer working in the local dance field today... dark humor of our current water crisis in parable ... a real tightrope and this remarkable cast and crew negotiated it with expert aplomb ... one of Corning’s smartest and funniest takes on one of the most serious issues of our complicated times...I loved the vein of vulnerability amid the wry humor of this tantalizing cast."— Jane Vranish DANCE CURRENT
"Corning‘s the fisherman, the Butterfly, eve and her lover- A PARABLE tells the story of where we are, delivered pointedly, warts and garbage, sand, and solitude. As all good Corningworks do, it leaves one THINKING...There are subtle clues about what we’ve seen, heard, felt, and breathed. We realize what is missing as the dust flies up from the sand, and we watch, mesmerized as time passes. We watch the storytellers continue to challenge us with the intertwining of their characters and the visual and auditory prompts that lead us to our own conclusions. The beauty of Corningworks is at its best with this “choose your own” interpretation of their Vision...experienced talent that brings a mature perspective and depth ... Corning never fails to challenge and entertain us with her stylistic works of performance art. the fisherman, Butterfly, eve & her lover is exceptional, a more multimedia offering than expected, subtle soft, and fluid, while packing a dire environmental prognostication in its entire beachy package." — Mac Hoover, ONSTAGE PITTSBURGH
"Corning has come up with a resonant visual metaphor that niftily demonstrates how a thing can be real, and have effects, even when we can’t see it...the production as a whole, also captures something about how we’re collectively putting our heads in the sand when it comes to dealing with climate change...As the boat moves from the lovers’ “paradise” of overconsumption to the ascetic isolation of the fisherman’s world, it also connects the dots: the one (overconsumption, heedless distraction) leads to the other (ecological devastation). It’s a grim parable, and one that we ignore at our peril." — Wendy Aron, THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
the fisherman, the butterfly, eve & her lover – a parable is made possible in part with support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, PA Council on the Arts, and The Space Upstairs Artist Residency Program.
 Photo: Frank Walsh c. 2022
construction of installation dresses
by beth corning, cindi kubu choreography by beth corning performed by beth corning, jillian hollis, catherine meredith, endalyn taylor outlaw, dionysios tsaftaridis lighting design by iain court |
2022
part installation, part performance part fairytale, part nightmare HAPPILY EVER AFTER |
In 1996, in the aftermath of OJ Simpson’s “not guilty” verdict, Corning created a critically acclaimed dancetheater work entitled “LEGAL INNOCENCE”
Now 26 years later, the world STILL hasn’t adequately addressed ongoing abuse and the relegating of women to second-class citizens. Despite the recent #METOO movement, newly elected female politicians, the daily micro, and not so micro, aggressions continue.
Corning re-imagines and upends this multi-disciplinary production for the GLUE FACTORY PROJECTS' more “seasoned” artists — with a keener, more mature and urgent perspective — questioning - how much further have we come . . . really? A bracing mosaic of immersive installation & performance, fairytale & nightmare.
REVIEWS
“Experience” is simply the best word I can use to capture this performance. ..The performance is artistry in motion ...If you’re looking for a show that presents a Platonic singular Truth, this is not the show for you. This show is nuanced in hyper-textuality and layered in multiplicity. Not in a post-truth conspiratorial way but in the sense that each scene is so rhetorical and ripe for interpretation that I could see it each night and experience it differently. Each movement is so powerful and nuanced that I almost felt out of breath even though I sat idle. The technical dancing is commendable but plays a supporting role in the profound themes portrayed throughout." — Jessica Neu ON STAGE PITTSBURGH
"...this choreographer doesn’t lure her audience down any familiar paths....I was fascinated once again by Corning’s daring imagination. Call it Beth in Wonderland…another tale of her own making." — Jane Vranish DANCE CURRENT
"If you have seen productions done under her Corningworks banner, you’ll know to expect the unexpected." -- Sean Collier PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
"energy and dynamism ... athletic and expansive ...soulful and introspective. All find ways of expressing multiple aspects of the physical and psychical damage women endure...a dozen evocative dance vignettes". — Wendy Arons THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
HAPPILY EVER AFTER is made possible in part with support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation, PA Council on the Arts, The Space Upstairs Artist Residency Program, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
Now 26 years later, the world STILL hasn’t adequately addressed ongoing abuse and the relegating of women to second-class citizens. Despite the recent #METOO movement, newly elected female politicians, the daily micro, and not so micro, aggressions continue.
Corning re-imagines and upends this multi-disciplinary production for the GLUE FACTORY PROJECTS' more “seasoned” artists — with a keener, more mature and urgent perspective — questioning - how much further have we come . . . really? A bracing mosaic of immersive installation & performance, fairytale & nightmare.
REVIEWS
“Experience” is simply the best word I can use to capture this performance. ..The performance is artistry in motion ...If you’re looking for a show that presents a Platonic singular Truth, this is not the show for you. This show is nuanced in hyper-textuality and layered in multiplicity. Not in a post-truth conspiratorial way but in the sense that each scene is so rhetorical and ripe for interpretation that I could see it each night and experience it differently. Each movement is so powerful and nuanced that I almost felt out of breath even though I sat idle. The technical dancing is commendable but plays a supporting role in the profound themes portrayed throughout." — Jessica Neu ON STAGE PITTSBURGH
"...this choreographer doesn’t lure her audience down any familiar paths....I was fascinated once again by Corning’s daring imagination. Call it Beth in Wonderland…another tale of her own making." — Jane Vranish DANCE CURRENT
"If you have seen productions done under her Corningworks banner, you’ll know to expect the unexpected." -- Sean Collier PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
"energy and dynamism ... athletic and expansive ...soulful and introspective. All find ways of expressing multiple aspects of the physical and psychical damage women endure...a dozen evocative dance vignettes". — Wendy Arons THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
HAPPILY EVER AFTER is made possible in part with support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation, PA Council on the Arts, The Space Upstairs Artist Residency Program, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
photo: Frank Walsh c.2020
2022
THE TIPPING POINT -
what would it take for you to leave home?
concept & choreography beth corning
co-director gab cody
set design stephanie mayer staley
lighting design iain court
projection design joe spinogatti
a unique, intimate, immersive, interdisciplinary dancetheater production created in collaboration with the renowned, international humanitarian medical organization, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières
Borne from Corning’s intensive 3-year mentorship with a Kurdish refugee family from Syria, combined with her DEEP concern for the future of our country, and the world in general, she created this visceral, sensory, provocative, immersive, shared experience that uplifts human consciousness, an emotional response; a wake-up call to the numbing onslaught of changes in the world around us.
Days from opening in March 2020, corningworks had to shut down due to COVID. Over the next 20 months before its February 2022 premiere, Corning & her development team further developed & contextualize this groundbreaking work, making an already vital production even more timely, poignant, & provocative.
REVIEWS
"THE TIPPING POINT Points to Experiential Theatre at its Best ...such a memorable and important show." —Dr. Tiffany Raymond ON STAGE PITTSBURGH
"I will say that what this production impactfully achieves is to make vividly clear that there is no human being on this earth who is prepared to weather the shock of displacement that is the fate of a refugee; and that even though my own “journey” was wholly fictional, two days later I’m still jostling with its losses and betrayals. "
— Wendy Arons THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
TOP PICK PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE “an interactive, jarring series of scenes… the show is eye-opening … a visceral, lingering illustration of a daily reality we often prefer to forget … intimate, haunting…” -- Sean Collier PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
"This was immersion like no other… a brilliant and affecting work … you owe it to yourself to experience The Tipping Point." — Jane Vranish DANCE CURRENT
"…it’s brilliant… Part-theatrical performance and part-immersive experience, The Tipping Point puts audience members in the roles of escaped refugees …an intense theatrical performance…" — Lisa Cunningham CITYPAPER
THE TIPPING POINT — what will it take for YOU to leave home? is made possible in part with generous support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), Anonymous Donors, The Benter Foundation, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, The Fine Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, PA Council on the Arts, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Allegheny County, PNC Charitable Trust
Borne from Corning’s intensive 3-year mentorship with a Kurdish refugee family from Syria, combined with her DEEP concern for the future of our country, and the world in general, she created this visceral, sensory, provocative, immersive, shared experience that uplifts human consciousness, an emotional response; a wake-up call to the numbing onslaught of changes in the world around us.
Days from opening in March 2020, corningworks had to shut down due to COVID. Over the next 20 months before its February 2022 premiere, Corning & her development team further developed & contextualize this groundbreaking work, making an already vital production even more timely, poignant, & provocative.
REVIEWS
"THE TIPPING POINT Points to Experiential Theatre at its Best ...such a memorable and important show." —Dr. Tiffany Raymond ON STAGE PITTSBURGH
"I will say that what this production impactfully achieves is to make vividly clear that there is no human being on this earth who is prepared to weather the shock of displacement that is the fate of a refugee; and that even though my own “journey” was wholly fictional, two days later I’m still jostling with its losses and betrayals. "
— Wendy Arons THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
TOP PICK PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE “an interactive, jarring series of scenes… the show is eye-opening … a visceral, lingering illustration of a daily reality we often prefer to forget … intimate, haunting…” -- Sean Collier PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
"This was immersion like no other… a brilliant and affecting work … you owe it to yourself to experience The Tipping Point." — Jane Vranish DANCE CURRENT
"…it’s brilliant… Part-theatrical performance and part-immersive experience, The Tipping Point puts audience members in the roles of escaped refugees …an intense theatrical performance…" — Lisa Cunningham CITYPAPER
THE TIPPING POINT — what will it take for YOU to leave home? is made possible in part with generous support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), Anonymous Donors, The Benter Foundation, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, The Fine Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, PA Council on the Arts, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Allegheny County, PNC Charitable Trust
photo: Frank Walsh
2021
the other shoe
concept, text & performances by beth corning & kay cummings
with guest choreography by Donald Byrd, Martha Clarke, Li Chaio-Ping, Max Stone
lighting design by iain court
set design by stephanie mayer staley
An original, full evening length dance theater work created and performed by 2 seasoned, witty, and opinionated critically acclaimed, female artists — choreographer/ dancer Beth Corning and famed actor/director/playwright, Kay Cummings.
THE OTHER SHOE is a mix of unflinching monologues & dry wit, intertwined with choreography ( including 4 commissioned solos from some of the fields top choreographers). An acute, bold, & outspoken commentary on our country’s current moment in time.
“I am sitting here with a mic and some papers so I look like I have something to say and know what I’m talking about . . .”
and so the ride begins.
A diverse chorus of mature voices, offers a poignantly textured, uncompromisingly provocative human commentary on these monumental times. If you don't agree with what is being presented . . . well that's the point. . . talk amongst yourselves.
REVIEWS
"The production had the feel of having fallen down Lewis Carroll’s rabbit hole from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Only this time the characters we meet converse in clever dialogue a la the protagonists in an Aaron Sorkin or Beau Willimon drama....With CORNINGWORKS’ usual elevated creativity and production value, Corning and Cummings set forth sharp reminders of the societal problems that we are faced with every day, while acknowledging that they, like many of us, feel powerless and/or too exhausted to solve them....CORNINGWORKS’ most unabashed political dance work to date proved a success and one whose imprint on audiences was surely felt." — ARTS AIR/ Steve Sucato
The Other Shoe’s direction, choreography, lighting, sets, costumes, and sound integrate seamlessly in unified support of the shared artistic vision. No one design element outshines another, nor is any sub-par. Each individual design element makes every other element shine. — ON STAGE PITTSBURGH / George Hoover
The Other Shoe was remarkably seamless, given so many separate pieces. But then, if Corning is ever-so-curious, posing intriguingly layered questions through her art, she is also incredibly meticulous in presenting them in an intensely dramatic setting...approaching an avalanche of questions, it also invariably must hit a personal note for every member of the audience along the way. Perhaps the solos marked the realization that we have so much to offer…together. No, that’s too safe for Corning. If you were waiting for the other shoe to drop…just wait for it. — DANCE CURRENTS / Jane Vranish
the other shoe... is made possible in part with support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District (ARAD), CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, Opportunity Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation, PA Council on the Arts
photo: Frank Walsh
2021
just human
just human
concept & choreography beth corning
lighting design iain court
projection design joe spinogatti
performed by Felise Begley, Beth Corning, Simone Linhares Ferro, Yoav Kaddar, Dionysos Tsaftaridis
The internationally renowned SNF NOSTOS FESTIVAL held annually in Athens Greece, commissioned this new work from corningworks noting our “sardonic and mature takes on humanity”-- specifically to explore the festival's chosen science and arts theme: AI & Humanity.
With wry humor, and a seasoned poignant point of view, this interdisciplinary dance theater work will explore "basic" needs of humanity, and how “Artificial Intelligence” either meets, or fails to meet, these rudimentary needs.
lighting design iain court
projection design joe spinogatti
performed by Felise Begley, Beth Corning, Simone Linhares Ferro, Yoav Kaddar, Dionysos Tsaftaridis
The internationally renowned SNF NOSTOS FESTIVAL held annually in Athens Greece, commissioned this new work from corningworks noting our “sardonic and mature takes on humanity”-- specifically to explore the festival's chosen science and arts theme: AI & Humanity.
With wry humor, and a seasoned poignant point of view, this interdisciplinary dance theater work will explore "basic" needs of humanity, and how “Artificial Intelligence” either meets, or fails to meet, these rudimentary needs.
2019
THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
— by 6 women of a certain age
THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
— by 6 women of a certain age
photo: jacob rosenberg performer: charlotte adams
choreography & performances by — CHARLOTTE ADAMS, BETH CORNING, SIMONE FERRO, HEIDI LATSKY/ JILLIAN HOLLIS, LI CHIAO-PING, ENDALYN TAYLOR
lighting design by IAIN COURT
THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT — 6 critically acclaimed female dance soloists, with careers that collectively span nearly 200 years, perform 6 original solos intricately woven together by choreographer Beth Corning.
With seasoned humor, wistful poignancy and mature insights, this band of “travelers” clad in clown-like business suits, traverse an almost Sisyphusian landscape — baring bits of their lives, shedding skins & scars of collective memory.
REVIEWS
In The World As We Know It, yet another virtually flawless production from the mind of the inimitable Beth Corning and CorningWorks, six female performers—Corning, Simone Ferro, Li Chiao-Ping, Endalyn Taylor, Charlotte Adams, and Jillian Hollis (standing in for Heidi Latsky)—unflinchingly plunge into the precariousness of femininity, the ever-present shadow of the glass ceiling, and the world of women in the wake of the #metoo movement. Without question, the caliber of performers on the sparse New Hazlett Stage is astronomical. These women are not merely champions of their craft—they are uniquely efficacious storytellers and creative prophets, imparting what they have learned and who they are through physical art. .... And perhaps that is because the message and meaning of The World As We Know It is so absolutely dire. The production is not simply a reflection on the state of cruel gender disparities; nor a mediation on the various vituperations, violences and distortions of self women undergo daily; nor even portraits on the meanings of intimacy. The World as We Know It is a blistering, ruthless, stunning, funny, and heartbreaking visual and physical masterpiece that challenges standards, status quo, bodily misgivings, and identity itself.— Pittsburgh in the Round
What do women “of a certain age” have to tell us about the world? A great deal, it turns out ....embodied desire, yearning, and pain, building on a shared movement vocabulary to capture and convey the weight of lived female experience. — The Pittsburgh Tattler
choreography & performances by — CHARLOTTE ADAMS, BETH CORNING, SIMONE FERRO, HEIDI LATSKY/ JILLIAN HOLLIS, LI CHIAO-PING, ENDALYN TAYLOR
lighting design by IAIN COURT
THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT — 6 critically acclaimed female dance soloists, with careers that collectively span nearly 200 years, perform 6 original solos intricately woven together by choreographer Beth Corning.
With seasoned humor, wistful poignancy and mature insights, this band of “travelers” clad in clown-like business suits, traverse an almost Sisyphusian landscape — baring bits of their lives, shedding skins & scars of collective memory.
REVIEWS
In The World As We Know It, yet another virtually flawless production from the mind of the inimitable Beth Corning and CorningWorks, six female performers—Corning, Simone Ferro, Li Chiao-Ping, Endalyn Taylor, Charlotte Adams, and Jillian Hollis (standing in for Heidi Latsky)—unflinchingly plunge into the precariousness of femininity, the ever-present shadow of the glass ceiling, and the world of women in the wake of the #metoo movement. Without question, the caliber of performers on the sparse New Hazlett Stage is astronomical. These women are not merely champions of their craft—they are uniquely efficacious storytellers and creative prophets, imparting what they have learned and who they are through physical art. .... And perhaps that is because the message and meaning of The World As We Know It is so absolutely dire. The production is not simply a reflection on the state of cruel gender disparities; nor a mediation on the various vituperations, violences and distortions of self women undergo daily; nor even portraits on the meanings of intimacy. The World as We Know It is a blistering, ruthless, stunning, funny, and heartbreaking visual and physical masterpiece that challenges standards, status quo, bodily misgivings, and identity itself.— Pittsburgh in the Round
What do women “of a certain age” have to tell us about the world? A great deal, it turns out ....embodied desire, yearning, and pain, building on a shared movement vocabulary to capture and convey the weight of lived female experience. — The Pittsburgh Tattler
photo: frank walsh performer: catherine meredith
2019
with a shadow
of ...
with a shadow
of ...
concept & direction by BETH CORNING
choreography by BETH CORNING in conjunction with the performers
performed by JANIS BRENNER, BETH CORNING, DAVID DORFMAN, and CATHERINE MEREDITH
lighting design by IAIN COURT
like dreams themselves,
where for a moment they feel real, complete, logical,
and then,
seemingly without reason,
dissolve into shadows of uncertainty and the surreal.
with a shadow of . . . is the moment before sleep, the moment before waking. The space in between. That intangible liminal place beyond sense and before narrative. A dreamscape between lightness & the dark.
REVIEWS
An euphoric submersion into unknowing. Corning knows precisely what she’s doing. Even when breaching the borderless, lawless, and seemingly indiscernible realm of the unknown, the unconscious/subconscious, and the liminal, Beth Corning (and her fellow artists) strikingly knows precisely what she’s doing....I continually find myself surprised and elated anew with each conceptually innovative project that is endeavored upon... More often than not, Corningworks productions are intensive therapy sessions—collaborative, sometimes immersive, works of art that force the audience to pick apart their psyche. with a shadow of… is certainly no exception. In the “simplest” of terms, the piece is a choreographed delve into the liminal space of an individual’s unknowing or unconscious state. Corning is in excellent form, as one would expect, and routinely surpasses her standards of vibrant flawlessness, and she manages physical feats (particularly in pieces with Dorfman) and emotional feats that took me by enraptured surprise. When scouring the depths of the performance, you will find that the disarming, untouchable simplicity of its core will leave you breathless. It is as enchanting as it is awakening. — Pittsburgh in the Round
choreography by BETH CORNING in conjunction with the performers
performed by JANIS BRENNER, BETH CORNING, DAVID DORFMAN, and CATHERINE MEREDITH
lighting design by IAIN COURT
like dreams themselves,
where for a moment they feel real, complete, logical,
and then,
seemingly without reason,
dissolve into shadows of uncertainty and the surreal.
with a shadow of . . . is the moment before sleep, the moment before waking. The space in between. That intangible liminal place beyond sense and before narrative. A dreamscape between lightness & the dark.
REVIEWS
An euphoric submersion into unknowing. Corning knows precisely what she’s doing. Even when breaching the borderless, lawless, and seemingly indiscernible realm of the unknown, the unconscious/subconscious, and the liminal, Beth Corning (and her fellow artists) strikingly knows precisely what she’s doing....I continually find myself surprised and elated anew with each conceptually innovative project that is endeavored upon... More often than not, Corningworks productions are intensive therapy sessions—collaborative, sometimes immersive, works of art that force the audience to pick apart their psyche. with a shadow of… is certainly no exception. In the “simplest” of terms, the piece is a choreographed delve into the liminal space of an individual’s unknowing or unconscious state. Corning is in excellent form, as one would expect, and routinely surpasses her standards of vibrant flawlessness, and she manages physical feats (particularly in pieces with Dorfman) and emotional feats that took me by enraptured surprise. When scouring the depths of the performance, you will find that the disarming, untouchable simplicity of its core will leave you breathless. It is as enchanting as it is awakening. — Pittsburgh in the Round
2018
the waiting room
photo Frank Walsh
choreography by BETH CORNING
performed by BETH CORNING, JOHN CARSON, JACOB GOODMAN, CATHERINE MEREDITH
lighting design by IAIN COURT
set design by STEPHANIE MAYER-STAHLEY
video design by JAKOB MARCISO, JESSICA MEDENBACH
the waiting room is a surreal, multi-disciplinary, transcendent dance-theater work, that touches more on life than on death. How can it not?
Using the catalyst of a little known Jewish tradition, where from the moment of death until the burial, a body should not be left unattended, a SHOMER (guard) is engaged to sit through the long over night vigil. What's it like sitting in a room alone with death for hours?
REVIEWS
... a perfect balance of vision, collaboration and execution...Corning eloquently sets the situation... Goodman delivers what will surely be one of this season’s most memorable performances...Corning’s choreography mostly avoids a frenetic pace in favor of an almost slow-motion approach that creates hauntingly powerful moments that reflect the journey of life...The dances will no doubt trigger your own memories of key moments in your life ... It is rare when the vision of the production’s creator and all of their collaborator’s ideas manifest themselves in perfect balance. The Waiting Room has that balance, the ideal unity of creative vision that makes for a compelling, memorable, and thought-provoking work of art. Come to The Waiting Room, in this case, you won’t be disappointed. — Pittsburgh in the Round Read Full Review here
the “waiting room” a liminal space between life and death, where things that are actually present and things that are present only in imagination or memory collide, interact, share space, and activate each other. ... mysterious and languid ...humor tinged with melancholy ...Stephanie Meyer-Staley’s scenic looks deceptively simple, but eloquent touches add unexpected depth and poignancy to the visual field. Projections by Jakob Marsico and Jessica Medenbach add an additional layer of lyricism and out-of-this-worldness to the performance, interlayering text, drawn imagery, and video with the live performance. — The Pittsburgh Tattler Read Full Review here
... a not to be missed experience...incredibly captivating music, stunning videography, ethereal movement, expressive choreography, and stimulating images that challenge the viewer with their dream-like quality... the performance takes the audience to a novel place were time and space are skewed. The result is a unique experience, a visit to an alien world where the rules of reason give way to memory, feeling and emotion. — The Owl Scribe Read Full Review here
PREVIEWS
The Waiting Room is the new one from Corningworks’ long-running and critically acclaimed The Glue Factory Project. As a choreographer, Corning is known for her deep dives into idiosyncracies of relationships and daily life. — WESA FRESH AIR NPR radio Read or Listen to Full Article Interview here
Beth Corning stands up against ageism — The PIttsburgh Post Gazette Read Full Article here
the waiting room is made possible in part with generous support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District, Anonymous Donor, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Fine Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, The McKinney Charitable Foundation through the PNC Charitable Trust, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Alleghany County, WYEP & WESA
performed by BETH CORNING, JOHN CARSON, JACOB GOODMAN, CATHERINE MEREDITH
lighting design by IAIN COURT
set design by STEPHANIE MAYER-STAHLEY
video design by JAKOB MARCISO, JESSICA MEDENBACH
the waiting room is a surreal, multi-disciplinary, transcendent dance-theater work, that touches more on life than on death. How can it not?
Using the catalyst of a little known Jewish tradition, where from the moment of death until the burial, a body should not be left unattended, a SHOMER (guard) is engaged to sit through the long over night vigil. What's it like sitting in a room alone with death for hours?
REVIEWS
... a perfect balance of vision, collaboration and execution...Corning eloquently sets the situation... Goodman delivers what will surely be one of this season’s most memorable performances...Corning’s choreography mostly avoids a frenetic pace in favor of an almost slow-motion approach that creates hauntingly powerful moments that reflect the journey of life...The dances will no doubt trigger your own memories of key moments in your life ... It is rare when the vision of the production’s creator and all of their collaborator’s ideas manifest themselves in perfect balance. The Waiting Room has that balance, the ideal unity of creative vision that makes for a compelling, memorable, and thought-provoking work of art. Come to The Waiting Room, in this case, you won’t be disappointed. — Pittsburgh in the Round Read Full Review here
the “waiting room” a liminal space between life and death, where things that are actually present and things that are present only in imagination or memory collide, interact, share space, and activate each other. ... mysterious and languid ...humor tinged with melancholy ...Stephanie Meyer-Staley’s scenic looks deceptively simple, but eloquent touches add unexpected depth and poignancy to the visual field. Projections by Jakob Marsico and Jessica Medenbach add an additional layer of lyricism and out-of-this-worldness to the performance, interlayering text, drawn imagery, and video with the live performance. — The Pittsburgh Tattler Read Full Review here
... a not to be missed experience...incredibly captivating music, stunning videography, ethereal movement, expressive choreography, and stimulating images that challenge the viewer with their dream-like quality... the performance takes the audience to a novel place were time and space are skewed. The result is a unique experience, a visit to an alien world where the rules of reason give way to memory, feeling and emotion. — The Owl Scribe Read Full Review here
PREVIEWS
The Waiting Room is the new one from Corningworks’ long-running and critically acclaimed The Glue Factory Project. As a choreographer, Corning is known for her deep dives into idiosyncracies of relationships and daily life. — WESA FRESH AIR NPR radio Read or Listen to Full Article Interview here
Beth Corning stands up against ageism — The PIttsburgh Post Gazette Read Full Article here
the waiting room is made possible in part with generous support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District, Anonymous Donor, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Fine Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, The McKinney Charitable Foundation through the PNC Charitable Trust, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Alleghany County, WYEP & WESA
photo by Frank Walsh c.2018
2018
IN HOUSE
— intimate interiors
choreography by BETH CORNING
co-directed by DOMINIQUE SERRAND
performed by BETH CORNING, KRISTIN GARBARINO, JOHN GIFFIN, JOHN GRESH, PATTY PETRONELLO
What is and isn’t on “exhibit” in one’s life?
What do we present, what do we mask?
Who are we when no one is looking?
IN HOUSE is an immersive, provocative, site-specific dancetheater piece, intimately woven through the MATTRESS FACTORY’s New Installations: 40th Year — a stunning exhibition of renowned visual artists.
CORNINGWORKS joined forces with Pittsburgh’s renowned MATTRESS FACTORY MUSEUM. Founded in 1977, the Mattress Factory (MF) is a contemporary art museum and experimental lab featuring site-specific installations created by artists in residence from around the world. Corning, long inspired by both the quality of the curations and the imagination of the artists presented at the MF, jumped at the chance to create a site-specific work for the MONTEREY HOUSE, MF’s – annex exhibition space.
IN HOUSE is an hour long, immersive work, intimately woven into the installations of several renowned artists currently part of the MF’s New Installations: 40th Year exhibition:
David Ellis’ “Summer Quintet #17” includes large scale paintings recorded in a form of digital time-lapse animation he calls "motion painting;” David Pohl’s “Vexations” and “furniture music” draw from the life and music of French composer Erik Satie; and Vanessa German’s “sometimes we. cannot be. with. our. bodies.” explores how external systems impact the mind and body, which leads into Corning’s dance-theater work. Also included in the performance is Allan Wexler’s 1988 installation, “Bed Sitting Rooms for an Artist in Residence,” which for several years was used as a functional, flexible living space for artists exhibiting at the museum.
The MF’s annex venue, the MONTEREY HOUSE – is an actual old Victorian home, whose connecting rooms are used for art installations. With IN HOUSE, Corning has created her own “movement installation” to cohabit with the artwork in the venue’s three floors. Intimately sized audiences of 20 were ushered through each small room, wherein they witnessed a series of characters. What transpires behind the privacy of their closed doors? Who do we become to "fit in"? The question of what draws people together becomes implicit and paramount.
REVIEWS
“Who are you when no one’s watching? What do you unmask when it’s just you, alone, with your thoughts? It’s an evocative question, the kind that veteran artist/choreographer Beth Corning excels at digging into, with just the right mix of sensitivity, humor, obscurity and unabashed honesty. That’s just what she’s delivered in “IN HOUSE”. — The Post Gazette Read full review here.
“IN HOUSE is a striking examination on the disruption of the tropes of space and self, and profoundly suggest the power of innovative, nonconventional dance pieces. … devastatingly raw… gorgeous violence I rarely see well-captured in dance or dramaturge…”
— Pittsburgh in the Round Read full review here.
IN HOUSE is made possible in part with generous support from: Allegheny Regional Asset District, Anonymous Donor, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, The Mattress Factory, The McKinney Charitable Foundation through the PNC Charitable Trust, Opportunity Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Alleghany County, WYEP & WESA
Generous support for “New Installations: 40th Year” at the MATTRESS FACTORY is provided by the PNC Foundation, Allegheny Regional Asset District, an Anonymous Donor, The Benter Foundation,
The Heinz Endowments, Roy A. Hunt Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Opportunity Fund, PA Council on the Arts, The Pittsburgh Foundation, W.P. Snyder III Charitable Fund, and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. With special thanks to the Mattress Factory Board of Directors and museum members
photo Frank Walsh
2017
SIX A BREAST
— the absurd life of women
choreography by BETH CORNING
performed by BETH CORNING, SALLY ROUSSE, LAURIE VAN WIEREN
lighting by IAIN COURT
COME & GO by SAMUEL BECKETT presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH INC
SIX A BREAST is an evening of sharp irony and salient face, a cascade of vaudevillian scents. Performed by 3 women, six a breast encapsulates the lunacy of all our lives, no matter the gender, but women . . . we got the 'mother lode' ... backwards and in heels.
REVIEWS
"…moments are the glue that often hold together Corning's dance theater works and raise them to high art. No one in the region does this better and with such consistency."
READ MORE: ARTS AIR
"... a brilliantly executed exploration ... You will laugh, cry, gasp and applaud these women as they present the absurd life of women. At the end of the opening nights performance, following the bows, the audience didn’t want to leave, sitting quietly and reflecting on what they had just seen...women, take men with you. Regardless of who you go with, and do go with someone, this show will spark interesting conversations on the way home."
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH IN THE ROUND
"...a series of sublime meditations on gender roles. ... The three performers bring personality and idiosyncracy to the piece, like a female set of Marx Brothers or Stooges ...Each skit captures facets of the female experience with wit and irony...The visual image Corning achieves with the costuming of this final piece (Beckett's COME & GO) is striking; but even more remarkable is Corning’s simple but powerful staging. She has an intuitive understanding of how to fill out the pauses in Beckett’s work."
READ MORE: THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
"The puckish title sets the tone for an evening of off-kilter absurdity geared to ladies “of a certain age....You always wanted to know what was next”
READ MORE: THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
SIX A BREAST was made possible in part with generous support from: the Allegheny Regional Asset District, Anonymous Donor, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, The New Hazlett Theater, PA Council on the Arts – Program Stream, The PIttsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Allegheny County, PNC Charitable Trust, WYEP & WESA
performed by BETH CORNING, SALLY ROUSSE, LAURIE VAN WIEREN
lighting by IAIN COURT
COME & GO by SAMUEL BECKETT presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH INC
SIX A BREAST is an evening of sharp irony and salient face, a cascade of vaudevillian scents. Performed by 3 women, six a breast encapsulates the lunacy of all our lives, no matter the gender, but women . . . we got the 'mother lode' ... backwards and in heels.
REVIEWS
"…moments are the glue that often hold together Corning's dance theater works and raise them to high art. No one in the region does this better and with such consistency."
READ MORE: ARTS AIR
"... a brilliantly executed exploration ... You will laugh, cry, gasp and applaud these women as they present the absurd life of women. At the end of the opening nights performance, following the bows, the audience didn’t want to leave, sitting quietly and reflecting on what they had just seen...women, take men with you. Regardless of who you go with, and do go with someone, this show will spark interesting conversations on the way home."
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH IN THE ROUND
"...a series of sublime meditations on gender roles. ... The three performers bring personality and idiosyncracy to the piece, like a female set of Marx Brothers or Stooges ...Each skit captures facets of the female experience with wit and irony...The visual image Corning achieves with the costuming of this final piece (Beckett's COME & GO) is striking; but even more remarkable is Corning’s simple but powerful staging. She has an intuitive understanding of how to fill out the pauses in Beckett’s work."
READ MORE: THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
"The puckish title sets the tone for an evening of off-kilter absurdity geared to ladies “of a certain age....You always wanted to know what was next”
READ MORE: THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
SIX A BREAST was made possible in part with generous support from: the Allegheny Regional Asset District, Anonymous Donor, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, The New Hazlett Theater, PA Council on the Arts – Program Stream, The PIttsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Allegheny County, PNC Charitable Trust, WYEP & WESA
photo by MARCIA DAVIS
2017
WHAT'S MISSING?
choreography & performance by BETH CORNING, DONALD BYRD
text by DONALD BYRD
lighting by IAIN COURT
if we all witness the same event, at the exact same time, will our report of the moment be the same? What is the truth? Is there a truth?
Whose truth is right? Whose is wrong? Whose perspective?
WHAT’S MISSING? hones in on the multi-layered complications of perception. Staged in the round, each side of the audience will experience the work differently from those seated in another area. As the spoken text and commanding physical acuity of these two seasoned artists continue to revolve and evolve, each audience member will be challenged anew to interpret and reinterpret what they’re seeing and hearing, what they think they believe to be happening.
REVIEWS
"What’s Missing may, in fact, be the most clear-eyed, and most despairing, artistic response to last year’s election that I’ve seen to date." THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
"Corning has an uncanny knack for zeroing in on subject matters that strike a chord with mainstream psyche...it’s what she does best: raw, unadulterated movement that’s thought provoking long after the audience exits the theater" PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE
"What’s Missing both taunts and tantalizes the viewer with the prospect of the unresolved, the unannounced, the indescribable, and the just out of reach. ...through exquisite and achingly human choreography and bodily narrative, articulates the disappointment and struggle to possess space, one’s bodily autonomy, and the attention of another individual. It is the most gratifying futility....The utilization and manipulation of space and dimensionality in correlation with emotionality through physical movement is perhaps what makes What’s Missing so illuminatingly transcendent." PITTSBURGH IN THE ROUND
"...thoughtful choreography and performances, interesting lighting and musical cues, "What's Missing?" satisfies aesthetically." CITY PAPER
"There were many definitions of Missing to be seen and heard, some of which will only come to the surface in the hours and days after this confusing, yet compelling performance."
CROSS CURRENTS
WHAT'S MISSING is made possible in part with generous support from: the Allegheny Regional Asset District, Anonymous Donor, City of Asylum, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, The New Hazlett Theater, PA Council on the Arts – Program Stream, The PIttsburgh Foundation, Port Authority of Allegheny County, PNC Charitable Trust, WYEP & WESA
photo Frank Walsh
2016
REMAINS - a one woman show
" if you can’t get rid of the family skeleton...you might as well make it dance"
— george bernard shaw
created in collaboration with & directed by,
Tony Award-winning DOMINIQUE SERRAND,
choreography & performance by BETH CORNING
costumes by SONYA BERLOVITZ
lighting by IAIN COURT
set design by BRITTON MAUK
projection design by GRETCHEN NEIDERT
In 2013, REMAINS ... was critically hailed as “a TOUR DE FORCE”
We've enriched the original — the moves, scenery, lighting, costumes
In 2016, REMAINS was critically hailed as "RICHER, EVEN MORE MOVING"
REMAINS is full of indelible moments of imagination and pathos ‑ a performance that lingers with audiences of all ages. Through projected & spoken text, physical acuity, and imaginative theater techniques, this multi-disciplinary, layered dancetheater work journeys through tangible and provocative imagery, touching upon universal emotional and visceral remnants of life; half filled wine glasses, a loved one’s scent left behind in a coat, discovered messages, the memory of family dinners past, a recipe, birthday parties, aging – told with poignant humor, honesty, and nuance.
REVIEWS:
“… so compelling, by which everyone delved quickly and deeply into their own well of memories through Ms. Corning’s intense lens. … she embodied the material, conveying a sense of wonder, pain, joy or anger that played delicately across her face. … a poetic wry look at the ultimate endgame, the “why” of our lives, it felt like Ms. Corning had really come home.”
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE - Jane Vranish
“… immensely personal, a performative elegy illustrating the dance of loss and memory. Think of the immense power of a candid photograph.”
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH IN THE ROUND Jason Clearfield
“I can’t think of another artist who is so intrepidly and bravely taking on the subject of aging…”
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH TATLER Wendy Arons
2016
RIGHT OF WAY
photo Frank Walsh
Choreography by Beth Corning
Performed by Beth Corning, Jezebel D'Opulence
Lighting Design by Iain Court
With dry wit and pathos, RIGHT OF WAY— an original full-evening length, multidisciplinary dancetheater work — asks who gets to determine gender roles, and at what psychological costs?
And on some level -- aren’t we all “in drag”?
REVIEWS
“ ...thoughtful and entertaining … eloquent… Each of the show’s two big themes – the struggles of women for equality, and womanhood as performance – could support a show by itself. To integrate them is ambitious, and in Right of Way the overlap is both enjoyable and provocative."
READ MORE: CITY PAPER — Bill O'Driscoll
“ … a poignant, unflinching, often tongue-firmly-in-cheek portrait of women-at-large … compelling...heroically opened a whole can of worms … The seemingly ageless Beth Corning, has always ventured boldly into theatrical dance adventures and openly posed universal questions that the rest of us hold close to the vest.
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE - Jane Vranish
2016
RIGHT OF WAY
photo Frank Walsh
Choreography by Beth Corning
Performed by Beth Corning, Jezebel D'Opulence
Lighting Design by Iain Court
With dry wit and pathos, RIGHT OF WAY— an original full-evening length, multidisciplinary dancetheater work — asks who gets to determine gender roles, and at what psychological costs?
And on some level -- aren’t we all “in drag”?
REVIEWS
“ ...thoughtful and entertaining … eloquent… Each of the show’s two big themes – the struggles of women for equality, and womanhood as performance – could support a show by itself. To integrate them is ambitious, and in Right of Way the overlap is both enjoyable and provocative."
READ MORE: CITY PAPER — Bill O'Driscoll
“ … a poignant, unflinching, often tongue-firmly-in-cheek portrait of women-at-large … compelling...heroically opened a whole can of worms … The seemingly ageless Beth Corning, has always ventured boldly into theatrical dance adventures and openly posed universal questions that the rest of us hold close to the vest.
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE - Jane Vranish
photo: Hakan Larsson
2015
BECKETT
& BEYOND
choreography by BETH CORNING
performed by Yvan Azuley, Beth Corning, Francoise Fournier
text by Samuel Beckett
"Act Without Words II" and "ROCKABY".
presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC
lighting design by Iain Court
set design by Stephanie Mayer-Staley
Rockaby direction by Melissa Grande
REVIEWS
“ Corning has upped the ante on the level of dance-theater work she is producing… a potent heart and mind stimulant. Work that is more often than not entertaining, detailed, cerebrally challenging and powerfully moving … the work had Corning’s choreographic style imprinted all over it… a complete work from top to bottom and worthy of repeated viewings to soak in everything it has to offer and for the simple fact it’s pretty great. To Corningworks I say: “more” please.” READ MORE: ARTS AIR – Steve Sucato
"There is sadness here, but also a wry humor – Corning invites her audience to ponder how little of life we really live without getting sentimental or new age-y about it." READ MORE :THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER – Wendy Arons
"it’s hard to imagine either (the two Beckett works) being done better than they are by Beth Corning …." READ MORE: CITY PAPER – Bill O'Driscoll
"… rich, bold performances by Ms. Corning, reveling in one of her finest works … It was daring in so many ways that Ms. Corning brought Beckett to the dance arena, blurring the lines further between movement and theater and confidently tinkering with a masterful playwright"
READ MORE: POST GAZETTE – Jane Vranish
“ Corning has upped the ante on the level of dance-theater work she is producing… a potent heart and mind stimulant. Work that is more often than not entertaining, detailed, cerebrally challenging and powerfully moving … the work had Corning’s choreographic style imprinted all over it… a complete work from top to bottom and worthy of repeated viewings to soak in everything it has to offer and for the simple fact it’s pretty great. To Corningworks I say: “more” please.” READ MORE: ARTS AIR – Steve Sucato
"There is sadness here, but also a wry humor – Corning invites her audience to ponder how little of life we really live without getting sentimental or new age-y about it." READ MORE :THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER – Wendy Arons
"it’s hard to imagine either (the two Beckett works) being done better than they are by Beth Corning …." READ MORE: CITY PAPER – Bill O'Driscoll
"… rich, bold performances by Ms. Corning, reveling in one of her finest works … It was daring in so many ways that Ms. Corning brought Beckett to the dance arena, blurring the lines further between movement and theater and confidently tinkering with a masterful playwright"
READ MORE: POST GAZETTE – Jane Vranish
photo by Frank Walsh c.2015
2015
AT ONCE THERE WAS A HOUSE
choreography by BETH CORNING
performed by Beth Corning, Jackie Dempsey, Michele de la Reza, John Gresh,Yoav Kaddar, Tamar Rachelle Tolentino
Lighting design by Iain Court
REVIEWS
"There is more theater than dance in this example of dance theater, although the movement is never less than fresh and appealing. Enigmatic and surreal aspects of this new version of “House” certainly gives the audience plenty to mull over after the show. Life isn't what we thought it would be, even an hour ago." PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW READ MORE
"The humor itself ranged from burlesque to irony to black humor. But mainly this was a piercing look into the human psyche, with so many “rooms” that it could take several days for an audience member to connect them all." PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE READ MORE
"...comic and dark...emotionally charged...very compelling" CITY PAPER READ MORE
PREVIEWS
“Corning has had a knack for insightful, emotional and very human performances"
CITY PAPER READ MORE
"Beth Corning knows how to mix past and present in a provocative way." PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW READ MORE
photo by Frank Walsh
2014
PARALLEL LIVES
VOTED #3 in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette's TOP TEN DANCE EVENTS of 2014:
(includes both local & national touring companies)
Corningworks (New Hazlett Theater, Sept. 10):Corning provided a dance theater commentary on how technology keeps us in touch, but at a hefty price, in "Parallel Lives." An extended duo with noted performer Arthur Aviles, this was a sad, but hauntingly wonderful piece following two lonely people, one that made great use of Akiko Kotani's fiber art scrims, Hsuan-Kuang Hsieh's projections, and lighting designs by Iain Court.
choreography by BETH CORNING
performed by Beth Corning & Arthur Aviles
lighting désign by Iain Court
projection Art by Akiko Kotani
projection Design by Hsuan-Kuang Hsiesh
The New Hazlett Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
PREVIEW ARTICLE: CROSS CURRENTS - Jane Vranish
Sometimes interviews are just that — questions and answers. But in this instance, it was a conversation between friends and I was mostly a fly on the wall, watching, listening…and learning.
REVIEWS
"…riveting performances...“Parallel Lives” is the latest in a string of
touching and masterly pieces..Corning's creative force burns more brightly than ever".
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
“Parallel Lives” gently wiped the world away, revealing a gossamer artistic collaboration of uncommon integrity... Twitter, Facebook, whatever. Get the word out about “Parallel Lives” — it couldn’t have been better. PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE
"...an artful bit of social commentary … beautifully conceived staging … delves as far into full-bodied comedy as I've seen Corning get … I've seen dozens of shows at the New Hazlett Theater, I can't recall one with a more inventive stage setting … It's a breathtakingly simple
...The whole show is rewarding … both Corning and Aviles are gesturally eloquent, communicating the pain and disquiet of otherwise inarticulate humans". CITY PAPER
This work was made possible in part by generous support from: CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Heinz Endowments, Individual Donors, The New Hazlett Theater, The Priory Hotel, MAYA Design, Port Authority of Allegheny County, PNC Charitable Trust,PA Council on the Arts – Project Stream
photo Frank Walsh
2014
RECIPES OUR MOTHERS GAVE US
choreography by BETH CORNING
performed by Beth Corning, Maria Cheng, & Francoise Fournier special music/movement by Mary Ellen Childs,
Lighting design by Iain Court
The New Hazlett Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
REVIEWS
"...a success…a richly textured experience… It has both laughter and sadness, sometimes in the same moment… a wry commentary… Given the eloquence with which she uses dance theater, her current work is a boon for those who appreciate the performing arts."
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
"...mouth-watering details, so carefully assembled and thoughtfully presented, a trademark of Ms. Corning's work… she is nothing if not deliberate and maintains a bold vision… spellbinding… breathtaking finesse… "Recipes" should be seen by all women and the men who want to understand the mystery, power and awe of the opposite sex. PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE
"…memorable... hilarious, but poignant and relevant… The show was filled with that wonderful balance of humor and seriousness". COAL HILL REVIEW
thought-provoking use of contrast and juxtaposition… the performance is moving, and its strong effect on the audience prompted me to reflect on how correct Corning is in her observation that these recipes seem as if they are written into our DNA"
THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
This work was made possible in part by generous support from:
CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, First Commonwealth Bank,The Heinz Endowments, The Hillman Foundation, Individual Donors, The New Hazlett Theater, The Pittsburgh Foundation, PA Council on the Arts – Project Stream, The Priory Hotel, Port Authority of Allegheny County, WYEP 91.3 FM & Special Guest Sponsors: Goehring, Rutter & Boehmm, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Capterra Risk Solutions, Sisterson & Co., LLP, Maggie Kanaan: Vice President/ Financial Advisor at Hefren-Tillotson, Inc., The Mastilak Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, The MBM Group, Turner Construction, & Crawford Ellenbogen, LLC
photo Frank Walsh
2013
REMAINS
— a one woman show
choreography & performance by BETH CORNING
created in collaboration with, and directed by,
Tony Award-winning DOMINIQUE SERRAND.
The New Hazlett Theater
" ... A TOUR DE FORCE … A GLOWING SUCCESS."
REVIEWS
VOTED one of SEVEN MOST TRANSPORTIVE DANCE PROGRAMS OF 2013
"… the performance transported audiences into a riveting realm of emotional loss, where physical reminders of departed loved ones haunted the living"
CITY PAPER
VOTED TOP TEN DANCE EVENTS of 2013: (includes both local & national touring companies)
"… producing vivid images that still remain for the rest of us."
PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE
“…clever use of props and smart stagecraft. From the moment the one-woman show opened -- a sense of personal loss revealed itself … That sense of loss would over the course of the production settle in like a fog blanketing it and seep into Corning’s meticulous performance of it as well as into the hearts and minds of the audience. Corning tugged hard at the heartstrings of those in attendance who live with the memories of departed loved ones. A master of the subtle gesture, Corning turned a slight wrinkle of her nose, the brush of a hand on her thigh and a pensive glance over her shoulder into meaningful moments. Remains was dense with such moments. Remains was a glowing success. The work captured the emotional toll of loss from a very personal place without melodrama. Corning was at the top of her game in it and it served to carve out a new and intriguing direction in her work. — Steve Sucato, national dance critic ARTS AIR
Details abounded throughout the evening. "Remains" will stay with the audience in its own way, creating its own patina over time by virtue of the vivid images created by Ms. Corning and Mr. Serrand. It will also serve as a platform to reflect on our own lives and, yes, to relish our own remains. PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE
Corning's “Remains” is a powerful exploration of experiences that will come to all of us if we live long enough… boldly conceived, emotionally varied and deeply personal… a tour de force… The coda is a theatrically bold gesture, but also inevitable and characteristic of Corning's aesthetic orientation. PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
This work was made possible in part by generous support from BAR MARCO, CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors, The Fine Foundation, First Commonwealth Bank,The Heinz Endowments, The Hillman Foundation, Individual Donors, The New Hazlett Theater, The Pittsburgh Foundation & Heinz Endowments Professional Artist Grant, PA Council on the Arts – Project Stream, The Priory Hotel, Port Authority of Allegheny County, WYEP 91.3 FM.
2012
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF LITTLE FINN
starring Beth Corning, Melinda Evans, Marina Harris
created in collaboration with COMPANY X
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
VOTED #4 in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette's TOP TEN DANCE EVENTS of 2012: The Glue Factory Project "The Life & Death of Little Finn" was an intimate folk tale. But in retrospect, "Finn" was a big juicy piece of art, with animation, movement, theater, video, musical accompaniment and some delicious puppetry to boot.
THE POST GAZETTE
REVIEWS
“ This was art, a combination of animation, movement, theater, video, musical accompaniment and, most of all, puppetry, placed lovingly under a microscope, or, in more personal terms, Ms Harris' discerning and sometimes oddball eye…a different way of moving, more patient, often more gratifying… a frank look at life…coated with a dark sense of humor, sometimes bordering on absurdist… a giant shadow box…a roust extension of Joseph Cornell’s iconic art and full of so many delicious components that were presented with a strong artistic and intimate significance. So much so that it’s well worth another look at the winsome, unapologetic and ultimately winning “Finn.”
THE POST GAZETTE
“…delightful, if darkly funny production…a poignant narrative, told with sympathy shaded y mordant humor…the show is all in its tone and details… an exquisite trio…beautiful, and ends with a perfectly staged detail: a human hand on a puppet-sized proscenium, stubbing out a cigarette in a tiny spotlight” CITY PAPER
“richly layered storytelling, detailed in unexpected ways and ringing true throughout…psychological issues are treated directly but also with humor…a remarkable narrative soufflé, with emotional and psychological content made airy by wit.” TRIBUNE REVIEW
“…dry and bittersweet; it bears the knowing and ironic perspective of a group of creators who have “been there, done that”…painstakingly handcrafted with exquisite care and craftsmanship…a steady interplay of contrasts… quiet and charming, offering a wry and whimsical perspective on the small dramas of little lives.” THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
“this is the best work I’ve seen in Pittsburgh” — email from Univ. of Chatham MFA writing student
2012
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF LITTLE FINN
starring Beth Corning, Melinda Evans, Marina Harris
created in collaboration with COMPANY X
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
VOTED #4 in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette's TOP TEN DANCE EVENTS of 2012: The Glue Factory Project "The Life & Death of Little Finn" was an intimate folk tale. But in retrospect, "Finn" was a big juicy piece of art, with animation, movement, theater, video, musical accompaniment and some delicious puppetry to boot.
THE POST GAZETTE
REVIEWS
“ This was art, a combination of animation, movement, theater, video, musical accompaniment and, most of all, puppetry, placed lovingly under a microscope, or, in more personal terms, Ms Harris' discerning and sometimes oddball eye…a different way of moving, more patient, often more gratifying… a frank look at life…coated with a dark sense of humor, sometimes bordering on absurdist… a giant shadow box…a roust extension of Joseph Cornell’s iconic art and full of so many delicious components that were presented with a strong artistic and intimate significance. So much so that it’s well worth another look at the winsome, unapologetic and ultimately winning “Finn.”
THE POST GAZETTE
“…delightful, if darkly funny production…a poignant narrative, told with sympathy shaded y mordant humor…the show is all in its tone and details… an exquisite trio…beautiful, and ends with a perfectly staged detail: a human hand on a puppet-sized proscenium, stubbing out a cigarette in a tiny spotlight” CITY PAPER
“richly layered storytelling, detailed in unexpected ways and ringing true throughout…psychological issues are treated directly but also with humor…a remarkable narrative soufflé, with emotional and psychological content made airy by wit.” TRIBUNE REVIEW
“…dry and bittersweet; it bears the knowing and ironic perspective of a group of creators who have “been there, done that”…painstakingly handcrafted with exquisite care and craftsmanship…a steady interplay of contrasts… quiet and charming, offering a wry and whimsical perspective on the small dramas of little lives.” THE PITTSBURGH TATTLER
“this is the best work I’ve seen in Pittsburgh” — email from Univ. of Chatham MFA writing student
photo Frank Walsh
2011
ARE WE THERE YET?
choreography by BETH CORNING
starring Beth Corning, John Giffin, Claire Porter, Jane Shockley, Peter Sparling
New Hazlett Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
REVIEWS
“....both wit and harrowing emotional force...the hour-long piece, was fresh evidence that Corning is a master choreographer of dance theater.” PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
“a wonderful mix of sobering thoughts, images and smart humor”. DANCE MAGAZINE
“The black side leg curtains were adorned with ten big, juicy red bows, as if this performance of “Are We There Yet?” would be a gift. It was... an amazingly rigorous piece of dance theater, enhanced by a life perspective and a sense of timing that we rarely get to see... Corning’s imagery is often as quietly stunning as a performance of “Swan Lake” can be openly and physically stunning.” CROSSCURRENTS
photo Frank Walsh
2010
A SEAT AT THE TABLE
choreography by BETH CORNING
starring Michael Blake, Beth Corning, David Covey, Janet Lilly, Peter Sparling, Cathy Young
lighting design by David Covey
New Hazlett Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
REVIEWS
“Do yourself a favor and head over to the New Hazlett Theater and The Glue Factory Project… ”A Seat at the Table” offered slices of life — some delightful, others poignant or thoughtful, and sometimes all at once. … The images, the kind that last well after a performance, were plentiful… If this was vintage dance, it was a very good year.” CROSSCURRENT
“…a striking example of dance theater…arresting solos and ensembles that build to a decisive conclusion. Although playfulness and spontaneity are essential parts of the piece, it has a cumulative impact that results from Corning’s master of large-scale form…”
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
“a series of beguiling group scenarios… amusing…poetically provocative …complex group work… memorable solos… gut-wrenching solo sequence … signatures of Corning’s work” CITY PAPER
“… small gestures and glances spoke volumes. Wonderfully constructed and thoughtfully performed, A Seat At The Table was a delight.” DANCEMAGAZINE
2003
Skin Deep
choreography by BETH CORNING
starring Beth Corning, Jens Graff, Mary Harding, Marina Harris,
Russ King (aka Miss Richfield), Jane Shockley
Illusion Theater, Minneapolis, MN
REVIEW
“… the mischief of toddlers and the more plaintive wisdom of age mix freely… extraordinary performers reveal a lucent quality… a fascinating concert ranging from subtle introspection to brazen revelation.” ST PAUL PIONEER PRESS
2002
if this is the last dance…dance backwards
choreography by BETH CORNING
starring, Chris Aiken, Beth Corning, Paula Mann, James Sewell, Jane Shockley
Illusion Theater, Minneapolis, MN
REVIEW
“…emotion in motion…a mature strength, grace, delicacy and droll humor… exuberant… light hearted…” MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
“… the most beautiful and moving work I’ve seen in years!”
— June Wilson, Director Dance Today
2001
Under the Influence
choreography by BETH CORNING
starring, Beth Corning, Susana di Palma, Linda Kelsey, Bonnie Mathis, Michael Robins, J.D. Steele, Arlyn Anderson
Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Minneapolis, MN
REVIEW
“…the company approached everything with ease that only experience brings…an honest offering…inhabiting the spotlights with elegance, grace and measured verve.”
MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
2000
Stumbling Towards Hindsight
Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Minneapolis, MN
choreography by BETH CORNING
starring, Danny Buraczeski, Beth Corning, Bonnie Mathis
REVIEW
“…a scrapbook brought to life--without the cloying nostalgia and heartfelt advice that form might suggest… the sense of ease found only in mastery of a craft is readily apparent… great sensitivity and intelligence…” CITY PAGES
Stumbling Towards Hindsight
Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Minneapolis, MN
choreography by BETH CORNING
starring, Danny Buraczeski, Beth Corning, Bonnie Mathis
REVIEW
“…a scrapbook brought to life--without the cloying nostalgia and heartfelt advice that form might suggest… the sense of ease found only in mastery of a craft is readily apparent… great sensitivity and intelligence…” CITY PAGES