Our Process.

GYPSY & THE BULLY DOOR had a two-week music and script development workshop at The Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, co-produced by The Woodshed Center for Art, Thought, & Culture and Ocean Ana Rising, Inc. from July 5th to July 19th. The artists in residence for that workshop include Woodshed community engagement fellow and playwright, Nina Angela Mercer; the music director, Matt “Swamp Guinee” Miller; and director Eric Ruffin. A full cast was also present.

Following the July workshop, GYPSY & THE BULLY DOOR returned to the Woodshed Center for Art, Thought, & Culture from September 28th to October 8th, 2023 for a creative process laboratory with a full cast. The Lab culminated with an open performance for the public on October 8th at The Devine Theater at Georgetown University. The performance was followed by a talk-back discussion featuring Georgetown University and DC-metropolitan area community members.

Check out our gallery of rehearsal photos below!

Photograph of Hilary Jones (Sara/Destiny) During Phase One of Rehearsals.

View our Rehearsal Gallery below.

IMG_8986 2.jpeg
GBD Nina and Ruffiin.jpeg
IMG_9027.jpeg
IMG_8932.jpeg
IMG_8950.jpeg
IMG_9085.jpeg
IMG_9076.jpeg
IMG_8987 2.jpeg
IMG_9049.jpeg
GBD Phase One Workshop Circle.jpeg

Community Engagement

With Gypsy & the Bully Door being so rooted in community, we wanted to make sure that we actively engaged the DMV community within our creative process and storytelling. Explore the tabs to the right to see how we collaborated with different academic and cultural communities to bring this work to life.

  • Georgetown University’s Black Theater Ensemble “Sandbox” playshop with the playwright

  • Discussed Black ritual performance with students of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts

  • Developed the performance with artists raised and based in DC.

    Public community conversation after the performance at The Devine

    Streamed the performance to make the work easily accessible

    Virtual workshop for students in Dr. Roslyn M. Satshel’s Media Representation Seminar class at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA for the Radow Institute for Social Equity.