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Photos: Inside 'The Donkey Show' As It Prepares To Spin Its Last Disco Ball After A 10-Year Run
September 03, 2019
OJ Slaughter
"The Donkey Show" started its decade-long run at the OBERON in Cambridge on Aug. 21, 2009. It was the first production Diane Paulus staged in her role as artistic director of the American Repertory Theater.
Ten years later, it's been what's happening at the OBERON almost every Saturday night. But its final performance is on Saturday, Sept. 7. From its first day to its last, 150 actors have put on 885 performances of "The Donkey Show" at OBERON for more than 150,000 people, according to the theater.
As the community says goodbye to what's become a local theater institution, photographer OJ Slaughter visited as the performers were getting ready for the evening's shows. Here's what they saw:
Holly Bourdon (who plays Tytania and Sander) leads Tader Shipley and Sabrina Victor in rehearsal at OBERON before getting into costume and makeup. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Sabrina Victor and Tader Shipley observe Holly Bourdon's dance moves off camera. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Justin Paice mops OBERON's dance floor before the show. (OJ Slaughter)Brian Washburn, who performs as the fairy Cob Web, gets the movable platforms in place for the evening's show. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Holly Bourdon performs as Tytania in "The Donkey Show," the character based on Shakespeare's Queen of the Fairies. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)The fairies practice carrying Holly Bourdon (Tytania) across the dance floor. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Dressed and ready, actors in "The Donkey Show" gather ahead of the night's performance. Adele Leikauskas (Disco Girl) and Mitchell Todd (Dr. Wheelgood) listen to the stage manager, Lauren Burke, who is off camera. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)(OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Kristin Haynes, who performs as a Disco Girl, applies her false eyelashes before hitting the stage. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Holly Bourdon, Rachel Wirtz and Mitchell Todd pause for a moment before running down the stairs to greet their audience. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Darren Bunch (performing as the fairy Mustard Seed) dances to the great disco hits while patrons start to fill the room before the show begins. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Doug Kolakowski is hit by light while dancing on a platform. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Mitchell Todd (as Dr. Wheelgood) flies down the stairs on his roller skates and into a waiting crowd. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Holly Bourdon (as Tytania) climbs a railing before being caught below by waiting hands. (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Holly Bourdon (Tytania) is lifted in front of the audience by Darren Bunch (Mustard Seed) and Brian Washburn (Cob Web). (OJ Slaughter for WBUR)Performing Arts
