2013 Capital Fringe Show Preview: ‘The DC State Players Present Agamemnon’ by Gabriel Swee

Have you ever seen a show that’s so bad, it somehow becomes good? You laugh because you can relate to all those horrible moments on stage. You cry through the laughter because maybe it’s just a little too familiar. The D.C. State Players want to relive these visceral moments with the audience in full-force as this “community theatre” guides them through the rehearsal process and into a show in The D.C. State Players Present Agamemnon.

The production centers on a community theatre troupe called “The D.C. State Players” as they present a brand new adaption of the Greek classic. This company is new to the D.C. theatre scene, and headed by Tonee Bollocks and Gabriel Sweetbottom; two ego-maniacs who believe their theatre is really the only good theatre, and that they are the shining example in a sea of artistic mediocrity. As Tonee has said, “we like to do the same shows that are being done in the rest of the theatre community, but we do them better…” The show itself looks at how internal conflicts, poor planning, and general ignorance so often interfere with the supposedly enjoyable act of producing theatre.

The audience has the opportunity to see the growth of the show in the rehearsal process through excerpts provided by an aspiring film crew in the days leading up to the opening. We see in these pre-production videos (entitled Community Theatre: The Rise and Fall of Western Civilization) conflicts that arise amongst the cast, crew, director, and producer as tempers and egos flare. These conflicts become deep-seeded as they enter the production run and slowly tear a once promising show into a mess of mediocrity that they so wontedly avoid.

All pre-production videos can be found on The D.C. State Players’ website and seen below.

If you go to theatre, then you’ve seen bad theatre. But The D.C. State Players Present Agamemnon wants to remind the world that “bad theatre” can, in fact, be “good theatre,” if you look at it the right light. 

The D.C. State Players Present Agamemnon, directed by Tonee Bollocks, will be playing at The GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square on the following dates and times:   

​All performances at:
GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square​
3333 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20010

​July 12th at 8:45pm
July 18th at 7:45pm
July 19th at 8:30pm
July 20th at 5:30pm
July 23rd at 9:45pm
July 25th at 10:30pm
July 27th at 9:00pm

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.