WELCOME!
UnTethered
An autobiographical show about a queer demisexual woman with OCD attempting to transcend her irrational fears
Written and performed by: Tana Sirois
Directed by Polina Ionina
Assistant Director: Skyler Reid
Sound Design: Polina Ionina/Tana Sirois
Composer: Toy Factor / Tyler Agnew
Dates at Thespis Theater: November 6th and 7th, 2024 at 7:30pm
UnTethered is an autobiographical show that follows a queer, demisexual woman with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as she attempts to transcend her irrational fears so that she may finally experience what it’s like to feel safe and loved. When her intrusive thoughts manifest as monsters made from plastic bags, she begins to question the absurd lengths the mind will go through to create an illusion of safety. UnTethered pushes at the boundaries of fixed identity and asks if we should tether to the things that make us feel safe, or if the power lies in the letting go.
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Tana Sirois
UnTethered Writer/Actor
Theatre-maker, director, producer & facilitator.
Tana holds a BA in Acting from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, and an MSc in Creative Arts & Mental Health from Queen Mary University of London. She is represented by LADA Management and is a member of Equity UK. She is co-founder of the non-profit arts & culture center, Culture Lab LIC in NYC, and Artistic Director of Dirt [contained] Theatre Company, where she has been producing socially conscious theatre with an absurd twist since 2010. Tana is a member of the international movement theatre collective, The How, and of the feminist musical comedy troupe, Broad Comedy, where she has helped raise over $2,500,000 for Planned Parenthood and The ACLU. Her original play "Crushing Baby Animals" played at The IRT theatre in NYC, and her two-person movement theatre piece, "My Favorite Person" ran in NYC at Culture Lab LIC and HERE Arts, and at Tuhafier in Istanbul. She utilizes improvisation to devise movement-based work that strives for eloquence in absurdity and authenticity in chaos. The research she has undertaken at the intersection of art and mental health has inspired her to create work centered around issues of equality and identity, and the ever-changing nature of the self. Tana believes in the efficacy of art for social justice, and holds a deep respect for the profound healing power of the theatre.
IG: Tana_Sirois
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Polina Ionina
Founder of the How Theater and Director of UnTetherd
Actor, Mover, Teacher
Polina is a Russian-American director/actor born and raised in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Classically trained at Pace University BFA Acting program in NYC, Polina has also studied abroad in Kyrgyzstan and at the Grotowski Institut in Poland. In NY she’s worked with Interactive PlayLab led by improv pioneer and master clown Jeff Wirth, and with the experimental theater group Dzieci. Polina is a founder of The How, and has performed with and directed the ensemble at celebrated venues such as HERE Arts Center, IRT, The Tank NYC, Dixon Place, and Tuhafier (Istanbul). Work with The How includes: The Vyuga Project, Vandals, Hunger, What We Do, I Am the Wind, 5 Hour Piece, My Favorite Person, and Rat King which recently performed at Culture Lab in LIC. Polina has also worked with up and coming film-makers in NYC such as Alex Blackstorm, Sonoko Ogata, and Steve Perterson as well as industry giants such as Bob Balaban, and Lisa Robinson.
ig: @mspyaari
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XiaoXiao Sun
UnTethered Puppeteer and Bag Monster
Mover, Actor
Xiaoxiao Sun (he/they; @sxxinyc) is a Chinese actor & vocalist calling NYC home for 12 years. They acts in Mandarin, English, Cantonese, and can sing in Tibetan thanks to anthropology training at Columbia.
Their recent projects include Short Stack 2 with Ma-Yi Theatre @ La Mama, Queer Asian play “Ancient History” @ The Tank, physical theatre piece “Rat King”@ Culture Lab LIC, and Twelfth Night with Prague Shakespeare Company.
You’ll see him more and more on film sets, with his most recent feature “Blue Sun Palace” winning the French Touch Jury Prize at Cannes 2024.
UnTethered
A note from the director, Polina Ionina:
UnTethered is a very special piece. It is one that takes a lot of courage. I am truly in awe of the dedication and bravery of Tana Sirois. She has put her heart and soul into this piece. It is not easy to bare your inner most, hidden self in front of an audience over and over and over again. It was my job to hold space during this process. Since this story is so delicate and specific, I had to approach it with grace and patience, helping it unfold in the way that it wanted to unfold. It has been a joy to see it evolve and for it to have such a profound effect on the audience. Our intention with this piece has always been to bring awareness to OCD and to show folks that they are not alone. I hope that you enjoy this show as much as we have enjoyed making it.
All my love,
-P
We have been so fortunate to take this show across the seas. It was a true pleasure to show UnTethered at the Istanbul Fringe Festival this September. We hope that we have the opportunity to take this piece all over the world.
If you are able to donate anything to this production, we would be incredibly grateful. Live art is takes extreme dedication to make in today’s society. Please help it thrive. We are grateful for every dollar.
If you liked this show and would like to support us in another way, we invite you to come to our upcoming show at The Tank in Manhattan on November 21st, 23rd, and 25th! Please spread the word, invite your friends! Let’s keep the conversation going.
Thank you to everyone who made this project possible
This production is generously funded by the Queens Arts Fund program, presented by The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) in partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA).