Fantasy Lives In 'ZIMA!' - 27 East

Arts & Living

Arts & Living / 1347440

Fantasy Lives In 'ZIMA!'

icon 4 Photos

February 26 -- Nate Best portrayed a ram during “ZIMA!” an immersive theater production by the Neo-Political Cowgirls.

February 26 -- Nate Best portrayed a ram during “ZIMA!” an immersive theater production by the Neo-Political Cowgirls.

authorMichelle Trauring on Feb 24, 2015

Kate Mueth’s performers are committed to their art, to their characters and to their courageous leader. And when she asks them to dance and portray mythological creatures for two hours in the bitter cold, they do it without complaint—for the most part.They don ram horns and fairy wings, bird feathers and abstract costumes, transforming themselves into the winter spirits of Greek, Irish and Slavic lore—depending on the year—all for what Ms. Mueth and her company, the Neo-Political Cowgirls, call “ZIMA!” a fantasy world brought to life through their signature immersive style of theater that breaks down the fourth wall.

“Isn’t that fun, to be able to escape into this other form of imagination and present it to people?” Ms. Mueth said. “And I’m so lucky I’ve got so many different performers willing to play. How many people are willing to go out in the middle of winter and perform and freeze in the cold?”

This weekend, it’s 13 women and one token man, Josh Gladstone. “He happens to be my husband,” Ms. Mueth said. “I’m roping him in because he’s so good at playing these massive, hairy gods. He’s got that big, booming voice. It’s wonderful.”

Now entering its fifth year, the adventure will begin on Saturday afternoon at the Montauk gazebo on the green, where audiences will be introduced to a Slavic riddle that they must try to solve by traveling both downtown and braving the beaches, meeting gods, goddesses, fairies, nymphs and spirits, with clues along the way. The journey will end at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center, where they will learn if they’ve successfully unlocked the answer.

Until then, Ms. Mueth’s lips are tightly sealed.

“It always features winter spirits—spirits that are representing the underground, quite often death. That’s what winter is, in terms of gods and goddesses,” she said. “The riddle is always, essentially, the hunt for spring.”

Actor Chloë Dirksen as Morana, goddess of winter, is at the center of it all. She first met Ms. Mueth in 2012, when they both performed in “The Crucible” at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, but this will be her first “ZIMA!” experience.

She can only imagine what her director has in store. During a sneak peak of “Voyeur” at the John Drew Theater in East Hampton last spring, Ms. Mueth had her wear a formal, floor-length black dress while eating “a ton of flourless cake” with her hands—and she doesn’t even like cake.

“Kate is fearless, imaginative and unbound,” Ms. Dirksen said. “Her ideas transcend conventional narrative, so working with her as a performer is freeing, and you work in a place of pure, immediate energy and emotion. The stories she tells tend to exist in a timeless realm, which is tremendously exciting.”

The narrative is less laid-out and direct than it is show-and-tell, Ms. Mueth said. It will kick off with Alkonost, a mythical being that is half-woman, half-bird, and portrayed by Kasia Klimiuk. She will interact with a nest of eggs, each telling her a different prophecy, she explained, leading the riddle-hunters off in the right direction.

And this year, she said, she will be wearing proper footwear.

“My first year, it was actually very cold. There was snow everywhere,” she said. “I wore crappy shoes, so my feet got very, very cold until the sun came out. I’ve learned my lesson. But there were kids walking about, and it was nice to interact with them.”

Last year, “ZIMA!” drew about 100 participants over the course of two hours, according to Ms. Mueth, who won’t be dancing during this production. After all, someone needs to steer the ship, she said, and make sure her performers aren’t catching frostbite.

“I think so many times we really shut down in winter, and we have to,” she said. “But there’s so much magic in winter, and I think if we keep trying to be brave and go into it, and find the magic and mythology and meaning of winter in our own lives—in terms of metaphor—I think there are a lot of riches there to explore. Let’s pretend we’re Canadians and really get out there.”

The Neo-Political Cowgirls will perform “ZIMA!” on Saturday, February 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. in downtown Montauk. Start times are every 20 minutes, beginning at the gazebo on the green in the center of Montauk. A reception will follow at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center. Appropriate for all ages. Tickets are a suggested $5 donation. For tickets and more information, visit montaukplayhouse.org.

You May Also Like:

Joan Baum Discusses 'Bambi's' Hidden Meaning

​This year marks the 80 since the ending of World War II and the liberation of Europe’s concentration camps. And 80 years since the little known Austro-Hungarian writer and critic Felix Salten died. Salten, born Siegmund Salzmann in Pest, Hungary, was the author of “Bambi: The Story of a Life in the Forest,” a tale first published in German in 1923, from which one of the most remarkable cinematic events of all time was made by Walt Disney in 1942. The beloved movie that has engaged youngsters and adults for decades, however, is far from the unsentimental allegory intended by ... 12 Mar 2025 by Staff Writer

Special Opening Events for ‘Eternal Testament at The Church’

In grand commemoration of The Church’s opening of its new exhibition “Eternal Testament” on Saturday, March 22, co-curators Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts have created an electric series of events that will inspire, delight and inform all on the topic of the show. The run down is: 5 to 6 p.m. — Panel Discussion With Jeremy Dennis, Meranda Roberts & Denise Silva Dennis Join the show’s two co-curators on the lower studio level of The Church for a conversation with artist Denise Silva Dennis (Jeremy Dennis’s mother). The trio will dive deeper into some of the themes, intentions and inspirations ... by Staff Writer

Solar: The Cha Ching Factor

“When there’s a huge solar energy spill, it’s just called a ‘nice day’” — Anonymous ... by Jenny Noble

Marc Camoletti's Fast-Paced Farce 'Boeing Boeing' Lands at Hampton Theatre Company

The Hampton Theatre Company continues its milestone 40th season with Marc Camoletti’s high-flying comedy “Boeing ... 10 Mar 2025 by Leah Chiappino

Parrish Art Museum's 2025 Exhibition Lineup

The Parrish Art Museum has announced its 2025 schedule, featuring solo exhibitions by internationally renowned ... by Staff Writer

Get Your Slavic Groove Going

On Saturday, March 22, at 8 p.m., Hamptons Jazz Fest presents Slavic Soul Party! at ... by Staff Writer

‘Tight Lines’ Highlights Artists Who Are Inspired by the Sea

The Grenning Gallery’s new exhibition “Tight Lines,” is a group show of contemporary paintings inspired ... by Staff Writer

First Literature Project Exhibition Opens at Ma’s House

Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio will present an opening reception for First Literature Project, ... by Staff Writer

Jimmy Stewart and His Sister, Mary, Are Focus of a Film and Art Happening at Sag Harbor Cinema

Sag Harbor Cinema will screen Frank Borzage’s 1940 film “The Mortal Storm” on Saturday, March ... by Staff Writer

‘Eternal Testament’ Honors Native Artists at The Church

“Eternal Testament,” an exhibition curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts, Ph.D., opens at The Church on Saturday, March 22, with a reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The exhibition remains on view through May 21. It reaffirms that Sag Harbor, including the “church” in which it appears, occupies the traditional homelands of the Montaukett and Shinnecock Nations. By featuring works by Native artists regionally and from across the country that incorporate wit, irreverence and playfulness — tools for survival and healing — the exhibition asserts Indigenous presence and sovereignty as artists reclaim space, “temporarily transforming a site of forced ... 8 Mar 2025 by Staff Writer