One night only: Dynamic, immersive production ‘Playing the Game’ at Warren’s Phantom Theater

July 6, 2023  |  By Kate Youngdahl Stauss

Vermont performance artist Denise Casey's one-woman show, 'Playing the Game' is on stage at Warren's Phantom Theater on July 12. Courtesy photo

It’s a familiar situation: you’re a fish out of water, so you mold yourself to suit the surroundings only to find it’s an uncomfortable fit. 

In “Playing the Game,” a new work by Vermont performance artist Denise Casey, the audience takes a journey through the many ways Casey has tried to fit in with surprising results. Hailed as “hilarious, moving, and deeply profound,” the play comes to Central Vermont for one night only at Phantom Theater in Warren on Wednesday, July 12. 

The one-hour, one-woman show travels from the banal to the sublime -- including stops at a middle school science class, the peaks of the Himalayas, and a Buddhist monastery in Vermont. Though the narrative is personal, it provides audience members with opportunities to see and reflect upon themselves. “As I’m telling the story,” Casey said, “there are different ways gesturely and vocally for the audience to participate, opening the door to more intentional introspection.” As a professional Voice Movement Therapy practitioner, Casey focuses on embodied storytelling that appeals to all ages. Because the show is immersive, it’s different every night, evolving with the crowd. She noted that while everyone is encouraged to join in, there’s no pressure to do so and “introverts are safe.” 

At the heart of the performance is a reverie on Casey’s grief over her father’s death during the COVID-19 pandemic. She explores how uprisings in the wake of George Floyd’s murder led to terrible tensions between her father and herself. Casey now realizes that their arguments were counterproductive. “I’ve been playing this ‘right-and-wrong’ game with the world forever,” she said. Playing it with a dying parent meant a “lost opportunity for love.” 

Debuting in Burlington, Casey took “Playing the Game” to California before arriving at the Phantom Barn. The show will close in Brattleboro. Part memoir, part meditation, part make-believe, all imagination and courage, this is a production not to be missed! 

Phantom Theater, Vermont’s premier showcase for new and innovative work, is at the corner of Airport and Dump roads in Warren. Showtime: 8 p.m. Advance tickets, $20, are encouraged and online at sevendaystickets.com.