The Tragedy of Doctor Ivanov

As Russia transitioned from Czardom to Soviet Republic, a scientist worked steadily on his own innovations. For a time, Dr. Ilya Ivanov was regarded as Russia's premier biologist, an icon for his innovations in the world of artificial insemination and horse breeding. This fame led to a freedom few scientists had, and a motivation to push his discoveries to the maximum. It is why throughout the 1920s, Dr. Ivanov stationed himself in the heart of West Africa, with the mission to create his own species, The Humanzee.

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Shackleton Theatrics presents an adaptation of Dr. Ivanov's life, focusing on his period creating the Humanzee, and the decade spent torturing and inseminating chimpanzees with human sperm. The Tragedy of Doctor Ivanov captures the descent of a once great man falling victim to his own praise and believing himself immortal. Separated by a spiritual barrier, Dr. Ivanov is forced to view his peers as nothing more than shadows upon his walls, no more distinguishable than the apes he experiments on. It is through this separation that the themes of alienation and refusal to show weakness come to life, will Doctor Ivanov recognize his own limits, or will he devolve into the very creatures he seeks to design?

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The Tragedy of Doctor Ivanov will mark the fourth Shackleton Theatrics production written by its Lead Producer Park Lytle, as well as the fourth collaboration between Park Lytle and Hunter Mahmoud Abal under the Shackleton Theatrics Umbrella. Doctor Ivanov continues the trend started with The Meowing Nuns by exploring more dark and demented ideas pertaining to legacy, failure, and attempting to complete the impossible. Park Lytle reflects on his own past and struggles with achieving success and recognition balanced with the physical and emotional tolls he's placed on himself to accomplish his often impossible goals.

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Joining Hunter and Park are a cast of new faces. Rett Keeter will be playing Doctor Ivanov, making his debut for Shackleton Theatrics. Along with him will be first time collaborators Emma Crawfis and Clay Hollander who will play the roles Vera and Gennady, they are welcomed to the Shackleton team with open arms. Finally, Gia Ochsenbein shall be returning for her second collaboration with Shackleton in the role of Michelle. She had previously played girl in the Shackleton show drip.

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On the creative end, Doctor Ivanov brings back W. Alejandro Melendez and Jonathan Flikkie to continue developing the lighting and sound sphere of the Shackleton worlds, they both just recently contributed to the design world of The Meowing Nuns. Tara Froehlich is also returning as costume designer, prior to Ivanov she collaborated and designed the costumes for Emily Sombra in the Land of Phobos. While Zoe Lappin, who previously contributed to the workshop run of Jimmy Jenkenheimer will be joining the team as the scenic and projection designer. Finally, Hunter Prutch will be making his Shackleton debut as puppet designer for the complex apes needed to be portrayed in this production.

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The Tragedy of Doctor Ivanov will open May 29th at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica. Tickets are already on sale and can be accessed on the Highways website. Be sure to get your ticket soon, and witness the birth of Homo Ivanus.