New theater company brings psychological thriller to Santa Fe stage

Romancing the Void is debuting its inaugural production “The Wasp,” running Wednesday, Jan. 28, through Feb. 8, at Santa Fe’s Teatro Paraguas.

“One of the things we want to focus on with our company is things that are, we might say, psychologically challenging …,” Monique Lacoste, the co-founder of Romancing the Void Productions, said. “Sort of the darker corners of the human condition, the complexity just of being a human being.”

She said “The Wasp,” a play by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, is a thriller that fits into the company’s vision.

“I was attracted to it, partly because of the kind of genre that it is,” Lacoste said. “It’s not something you see very often, thrillers on stage in Santa Fe.”

Lacoste said she wants to go beyond classical or Shakespearean works, challenging audiences with more emotional and psychological pieces. 

“The Wasp” fits this vision, and Lacoste believes audiences will have different reactions to the twists, leading to discussion about what is and isn’t justified.

“I think that what happens is quite unexpected. It makes sense in the piece, but it’s unexpected and there’s a lot of moral ambiguity to the play itself,” Lacoste said. “I think it kind of challenges an audience to have to consider their own moral standpoint.”

“The Wasp” features only two characters, played by Joey Beth Gilbert and Kathryn Harrell. Lacoste said she enjoys working with only two actors for the production company’s first show.

“It’s great because I think both roles are so juicy, they’re so good,” Lacoste said, “and I find that makes me just feel like both of them are more involved in the actual overall creative process in a way that makes it feel really collaborative.”

Lacoste said she enjoys directing and embraces the problem-solving aspect in helping actors bring their characters to life.

“More than anything else, what you’re doing is helping bring this vision to life, working with other people and inspiring them, and hopefully, being able to support them in that process,” Lacoste said.

Lacoste said audience reaction is important and hopes they feel an emotional response to “The Wasp.” 

She said theaters are more important now than they have been in a long time, providing a reprieve to the state of the world. 

She hopes “The Wasp” will offer that theatrical experience.

“I would really love if when I do a show, audience members want to come and see the work, because they know that at the very least, it will be a well-done performance …” Lacoste said. “They will experience something from it, and it will be worth their time and energy to go see one of our shows.”

Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow from the New Mexico Local News Fellowship program. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.