New Wave Theater

Exodus Ensemble founder and Director April Cleveland refers to the email she sent when she was moving to Santa Fe as “insane.” On a certain level, though, she’s glad she sent it. In short, Cleveland had completed her undergrad studies at St. John’s College before picking up a master’s in directing from Chicago’s DePaul University. When her longtime partner, whom she’d met at St. John’s, got hired at their alma mater during the early days of the pandemic, Cleveland agreed to move back, but she did so knowing she wanted to start a theater troupe. While en route, she devised the early idea that would become Exodus Ensemble’s experiential model; she selected a number of actors she respected and composed a hurried email asking them to join her in Santa Fe. Many obliged.

Exodus Ensemble members mount what you might call immersive theater simulations in their shared home, in museum spaces, outdoors—anywhere they can congregate. Of late, they’ve been working with fledgling museum and events space Acequia Madre House, and while the traditional theater experience of audience in seats/people onstage has a proud tradition both locally and beyond, one must think of an Exodus show more like being part of the production; sitting at that boardroom table; traipsing through those woods; existing in the same space with its cast.

That’s how Cleveland and company have worked for more than 200 local performances across numerous venues (some of which have resulted in evictions) over the last two-ish years. An upcoming talk/sample performance at Acequia Madre House through Santa Fe’s Theater Lovers’ Club will allow curious parties to ask questions, learn more and otherwise become more familiar with what is, essentially, a radical form of theater uncommon in the states, but which has the power to change how we think about the art form. I, too, wanted to learn more, and thus sat down with Cleveland to hear about the reasons more folks should give Exodus a chance.

Theater is boring (but it needn’t be)

“This is how I get canceled. This is how the other theaters will come after me. But I do think that, and I think there are many reasons why theater is boring but doesn’t have to be. I think we have to fight for an art form in a changing world where spectators are doing different things. We should be competing with the forms that capture people’s attention. People are watching Game of Thrones, Euphoria and Squid Game—and why are they watching those shows? How can we borrow from that? To actually compete means borrowing it, live. If we want to learn about things, we can read, listen to podcasts, investigate, do other things much more effectively. I’ve never learned anything at the theater—but I’ve had my entire life transformed and my head turned upside down; I’ve had panic attacks and I’ve had visceral reactions.”

Exodus Ensemble is working hard to bring in people who’ve never attended theater in their lives

“We’re bringing in new audiences, which is a huge struggle of the theatrical landscape anyway—but if it’s being treated like eating your vegetables, you’re not gonna bring in new audiences. If it’s a thrill and more like an amusement park, you’ll be able to bring in audiences. I love people who are historically arts people, but my favorite people are those who’ve never done this before. We’re in test audiences for our newest play, which is an adaptation of [the Greek myth of] Medea, and a guy came in who’d never been to a play ever and said, ‘That was fucking crazy!’ When I hear that from somebody, I know we’re doing our job.”

The company boasts a certain quality of performer

“These actors have starred in and still go back and forth between film and TV; Netflix, HBO...they’re all repped by great agents in Chicago and Los Angeles and New Y

Full frontal

“Seriously—every show. There won’t be at the talk, though, but seriously…”

It’s a relatively new theater style in America

“The content we deal with is more common in places that aren’t the US. I spent a lot of time in London, I spent time in Switzerland and then was living in Germany because Switzerland is too expensive, and there’s no issue with nudity or whatever in these places. The body is the vessel in theater, it’s just pretty standard.”

They’ve got so much more in store

“We have a brand new show called Jason, which is that adaptation of Medea, and it’ll be at this warehouse space called Baby Grand, which is an artists’ warehouse that’s typically used as a queer music, party and cabaret venue. We have an Exodus murder mystery we’re developing for [Sky Railway] that will premier next year and then we’re going to build a major project that I can’t talk about on the record yet.”

It’s an absurdly cool bunch

“I think it’s really extraordinary that the group of people who comprise this ensemble could literally be working anywhere and everywhere, and they have made Santa Fe their home and have chosen this as the place to develop this company with an eye toward changing the entire face of theater. They’ve been through so much here. We have a term like, ‘There will be wrenches thrown that are so insurmountable, but the group surmounts.’”

Shows are always free

“We subsist on a donation model, and we’ll raise almost $400,000 this year. I’m always thinking about the European model where the government gives money to the theater because it’s worthwhile—how do I do that in a totally different economic system? I don’t tell anybody what it’s worth, though. After the show I say, ‘It’s very expensive, your gift keeps us going,’ and a lot of people come and give $5 or no money, and a lot of people come and give more than $5.”

Theater Lovers’ Club Talk With Exodus Ensemble: 6 pm Tuesday, Nov. 8. Free. Acequia Madre House, 614 Acequia Madre, (505) 983-6538

You must register via theatresantafe.org/rsvp; walk-ins are otherweise welcome, but on a first-come, first-served basis.