GATHERING
“Samar Haddad King’s premiere at the Shed tells a layered story of trauma dislocation and resilience.”
–Candice Thompson, The New York Times
TEAM
Created & Directed by: Samar Haddad King
Assistant Director: Stephanie Sutherland
Dramaturg: Enrico Dau Yang Wey
Costume/Prop Design by: Nancy Mkaabal
Rehearsal Director: Zoe Rabinowitz
Lighting Designer: Muaz Jubeh
Music by: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons “Recomposed” by Max Richter
Original songs by: Samar Haddad King
Producer: Claire Béjanin
Junior Producer: Manon Lacoste
Production Manager: Frances Caperchi
Production Assistant: Haidi Ahmed
Translations to French by: Vincent Pommier
Cast: Samaa Wakim and Mohammed Smahneh, Marah AlHaj, Adan Azzam, Nadim Bahsoun , Charles Brecard, Mehdi Dakhan, Dounia Dolbec, Yukari Osaka, Zoe Rabinowitz, Arzu Salman, Natalie Salsa, Yousef Sbieh, Enrico Dau Yang Wey, Ash Winkfield, Mohammed Fouad (understudy)
TOURING INFORMATION
Duration of work: 80 minutes (no intermission)
Cast: 13
Touring company: 17-20
ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS*
*available upon request
One day creative process workshop
with local artists + showing
Multi-day creative process workshop
with local artists + performance
Gathering events with local theater staff + community
For more information click here.
Upcoming Performances
Gathering
Cal Performances @ UC Berkeley (West Coast Premiere)
Zellerbach Playhouse – Berkeley, California
February 27 at 20h
February 28th at 14h and 20h
March 1st at 15h
Tickets and more information
Past Performances
Scène Nationale du Sud Aquitaine/Bayonne – Anglet:
L’Empreinte, Scène Nationale Brive-Tulle:
Théâtre d’Angoulême – Scène Nationale
TAP – Scène nationale de Grand Poitiers & Le Méta – CDN Poitiers:
Moulin du Roc – Scène Nationale Niort:
La Coursive Scène Nationale La Rochelle:
Scène Nationale d’Aubusson, théâtre Jean Lurçat:
Photos © Heather Cromartie, The Shed; Emilie Charransol; Pierre Planchenault
“A deeply moving and powerful work of art that explores themes of love, loss, dignity, the sanctity for human life and connection.” – Alex Poots, Artistic Director, The Shed
Conceived, written, and directed by Samar Haddad King (Artistic Director, Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre), Gathering is a full length work that tells the fictional story of a village under siege and one woman’s struggle to reconcile her fragmented memories.
Featuring original movement, text, song, dance, puppetry, and play, Gathering includes music from Max Richter’s Vivaldi: The Four Seasons and original compositions by King.
“The true success of the gathering lies in the omnipresence of a constantly reawakened sense of anxiety and trauma that threatens the whole — and it is precisely this fragility that moves us.” – Igor Hansen-Løve, SceneWeb
Production of the European Tour 2025/26 – Au Contraire Productions and Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre in co-production with Scène Nationale – Carré-Colonnes, FAB Bordeaux, Scène nationale du Sud-Aquitain, Théâtre d’Angoulême – Scène Nationale, Scène Nationale – Brive-Tulle, La Coursive – Scène Nationale, Scène Nationale – Aubusson, Le Moulin du Roc – Scène Nationale, TAP – Scène nationale de Grand Poitiers with the support of the Ministry of Culture as part of the Mieux produire Mieux diffuser plan.
This engagement is supported in part by Mid Atlantic Arts. This project was presented with the support of Ettijahat – Independent Culture, and F.U.S.E.D., a program of Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation.
With residency support from Le Grand Jeu : Artistic research, creation, and experimentation in nature.
Production of the NY creation in June 2024 – Gathering: New York City was commissioned by The Shed (2023-24 Open Call Series) and created with the support of a 2022-23 CUNY Dance Initiative Residency at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden and a 2023 Residency at Dance Place in Washington D.C. The premiere was made possible with support from the British Council, Center for Arab American Philanthropy, a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant, Howard Gilman Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation.
Au Contraire Productions :
Au Contraire Productions is a non-profit organization established under the French 1901 association law. It was founded in November 2017 under the name Good Chance Theatre and became Au Contraire Productions in 2022. Chaired by Claire Béjanin, alongside Valérie Six, this non-profit association is deeply rooted in essential humanistic values: equality, ethics, and commitment through art. The dedicated team focuses on creating, producing, and promoting performing arts—ranging from theater, dance, visual and digital arts, opera, readings, and concerts—while placing special emphasis on humanistic and societal issues.
Specializing in the production of artistic projects, the association operates both in France and internationally. Its approach is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature and open-ended partnerships. The collaborative work of its two producers, whose backgrounds are complementary, enables the development of ambitious projects that are both innovative and grounded in ethical practices. Claire Béjanin, having worked in public theater (MC93 Bobigny, Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence), has produced international projects such as The Bridge Project with Sam Mendes at BAM-New York and the Old Vic-London, and more recently, The Walk featuring Little Amal. Valérie Six, on the other hand, has a background in public theater (La Salamandre-Théâtre du Nord, Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe, Festival d’Avignon, Aix-en-Provence Opera Festival) and specializes in communication and fundraising, dedicating the past decade to adapting and initiating artistic projects.
The association is also committed to including new audiences by offering artistic activities, educational programs, and research on performing arts. Based in both Arles and Paris, Au Contraire Productions aims for European and international outreach. Its mission is to address ethical and meaningful challenges while placing artistic proposals at the heart of its endeavors, from the earliest stages of project development.
