There are some shows that invite you to sit back and watch, and then there are shows like Vesper, a Dream Play — the kind that pull you inside and don’t let you go until long after the lights come up. This ethereal experience, now playing at The Voxel in Baltimore, was conceived and directed by Jarod Hanson. Vesper is less a traditional play and more of an experiment. It’s a journey through dreams and rituals, through sound and shadow, through the kind of mystery that theater can still conjure when it dares to let go of the rules.
The evening begins quietly, almost reverently. The house goes dark, and before a single word is spoken, the air seems to hum. There’s a stillness — the kind that makes you lean forward. When the cast finally appears, they don’t “enter” so much as emerge, like figures rising from fog or memory. From the start, you can tell this isn’t a story to follow; it’s something to feel.
Vesper unfolds through a series of images and movements rather than a straightforward plot. I liken it to abstract art. There are moments of dance, fragments of poetry, and scenes that shift between the real and the surreal. The performers move like a single, breathing organism, their bodies tracing shapes that feel ancient — part ritual, part dream. Sometimes they’re caught in a flicker of light; other times, swallowed by shadow. It’s hypnotic to watch.
The lighting and sound design are major players here. And it was a job well done by John McAfee and Jason Charney. The lights ripple and pulse like moonlight through trees, while the soundscape — a mix of live music, whispers, and ambient tones — fills the room like another presence. You don’t just see this show; you feel it vibrating through the air. The technical artistry has been elevated — each element layered so carefully that the boundaries between performance and environment seem to disappear.
The program describes Vesper as “a surrealistic exploration of humanity’s relationship to the night and the rituals we invoke to heal, find peace, and ward off danger.” That description fits, but the experience is even deeper. It’s about the ways we search for meaning in darkness — both literally and emotionally. There’s a recurring sense of reaching, of trying to touch something just beyond understanding. The performers express it through gestures, through stillness, through moments when the entire ensemble breathes in unison.
What struck me most was the freedom the show gives its audience. There’s no single way to interpret it — no “right” way to watch. You can let your imagination fill in the blanks, find your own story inside the fragments. At times, I didn’t fully understand what was happening, and I loved that. It felt like a dream you wake up from, remembering only pieces, but those pieces still move you.
Of course, Vesper won’t be for everyone. Those who prefer clear narratives and tidy resolutions might find it confusing or even frustrating. It asks a lot of you. Patience, openness, and a willingness to surrender. But for those who crave something different, something immersive and alive, it’s a rare gift.
There are a few moments I can’t shake: a silhouette bathed in deep blue light, a slow-motion sequence that felt suspended in time, and a final image that left the entire room silent.
In a city that’s becoming known for its bold and experimental theater, Vesper stands out as something special — a reminder that the stage can still surprise us, still transport us. It’s a piece that doesn’t try to explain itself; it simply invites you to step into the dark and see what you find.Vesper, a Dream Play is beautiful, strange, and haunting — a 75-minute dive into the unconscious. It’s not a story you watch; it’s a feeling you carry with you. I left The Voxel that night still hearing echoes of its soundscape, still seeing flickers of its light. And maybe that’s the point — to leave us all a little haunted, a little awakened, and a little more willing to dream.
Running Time: About 75 minutes with no intermission.
Vesper, a Dream Play plays through November 2, 2025, at The Voxel, located at 9 West 25th Street, Baltimore, MD. Tickets ($10 to $100) can be purchased online.
Vesper, a Dream Play
CREATED AND PERFORMED BY
Alix Fenhagen
Luu Pham
Ally Ibach
Chelsea Thaler
Molly Margulies
Hailey Withrow
Parker Mathews
Matthew Williams
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Jarod Hanson
Associate director: Brandice Thompson
Stage Manager: Olivia Dibble
Production Manager: Aran Keating
Sound, Music, and Multimedia Designer: Jason Charney
Lighting Designer: John McAfee
Set & Properties Designer: Joe Martin
Costume Designer: Rowan Gardner
Asst. Stage Manager: Zack Anderson
Understudy: Meghan Ziccardi
Vocal Coach: Britt Olsen: Ecker
Artist Advocate: Katie Hileman
Producers: Jarod Hanson, The Acme Corporation, Aran Keating
