About Corey
Baltimore City - Station North A&E District
Corey Hennessey is a Baltimore-based performer, musician, and artist. His favorite color is orange and his favorite animal is the giant anteater. A frequent collaborator with numerous local theator companies, he is also one half of the band Snake Charm and the creator of White Wing Dove.
White Wing Dove is a project based on uniting communities and inspiring collaboration. Beginning in June 2019 with an enhanced recreation of… more
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404
404 combines the urgency and immediacy of pop music with intense projected visuals and disparate choreography to enhance and effectively narrate the internal struggles associated with anxiety, displacement, disappointment and then re-emergence through these. The projections alter the body, the body alters the words, and the words guide the music. No one is in control, but every element is fighting for power. Conceived, written, performed, and designed by Corey Hennessey, with original music by Andrew McVey, Derek Vaughan Brown, and Jerz Durkin, 404 premiered in May 2016 as thesis production in Towson's MFA Program, but has stayed in a constant state of growth, even showing itself as an MTV Unplugged styled version at the Stillpointe Theatre in June and July of 2016.
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Waffle (Excerpt from "404" May 4, 2016)Corey Hennessey performs "Waffle" during 404 on May 4, 2016.
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404Corey Hennessey performing 404.
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404Projection intro of 404.
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404Corey Hennessey performing 404, May 2016.
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404Corey Hennessey performing 404, May 2016.
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404Corey Hennessey performing 404 (with his projection double), May 2016.
Shapez
My first wholly original work, Shapez is an exploration into the idea of combining photographic compositional concepts to performance, particularly geometry and cropping. Inspired by the works of Robert Mapplethorpe, the piece consists of multiple segments connected through overlapping projections and repeated movements. Through the piece, two performers (myself and Caitlin Rife) navigate a two-dimensional landscape of projected imagery, creating moments in three dimensions where the light allows.
For Shapez, I created all still imagery choreography, and assembled all found film, music, dialogue, and lyrics into a cohesive whole performance. Shape ran approximately 17 minutes and was featured as part of Sextant: An Evening of Works In-Progress at towson University.
For Shapez, I created all still imagery choreography, and assembled all found film, music, dialogue, and lyrics into a cohesive whole performance. Shape ran approximately 17 minutes and was featured as part of Sextant: An Evening of Works In-Progress at towson University.
Electric Pharaoh
Awarded Best Actor 2015 for originating the role of Tariq in Electric Pharaoh, the sixth original full-length show by the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, I was also responsible for editing the script around mine and my partner's character and writing lyrics to one of the songs, "Jailhouse," performed by my character. I was also featured on the original cast recording.
With Electric Pharaoh, I found myself taking on a character very new to the BROS. Looking to accurately represent a group of people that I not only belong to, but typically find to be represented in cliche, I became very invested in portraying the reality of his situation within a very comedic and surreal world.
With Electric Pharaoh, I found myself taking on a character very new to the BROS. Looking to accurately represent a group of people that I not only belong to, but typically find to be represented in cliche, I became very invested in portraying the reality of his situation within a very comedic and surreal world.
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09-power-in-the-dark-1.mp3
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10682406_10203888793514931_4608085832043534129_o.jpgPhoto: Heather Keating
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screen-shot-2014-11-09-at-90057-pm.pngPhoto: Josh Sisk
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10317546_883810974986390_3912908952231065907_o.jpgPhoto: Allyson Washington
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screen-shot-2014-11-21-at-95452-pm.pngPhoto: Brooke Hall
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10733911_883811038319717_3445786632507986509_o.jpgPhoto: Allyson Washington
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brh_5171-copy.jpgPhoto: Brooke Hall
1814! The Rock Opera
Originating the role of General George Armistead, this campy rock opera tell the story of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812. Incorporating the sounds of 1980s rock and pop music, the show tells of the burning of the white house, a (fictional) love affair between Mary Pickersgill and Armistead, and the successes of Sam Smith among other notables in the history of the war. Aiming not for historical accuracy, but entertainment, the show is a spectacle and beginners guide to the historical event.
First aired in a preview format of three songs (of which I participated) on the Canadian broadcasting Company's documentary of the Battle of Baltimore in 2012, the show grew to full-length and was immediately toured in the DC Metro area. I originated all vocals for the songs in which Armistead sang (most notably the midway and finale song, Big Ass Flag), as well as choreographed initial dance numbers, took part in casting the show beyond the preview performance, appeared on the original cast recording, created promotional material (including poster and banner designs) and assistant directed the first incarnation of the show. The show toured for three years, culminating in a final full (but infamously cut off) performance at the Hampstead Hill Festival and an acoustic performance at the Governor's Mansion's Christmas Party in 2014. 1814! The Rock Opera won numerous awards over its run, including Best Historical Re-enactment in the Best of Baltimore 2013.
First aired in a preview format of three songs (of which I participated) on the Canadian broadcasting Company's documentary of the Battle of Baltimore in 2012, the show grew to full-length and was immediately toured in the DC Metro area. I originated all vocals for the songs in which Armistead sang (most notably the midway and finale song, Big Ass Flag), as well as choreographed initial dance numbers, took part in casting the show beyond the preview performance, appeared on the original cast recording, created promotional material (including poster and banner designs) and assistant directed the first incarnation of the show. The show toured for three years, culminating in a final full (but infamously cut off) performance at the Hampstead Hill Festival and an acoustic performance at the Governor's Mansion's Christmas Party in 2014. 1814! The Rock Opera won numerous awards over its run, including Best Historical Re-enactment in the Best of Baltimore 2013.
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08-big-ass-flag-1.mp3
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coreyhennesseyb.jpgPhoto: Eldon Baldwin
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screen-shot-2013-07-14-at-101117-pm.pngPhoto: Paul Gillis
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10580915_10153319979118484_2835804177300293098_o.jpgPhoto: Olivia Obineme
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539618_10200746907208731_1981359480_n-2.jpg
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53d98c_163e73763af34bd1992dfcad2900404bjpeg_srb_p_.jpegPhoto: Amy Davis
Pull/Drift
Conceived by Clarissa Gregory, Pull/Drift looked to combine dance and sculpture into a singular performance. Originally taking place at Patapsco Park, the performance saw the assemblage of materials and then creation of a raft, followed by a semi-improvised movement segment after its completion.
As part of the original devising cast, I participated not only in the imagining of movements and choreography, but execution of the preview (at MICA) performances and original iteration. I was also a participant and active adapter in its later incarnations through the winter as a duet between myself and Clarissa, all indoors, with one taking place at the 2013 High Zero Festival.
As part of the original devising cast, I participated not only in the imagining of movements and choreography, but execution of the preview (at MICA) performances and original iteration. I was also a participant and active adapter in its later incarnations through the winter as a duet between myself and Clarissa, all indoors, with one taking place at the 2013 High Zero Festival.
The Terrible Secret of Lunastus
My first exploration into developing original characters, Ionos in The Terrible Secret of Lunastus by the Baltimore Rock Opera Society threw me as far into space as the setting of the play itself. My first foray into portraying non-traditional sexuality, while incorporating rock vocals, an intense movement language based around the movements of a rooster, and being limited to a three foot wide deck twenty feet in the air. Also, I was covered head to toe in purple, pink, or teal body paint.
Ionos' songs has been featured repeatedly at promotional events by the BROS, being performed by myself.
Ionos' songs has been featured repeatedly at promotional events by the BROS, being performed by myself.