In 2015, I designed masks for 3 productions at VENUS THEATRE of Laurel, Maryland. Venus Theatre is the longest running theatre for women's empowerment in the country. Founder, producer, director and oftentimes designer Deborah Randall was my partner in each production. She is a powerhouse. A fierce advocate for creativity, equality and justice, this woman has spent her life in service to putting women and their stories on stage. She is an activist as much as she is a theatre professional, and in many ways, it is my opinion that Ms Randall has found a way to make a sustainable melding of the two. In many ways, her spirit is one with whom I am aligned, passionate in bringing my love and respect for theatre into the service of real world issues.

Two of the productions for which I was a designer were part of the Women's Voices Playwrights Festival of 2015.

WITCHES VANISH! This world premiere of the play by Claudia Barnett was directed by Deb Randall. The production featured Tara Cariaso as both mask maker and consultant, and performer.

DRY BONES RISING, world premiere of a play by Cecilia Raker, directed by Deb Randall. Mask and mask movement consultation by Tara Cariaso

RAW, a world premiere of this play written by Ruby Grant award winner, Amy Bernstein, and was directed by Deb Randall. Mask by Tara Cariaso
  • Dry Bones Rising
    Dry Bones Rising
    The masksed character pictured is the Golem made of mud by 2 children after an apocalypse that destroyed society and left the children alone in a terrifying new world. The mask was worn by actor Allison Turkel, who won a DC Metro Theatre Arts Best Performance award for her portrayal of the Golem. "Dry Bones Rising" was written by Cecilia Raker Ehnrenfeld, directed by Deborah Randall.
  • RAW!
    RAW!
    Katie Jeffries as "Caroline" the Cow
  • RAW! by Amy Bernstein
    RAW! by Amy Bernstein
    Our third commission project of 2015 with Venue Theatre, RAW! (also a part of the Women's Voices Theatre Festival of 2015) featured a cow protagonist who needed a mask that allowed the actor to see in every direction, express ample subtlety emotion across her face, and yet the mask must still ground the character in a feeling of realness that contrast the surrealism of the play. She had to be clearly differentiated, too, from the humans of the play. Pictured is actor Katie Jeffries who played Caroline the Cow and received a Best Performance award for her portrayal, directed by Deborah Randall.
  • Reviews for Performance and Masks at Venus Theatre 2015 for Tara Cariaso
  • Witch 3, Tara looks into the dark
    Witch 3, Tara looks into the dark
    Movement has always been a companion with whom I am in constant conversation. In undergrad, I wanted to know what to do with my hands onstage. In grad, I wanted to know how my body betrayed more about me than I wanted to share. Still in this discussion, I found my movement work in Witches Vanish both invigorating and grounding, highly physical and joyfully for me, at times masked.
  • Witches in movement around a cauldron
    Witches in movement around a cauldron
    An action photo that has a haunting form of a woman center as more clarity can be found further upstage with a witch circling her cauldron. Director Deborah Randall's intention as founder and producer of Venus Theatre is to empower women's voices in her company, from playwright to actor to designer. I feel fortunate to have been a part of the show's overall stylistic design, being both on stage and the designer of a dozen masks used in the production.
  • Shadow Witch inspired by Lost Nigeria women
    Shadow Witch inspired by Lost Nigeria women
    This lovely angled shot shows the deep crevices of the mask for the Shadow Witch inspired by Nigerian women. It allows you to see a touch of the actors face below the mask looking down as the mask is worn on the top of her head. Here you can see the "stone" inspiration inherent in the design.
  • The Witches of WITCHES VANISH, Tara is pictured far right
    The Witches of WITCHES VANISH, Tara is pictured far right
    This photo features actors Witches 1,2 and 3, left to right: Lakeisha Harris, Vivian Allvin, and myself top. Below, from the left, Shadow Witches: Letica Monet and Jenny Berry.
  • A Mask Maker's recollection of a Creative Process
    "But in the case of the "shadow witches", who were so other-worlddly that they had neither names nor lines nor point of view, there was a need to connect them to something actual. Something complex. Something timeless... ...And then I heard the names. "
  • Shadow Witch Masks, custom Mask design for Witches Vanish production
    Shadow Witch Masks, custom Mask design for Witches Vanish production
    Left, Shadow Witch mask inspired by missing Nigerian women, and Right, Shadow Witch inspired by missing women in Juarex, Mexico. These masks form the structure of this production of WITCHES VANISH, facilitating action and ever present on the stage. These masks are eyeless for the wearer, and were made to be worn on the top of the actor's head in order to change the way the performer uses her body and create unique shapes in the character form.
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