1518: The Dancing Plague is a satirical comedy set in the year 1518, inspired by the infamous mass hysteria that led to uncontrollable dancing. The chaos of the plague, both absurd and dire, reflects uncanny parallels to the crises of our modern age, making it a relevant and thought-provoking piece.
Meet the Creative Team for 1518: The Dancing Plague
Hannah Ponturo - Writer/Director
1518: The Dancing Plague is carefully penned by Hannah Ponturo. Hannah is a proud LA valley girl with formidable NY theater kid aspirations. Hannah’s work has been produced at the Lyric Hyperion Theater in LA and Ensemble Studio Theater in NY. She’s worked as a Writer’s Assistant/Showrunner’s Assistant on BET+ and Paramount’s, Diarra From Detroit and Beef Season 2 for Netflix. Hopefully some of their talent has rubbed off on her!
Meet the Cast of 1518: The Dancing Plague
Britney Shields as The Town Crier
Britney is a Groundlings-trained, working drag queen in Los Angeles. You can find her performing up and down the West Hollywood strip, in the pits of Downtown, or at Akbar’s “Learn the Words, Bitch” where she is begrudgingly considered a legend herself. She regularly hosts watch parties for award shows such as the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Grammys which is the closest anyone will allow her to get to any celebrities, through a screen at least 200 yards away. She also hosts the weekly “It Girl Podcast” talking to the rising stars and pioneers of the LA drag scene about current events, pop culture, and politics. In 2025, she produced and hosted the inaugural It Girl Awards, a celebration of the year's biggest pop culture moments and an opportunity to recognize excellence within the local drag community. Britney is thrilled to be joining the “Dancing Plague” cast and hopes you enjoy the show.
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