Flapjack Theatrics Presents the World Premiere of Space-Time Laundromat in Gaithersburg
Flapjack Theatrics, a company that brings joyful, up-close experiences of theater wherever people gather, is thrilled to present the world premiere of Space-Time Laundromat by playwright Tia Shearer Bassett, directed by Matt Bassett and starring Shearer Bassett and Carolyn Kashner. Space-Time Laundromat will run November 7-15, 2026, at Opus Yoga in Gaithersburg.
In Space-Time Laundromat, two women - one of whom may or may not be Amelia Earhart - meet in a space beyond living ... and fill it with life. (And sock creatures.)
When Cara (Shearer Bassett) walks into the strange laundromat with the strange woman claiming to be Amelia Earhart (Kashner), the pair begin a strange and wonderful adventure. While fishing for stars, fighting off attacks of realism, and escaping to newfound shores, Cara and Mel find themselves - and each other - in the wash.
"It's actually my first full play script in ... a decade? Certainly the first one since my cancer battle. And definitely the first one since I let myself fully realize that I am bisexual," says Shearer Bassett. "Both of those things inform the play. But also ... it's a romantic piece for two middle-aged actresses. Where they get to be silly and sweet and scared and powerful. And there are invitations for the audience to support them, support their story, activating a sense of magic and of care for others. That's the kind of energy I want to put into the world."
Says director Matt Bassett: "This play is an absurdist delight whose vulnerability arrests me every time I read it or work on it, which is my favorite type of art. The fact that it came from my partner in life and art is a bonus, and the fact that we get to work with some true favorites and dear friends in an unconventional way has been a joy." Prolific DC-area theater and audio performer Carolyn Kashner plays opposite playwright Tia Shearer Bassett. Happy Theatre's Natasha Mirny designed the production. Audra Jacobs serves as assistant director. Denver-based musician and woodworker Carlos Flores composed original music.
The five local artists have spent the better part of 2026 developing the play and production via slow-burn sessions of reading, movement, and object exploration. They are thrilled to bring the work to the unconventional stage of Opus Yoga, a cozy walk-up performance space in the Kentlands/Lakelands area of Gaithersburg.
The play, presented for adults and ages 13+, utilizes principles from the world of Theater for the Very Young ("TVY") - gentle interaction; unconventional seating; performers on the same plane as the audience; simple magic ... but for grownups. The show taps into everyone's sense of play, imagination, capacity for the mysterious, and need for group delight, shared sadness, and hope.
​Space-Time Laundromat plays November 7-15, 2026, produced by Flapjack Theatrics and presented by Opus Yoga, at 257 Market St W #200, Gaithersburg, MD. Admission is free, with donations accepted to be split equally among the artists. Tickets can be purchased online. There will be no door sales, so please reserve in advance, as seating is limited.