Theater Camp, one more time!

I don't have the opportunity to work for Whitebird very often, but its a joyful summer playtime for making theater with kids.  This year I designed a set of three giant bills featuring removable faces!  George, Andrew, and Alexander got replaced by Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Louisa May Alcott, and US!

Poofs in Canada

I was overwhelmed by the community and support at Les Sages Fous' Microfestival this June.  I was invited to bring an unfinished Poof performance to the festival and arrived with 4 Poofs, a Puff, and one human (me!).

By the weekend I was thoroughly inspired and had developed (with lots of assistance!) 15 minutes of clown-poof material to music from Swan Lake.  I hope to expand it to a 50 minute long show for touring.  Thanks to my Swiss and Canadian Poofers, and Jacob for his awesome directing.

Meditation Zero as culmination of Mabou Mines Residency

I wrote and directed another show inspired by the Erdos Discrepancy in May 2016 called Meditation Zero.   A band of pretend scientists perform research to early 80s music while pontificating on the nature of reality, humanity, and the on and the off.  The play is a rumination on what Freud would recognize as the Death Drive, but which I am reframing as The Cyborg Situation.

Performed by Kate Brehm, Anthony Napoletano, Hannah Schilsky, and Benjamin Heller.  Stage Managed by Hye Chyun.  Lit by Dave Moodey.  With eyeballs and advice from Gregory Schott and Karen Kandel.

Things Fall Apart

On March 5th and 6th, 2016 I performed Things Fall Apart during Culturemart at Here Arts Center.  The movement-theater-performance-art piece featuring myself and 4 folding chairs has been brewing for many years.  And i've finally completed it!

Thanks to: My ninja puppeteers Jenny Campbell and Jacob Graham; My long time collaborators Gregory Schott (directing) and Poe Saegusa (lighting); my new and all-in stage manager Hye Chyun; and the presenters: Kristin Marting, Kim Whitener, Barbara Busackino, and Basil Twist.

photo by Benjamin Heller

Slow Dancing in Times Square

By the grace of Chashama I was granted the use of a space most perfect for a slow dance, a former dance school with a large open wooden dance floor and vaulted ceilings.  I couldn't help myself and had to produce one more event.  Thanks to so many stars and helpers inlcuding the inimitable Sxip Shirey (MC) and the relentlessly groovin James Mulry (DJ)

photo by Timothy Murray

Discrepancies at Labapalooza

The last week of January was the culminating performance of what myself, Amanda Friou, and Sarah McMillan have been working on in St Ann's Puppet Lab for the last year.  Discrepancies: Meditation 1 featured 8 puppeteers, 1 actor, and nearly 200 tin cans.  Whew!  See more at http://www.imnotlost.net/erdos.html

Nutcracking

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/arts/dance/three-nutcrackers-on-one-sunday.html?_r=0

I never knew how much I liked ballet, but stage managing the Joffrey Ballet School's Nutcracker has made it clear to me.  I like the technique, the poses, and the strange relationship to silent movies!

Sister's Follies: Assistant Director and Puppeteer

I was proud to assist Basil Twist in developing his latest original puppet show, Sister's Follies at Abrons Arts Center.  Starring Joey Arias and Julie Atlas Muz as flying ghosts of the founders of the theater, the show was smashing.

Lectures and Classes at the 2015 Puppeteers of America National Festival

I was very proud to be part of the first scholarly section of the Puppeteers of America Festival, The Critical Exchange http://www.nationalpuppetryfestival2015.com/panel-discussions/  First I spoke on a panel about creating work inspired by theory.  Then I delivered my lecture on Affective Performing Scenery that I've been ruminating about for years.  And finally, I taught three classes in Moving Objects, my movement for storytelling class geared specifically at puppeteers.  Whew!

I was lucky enough to also see Les Sages Fous and Clare Dolan.  Amazing work!

Margolis Method 2015

As always, the method fills my body with energy.  I was upstate for a short two weeks, but came home feeling refreshed and inspired nonetheless.  I spent most of my time preparing for to teach my movement for puppeteers class in August.

Immersion Seminar at imnotlost StudioLab June 2015

After returning from the Quadrellenial I hosted by own pseudo-academic week of panels and workshops. The 2015 Immersion Seminar was the inaugural studiolab event featuring a combination of panel discussions on the impending directions of live arts and performing design, with on-your-feet performance technique workshops.  The theory and practice was topped off with the sensual silliness of a Slow dance.   http://www.imnotlost.net/seminar/calendar.html 

Prague Quadrellenial 2015

I'd been waiting for 4 years to go to this scenography conference!  It was super cool.  My favorite part was hearing Robert LePage speak about his work and company.  He starts from the object!  Me too!  Thus I felt akin at a conference full of fantastic thinkers and makers.  Lighting design, puppeteers, sound, theater photography, performers....  Some of my favorites:  CHANCE MAGAZINE and  Robert Lepage and The Magnetic Ballerina.

Dogugaeshi Tour in France!

I had a great time with new friends and old in May 2015 as the Dogugaeshi team performed in Metz, France at the Passages Festival http://festival-passages.org/ where we performed in a big circus tent! Then we were on to Le Mouffetard in Paris http://www.theatredelamarionnette.com as part of the international biennial of puppet arts.

The circus tent at the Passages Festival