Dell'arte MFA program in SF June 13-15

Although this deals with tragedy, and not circus/clowning per se-- the way that Dell'arte trains and deals with tragedy/melodrama is related enough to clown for me to include it here. If you can see the show, check it out and report back!

Between Two Winters
Created by the MFA Ensemble of the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre

Catherine Tuttle, the accomplished and commanding mayor of Kalispell, MT, and her daughter, Naomi, travel to the deserts of Kuwait to honor a hero who was instrumental in extinguishing fires after the war in the Persian Gulf. During the course of the tribute, Catherine and this man recognize one another and now must reconcile a past they both have spent their lives running from. Between Two Winters is the culminating performance of the second year masters students in their study of the Tragic form.

Tragedy is a form that, at its root, pits the rational and ordered world against the world of terror and chaos. It deals with the human drive to step out of the chorus to stand for and proceed into the hero's journey, unwilling to be passive anymore in a world that defies logic and reason. This sets the tragic hero onto an irreversible collision course with the unrelenting forces of fate that result in a crash of cosmic proportions.

Fri, Jun. 13 - 8:00P
Sat, Jun. 14 - 2:30P
Sat, Jun. 14 - 8:00P
Sun, June 15 - 2:30P


At The Magic Theatre
For directions to The Magic Theatre, go to: http://www.magictheatre.org/pages/location.shtml

Call 707-668-5663 to inquire about student, educator and group discounts
For more information, go to: http://dellarte.com/

Laugh Out Loud Festival (NY)-3 more days

Emerging Artists Theatre and Paul Adams, Artistic Director, has been presenting a festival entitled LAUGH OUT LOUD at the Roy Arias Theatre Center, Off-Off Broadway Theatre (300 West 43rd St, 5th floor, NYC). The festival is curated by EAT member. Jenny Lee Mitchell and co-curated by Honey Goodenough and Carol Lee Sirugo. Performances began Tuesday, May 27, 2008, and run through Sunday, June 1, 2008.



Here's what's going on for the next three days.

Friday May 30th, 8pm
Host: Deenie Nast - Lucky you-Deenie Nast, Oscar Winner, 2 time Tony winner and international performance artist will grace the LaughOutLoud Festival with her presence, performing a song-filled tribute to herself.
with:
All Kinds of Shifty Villains - directed by Rachel Klein - carnival noir, blending elements of circus with crime fiction
Mika - diabolo artist and juggler
Carol Lee Sirugo - Gwendolyn Rosa Lee is on a mission: to pay homage to her favorite musical, Gypsy. She wishes she could be Gypsy Rose Lee. She can't. But where talent fails, guts prevail!
The Marriage Of Reason - puppetry by Sean Keohane - "The Marriage of Reason": Originally written for children in 1860s Paris, Polichinelle's battle of the sexes with a content bachelorette isn't only Politically Incorrect, it's just wrong! Naughty, bawdy puppets, religious mysticism, and totally unnecessary slapstick violence.
Film Noir Clowns - Jeff Seal and Chris Manley . Two clowns attempt to recreate a classic film noir tale on stage.

Saturday May 31st, 8pm
Host: The Maestrosities - The Coolest Band Ever! Or so they think!!!
with:
Kendall Cornell as The Torch Singer - The Torch Singer laments love in a comically grand style.
Kendall Cornell's Soon-To-Be-World-Famous Women's Clown Troupe kick up their heels with an assortment of comic song and dance numbers."
Mika - diabolo artist and juggler
Carol Lee Sirugo as Gwendolyn Rosa Lee
Rob Lok

Sunday June 1st, 5pm
Host: Dierdre
with:
Logic Limited Ltd - clown troupe
A Wrinkle in Starch - puppetry by Leslie Strongwater and David Michael Friend
Phillip Guerette as Phildo The Clown
Emergency Use Only - puppetry by Erica Mclaughlin
Four droning strangers are stuck in a subway tunnel when inspiration strikes: they put their personal effects together an a puppet eager to dance emerges to breathe life into an otherwise hapless situation.
Miron Gusso - storytelling and clowning

LAUGH OUT LOUD plays the following regular schedule through Saturday, June 1, 2008:

Tuesday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday at 7:30 pm
Thursday at 7:30 pm
Friday at 8:00 pm
Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday at 5:00 pm

Tickets are $10. Advanced tickets are recommended (only 55 tickets available per show). For reservations, please visit www.eatheatre.org, or call 866-811-4111.

Tickets may also be purchased in person half-hour prior to the performance at Roy Arias Theatre Center (300 West 43rd St, 5th floor).

* Running Time: 60 minutes *

All performances include an open Talkback Session with the performer and staff after the show.

Emerging Artists Theatre's mission is to provide a dynamic home for emerging writers and artists, providing the unique opportunity for playwrights to collaborate with directors, actors, and designers throughout the development process--from idea through fully realized production. EAT's supportive environment continues to nurture a close-knit group of artists working toward the common goal of creating dynamic theatre, and its commitment to the development of new works is integral to the cultural enrichment of New York City.

To find out more about Emerging Artists, please visit their website listed below:

http://www.eatheatre.org/

Authentic Dynamics Workshop: Momentum & Change (NY)

Authentic Dynamics: momentum and change for actors and clowns

Join Under the Table's Matt Chapman on Saturday, July 5 in Brooklyn for a unique physical investigation of the dynamics of the performer

This world works on certain undeniable dynamics. To perform with authenticity, the actor must have the ability to identify and navigate them. In this workshop, a few fundamentals of the stage will be explored, including johakyu ( beginning/middle/end, or how things grow, break, and resolve), minimum-to-maximum, evolution, and the rhythms of comedy. W

This workshop is appropriate for actors, clowns, and directors of all levels. Learn to see human action and comedy onstage more clearly.

Dress to move and bring water.

When: Saturday, July 5, 2008. 1-6:30 pm
Where: Triskelion Arts: 118 N. 11th St, 3rd Floor. (L to Bedford,
Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Cost: $75 (Limited scholarships are available)
To register, reply by email. Payment holds your slot.
us@underthetabletheatre.org

Note: Class size is limited. If it gets filled up, they'll add a repeat section on Sunday the 6th, so if you're interested in that, let Matt know quickly.
__________________________________________________________

Matt Chapman is a performer, director, and teacher of physical theatre and clown. He is Artistic Director of Brooklyn's Under the Table, a physical theatre ensemble. He also tours as an actor with Dell'Arte International (California).

In the US, Matt has taught Clown and Improvisation as adjunct faculty at Marymount Manhattan College and Manhattanville College in New York, and has taught workshops at New York University, Vassar College, Sarah Lawrence College, Towson University, Luther College, the University of Iowa, the University of North Dakota, the New York Fringe Festival,
and the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival, as well as working in public schools and with the mentally ill in New York care facilities. He has served as an assistant to Ronlin Foreman, Clown master and Director of Pedagogy at Dell'Arte International.

Matt teaches abroad as well; his workshops in the last year have included South Africa, Denmark, the Netherlands, and England.

This past winter and spring, Matt directed "Circus Life," a contemporary circus work about HIV/AIDS in Durban, South Africa, toured the US teaching workshops for Dell'Arte International through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and taught Clown workshops in Denmark with the other members of Under the Table while
on tour there. He attended the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre
and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas.

To find out more about Matt's work, please visit the websites listed below:
http://www.underthetabletheatre.org
http://www.clownnosefactory.com

Edith Tankus

Edith Tankus is an actor, theatre artist and clown living in Canada. An alumnus of L'Ecole Jacques Lecoq and L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier. She is an award-winning actress and clown who has toured North America garnering rave reviews with her one woman show "Not Yet, At All", a lyrical and humorous piece of storytelling and aerial work.

Edith also has a solo clown show for young audiences, "Hurricane Gerty". She is currently touring across Canada playing in schools and Theatre Festivals and charming audiences with her superbly comic performances. A brilliant blend of physical comedy, clown and audience engagement "Hurricane Gerty" is achingly funny and filled with wit and soul.

Edith has worked as Artist in Residence in theatres across Canada where she has performed and led workshops in clown and physical theatre. She is co-founder and co-artistic director of Magpye Theatre and, as part of the Artist in Education Program of the Ontario Arts Council, has taught in numerous elementary and high schools.

She has collaborated with internationally acclaimed touring company Kneehigh Theatre of Cornwall, England and award–winning vaudevillian Tomas Kubinek . Their last collaboration resulted in the Gemini-nominated feature film "Tucked into Bedlam" based on his stage play "Bed", which premiered on CBC's Opening Night.

Currently she is on board with an International Arts Organization, Circus Remedy, whose mandate is to bring acclaimed theatre and circus artists to perform their shows in hospitals and poverty stricken communities all over the world.

She also tours with theatres, and has recently appeared in London with the KneeHigh Theatre's "Rapunzel" .

To find out more about Edith's work, please visit her website listed below:

www.edithtankus.com

Bill Irwin/ Aaron Cromie podcast

Fascinating hour of conversation about clowning and clowns with Bill Irwin and Aaron Cromie regarding the Happiness Lectures.

http://www.whyy.org/podcast/052208_110630.mp3

Definitely listen to it!

Laura Herts

Laura Herts is a France based American performer, whose training began years ago at the The Baltimore School for the Arts where she studied Dance and Visual Arts. Upon graduating, she began a world tour, which has now been extended into a lifetime experience.

Through her travels she rediscovered a childhood passion; mime. From that moment on, she performed wherever possible, beginning with street performing and teaching mime in Israel in 1985. As her passion for the art of mime, improvisation, and comedy performance grew, she decided to continue her quest for experience and knowledge by travelling to and throughout Europe; participating in Theatre festivals and attending workshops and Schools based on the Physical Theater.

Laura, studied under Lassaad Saidi, Jacques Lecoq, Philippe Gaulier, Daniel Stein, Stanislav Borgeofski, and Zigmund Mollic, while continuing to earn a living performing. Slowly and surely, Laura developed her original style of theater creating a world of clown, comedy, and social satire. She has created a number of one woman shows, including "The Last Tangle In Paradise," "Electric Lazy Land," and "Won Woman Show," as well as various cabaret numbers. Performing interactively with her audiences, she has played in theatres, cabarets, circuses, and many festivals throughout Europe, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Israel, and Madagascar, as well as teaching workshops in mime and clowning.

To find out more about Laura's work, please visit her website listed below:
www.lauraherts.com

Toy Theater Festival opens Friday (in Dumbo NY)

TOY THEATER MUSEUM SPECIAL EVENTS PROGRAMS AND PERFORMANCES BENEFIT CONCERT TTF '08 CREDITS To order tickets for specific Programs, use the BUY TICKETS! links in the Program & Performances listings below. Individual programs $20; additional programs $15; kids' tickets half-price. To order a Festival Pass, click here! You will be taken to the St. Ann's Warehouse site. Festival Pass: $50! Includes admission to all shows, workshops & benefit concert not included. For assistance, or to order tickets by phone, call: 866-811-4111 or 718-254-8779. St. Ann's Warehouse 38 Water St., DUMBO, Brooklyn (Map) Getting here: A or C to High St.; F to York St.; 1, 2, or 3 to Clark St. 23FRI 5:00pm Toy Theater Museum Opening Reception 7:30pm Program 1 10:00pm Program 2 24SAT 1:00pm Public Workshop 5:00pm Symposium I 7:30pm Program 2 10:00pm Program 1 26MON 7:30pm Program 3 27TUE 7:30pm Program 4 28WED 7:30pm Program 4 9:30pm Toy Theater Festival Benefit Concert and Reception Parvathy Baul 29THU 7:30pm Program 5 10:00pm Film Screening: Dante's Inferno 30FRI 7:30pm Program 5 10:00pm Program 6 31SAT 1:00pm Public Workshop 5:00pm Symposium II 7:30pm Program 6 10:00pm Cabaret Mounted throughout the Warehouse, the finest examples of historical and contemporary toy theaters, representing 100 artists and collectors. Opening Reception: Friday May 23rd from 5:00 to 7:00pm; FREE! The exhibit will be open (and free) to the public and ticketholders one hour before showtimes and starting at 2:00pm on May 29 and 30. TEMPORARY TOY THEATER MUSEUM PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Jason Adams • Emily Anderson • Morgan FP Andrews • Germán List Arzubide • Danielle Ash • Daniel Baker • Jon Bankert • Alejandro Benítez • Michelle Beshaw • Eric Bernard • Ramón Alva de la Canal • David Hyde Costello • Jonathan Cross • Pablo Cueto • Marsian DeLellis • Trish Denton • Andrea Dezsö • Drama of Works • Morgan Eckert • Eric Edelman • Joel Egger • Beth Elkins • El Puente Academy Students & El Puente Leadership Center • Sally Fisher • Sean-Michael Fleming • Jane Freeman • Elvira Gascón • Janie Geiser • Alexandra Gray • Chris Green • Ayesha Hameed • Patrick Harrop • Sarah Hauser • Louise Harter • Serra Hirsch • Island Academy (Rikers Island) • Frances Jetter • Rebecca Kelly • Tine Kindermann • Kieran Kinsella  • Mayer Kirshenblatt • Kara Kovacev • Daniel Lang/Levitsky • Jamie Leo • Naima Lowe • P.J. McWhiskers • Johnnie Moore • Ann Neff • El Neto • Ken Nintzel • Judith O'Hare • Oiseaux Sisters (Carolyn Fellman & Susan Andrews) • Erin Orr • Lisa Pietersma • Fiona Pippa • Valeska Populoh & Cause Company • Julio Prieto • Helen Quinn • Kip Rathke • Maddy Rosenberg • Erik Ruin • AE Ryan • Harry Saffren • Toni Schlesinger • Beom Sik Shim • Annie Silverman • Lake Simons • Lydia Stein • Mark Sussman • KT Thomas • Edwin Torres • Amy Walsh • K Webster • Karen Werner • Paul Zaloom/Sean Meredith/Sandow Birk • Danijel Zezelj Above (l to r): From Alain Lecucq's A Robinson, Temporary ToyTheater Museum (2006), Great Small Works' Blue Skies FESTIVAL BENEFIT CONCERT: Parvathy Baul Join us for this special concert and reception with international artist Parvathy Baul, a gifted singer, painter and storyteller from West Bengal who has chosen the path of self-training in the Baul order. Parvathy is known for her electrifying voice and masterful solo performances in the ancient Baul style, dancing and singing while accompanying herself with use of traditional instruments (the duggie, ektara, and nupu). Wednesday, May 28 at 9:30pm Admission $30 BUY TICKETS! FILM SCREENING: Dante's Inferno A film which melds the seemingly disparate traditions of apocalyptic live-action graphic novel and charming Victoria-era toy theater, Dante's Inferno is a subversive, darkly satirical modern update of the original 14th-century literary classic. A collaboration between artist Sandow Birk, designer Elyse Pignolet, director/writer Sean Meredith, composer Mark McAdam, and writer/puppeteer Paul Zaloom. Thursday, May 29 at 10:00pm Admission: $10 BUY TICKETS! PUBLIC WORKSHOPS Learn about the history and construction of toy theater stages and puppets, then create your own story—in a box! All ages welcome. Saturdays May 24 & 31, 1:00 to 4:00pm Admission: $20 for adults, kids $10 Saturday May 24 BUY TICKETS! Saturdays May 31 BUY TICKETS! HIGH SCHOOL WORKSHOPS Students from Brooklyn's El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice will present an original toy theater work inspired by the 1992 Cuban film, "The Last Rhumba of Papa Montero," and the students' own reflections on rites of passage. The production stems from Great Small Works' Toy Theater-making workshops in NYC public high schools (including Island Academy on Riker's Island), and is a collaboration between El Puente Academy, El Puente Williamsburg Leadership Center, and Great Small Works teaching artists Jenny Romaine, Sam Wilson and Phillip Shung. Friday, May 30 Brooklyn location & Time TBA F R E E ! TOY THEATER SYMPOSIA SYMPOSIUM I: New Dramaturgies: Puppetry, Video, and the Miniature Moderated by Mark Sussman With panelists: Toni Dove, Sha Xin Wei, Grant Guy, and Susan Simpson. Saturday May 24, 5:00 -7:00pm. FREE! SYMPOSIUM II: Seriously Fake: The Compressed Powerof the Miniature (A discussion of possibilities for Toy Theater in the 21st Century) Moderated by John Bell With: Eileen Blumenthal, Claudia Orenstein, Ravi Gopalan Nair,and Frank Maugeri. Saturday, May 31, 5:00 - 7:00pm. FREE! Alejandro Benîtez (see Program 1)
FAMILY PROGRAM Sunday 5/25 at 11:00am and 2:00pm LIZ JOYCE (Sag Harbor, New York) The Rooster's Gift Rooster is proud of his gift, crowing and making the sun rise until one morning, he oversleeps and the sun rises without him! A colorful, traditional Toy Theater puppet show for young children and chickens, written by Pam Conrad. JUDITH O'HARE, YOU & ME PUPPETS (Reading, MA) The Crocodile, The Boy, and The Good Deed A story from the plains of Africa which raises a universal question: "Does a good deed deserve a bad deed? PETER SCHAUERTE-LÜKE (Germany) Zeralda's Ogre Based on a well-known children's book by Tomi Ungerer. This ogre likes children very much - to eat. RON SOPYLA (NYC) Shadow Screens The ultimate in low tech shadow puppetry! Cardboard cut outs on a frame made of tinker toys lit by penlight flashlights. Still, they fill a wall with funny, exciting, and dreamlike images to accompany good, silly stories. Family Program Sunday 5/25 at 11am BUY TICKETS! Sunday 5/25 at 2pm BUY TICKETS!	PROGRAM ONE Friday 5/23 at 7:30pm Saturday 5/24 at 10:00pm HANNE TIERNEY, GAUTAM DASGUPTA and JANE WANG (NYC) Das Triadische Ballett This Bauhaus toy theater features the rise and fall, from 1912 to 1923, of Oscar Schlemmer's Triadic Ballet. The story chronicles the pitfalls of collaborations, and is performed by cut-outs of Schlemmer's costume designs. Jane Wang accompanies on the toy piano. SPICA WOBBE & PEI-YU SHIH (NYC & Taiwan) "So Close and Yet... So Far" A non-verbal poetic story created with shadows and light about a girl searching for a star which looks so close and yet… so far. Performed by Spica Wobbe and Morgan Eckert. Music by Yang Chen and Ming-chang Chen. LAURA HEIT (Los Angeles) The Matchbox Shows Miniature Raconteur and sequined pyromaniac performs teeny tiny puppet shows inside matchboxes. HUNTER KACZOROWSKI (NYC) Duncan, Part One -or- The Boy With a Bird in His Heart A dreamscape of the early life of Duncan Grant (1885-1978), one of the first Post-Impressionist painters in England and an enigmatic playboy of English bohemia. Performed with Dax Valdes, narrated by Charis Jones. Program One Friday 5/23 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS! Saturday 5/24 at 10:00pm BUY TICKETS!
PROGRAM TWO Friday 5/23 at 10:00pm Saturday 5/24 at 7:30pm CAITLIN LAINOFF (Los Angeles) Le Petite Macabre A puppet opera inspired by Gyorgy Ligeti, the story of an inept devil heralding the destruction of the world to make way for a cleaner, brighter century. Performed by Jesse Ayala, Danielle Ash, Beom-Sik Shim and Catherine Strecker, music by Daniel Corral--all current students or recent graduates of California Institute of the Arts. CLARE DOLAN, GABE LEVINE, and THE MUSEUM OF EVERYDAY LIFE (Vermont) The Road to Brody The story by Russian Jewish writer Isaac Babel succeeds to be more than just a lyrical anti-war tome. Turning his keen eye towards the everyday interactions of ordinary people, Babel deftly reveals greater truths about the generosity and avarice of human beings, and the sheer beauty of life, despite all of its brutality and disappointments. GREAT SMALL WORKS & CENTER FOR ADVANCED VISUAL STUDIES, MIT Definitely Maybe Based on a novel by Soviet science fiction writers Boris and Arkady Strugatsky, which questions the limits of scientific knowledge in the modern world from the perspective of a handful of 1970's Soviet scientists. A collaboration between John Bell, Larissa Harris and Jessica Rylan through MIT's Center for Advanced Visual Studies. RAVI GOPALAN NAIR & PARVATHY BAUL (Kerala, India) The Story of Radha and Krishna A singing story-telling performance with small hand-carved wotoden puppets, based on Indian concepts of Toy Theater. The story of Radha and Krishna has inspired men and women from all classes and religions for many centuries; its story of unconditional love brought revolution in human relationships with the freedom to remain unbounded. Program Two Friday 5/23 at 10:00pm BUY TICKETS! Saturday 5/24 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS!	PROGRAM THREE Sunday 5/25 at 7:30pm Monday 5/26 at 7:30pm VARIOUS ARTISTS Mini-Performances in The Museum Small, short, intimate performances take place simultaneously in the Temporary Toy Theater Museum. Peep shows, experiments with light and shadow, pop-ups, and pre-film technology. Janie Geiser (Los Angeles) The Reptile Under the Flowers Erin Orr with Sxip Shirey and Fabian Gonzalez (NYC) Armchair Naturalist Adhere & Deny (Winnipeg) The Prampolini Action Lake Simons (NYC) The Old Umbrella Man Daniel Lang-Levitsky (NYC) Excerpts from muqaddimah Chris Green (NYC) Sleepwalker's Waltz Great Small Works & Topological Media Lab (Montreal) Soil Desire People Dance Danielle Ash & Beom Sik Shim (Los Angeles) Light Cave and Light Surgery Alexandra Gray (NYC) From Ashes Ken Nintzel (NYC) Palindrome SUSAN SIMPSON (L.A.) Concrete Folk Variations A steely serial noir set in the cop-shops, lesbian bars and streetcars of McCarthy era Los Angeles, just before the rise of the modern gay rights movement. PETER SCHAUERTE-LÜKE (Germany) Jack the Giant Killer -and- The Giant's Tale Direct from the Burgtheater in a castle near Cologne, two stories about giants: the first a traditional English tale; the second based on a short story by Wolfgang Hildesheimer, whose stories mirror human behaviors with a fine black humor. ALEJANDRO BENiTEZ & ANA MARTiNEZ (Mexico City) Leyendas Based on two popular Mexican fables from colonial times, representing myths still alive in Mexico's memory: a beautiful sorcerer and a deserving ghost. Program Three Sunday 5/25 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS! Monday 5/26 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS!
PROGRAM FOUR Tuesday 5/27 at 7:30pm Wednesday 5/28 at 7:30pm PUPPETEERS COOPERATIVE (NYC & Boston) Civility and the Sea Three women of Marblehead encounter cross-dressing, capitalism, and murder, while remaining perfectly respectable at all times. Performed by Sara Peattie, Theresa Linnahan and Michelle Beshaw, known for large-scale puppet parades, pageants and ceremonies of celebration and complaint. LITTLE BLUE MOON THEATRE (California) Nathalie -and- The Widow Little Blue Moon Theatre is known for its gently erotic and often hilarious toy theatre productions. In Nathalie a French street puppeteer takes off all of her clothes inside her booth puppet stage on a hot day.In The Widow a lamenting widow offers anything for a night of complete satisfaction with a man. Created and performed by Michael and Valerie Nelson (aka Magical Moonshine Theater). ALAIN LECUCQ, COMPAGNIE PAPIERTHEATRE (France) A Robinson Robinson Crusoe, alone-or almost alone--on his desert island, is one of the most famous characters in literature. He was seen on stages all over England and many paper theatres of the 19th century were dedicated to him. Texts from both Daniel Defoe's novel and historic toy theater adaptations. TORRY BEND (Los Angeles) Loser Adaptation of Aimee Bender's story of a boy who, after losing his parents, develops a supernatural relationship to objects. Narrator: Julia Paskin; Puppeteers: Brenda Gausch, Catherine Strecker, Caitlin Lainoff, Jesse Ayala; Musicians: Emily Corwin, Daniel Corral; artwork by Cristina Paulos. Program Four Tuesday 5/27 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS! Wednesday 5/28 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS!	PROGRAM FIVE Thursday 5/29 at 7:30pm Friday 5/30 at 7:30pm COSMIC BICYCLE THEATRE (NYC) The Dong with the Luminous Nose A selection from the upcoming operetta, Mister Edward Lear's ABSURD-Ditties. Designed, directed and composed by J.E.Cross of The ClockWorks, Inc. SHODDY PUPPET COMPANY (Philadelphia) Soldiers and Chickens In this surreal story of loyalty and love, mythological images from the works of H.C. Anderson and Frank L. Baum unravel allegories of aviation, acrophobia, and antebellum race laws, all converging at a soiree in the belly of a fish. MEREDITH HOLCH (Vermont) Picture Perfect An animated video featuring cut-out pictures and kids' farm toys come to life. The result is an inventive and poignant look at development's effect on Vermont's landscape and its disappearing rural traditions. CHINESE THEATRE WORKS (NYC) Two Horses Combining Peking Opera techniques and Western paper theater to tell a story of cultural change and continuity: CTW founder Kuang-Yu Fong's journey towards becoming a Peking Opera artist in late-20th-century Taiwan. Created by Kuang-Yu Fong and Stephen Kaplin and performed by Ms. Fong, Mr. Kaplin, Yayun Teng and Jing Shan. ERICA HARRIS (NYC) The Big Ship An animated video. Program Five Thursday 5/29 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS! Friday 5/30 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS!
PROGRAM SIX Friday 5/30 at 10:00pm Saturday 5/31 at 7:30pm FRANK MAUGERI & SETH BOCKLEY (Chicago) Laika's Coffin A miniature opera with miniature Soviet-inspired sets, based on the biography of the doomed first animal in space. Created and directed by Frank Maugeri of Redmoon Theater and Seth Bockley, with music by Kevin O'Donnell, puppets by Kass Copeland, and art direction by Angela Tillges. PETER SCHUMANN (Vermont) University of Majd: The Story of a Palestinian Youth With the help of a violin, a pair of cardboard wings and a pile of paper dolls, Bread and Puppet Theater's director tells the real story of a Palestinian youth in an Israeli prison. PAUL ZALOOM & LYNN JEFFRIES (Los Angeles) Abecedarium N to Z Puppeteer and political satirist Zaloom and renowned designer and nightclub puppeteer Jeffries pack a wallop in a series of rapid-fire vignettes. GREAT SMALL WORKS (NYC & Boston) Blue Skies Scenes of flood, tornado, wind and rain question the politics of weather disaster. Created and performed by Isaac Bell, Trudi Cohen, Ron Kelley, Cate Kelley and Jonathan Kelley. Program Six Friday 5/30 at 10:00pm BUY TICKETS! Saturday 5/31 at 7:30pm BUY TICKETS!	TOY THEATER CABARET HOSTED BY GREAT SMALL WORKS Saturday 5/31 at 10:00pm- One Show Only BUY TICKETS! Be terrified! Be Amazed! Be Inspired! The Angel of History lords over a carnival of short toy theater wonders ranging from the low to high tech, from traditional to inventive, from political to personal to fantastic. BONNIE DUNCAN (Boston) Alva's Companion A tiny lamplit meditation on love and loss. Music by Valerie Opielski. HOWIE LEIFER (NYC) The Preacher and the Flood A cautionary tale based on a song by Rick Nestler. EMILY DeCOLA & JONATHAN FARMER ( NYC) Unearthed A photographer attempts to capture the soul of his beloved in the heart of his camera. KATE BREHM (NYC) Pig and Pepper Alice is followed down a toy theater video rabbit hole, using classical Alice in Wonderland illustrations as puppets, and a camera as an overhead projector. ISAAC BELL (Boston) & JONATHAN KELLEY (Vermont) Manifest Destiny A rotting lump of a post-apocolyptic world in the confines of a rather large wooden box. Inspiration from Dante's Inferno and Dawn of the Dead, with lyrics from Radiohead, a poem by Claire King and soundtrack by Ron Kelley, Jonathan Kelley, and Isaac Bell. JIM NAPOLITANO & TIM LAGASSE (CT) The Rag The latest in "Wayang Zerox," the form these two UConn Puppet Arts graduates invented in 1992, combining Victorian Toy theater, a video camera and the daily news. ALISSA HUNNICUTT (NYC) Knoxville: Summer of 1915 Based on a song by Samuel Barber with text from a James Agee prose poem depicting the sights and sounds of Knoxville, Tennessee. A story of childhood memories and love of family. Toy Theater Cabaret Saturday 5/31 at 10:00pm One Show Only BUY TICKETS!
Great Small Works is: John Bell, Trudi Cohen, Stephen Kaplin, Jenny Romaine, Roberto Rossi (on leave), and Mark Sussman Toy Theatre Festival: Co-Designer Rob Ebeltoft • Museum Associate Emmy Bean • Program Associates Lake Simons, Erin Orr • Production Manager Meghan Williams • Lighting Design Jeanette Yew • Stage Managers Andrea Rideout, Gregory Corbino • Graphic & Website Design Sean-Michael Fleming Great Small Works wishes to thank the following for their generous support of the Eighth International Toy Theater Festival: National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Jim Henson Foundation, Scherman Foundation, Kornfeld Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Sonya Staff Foundation, Asian Cultural Council

The Sprockets Circus

Great article on NPR's website about the Sprockets, a family circus of three that tours the world in a 1962 Bristol double decker bus with a top speed of 33 miles per hour.

The show features Scott Harrison, his wife Issabelle Feraud, and their 11 year old son Theo, who have been touring continuously since 1997. They ship their bus between continents, and have performed in 48 countries, and 6 continents. They are currently in the states, and are starting the process of writing a book about their journey.

Their shows are full of magic, juggling, acrobatics, daredevil unicycling and lots of slapstick humor. Scott was a juggling entrepreneur for a while in England, and then became a performer.

Find out more about the Sprockets on the websites listed below:

SPROCKETS WEBSITE: http://www.thesprockets.com

NPR Article/story: Circus Family Is Ready for a Safety Net

SPROCKETS FLICKR site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesprockets/

Circus Flora presents Sherwood Forest June 5-22

Circus Flora is a one ring tent circus founded in 1985 by Ivor David Balding, Sheila and Sam Jewell and Alexandre Sacha Pavlata with the dual mission of entertainment and education. In 1986, the first Circus Flora production premiered at the internationally acclaimed Spoleto Festival, an annual celebration of the performing and visual arts in Charleston, S.C.

Circus Flora was established as a theater company, specializing in an ensemble, one-ring circus - performed in a big top tent - that would be accessible and affordable for all. This performing arts organization set out to acquaint audiences with the joy and power of the classic, European-style circus. It was named after Flora, the orphaned baby African elephant Balding had rescued two years earlier when ivory poachers in Africa killed her mother.

Circus Flora made St. Louis its home in 1987 with the help of Vince Schoemehl, the mayor of St. Louis at that time, and Richard Gaddes, then president of Grand Center, St. Louis’ creative and cultural district. Since then, the Circus Arts Foundation of Missouri (CAFM) has been the parent non-profit organization under which Circus Flora operates.


This year, Flora will present its 22nd anniversary production “Sherwood Forest," based on the legend of Robin Hood. Replete with jousts, mad adventures, and comedy, Robin Hood fights to bring justice to Sherwood Forest. The Circus Flora company becomes his merry band of outlaws, utilizing their skills to conduct daring raids against the tyrannies of the villain, the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham! They take from the rich and give to the poor, winning the hearts of the people, especially the lovely Maid Marian and her ladies-in-waiting.It is presented under the air-conditioned red and white big-top tent in St. Louis, where no audience member is further than 42 feet from the performance ring.

To find out more about Circus Flora's activities, including their educational programs, please visit their website listed below:

http://www.circusflora.org

Golden Nose winners!

THE 2008 New York Downtown Clown GOLDEN NOSE AWARD WINNERS ARE:

Audience Choice Best Clown Film:
Retard Midget Get Out of My Life, by Happy Hour

Audience Choice Best Clown Act:
At The Opera, by Those In The Nose


Audience Choice Best Clown:
Chris Allison

Clown of The Year:
Keith Nelson


Clown Achievement of The Year:
The Brick Theater, producers of the New York Clown Theatre Festival.

Kirk Marsh

Kirk Marsh is a clown and entertainer that has been described as an amalgamation of Charlie Chaplin, Jerry Lewis, and Dick Van Dyke rolled into one. His shows feature magic, juggling, eccentric dance,and oddball audience participation routines. His performances portray a man at odds with his life and his props. Kirk is a graduate of Ringling Brothers Clown College.

Part klutz, part consummate entertainer, Kirk's shows and acts have delighted and amazed audiences around the world, from Las Vegas casinos to the world's largest cruise ships. Some of his employers have included Disney, Ringling, 3M, IBM, The RIO casino in Las Vegas, and Caribbean Cruise lines.

He recently had a very successful performance at the International Circus Festival of Albacete, Spain.

To find out more about Kirk, visit his website listed below:

http://www.kirkmarsh.com

Paul Wildbaum

Paul Wildbaum is a mime/clown/ standup comedian that has thrilled audiences around the world with an inspired repertoire of comedy, visual theater and audience participation. Described as "hilarious" and "touching", Paul is a compelling performer who combines the sublime with the ridiculous to create a brilliant cast of characters: Hamlet as a drunk, a baby unsure about being born; and with an uncanny ability to involve the audience, he creates a western in which he plays the villain and has audience members playing all the other roles, even the saloon doors.

Paul studied mime with Til Thiel for seven years, Commedia Dell'Arte with Carlo Mazzone Clemente, and clown and mask with Richard Pochenko. He also apprenticed and performed as a puppeteer and studied acting and directing with Marie Hopps.

He has presented his work to international audiences since 1976, representing Canada to such prestigious events as The Macao Arts Festival, The International Comedy Festival in Melbourne , Australia , the Totus World Theater Festival in Poland , the 1992 Expo in Seville , London International Mime Festival and the Montreal Just For Laughs International Comedy Festival. At Expo 86, in Vancouver, he was in such demand that a 6 week engagement was extended to 4 months and again, at Expo 88 in Brisbane, Australia, he was held over for a month. In 2004, he performed at the prestigious Singapore Comedy Festival.

To find out more about Paul's work, visit his website listed below:
http://www.paulwildbaum.com

Late Notice: John Gilkey, Wayne Wilson, & Daniel Passer- Your new best friends TONIGHT IN NY

Three Dragone clowns will perform one show only tonight at the New World Stages Theatre.

I just got word of this-- and don't think I can go-- If someone does go, please report back!

(I modified the poster so it wasn't IMPOSSIBLY LONG)  Click to read it.
or email rsvpfriends@dragone.be

But do it soon-- it's tonight!

Bouffon Glass Menajoree at Green Room NY Tuesdays at 10:30 pm

I saw this show last night, and I highly recommend it-- there are just 2 performances left.

It's pretty damned fantastic.
==============================

Did someone leave the blender on, or is that the sound of Tennessee Williams turning over in his grave?
Why would anyone do this to an American masterpiece?!?


Bouffon Glass Menajoree
2007 NY Innovative Theatre Award winner for Outstanding Production
TWO PERFORMANCES LEFT


Gentlemen callers beware!  Tennessee Williams' classic tale is ripped wide open as Ten Directions, Paul Lucas Productions, and The Green Room present the revival of Bouffon Glass Menajoree, a twisted and outrageous bouffon parody with a new ending determined by an audience member every night.  Winner of the NY Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production.  "Total Theatrical sacrilege.Delicious!" -NYTheatre.com, "Must See! Hilarious!" -TimeOutNY   "Genius" - CultureBot, "Hilarious Madness" - Show Showdown, "Extremely Funny"   -NY Theatre Wire "Twisted Southern Goth! Absurdity at its best!" KAFI FM, MN

Written in collaboration with the cast Lynn Berg (Tony & Tina's Wedding), Audrey Crabtree (ComedyCentral), Aimee Leigh German (Opening Baywatch Butt) and director Eric Davis (Red Bastard, Cirque du Soleil), Bouffon Glass Menajoree is a dark comedic parody of the Tennessee Williams's masterpiece, performed in the style of bouffon.   Employing this time-honored tradition of undermining the establishment through verbal and physical satire, BGM is a satire not only of traditional American theatre, but of American society, the family unit, and the audience  themselves.  The production involves direct interaction with the audience: one lucky member will even play the role of the gentleman caller every night, determining how the show ends. This show is certain to surprise, shock and delight.

Performances begin April 29th and run Tuesday nights only through May 27th at 10:30pm downstairs at the newly reopened Green Room at 45 Bleecker, NYC.

2 for 1 SPECIAL DISCOUNT, 

In person, use code "BGM241" at 45 Bleecker, Box Office hours Tues. - Sat 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Sun. 11:00 AM - 8 PM.  

Online, use Code: green241 at http://www.broadwayoffers.com

For directions, call 212-260-8250

For more information, visit http://www.bouffonglassmenajoree.com/

Umo Ensemble

Over the past 20 years, the UMO Ensemble has become known as one of the most innovative, compelling and critically acclaimed performance companies based in the Pacific Northwest. The Ensemble has performed in theaters, at festivals and in schools throughout the Northwest, the United States, Canada and Europe.

The mission of the UMO Ensemble is to stir the human spirit and incite the imagination by providing awe, challenge and inspiration through original and compelling physical theatre.

Based in Vachon Island, in the Seattle Washington area, the ensemble has created over 20 new works since they started collaborating together in 1987.  The company is committed to an Ensemble of performers who create and compose their own production.  The work is rooted in physical theatre, although each ensemble member has their own interests.  For each production, an ensemble member serves as artistic director, holding the larger picture in mind.  Improvisations in movement, character, vocalizing, and writing are the basis for the creation and development of their new works.

Since their arrival on Vashon Island in 1989, UMO Ensemble has created over twenty original works for the theatre. The Ensemble's material reflects their diverse range of styles and skills: the copper sculpture "dance animation" of Instinction (1987); the fifteen foot tall puppetry of Who Nose (1990), the mask and Red Nose clown work of Midnight Comix (1990) and Naughty Bits (1991), the lovably irreverent Buffoons of El Dorado (1992) and Insatiable Cabaret (1993); the acrobatic Djool of Caravan of Dreams (1994); the haunting, stripped-down beauty of Digging (1996) and Body Inheritance (1997); the archetypal fables of Expressions of the Spirit (1999); the breathtaking aerial virtuosity of Millennium Circus (1999), the musical and architectural richness of Cities (2001), the poignant and darkly comedic Fatal Peril (2003) and the playful and revealing Rapunzel (2005).

The current ensemble has seven members: Esther Edelman, Martha Enson, David Godsey, Elizabeth Klob, Janet McAlpin, Amy Rider & Lyam White.   Each of them has a different background in theatre, dance, and the arts, making their productions rich and varied in technique and style.

Umo Ensemble also has an extensive workshop and residency program, and works extensively in the Washington State school system.


To find out more about their work and upcoming productions, visit their website listed below:
http://www.umo.org