This summer I was hired by a production company in New York City to make five large fish puppets. This is their story. Prototype The puppets needed were to be operated outdoors by a single person over the course of a few days. I needed to find a lightweight solution that could respond to wind and other variations … Continue reading Fish Puppets
Owl Over the Moon Opera-matic, a collaborative arts group in Chicago, contacted me this last spring to make a mask for The Moon on the Lagoon, The community performance featured lullabies and the faces people find in the moon. What a cool idea! Part of designing the mask is figuring how it will align with and/or … Continue reading Birds and Bugs
The Epic Project Inspired by the study of mythology by Joseph Campbell (a favorite of mine too!), as well as theatre creators Ariane Mnouchkine, Jacques Lecoq, Peter Brook, and Complicite, Professor Stephanie Roberts is leading an exciting collaboration between UMKC Theatre and the UMKC Conservatory IMP Ensemble. The working title is The Epic Project. It is a three … Continue reading So. Epic.
Hoping for a Remount in Fall 2015! Over the course of the last three years, I've had the great pleasure to work with Many Hats Collaboration's Jessica Wallenfels and Eric Nordin (and a slew of other talented artists) on the development of an original work of dance theater, The Snowstorm. It's been a great journey, and I … Continue reading Devising mask theater
You may have seen this video circling around: Among its charms are the masks four of the dancers wear. One thing that caught my eye was the texture of the face. It reminded me of Buckminster Fuller, actually, and geodesic domes. Granted, I know only a little little bit about geodesics, but the visual similarity is … Continue reading Triangle Technology
I spent this last week in Pune, rehearsing with the cast at KCT. We had more fittings and used the masks in rehearsal to discover any potential difficulties in comfort and sightlines. In the second act, there is a large dance featuring all sorts of animals, in a variety of masks styles that cover different … Continue reading Shots from the rehearsal room
As a child, I would often hear my father say: "There's more than one way to skin a cat." The most pressing thing on my mind at the time was: Why would one want to skin a cat at all? I still haven't answered that question. However, I do know there's more than one way to get something done. … Continue reading Making it work
The mysterious mask I mentioned?
Here's another mask in progress for Maya. Not all the parts are there yet. Guess what this one will become? Hint: It's a commonly known animal. Tell me what you think in the comments.
Birthday thanks! Today I complete another revolution around the sun. I am in the same place, but not in the same place. Unlike any previous year, I am in another country for my birthday. I will be spending it NOT working, and doing a bit of roaming around Mumbai and sharing food with friends. I am … Continue reading Revolutions & Gratitude