Gilgamesh
Spring 2012

A departure from traditional translations, this project is structured around ritual storytelling utilizing song, movement, mask, puppetry and contemporary language. My version begins with an American searching for the death mask of Gilgamesh in war torn Baghdad. As a result, he finds himself the center of a ritual telling of the story in the temple of Isis where he enacts the lessons of the god/king's search for immortality. The international and organic musical styling of Marie Daulne, who uses all manner of vocal instrumentation to create rich, multilayered music and soundscapes, particularly inspires me in this project.

In workshop this year I'll be exploring the first half of the legend which addresses the meeting and relationship between Gilgamesh and his counterpart, the 'wild man,' Enkidu and their exploits against the gods. We'll be exploring the dynamics between god and man, man and beast, and the scale of each perspective.

Wet
Spring 2012

This concept has been inspired by my relationship with Adam Dippre and the Melified Men trombone quartet. The goal is to explore the relationship between humans and sea life by theatrically placing the quartet and audience under the sea. Imagine taking 40 cubic feet of sea life and placing it in a performance space. The goal is to create the experience of being in the water with the creatures of the sea including whales, jellyfish, schools of fish, kelp beds and coral reefs, using an original compilation of experimental music, puppetry, lighting and video.

Chapter 13
Spring 2011

A simple visitation to Smiley's home in the base of a tree where Captain Hook once poisoned Peter Pan's cup when they were alone together in the dark and the highly suggestive original text by J.M.Barrie.

Twink!
Fall 2010

A campy romp through Neverland where Peter Pan is bulging, the lost boys are furries, the pirates are daddies and Hook is a bag monster who uses fairy dust to lure the boys into his cabin... fairy dust he gets from Twinkerbell. Can we ever save him? her? TwinK? Clap your hands if you believe in fairies. Twink is a five minute cabaret act.

Whale vs. Squid
Fall 2010

They glided through the main gallary, swirling in attack, suspended in a death grip... a great white whale got shanked by a one eyed squid named Bones while the words of old Ahab echoed through the halls.