Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Crow River Song (Kaweah)


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Sometimes a story comes before you create something and sometimes it races past you and you pull it back in like a snake, by its tail. This new piece was the latter. I started by creating images, letting it evolve in an organic way. It was more of a challenge to trust in the creative process, but it came together so naturally and ended up being a more meaningful and creative piece in the end.

This shadow puppet piece makes use of overhead projectors with crankies around them, so that scrolls of paper cuts move across vertically and horizontally, in combination with shadow puppets and live actors in silhouette.

Kaweah or Crow River Song ended up being the story of a girl who is isolated. She is afraid to leave her home until she is lured out of her safe space by the beauty outside her window. She encounters some challenges on the way that drive her to strive harder and lead to an unexpected transformation.
This collaboration between myself, dancer Clarissa Gregory, and singer-songwriter Dave Huber is journey of what life can hold for all of us if we trust, stay open, and take a chance.

We performed it for the first time Saturday April 12th at the first annual Baltimore Crankie Festival at the Creative Alliance to a wonderful sold out crowd.

Fireflies in a cathedral of trees


David Huber, working on the music 



Rehearsing with Rebekah Kirkman and Paul Richardson

Working on Clarissa's wings

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