Imago Theatre presents Soiree #2, an evening of eclectic works by eight emerging Imago artists and several veterans. Dance, film, theatre, clown, spoken word and visual art will fill Imago Theatre, 17 SE 8th Ave., for two nights only on June 21 and 22 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $10 ($15 includes wine) and can be purchased at 503.231.9581 or at the door. Rated R.
Included in the evening is acclaimed Portland filmmaker and media artist Jim Blashfield, long-time Imago fan and consultant. Blashfield is best known for the music videos he and his studio created for musicians Talking Heads, Joni Mitchell, Nu Shooz, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Michael Jackson, and Tears for Fears. Produced in collaboration with Blashfield Studio founding producer Melissa Marsland and others, the videos received several MTV nominations and awards, a Cannes Gold Lion, and a Grammy. Blashfield will screen two shorts: in The Tasseled Loafers (11 minutes), a reinterpretation of Hector Berlioz's mad orchestral masterpiece, "Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath," an obedient handyman (Jeff Bucy), compelled to watch four hours of industrial test footage while waiting for his pipe sealant to dry, becomes fascinated with some glistening footwear nearby; in the film Vanity (2.5 minutes), a 1950s film promoting "better living through chemistry" is transformed into an absurd, provocative, and slightly disturbing meditation on ... the pursuit of beauty? ... dueling aspects of a guilt-infested self? ... yoga for the genetically-modified?
Hosting this eclectic evening of eight emerging Imago choreographers, dancers, musicians, visual and spoken word artists is humorist, actor, dancer and comedian Mark Mullaney (FROGZ, ZooZoo). Artistic Co-Director Carol Triffle joins the group with a Triffle/Griesar original song, and a photo exhibit by company resident composer Katie Griesar is featured in the lobby. Original dance works by Andrea Larreta (To Fly Again), Sumi Wu (Stage Left Lost), and Amy Katrina Bryan (To Fly Again) fill out the evening along with original theatre, mask works, clown theatre, and spoken word staged by Kyle Delamarter (Pebble), Nathaniel Holder (To Fly Again), Stephanie Woods (Pimento & Pullman), Devin James (La Belle), Jake Ottosen (To Fly Again) and Megan Skye Hale (The Reunion).
Megan Skye Hale, Artistic Director of Steep and Thorny Way, stages two pieces: Where The Wild Roses Grow (movement piece to the Nick Cave song, 4-5 minutes) and Top (clown piece, 4-5 minutes). Jake Ottosen presents a clown theatre work The Maestro. Devin James will perform two spoken word pieces: Heartbreak Symphony (4ish minutes) and The Case (2ish minutes). Andrea Larreta choreographs and performs In the Back of My Mind with dancer Erin Nichole Boyt. Sumi Wu choreographs herself in Bricolage. Nathaniel Holder joins Mary Rose in the physical theater improvisation piece Visited. Stephanie Woods co-writes and leads with partner Samuel Summer in Malady, Passport & Punchline. Amy Katrina Bryan choreographs a moment of a complete but empty world. Sometime in the future. What you hear is what you get. Andrea Larreta, Sumi Wu and Erin Boyt perform to “Retrovertigo” by the experimental rock band Mr. Bungle.
