Br'er Wood
J. Elissa Marshall as “Br'er Rabbit”
choreographed by David Justin
Photo Credit: Amitava Sarkar, Courtesy University of Texas at Austin
Artistic Directors: David Justin & Yacov Sharir
Performances: February 20* & 21 at 8:00 PM
February 22 at 2:00 PM
B. Iden Payne Theatre
Tickets: $20 adults, $17 UT faculty & staff, $15 students available online at www.utpac.org or by phone at 477–6060.
* Join us February 20th for an Opening Night Reception immediately following the performance. Guests will be able to mingle with the cast, crew, and directors of Adventures in Motion while enjoying an assortment of light snacks and desserts.
Media and Resources:
Synopsis: With pieces inspired by tales of American folklore, the delicate form of Greek haiku, and passionate personal experiences, our award-winning student dance company presents an evening of new choreography and adventures in motion.
David Justin
David is steadily revealing himself as a dynamic producer and curator of exceptional dance. Possessing an eclectic contemporary taste founded in classicism, David successfully draws the people and elements together from dance, music, scenic and lighting design to create a beautiful, meaningful experience for audiences. Whether it is his own choreography or the work of a great master, David's attention to detail within the broad artistic stroke is perfectly balanced. As Artistic Director of American Repertory Ensemble, David combines his experiences to present a community organization founded on excellence in the pursuit of communication through art.
Yacov Sharir
After graduation from the Bezalel Academy of Arts, Professor Sharir studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Music, the Bat-Sheva Dance Company School, the Stuttgart Ballet, and the Ballet Theatre Contemporaine in Paris. He has performed under the direction of Martha Graham, Jerome Robbins, Jose Limon and Anna Sokolow, among others.
Charlotte Griffin, Justin Griffin, Claire Porter, Julie Nathanielsz, Meg Rushing, Yacov Sharir
SKETCHES
Drawing inspiration from the sounds and shapes made by pencil and paper, choreographer and composer engage in a delicate and dynamic collaboration.
- Choreographer
- Charlotte Griffin
- Composer
- Bruce Pennycook
- Costume Design
- Emma Lawrence
- Lighting Design
- Darren E. Levin
- Assistant Lighting Design
- Zachary Dixon
- Dancers
- Katarina Arneric, Amanda Beittel, Natalie Freeman, Mariclaire Gamble, Kara Newton, Meg Rushing
INTERVIEW (2007)
One woman's foray into an interviewing nightmare. The question is…“is it hers or theirs?” Interview is a part of Mary A. Chase's M.F.A. thesis Herstory. Herstoryis a triptych of solo dance performances investigating three modes of autobiography including personal narrative created and performed, performed biography, and the portraiture created by writing oneself during the moment of performance. The performance of Interview is Chase's research on autobiography and portraiture.
- Choreographer
- Claire Porter
- Lighting Design
- Zachary Dixon
- Assistant Lighting Design
- Darren E. Levin
- Performer
- Mary A. Chase
A/PART
The connotation of the words “A Part” depend entirely on their placement: as one word (apart) it means separation. As two words (a part) it means a part of or a coming together. This work of poetry, music, and dance explores this simple observation with vivid insight.
- Choreographer
- Meg Rushing
- Text
- Created for this piece by John Campbell
- Music
- “The Gravel Road” by James Newton Howard, “Iguazu” by Gustavo Santaolalla
- Dancers
- Katarina Arneric, Amanda Beittel, Matthew Bunker, Natalie Freeman, Erin Lee, Kara Newton, Janna Rock, Megan Rushing, Shelby Smith, Allison Wardwell
SEXTET
Greek haiku brings delicate structure and pleasant surprises to this faculty work. Focusing on form, words are hinted and left for the viewer to conjure and savor.
- Choreographer
- Yacov Sharir
- Composer
- William Meadows
- Spoken Voice
- William Meadows, Efi Papadodima
- Costume Design
- Alison Heryer, Heather Koslov, Emma Lawrence, Jennifer Madison, Susan E. Mickey, Ariana Schwartz
- Lighting Design
- Darren E. Levin
- Assistant Lighting Design
- Margaret Tominey
- Dancers
- Amnih Abotteen, Sarah Goocher, Lisa Kobdish, Meg Rushing, Michelle Stuckey, Krystal Wigfiel
DUET
Developed through a practice unique to Nathanielsz work, this little gem plays in space and time with sounds driven by the dancers themselves.
- Choreographer
- Julie Nathanielsz
- Scenic Design
- D.W. Jones
- Costume Design
- Sonja Rainey
- Lighting Design
- Zachary Dixon
- Assistant Lighting Design
- Darren E. Levin
- Dancers
- Sarah Goocher, Matthew Bunker
BR'ER WOOD
A departmental wide collaboration involving intensive costumes, sets, props, lighting, dancers and actors, Br'er Woodis a fantasy of story, theatre, puppetry, dance and music that employs the characters and selections from “Uncle Remus” tales (Joel Chandler Harris, 1867). Threaded together with surrealism and metaphor, this comedy takes the shape of a child's imagination, playground rules, and the forces of good and evil.
- Choreographer
- David Justin
- Music Director
- Graeme Francis
- Scenic Design
- Lisa Laratta
- Costume Design
- Ariana Schwartz
- Design
Assistants
- Rikki Bryant, Ilana Marks, Alina Bushong
- Mask Construction
- Professor Jim Glavan and TD 354T Mask Making I
- Carl Booker – Duck
- Scott Darby – Turtle
- Aarika Wright – Fox
- Amanda Staudt – Rabbit
- Jennifer Madison – Bear
- Kara Meche – Porcupine
- Sarah Lankenau – Crane #1
- Natalie Maynard – Crane #2
- Becca Miller – Crane #3
- Michelle Ferrier – Turtle (Understudy)
- Alison Heryer – Turtle (Understudy)
- Sonja Rainey – Fox (Understudy)
- Ben Schave – Fox (Understudy)
- Ariana Schwartz – Duck (Understudy)
- Beauty Thibodeau – Porcupine (Understudy)
- Lighting Design
- Darren E. Levin
- Assistant Lighting Design
- Margaret Tominey
- Musicians
- Pat Harris – Bass
- Alexis Ebbets – Violinist
- Graeme Francis – Percussion & Guitar
- Dancers
- J. Elissa Marshall – Br'er Rabbit
- Janna Rock – Br'er Fox
- Matthew Bunker – Br'er Bear
- Erin Lee – Br'er Turtle
- Amanda Beittel – Miss Meadows
- Mariclaire Gamble – Gertrude
- Allison Wardwell – Penelope
- Kara Newton – Sister Porcupine
- Katarina Arneric – Sister Duck
- Natalie Freeman – The Ducklings
- Shelby Smith – Puppeteer
- Actors
- Matrex Kilgore – Mr. Abbot
- John Harmon – Mr. Beauxregard
- Shannon Kintner – Miss Carion
- Cooper Neely – Mr. Duval
- Erica Hui – Madam Lu
- Katie Oliveira – Miss Misfintinen
- Senait Fessahaye – Miss Noone
- Taylor Kirk – Mr. Optimus
Amnih Abotteen, Katarina Arneric, Amanda Beittel, Matthew Bunker, Mary A. Chase, Senait Fessahaye, Natalie Freeman, Mariclaire Gamble, Sarah Goocher, John Harmon, Erica Hui, Matrex Kilgore, Shannon Kinter, Taylor Kirk, Lisa Kobdish, Erin Lee, J. Elissa Marshall, Cooper Neely, Kara Newton, Kate Oliveira, Jana Rock, Meg Rushing, Shelby Smith, Allison Wardwell, Krystal Wigfield
