December 2011

Dear Ones,

Rose the Dog here, talking to you directly from my post-performative “pup” tent at Occupy Wall Street…From a K-9 perspective, this part of town could really use a few more trees. But I digress…I’ve been accused of being a puppet of the President and Nancy Pelosi, but I can assure you, no one pulls this puppet’s strings - I’m classic Bunraku, no strings attached…

"Whose street? Our street! Wall Street, shut it down!”

Oh, sorry, I really love a good chant…From that holiday favorite “Ho Ho Ho Chi Minh” to the equally compelling “Bulldog!  Bulldog! Bow, wow, wow, Eli Yale!”….Ah, a good “woof woof” really gets my tail wagging. You might be asking what an avant-garde doyenne such as myself is doing down here at Zuccotti Park. It’s simple really, as man’s best friend (along with the rest of Mabou Mines), I’m taking back the street. That’s right, come this June Mabou Mines will be taking back the street, or more accurately, we’ll be on the street. For two years Mabou Mines will be homeless, so I’m staking my claim to some prime downtown real estate now!

“Human need, not corporate greed!" (What about “Animated puppet need”?)

Where was I? When we return to our cozy schoolhouse, we’ll have a brand new 99 seat theater. But during our period in Pergatorio, we’ll truly need your support more than ever before!!! To paraphrase my dear friend Sri Moo Parahamsa, the sacred cow of Animations Anonymous, I leave you with this final chant:

*We place our faith in the Golden Heart of your Perfect Generosity*

This old dog of a company is entering our 5th decade and we've had a busy year…

New York:
At PS 122 we presented Lucia's Chapters of Coming Forth by Day by Sharon Fogarty, featuring Ruth Maleczech & Paul Kandel, as part of the 1st Irish Festival. Ruth was nominated for Best Actress and the production won Best Design.

On Tour:
Mabou Mines DollHouse featuring Maude Mitchell and Mark Povinelli was presented at the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and The Majestic Theater in Boston. 
Glass Guignol, Lee Breuer's collage of Tennessee Williams' Two Character Play, The Glass Menagerie and other short works was presented as part of the Williams Festival in Provincetown.

Coming Soon:
We'd Find Landscapes will preview at Mabou Mines. Taking a single image - cornfields - as a
meditation on how culture and landscape each help to create the other, the production features visuals by Julie Archer, text by Liza Lorwin, choreography by Adrienne Truscott, music by Casey Neal, Jay Peck sound-effects score and Ruth Maleczech performing.
La Divina Caricatura, Lee Breuer's epic puppet-opera starring Bernardine Mitchel, with music by Lincoln Schliefer.

Awards:
USA Artist Fellowships were awarded to Julie Archer 2010 and Lee Breuer 2011. Lee received his Chevalier Des Artes et Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture.
 
In Development:
Imagining the Imaginary Invalid, an adaptation of Molière's play The Imaginary Invalid coupled with an investigation of modern medicine performed by Ruth Maleczech as Argan/ Molière. Clove Galilee will choreograph and perform and Valeria Vasilevski will write the American medical text and serve as dramaturg. 

Love and kisses from all of us at Mabou Mines!
RUTH, LEE, FRED, SHARON, JULIE & TERRY