Once Upon a Time...
"Once upon a time" is how the enchanted forest stories begin...with inviting the audience to consider that something happened "once upon a time." The forest setting is one where secrets happen. The only way to know about what happens in the deep wood is to go there and see for yourself. In fairytales, characters sometimes find themselves at the edge of the forest wondering whether or not they should go inside. The desire for adventure tempts, and they do enter. At times, characters find that they are trapped in the forest as haunting and dangerous events conflict the storyline and trouble ensues. Love, soul searching, and testing of one's courage all happen in the depths of the unknown.
In our version of the enchanted forest, you as the audience will peer into the forest to view the events of an evening. You are to understand that these events happen each and every night. If another character (a stranger to those native to the forest) entered, the rhythm and order would be disrupted and would be forever changed. Your experience with our enchanted forest is observing the place in its organic, untouched, uninterrupted state.
Our forest represents innocence, one's frail nature, the longing for mystery, the pursuit of happiness. The soloist bring aspects of ourselves to the stage. They are named precious stones and embody the characteristics of the stones they represent. They take the visual form of stones and express a range of human conditions and emotions. The story is as ancient as it is modern.
The soloists move the narrative along - cause and effect, an unveiling of the night. There is ambitious movement, deeply felt love, humor, celebration, entertainment, and in the end there is transformation. The forest will survive the revelations as we know we must carry on. In our hearts, we always cling to that magical, hopeful feeling that life is enchanted. Even when the lights fade, we know that there will always be someone, someplace, some memory, some happening that will enchant us once again.
Join us for an ambient evening.
May you be always enchanted.
What happens in la forêt enchantée, stays in la forêt enchantée.
What happens inside you, stays inside you forever.
In our version of the enchanted forest, you as the audience will peer into the forest to view the events of an evening. You are to understand that these events happen each and every night. If another character (a stranger to those native to the forest) entered, the rhythm and order would be disrupted and would be forever changed. Your experience with our enchanted forest is observing the place in its organic, untouched, uninterrupted state.
Our forest represents innocence, one's frail nature, the longing for mystery, the pursuit of happiness. The soloist bring aspects of ourselves to the stage. They are named precious stones and embody the characteristics of the stones they represent. They take the visual form of stones and express a range of human conditions and emotions. The story is as ancient as it is modern.
The soloists move the narrative along - cause and effect, an unveiling of the night. There is ambitious movement, deeply felt love, humor, celebration, entertainment, and in the end there is transformation. The forest will survive the revelations as we know we must carry on. In our hearts, we always cling to that magical, hopeful feeling that life is enchanted. Even when the lights fade, we know that there will always be someone, someplace, some memory, some happening that will enchant us once again.
Join us for an ambient evening.
May you be always enchanted.
What happens in la forêt enchantée, stays in la forêt enchantée.
What happens inside you, stays inside you forever.
Inspiration
Cirque de Soleil - I have only seen one live show, and that experience has been with me always. The performers were magnetic - I could feel their energy from a distance. When they approached the audience and interacted with us, one "creature" played an instrument over my head and looked at me without, even for a second, breaking character. Shorty after seen the show, Katherine Foster (my colleague and friend who taught at East with me for many years) and I created a rainforest show in which we had the entire cast face painted! The show had that theatrical, circus feel. My love for the circus began when I was very young and my Papa Bud would buy the whole family tickets to see Ringling Brother and Barnum and Bailey Circus. I love him for that (and for much more)
The Wizard of Oz (1939) - Once upon a time, I had to wait for The Wizard of Oz to air on television. I remember seeing the moving for the first time (hair probably wet from my bath and in my pajamas, sitting in the floor with my brother). I was enchanted for sure. I thought that Oz was so beautiful and loved the transformation from black and white to color! I still sing the munchkin songs to this day. What a truly inspiring movie...
J.R.R. Tolkien's work (1892 - 1973) - literary jewels, loved all the Lord of the Rings movies, breathtaking scenery, powerfully moving stories, complex characters, devoted characters to moving the stories along, laughing/crying at the same time. I am particularly captured by the Elves and Rivendell...
Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (1991) - The romantic settings, the love story is what I remember most...
William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (first performance 1605) - I love the whimsy, wit, and the playfulness of the story...
I have always been invigorated by nature. The cool crisp air
of wooded areas with bright green moss carpeting the forest floor awakens "even the sleepiest soul." I love the fragrance of the forest. I played in the woods growing up. I thought we lived "in the middle of nowhere." I would spend hours venturing deep into the woods, playing in the spring water, finding treasures, searching for caterpillar cocoons (then playing with them when they were finally free), chasing butterflies and lightening bugs. Today, I live in a neighborhood and can't wait to build a house "in the middle of nowhere" someday...
I have always been invigorated by nature. The cool crisp air
of wooded areas with bright green moss carpeting the forest floor awakens "even the sleepiest soul." I love the fragrance of the forest. I played in the woods growing up. I thought we lived "in the middle of nowhere." I would spend hours venturing deep into the woods, playing in the spring water, finding treasures, searching for caterpillar cocoons (then playing with them when they were finally free), chasing butterflies and lightening bugs. Today, I live in a neighborhood and can't wait to build a house "in the middle of nowhere" someday...
Frances Hodgkin Burnett's The Secret Garden (1911) - I also loved this book when I was young and became very lost in the story. The plot of a boy, Colin, being healed by his visits to this enchanted garden was moving. I loved the garden's transformation. I even created a choreographic work, inspired by the book, in college.