3111 N. Western Ave.
NOVEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 6, 2009
FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS AT 7:00pm
SUNDAYS AT 3:00pm
NO SHOWS THANKSGIVING WEEKEND (NOV 27-29)
$12 or 3 shows for $30
For tickets/info: (773) 296-6024
www.viaducttheatre.com
www.themagpiesproject.com
Showcasing more than 30
artists over three weeks, The Happy Family Series is a brimming
collection of big-hearted demonstrations exploring "harmonic
antagonisms," the awkward equilibriums, true or false, that we forge
with our loved ones/enemies.
With performative lectures, scroll
storytellings, multi-media monologues, live music ranging from cabaret
to country, one-act plays, videos, puppetry, improvisational bits and
more, the series is a veritable vaudeville of delivery systems coming
together to tackle a common theme: P.T. Barnum's famous American Museum
exhibit, "The Happy Family."
According to the official guide
book to the museum, Item No. 884 - The Happy Family was "a
miscellaneous collection of predators and prey, living together
harmoniously in one large cage, each of them being mortal enemy of
every other, but contentedly playing and frolicking together, without
injury or discord."
Information that exists today about The
Happy Family exhibit is conflicting. But what can be deduced from
varying reports is that anywhere from 60 to 200 beasts and birds were
housed together under one roof. Species that have been cited as part of
the exhibit include: doves, owls, rats, cats, dogs, hawks, rabbits,
roosters, lions, guinea pigs, raccoons, alligators, ant eaters,
porcupines, bears, woodchucks, opossums, armadillos, and all kinds of
monkeys.
"We could learn a thing or two from these dumb
animals!" Barnum would often blurt out over the pumped in classical
music to astonished crowds. But rumor has it that, when the museum
closed for the night and everyone had finally gone home, the tamers
would sneak into the exhibit with their whips and beat the happiness
into the beasts. Many eyewitness accounts state that the animals often
looked too exhausted or malnourished to put up much of a fight.
Happy
Family Series participants have been given one simple directive, to
extrapolate "harmonic antagonisms" from the "The Happy Family" exhibit
in any way they see fit. The result is a profound collection of work
that includes such topics as The Six Days War, animal husbandry, prison
stints, Versailles, Thanksgiving, Noah's ark, President Lyndon Johnson
and Soviet Premier Alexy Kosygin, Xanax, Byzantine history, city
planning, The Swiss Family Robinson, winter's discontent, drunken
romance lullabies, and much, much more.
Curated by Shawn Reddy
Emceed by H.B. Ward A.K.A. "The Tamer"
Featuring
work by Martha Bayne, Ian Belknap, Dave Buchen, Chris Bower, Eiren
Caffall, Mark Chrisler, Robin Cline, Barrie Cole, Elvisbride Band,
Idris Goodwin, David Isaacson, David Kodeski, Jenny Magnus, Brian
Nemtusak, Beau O'Reilly, David Pavkovic and Vicki Walden (of DOG), The
Lawrence Peters Outfit, Diana Slickman, Edward Thomas-Herrera, and
David Wilcox.
SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE DATES AND PROGRAMS:
WEEK 1 (Nov 13-15)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13: Ian Belknap, Mark Chrisler, Jenny Magnus, Brian Nemtusak, Edward Thomas-Herrera
SATURDAY, NOBEMBER 14: Ian Belknap, Idris Goodwin, Jenny Magnus, Beau O'Reilly, Edward Thomas Herrera
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 Ian Belknap, Eiren Caffall, Idris Goodwin, Brian Nemtusak, The Lawrence Peters Outfit
WEEK 2 (Nov 20-22)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20: Martha Bayne, Mark Chrisler, Beau O'Reilly, Dave Pavkovic and Vicki Walden (of DOG), David Wilcox
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21: Martha Bayne, Chris Bower, Mark Chrisler, Dave Pavkovic and Vicki Walden (of DOG), David Wilcox
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22: Martha Bayne, Chris Bower, Elvisbride Band, Dave Pavkovic and Vicki Walden (of DOG), Diana Slickman
NO SHOWS THANKSGIVING WEEKEND (Nov 27-29)
WEEK 3 (Dec 4-6)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4: Chris Bower, Dave Buchen, Barrie Cole, David Isaacson, David Kodeski
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5: Dave Buchen, Barrie Cole, David Isaacson, David Kodeski, Diana Slickman
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6: Dave Buchen, Eiren Caffall, Robin Cline, Barrie Cole, David Isaacson, The Lawrence Peters Outfit
Filed under: Uncategorized
Tags: latest press releases
Chris Jones' blog
