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6X6

This spring Theater Oobleck debuts a death defying new work of pre-cinematic splendor. 6×6 features six performers — Teria Gartelos, David Isaacson, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Jenny Magnus, Diana Slickman and Danny Thompson — who will spin stories and tell tall tales as they improvise off of six painted scrolls by six artists. 6×6 will be a part of the Banners & Cranks festival of cantastoria at Links Hall Apr 30–May 2.

The artists will each create a long illustrated scroll to create the basis for six different stories. The artists include painters who have worked with Theater Oobleck and Tim Portlock and Beatriz Santiago Muñoz, the puppeteers Blair Thomas and Peter Schumann and artists in the Puertorican puppet scene Deborah Hunt and Javier Maldonado O’Farrell.

Each night of the weekend the six scrolls will be interpreted by two different performers giving the audience a multifaceted show of stories converging and diverging. The performers will employ a variety of routes to their version of the story using music, foley sound effects and story telling.

The Banners and Cranks festival is the first cantastoria exhibition in North America. Read more about it at the festival’s Kickstarter page, including how you can—and why you should—help to underwrite it with your pledge.

Performances April 30-May 2
Fri & Sat at 8pm / Sun at 7pm
LINKS HALL 3435 N. Sheffield Ave. map

More info and tickets can be found at linkshall.org

Banners and Cranks related articles:


Newcity interviews Isaacson and Buchen

Monica Westin chats with David Isaacson and Dave Buchen about Casanova and 6×6.

“It’s a notable month for Theater Oobleck. With the remount of the company’s recent Rhino Fest contribution, “Casanova Takes a Bath,” at Prop Thtr in late May, and their current ambitious cantastoria project in conjunction with Links Hall (along with recent performances at the Hideout and the Packer Schopf Gallery), the company’s various members are performing and collaborating all over town.”

Old Ideas: Theatre Oobleck finds contemporary resonance in ancient texts and techniques

posted 04/27/2010

Banners and Cranks is a Critics Choice

“With all the talk about iPads and 3-D movies, I long for a great technological leap backward, and this looks like just the thing.”

The Reader’s Tony Adler is down with the crankies.

posted 04/16/2010

Buchen & Schoen perform Friday at gallery opening

Oobleck ensemble members Dave Buchen and Chris Schoen will be giving a free performance this Friday, April 16, from 5pm – 8:30pm, at the Packer Schopf Gallery, 942 W Lake.

It is the opening night of the Cranks and Banners exhibit of cantastoria. (What is cantastoria? Cantastoria is the Italian word for a performance form originating in 6th Century India involving the display of representational paintings accompanied by sung narration.)

There will also be performances from Clare Dolan, Spiro Dousias, Meredith Miller and a russian chorus.

And, as an extra bonus: The Packer Schopf gallery is concurrently running an exhibition of new work by frequent Oobleck collaborator Friese Undine — perhaps you recall his puppet shows from Known Unknowns or his sets for The Passion of the Bush.

Both exhibits run through May 8.

posted 04/12/2010

Coming in April: The Wine Cycle

Theater Oobleck is heading to the Hideout for “The Wine Cycle,” an evening of music+image with Dave Buchen and Chris Schoen. They will be scrolling and singing through the works of Baudelaire, Moses, Pliny the Elder, and more. It’s one night only, Monday, April 26th, 9pm at The Hideout, 1354 West Wabansia. $5 cover, free if you’re broke, more if you’ve got it. Tickets at door only.

The evening is presented in conjunction with the Banners & Cranks Festival of Cantastoria at Links Hall (performances April 23-May 9th) and Packer Schopf Gallery (April 16th-May 8th).

Baudelaire

posted 03/24/2010