Monday, December 16, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
SAVE THE DATE--Next Spaghetti Dinner October 28th
SAVE THE DATE!
We will present a Spaghetti Dinner on Monday, October 28th
Teatro SEA
Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center
107 Suffolk Street, NYC
Spaghetti at 7:30
Performances at 8:00
$15, sliding scale
Featured musical guests Ducarriganigan (Amy Carrigan and Aaron Dugan)
And--hopefully!--a new puppet show by Jason Hicks and Joe Therrien, "Weasel vs. the World"
Other performances TBA!!
We will present a Spaghetti Dinner on Monday, October 28th
Teatro SEA
Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center
107 Suffolk Street, NYC
Spaghetti at 7:30
Performances at 8:00
$15, sliding scale
Featured musical guests Ducarriganigan (Amy Carrigan and Aaron Dugan)
And--hopefully!--a new puppet show by Jason Hicks and Joe Therrien, "Weasel vs. the World"
Other performances TBA!!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
GSW Joins Animal Cracker Conspiracy at HERE
Aug. 30th - Sept. 1st Stephen Kaplin and Jenny Romaine perform the Great Small Chinese Theater Works Mash! This weekend only. Followed by Animal Cracker Conspiracy's The Collector.
The Collector is a mysterious tale, set in an alternate reality, about a lowly debt collector, who, under the management of a mechanical, tyrannical overseer, undergoes a radical transformation of spirit in the process of collecting outstanding debts. Performed with toy theatre, table-top puppets, object theatre, stop motion animation and film.
HERE Arts Center
145 6th Ave NY, NY
Date: Aug 30 - Sept. 1
Time: 7:00pm
Reservations: 212-647-0202
Tickets&Info: http://here.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
TOY THEATER FESTIVAL BENEFIT GALA
 |
Come out now and represent for Great Small Works and for Toy Theater!
MAY 23, 2013 POWERHOUSE ARENA, 37 Main Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn
OUR INDIE GOGO CAMPAIGN IS FINISHED--AND WE SURPASSED OUR GOAL!
BUT YOU CAN STILL GET TICKETS TO THE BENEFIT EVENT, HERE: http://www.brownpapertickets.
Tell your friends! Despite this great outpouring of support, and despite our consummate frugality, the festival still needs money. There will be art for auction at the benefit too! We invite you to join your friends and supporters of Great Small Works at the GALA TOY THEATER FESTIVAL BENEFIT on Thursday, May 23rd, at the powerHouse Arena in DUMBO, Brooklyn, to support Great Small Works' TENTH INTERNATIONAL TOY THEATER FESTIVAL, June 14-23 at St. Ann's Warehouse. The guest performers at this not-to-be-missed event include master puppeteer BASIL TWIST, toy piano virtuoso MARGARET LENG TAN and the inimitable musicians RIMA FAND and SARAH ALDEN. The powerHouse Arena storefront will also be filled with an ongoing spectacle of intimate paper theater plays created and performed by LAKE SIMONS, ERIN ORR, CHRIS GREEN, TONI SCHLESINGER, ED VALENTINE, DEBORAH KAUFMANN, EVOLVE COMPANY, KEVIN P. HALE/PLAYLAB NYC, PAVI MEHTA, ROWAN DOYLE, JULIA SMITH--luminaries of the miniature theater world! Join us for an evening of sparkling wit, compelling ideas, and visions of the possibilities of puppetry and community for the 21st century! How could you not come? You may now be asking yourself "How can I be sure to secure a ticket to this astounding array of giant spectacle on the miniature stage?" And we respond with joy, friendship, and Brooklyn cameradie: "Why, with a $25 contribution!" But wait, there is more…. Have we enticed you? Have we inspired your interest in the compressed power of the miniature? Are you in a position to make an even grander gesture in support of do-it-yourself ingenuity, auto-generated spectacle art, and the world-wide community of toy theater visionaries? Well, dear friends, for a $100 contribution, we further invite you to a pre-benefit Donors Gathering meal, as well, with sparkling music and sparkling drink!
We will be popping the corks for both events, as we said, at the powerHouse Arena, which is located at 37 Main Street, on the corner of Main and Water Streets, in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Doors for the Gala will be opening at 7:30, and for the Donor's Gathering, an hour before, at 6:30.
Thanks for your continuing support of Great Small Works and the community of artists, puppeteers, musicians--professional and amateur--who believe in the power of toy theater!PowerHouse Arena 37 Main Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn A or C train to High Street F train to Jay Street 2 or 3 train to Clark Street More Info: 718-840-2823 |
Thursday, February 21, 2013
PURIM CELEBRATION Feb. 23rd and 24th
On Saturday, Feb 23, and Sunday, Feb 24, 2013 the Aftselokhes Spectacle Committee and a coterie of celebrity brass bands, rock stars, Yiddishy supernovas, activists, children, and jesters of all stripes will present a very ancient, yet totally contemporary Purim masquerade Ball.
2 SHOWS!
Bands, Show, Dancing with DjaRARA, Yiddish Princess,
The Rude Mechanical Orchestra, and DJ Ripley!
$12-25 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of cash or costume
Sunday February 24, 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/event
The Rude Mechanical Orchestra, and DJ Ripley!
$12-25 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of cash or costume
Sunday February 24, 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/event
A quieter, sober afternoon performance for kids, families,
and other lovers of the daylight
with Yiddish Princess and Aidge from the Aesthetics Crew
Adults $12-25 Kids $ 5-10 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of cash or costume, Includes mask and gragger making by Kolot Chayenu / Voices of Our Lives
with Yiddish Princess and Aidge from the Aesthetics Crew
Adults $12-25 Kids $ 5-10 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of cash or costume, Includes mask and gragger making by Kolot Chayenu / Voices of Our Lives
220 36th St, Industry City, Sunset Park, Brooklyn
D/N/R to 36th St.
The Purim Ball I SEE WHAT YOU’RE DOING: PURIM, PUPPETS, POLITSEY! is an original work of art grounded in the traditional pan-Jewish practice of dressing up and staging transgressive folk plays in the coldest days of winter. The plays or “shpiln,” often re-enact the scroll of Esther but remix the ancient plot and characters to deliver a slightly drunken but profound contemporary critique of power. At the heart of the The Aftselokhes Spectacle Committee event is an original handmade Purim Shpil created by a community of 100 participants.
See you on the dance floor!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Call for Festival Performances
ANNOUNCING GREAT SMALL WORKS’
TENTH INTERNATIONAL TOY THEATER FESTIVAL!
A CALL FOR PERFORMANCE PROPOSALS
Throwing reason to the winds (and wind is something mighty
familiar to us these days), Great Small Works is embarking on its Tenth International
Toy Theater Festival and Temporary Toy Theater Museum, which will take place June
14th through 23rd 2013, at St. Ann's Warehouse in its new temporary
space at 29 Jay Street in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood. The warehouse
will offer new opportunities and challenges for exploring design and
programming ideas, and we are grateful to St. Ann’s for the return invitation.
As in previous years, we strive to juxtapose performances
which embrace paper theater’s classical, historic style with contemporary experimentations
with the form. We want to include
young artists searching for their creative voices as well as seasoned
puppeteers. We seek diversity of
all kinds—stylistic, cultural, technical, and thematic.
We are writing now to request
your proposals. There are a limited number of performance slots
available, but we want to involve as many people as possible; our goal, as
always, is to create a diverse, inclusive and colossal event! In the
festival context, 20-minute pieces are ideal. Each show will be presented
twice, and will be part of a program with other shows. Although
the format is small, we encourage big ideas!
For
this festival, we will not be able to construct multiple theaters for
simultaneous performances, but will have a main stage with multiple shows in
each program. This means that we
will be especially inclined to accept pieces which are relatively easy to take
on and off the stage. We are also
hoping to build a couple of small venues, for no more than 25 people, where
individual shows can be presented in a truly intimate way. And, we hope that very small and very
short pieces can be presented in and around the exhibit as we’ve done in the
past, so do let us know if you have a 5-minute-or-less mini-show you’d like to
perform.
Although fundraising efforts are ongoing, as of now we have
no money for artist fees. We will certainly
let you know if and when the financial picture improves. As a minimum, we commit to pay travel
expenses and provide housing for those of you who are not in New York City.
Have you done Toy Theater before? Have you been doing Toy Theater for the past 50 years? Are you an actor, cartoonist, visual artist, animator, photographer, musician? Have you always wanted to play with paper? Have you just arrived in New York City and seek ways to express your deepest passions? Do you live in Albuquerque and need a change of scenery?
Please send us the following information:
What
is your show?
What
does it look like? (images/video appreciated, on DVD/CDs or online links)
Have
you performed it before? Where and
when?
How long is it? How many
performers are involved?
Is it suitable for family
audiences?
Maximum audience possible?
Any
special technical requirements?
Date
limitations? Economic limitations?
Please send information by February 15th to either
:
Snail mail: Great
Small Works
c/o
Trudi Cohen
100
Jackson Street
Cambridge,
MA 02140
E-mail: toytheater@gmail.com
Include a SASE if you send any materials you’d like
returned. If you're not sure how
to respond, we’re glad to answer questions, offer encouragement and enthusiasm
and resource materials, or invite you for tea. Please feel free to
distribute this as widely as you like.
We look forward to hearing from you!
from Trudi Cohen, Lake Simons, Erin Orr (programming committee) for Great Small Works
from Trudi Cohen, Lake Simons, Erin Orr (programming committee) for Great Small Works
TOY THEATER: THE GRANDEST OF TALES WITH THE SIMPLEST OF MEANS
Toy Theater (also called Paper Theater) was the rage in parlors across Europe and the Americas in the 19th century, a popular means of staging dramatic spectacles at home. But just as revolutions in print technology had brought Toy Theater into 19th-century homes, 20th-century advances in electronic media and mass culture led to the virtual extinction of this inexpensive family entertainment.The small box used to stage sumptuous dances, battles and stories in the parlor was replaced by an all-too-familiar box in the modern living room. Fantastic in scope, easily affordable and open to any imaginable content, Toy Theater begs to be rescued from obscurity and re-invented in a wide variety of contemporary styles. Join Great Small Works in this exciting revival!
GREAT SMALL WORKS
Is an award-winning collective of theater artists who draw on folk, avant-garde and popular theater traditions to address contemporary issues. Its members are: John Bell, Trudi Cohen, Stephen Kaplin, Jenny Romaine, Roberto Rossi and Mark Sussman. The company has produced nine Toy Theater festivals in NYC since 1993.
Look us up at www.greatsmallworks.org
EXTRA—we will be having a Museum opening celebration on
Sunday, June 15th, which will include, for the second time ever, the
Greatest Smallest Parade with miniature floats and a giant brass band. We encourage you and everyone you know
to make little sculptures that can be pushed or pulled down the sidewalks of
DUMBO! You can contact us about
the parade at toytheater@gmail.com.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Open Meeting to Plan the Giant Purim Bash
3... 2... 1...
It's The Purim Content Launch Farbrengen!!!
It's The Purim Content Launch Farbrengen!!!
Please join the Aftselokhes Spectacle Committee and JFREJ on Sunday Jan 13th for a workshop/scheming/political education to begin creating this year's Purim Extravaganza!
(what is a farbrengen? a joyous gathering of allies and comrades and rabble rousers)
... This is the event that kicks the annual Aftselokhis Purim Party into action. What will we do?
We make the show.
We educate each other about the political content that ties it all together.
We eat food.
We sing songs.
We tell stories.
Expect The Whole Megilah (yes).
This farbrengen is open to all! Please invite, forward, and tell your friends!
This year's Purim will center on the issue of policing in NYC, from stop & frisk to Islamophobic surveillance. It is guaranteed to feature amazing live music, extravagant theater, and razor-sharp political education.
The creation process begins this Sunday Jan 13
Nosh at 1:30, meeting from 2pm (sharp) to 6.
The Great Small Works Studio
20 Jay St, #214
(what is a farbrengen? a joyous gathering of allies and comrades and rabble rousers)
... This is the event that kicks the annual Aftselokhis Purim Party into action. What will we do?
We make the show.
We educate each other about the political content that ties it all together.
We eat food.
We sing songs.
We tell stories.
Expect The Whole Megilah (yes).
This farbrengen is open to all! Please invite, forward, and tell your friends!
This year's Purim will center on the issue of policing in NYC, from stop & frisk to Islamophobic surveillance. It is guaranteed to feature amazing live music, extravagant theater, and razor-sharp political education.
The creation process begins this Sunday Jan 13
Nosh at 1:30, meeting from 2pm (sharp) to 6.
The Great Small Works Studio
20 Jay St, #214
DUMBO, Brooklyn
Accessible by elevator, though nearby F train at York and A/C at High St are not wheelchair accessible.
Childcare provided. Please RSVP if you're bringing kids! romainejnyc@gmail.com
(THE GIANT PURIM BASH WILL BE held FEB 23)
Accessible by elevator, though nearby F train at York and A/C at High St are not wheelchair accessible.
Childcare provided. Please RSVP if you're bringing kids! romainejnyc@gmail.com
(THE GIANT PURIM BASH WILL BE held FEB 23)
John Bell Talks About the Uncanny
In the Valley of the Uncanny: Humans and Humanoids
Saturday, January 12 at 7:30pm. Suggested donation $9
We are located at 322 Union Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Artist Laurie O'Brien, filmmaker Allison de Fren, neuroscientist Asif Ghazanfar & artist John Bell will be in attendance for presentations and a discussion following moderated by Cabinet editor D. Graham Burnett. This event was organized by Toby Lee.
Puppets, robots, cyborgs, sex dolls, automata. These not-quite-human beings alternately – sometimes simultaneously – attract, move and repulse us, populating the social landscape as our toys, our tools, our companions and our fantasies.
In the 1970s, Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori first used the term “The Uncanny Valley” to describe the profoundly unsettling sense of the non-human in these human-like beings. Building on Freud’s definition of the uncanny as the feeling of strangeness in something familiar, Mori’s theories have since become influential in fields as diverse as puppetry, psychology, animation and video games.
Our guests take us on a tour of the Uncanny Valley, exploring the horrors as well as the pleasures of the not-quite-human. John Bell traces a history of the uncanny in puppetry; Allison de Fren shares her short documentary on robot fetishists; Asif Ghazanfar discusses his research on the Uncanny Valley effect among monkeys; and Laurie O’Brien introduces us to Toby the Puppet. Together, they examine and indulge in the enduring human fascination with the humanoid.
Union Docs Website:
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