Kickstarter

We founded Boom Bat Gesture Performance group in 2011 after working together at Bennington College for several years. Our thought was: let's do whatever we want.

Ilana Stuelpner and Jon Burklund rehearsed in a garage in New Jersey, wrote fiercly weird scenes, developed sequences of abstract gestures, filmed disorienting videos, and threw it all together in the first draft of Cthulhu's House of Z, which we presented at SNOWBALLS festival at Space on White in NYC. Niko Tsocanos joined us for this performance, which we continued to develop together. A month later we were invited to present the work at Dixon Place's Works-in-Progress series. After this performance, we began developing new work with sound-artist Anastasia Clarke with whom we've been developing new performance techniques.

Now, we've been invited to present a new and revised version of Cthulhu's House of Z at HERE this JULY 6-8. Unlike our previous showings, HERE will give us full use of their beautiful main stage space, and access to extensive technical resources. This gives us the opportunity to give the piece a full production with extended tech rehearsals, a more installed set, and more elaborate video projections.

But in order to make the most of this incredible opportunity we need your support to cover our modest budget which includes rehearsal space, equipment rental, marketing materials, and costumes. 

Apart from these essential needs, we have a "wish list" budget including set pieces, additional video equipment, and stipends for technical assistants and a stage manager. If we go above our goal, we will be able to fund these additional elements and take this production to the next level . Thank you for your support!

About the show: Cthulhu's House of Z by Boom Bat Gesture recasts H.P. Lovecraft's sci-fi horror legend as a bumbling simian lunatic who hosts a late-nite electronic dream show. On the program tonight is the story of a husband and wife, whose dreams are infected by Cthulhu's perverted spell. As Cthulhu's somnambulant tantrum-spectacle progresses, his twisted experiments drive the couple insane, homicidal, and obsessed with donuts. Cthulhu's… is experimental performance group Boom Bat Gesture's fourth original piece, and their New York debut. It has been presented as a work-in-progress at SNOWBALLS festival at Space on White, and as a part of Dixon Place’s 2011 Works-in-progress series.

This production is a part of the Spring Artist Lodge/Summer Sublet within HEREstay, HERE’s curated rental program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical support.