Kickstarter

*UPDATE* Dreamplay will be appearing at Flamboyan Theater (107 Suffolk St., NYC) on: Mon 8/15 @6:30pm, Fri 8/19 @9:15pm, Sun 8/21 @2:15pm, Fri 8/26 @7:45pm, Sat 8/27 @4:30pm  http://www.fringenyc.org/index.php/shows/buying-tickets

DREAMPLAY'S BEGINNING

I created Dreamplay as my MFA thesis project in my 3rd year at The University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts Program.  The piece is based on an August Strindberg play, A Dream Play, but has been rewritten to create an original piece of experimental theater.  It uses masks, rod puppets both small and gigantic, toy theater puppets, and hand puppets.  It also has a Suzuki-trained chorus of 8 puppeteers who play Strindberg's creative demons throughout the show.  It was the culmination of a year and a half of research, design, and collaboration.  It was first workshopped at the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'neill Theater and then premiered at The Connecticut Repertory Theater in April of 2011 and sold out every show in its two week run.

DREAMPLAY AT THE FRINGE

As we went into rehearsals at the end of January, I submitted the show to The New York International Fringe Festival.  I recently received word that it was accepted.  Now with another opportunity to continue the development of the play I am in the process of rewriting the script, redesigning puppet elements, and reworking the whole piece. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

I have a fabulous team of designers who have donated their time and talents to work on the piece for free .  I also have a wonderful cast of puppeteers and actors who are willing to rehearse and perform for free.  However, even with dozens of people donating their time, there are still large costs in bringing a show of this size to New York City.  Money that is donated to this project will be spent on materials to build new puppets and costumes for the new mounting, transportation & storage of the many large puppets and masks, a composer, housing for the 18 person cast & crew, and publicity (so people actually come and see the show).

$2000 to bring 18 people and a puppet show to New York is a very small amount!  It is the absolute lowest amount we can do it for and it means 18 people are paying for their own transportation, sleeping on friends' couches, and paying for their own food and all other expenses while in New York.  Raising 200% of our goal would mean some of those costs could be covered.  Raising more would help ease the personal costs of bringing 18 starving artists to perform for 2 weeks in New York that much more!

VIDEO

Here's a video of the original production at Connecticut Repertory Theatre:

IMAGES

Here are some images from the original production at CRT:

"Clockwork angel puppets crowning The Lawyer."  Photo by Gerry Goldstein.

"The Schoolmaster teaching The Officer and his students." Photo by Veseth R. Sieu

The Daughter of Indra being surrounded by the mob of right-thinking people" Photo by Veseth R. Sieu

"The Daughter of Indra and The Lawyer playing house." Photo by Veseth R. Sieu

"The Suzuki Chorus performing The Lamentation of the Winds" Photo by Gerry Goodstein