About this project
HEAR YE! HEAR YE!
On June 30, 2011, Jon Ferguson (director) and John Heimbuch (playwright) will open their fourth collaboration - a viscerally poetic exploration of duty and friendship called The King Is Dead at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis, MN.
Named for the stereotypical line of dialogue given to nameless soldiers and messengers in Shakespearean drama, The King Is Dead follows three working-class villagers as they seek temporary work in the royal court. But when war, plague, and courtly intrigue sweep through the castle, these unwitting soldiers soon find themselves caught up in a deadly plot for the crown. Part clown show, part classical text, The King is Dead promises to be a beautifully layered examination of loyalty, responsibility, and friendship, set against the comically brutal backdrop of Medieval England.
FORSOOTH, SPEAK ON!
Director Jon Ferguson and playwright John Heimbuch will create The King Is Dead in the rehearsal room through a collaboration with classically-trained and clown-trained performers from both Minnesota and the United Kingdom.
We believe that this cross-cultural collaboration will be a unique opportunity for both American and British performers alike, informing this intensely collaborative process with many different performance styles and cultural insights - expanding the skills of our artists, creating new artistic opportunities, and delighting local audiences with the sort of multi-national ensemble that has been unprecedented in the Twin Cities since the early days of Theatre de la Jeune Lune.
Of course, creating this ensemble will require a lot of work on our part, finding the right artists both here and abroad, and working hard to make that collaboration possible. The Artist Visa application process is pretty involved and takes a lot of support. We're confident that we can accomplish this, provided we have the time and funds needed to make it happen. This is where you come in.
CHIVALRY IS NOT DEAD!
We recently got a $5,000 Community Arts Grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council in support of this production, but in order to use those funds we need to provide a matching amount. Therefore, in order to make this project possible, we're asking that you give The King a kick.
Your pledge will help support this production and the creation of a cross-cultural ensemble. These funds will be used to rent our rehearsal space, cover the Artist Visa application fees, reimburse for travel expenses, build our sets and costumes, and pay our artists for their work.
Moreover, your contribution will ensure that your name shall forevermore be heralded as a beacon of generosity and nobility, a paragon of virtue and kindness, as befits a peer of the realm.
And so, to you, good sirs and ladies, we say:
THE KING IS DEAD... LONG LIVE THE KING!
FAQ
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42
Backers
$1,750
pledged of $5,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on May 21, 2011.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
and you shall receive... A warm and noble fuzzy feeling in your stomach. A thank you letter from the writer and director. Name in the show program Weekly email updates on the creation process and the artistic journey of the collaborators.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
and you shall receive... A warm and noble fuzzy feeling in your stomach. A thank you letter from the writer and director. Name in the show program. Weekly email updates on the creation process and the artistic journey of the collaborators. Ye olde nifty collectible show pin with graphic of the dead king's royal crest.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
and you shall receive... A warm and noble fuzzy feeling in your stomach. A thank you letter from the writer and director. Name in the show program. Weekly email updates on the creation process and the artistic journey of the collaborators. Ye olde nifty collectible show pin with graphic of the dead king's royal crest. A printed copy of the final script, signed by the writer and director.
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
and you shall receive... A warm and noble fuzzy feeling in your stomach. A thank you letter from the writer and director. Name in the show program. Weekly email updates on the creation process and the artistic journey of the collaborators. Ye olde nifty collectible show pin with graphic of the dead king's royal crest. A printed copy of the final script, signed by the writer and director. 2 tickets to the show.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
and you shall receive... A warm and noble fuzzy feeling in your stomach. A thank you letter from the writer and director. Name in the show program. Weekly email updates on the creation process and the artistic journey of the collaborators. Ye olde nifty collectible show pin with graphic of the dead king's royal crest. A printed copy of the final script, signed by the writer and director. 2 tickets to the show. 1 Limited edition screen print poster by artist Keegan Wenkman.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
and you shall receive... A warm and noble fuzzy feeling in your stomach. A thank you letter from the writer and director. Weekly email updates on the creation process and the artistic journey of the collaborators. Ye olde nifty collectible show pin with graphic of the dead king's royal crest. A printed copy of the final script, signed by the writer and director. 2 tickets to the show. 1 Limited edition screen print poster by artist Keegan Wenkman. An invitation for two people to view an evening of rehearsal Knighted by the King of England (when the king magically comes to life again after the show you attend).
Pledge $2,000 or more Pledge $2,000 or more
and you shall receive... A warm and noble fuzzy feeling in your stomach. A thank you letter from the writer and director. Weekly email updates on the creation process and the artistic journey of the collaborators. Ye olde nifty collectible show pin with graphic of the dead king's royal crest. A printed copy of the final script, signed by the writer and director. 2 tickets to the show. 1 Limited edition screen print poster by artist Keegan Wenkman. An invitation for up to 10 people to view an evening of rehearsal Knighted by the King of England (when the king magically comes to life again after the show you attend). Your knightly name gets mentioned in the show by the king (when he's still alive of course) after you have been knighted and from thence on and for ever more.
Project By
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Jon Ferguson is a theater director, play maker, writer and theater educator. He is from Durham, England. He trained at Middlesex University in London. He has worked with some of the leading physical theater, clown companies and collaborative ensembles in the UK and US including Hoipolloi, Trading Faces, Theatre de la Jeune Lune and The John Wright Company. As an actor and play-maker his work has been seen throughout the UK including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Battersea Arts Center, The Gate Theater, The London International Mime Festival, The National Student Drama Festival and The Kendal Mime Festival. Jon is now based in Minneapolis and his work there has been seen at The Guthrie Theater, The Southern Theater, The Children’s Theater Company, Stages Theatre Company, The Minnesota Fringe Festival and The Bryant Lake Bowl. Awards for his work include: "City Pages Artist of the Year", Star Tribune "Outstanding Experimental Theater Production", City Pages “Best of the Twin Cities - Best Stage Production", and The Sunday Times “Ensemble Award". Teaching includes: Theatre Royal Bath, The Bristol Old Vic, The Guthrie Theater, Stages Theatre Company, St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program, as well countless independent workshops for professional performers. Workshop subjects include Physical Theater, Physical Approaches to Acting, Collaborative Play Creation, Simple Clown, Pathetic Clown, Tragic Clown and Bouffon Clown.
