Internationally renowned Grammy-nominated musician and Vermont resident Neko Case will both perform at and preside over a very special evening of entertainment titled “Storytelling? An Evening of Performances, Poetry and Puppetry,” at 7:30 pm Friday, January 28 at the Alexander Twilight Theatre on the campus of Lyndon State College.
This unusual and highly original collaboration of multi-talented performers was created by Case as the inaugural event of the college’s Centennial Year and as a benefit for Catamount Arts.
In celebration of Lyndon State’s centennial, Catamount will dedicate a portion of the proceeds to help establish an internship from the Arts Administration program at the college at its community arts center on Eastern Avenue in St. Johnsbury.
Focusing on the art of storytelling in all of its artistic forms, Case has invited both an artist and an arts collaborative company to join her onstage for what promises to be a full evening of lively and entertaining storytelling that will even involve the audience in creating a unique and special “story” of the event itself.
Sharing the musical spotlight for the evening will be Freakwater, a female singer/songwriting duo whose sound has been compared to that of the legendary Carter family.
Freakwater is often considered a cornerstone of the alt-country movement, and could be considered the primeval "alt-country" band. Steeped in, but not bound by tradition, they move into uncharted territory with each new record using a honky tonk, bluegrass, or countrypolitan template to create songs uniquely speaking to the present.
Freakwater is propelled by what has been called "acerbic harmonies," a wrenching but wonderful sound which goes straight back to Sara and Maybelle Carter's original prescription: Keep it plaintive, rough, and real. (The pleasure of listening to Catherine & Janet sing is sort of like the pleasure that can be taken from weeping.) Lyrically, however, Freakwater departs from the morality & themes of traditional country music.
Janet and Catherine, the two members of the duo, have referred more than once to their music as "evil" at the risk of excommunicating themselves from the country music songbooks, but their work will speak to anybody who's suffered or has a large axe to grind; that is, most everybody.
Tony Fitzpatrick, an internationally-acclaimed Chicago-based artist and poet will also read from his own work and lead a discussion about the art of storytelling at the evening show.
The mostly Chicago-based group One-Degree Off will perform two original handcut paper shadow puppet shows. The first, a bewitching retelling of Lewis Carroll’s glorious nonsense poem “Jabberwocky,” and the second, "Revontulet", a journey through the aurora borealis and legends of its creation. Shadow puppets glide across the screen in dreamscape exaggeration and playfulness, telling the tale of the Bandersnatches and Whatnots and of skies lit with fire and ghostly lights.
In addition to the evening presentation, One-Degree Off will also present a free afternoon performance of both puppet shows in the Alexander Twilight Theatre at 1:00 pm. This afternoon show, which is open to area school children and the general public, will not include a performance by Case.
The highlight of the evening will be a live musical performance by the Grammy-nominated Case and her band. Case, whose music is known for its strong storytelling qualities, will also share the background and story development of her songs with the audience.
Case even hopes to create a story about this special evening by having the audience help her write a song which she and her band will then perform.
This performance by Case will be the second benefit that she has done for Catamount Arts. Her first benefit sold out Fuller Hall at St. Johnsbury Academy last spring. Area residents are encouraged to get their tickets early in order to assure being a part of one of the most unique cultural events ever held in the Northeast Kingdom.
One Degree Off presents:
A Shadow Puppet Performance of JABBERWOCKY & REVONTULET
A merry band of Chicago puppeteers, musicians, and artists will present a
diptych of shadow puppetry at Lyndon State College on January 28th, 2011. The first, a bewitching retelling of Lewis Carroll’s glorious nonsense poem “Jabberwocky,” and the second, "Revontulet", a journey through the aurora borealis and legends of its creation. Shadow puppets glide across the screen in dreamscape exaggeration and playfulness, telling the tale of the Bandersnatches and Whatnots and of skies lit with fire and ghostly lights.
The cast of puppeteers and artists:
MARTIN BILLHEIMER
JASON CREPS
DEREK ERDMAN *
SUSAN HALL
CATHERINE IRWIN * KATHLEEN JUDGE
MARIE MARASOVICH
SALLY TIMMS
TIM TUTEN*
* created artwork for show but will not be in performance
More info: www.onedegreeoff.com
