Seattle-based theatre director, designer, performer, and playwright
In the puppetry, mask, and theatre work I do, visual art and performance art come together. Each of these are integral to how I approach my work, and each complement the other. How a puppet or mask moves is equally important to how it looks, and the attention to detail in construction is as necessary as the attention to detail in performance.
In performance, I draw on a diversity of sources from folklore to current events, and often engage socially relevant themes to shape the narrative. Using shadow puppets, masks and storytelling for intimate indoor performances, and high impact and highly visual giant puppets, stilt-walking, and dance for outdoor shows, I strive to challenge my audiences to think creatively and critically about the world we live in.
The use of puppetry is central to what I do. Puppets challenge us to think creatively and imaginatively and question preconceived notions of 'reality.' Puppets constantly subvert notions of what is 'real' and what is 'unreal,' challenging the limits of what we think possible, turning our world upside down. Puppets dismiss the rational and prosaic, reintroducing us to myth, a vitally important component in re-envisioning or lives and our world.