Project Description: Stories of the Sun God
Director/Choreographer: Christy Walsh
Visual Artist: Michael Chang
Sets /Costumes: AC Haley/ Christy Walsh/ Alice Wamsley
Music/ Sound: J Pasquale Greco
Cast: Ryan Lawrence, Laura Sifuentez, Christy Walsh and Carey Moore.
Seven Golden Birds share valuable secrets. A jilted poet hatches a plot that will eventually unravel the most elusive of the secrets. The Sun God rules with a merciless iron fist and his only friend is a Magical Bird who can transform into all things and all people. In this tale of ruthless information exchange, no human or imaginary bird is untouched by the influence of this lonely ruler who eventually finds freedom while the others meet their deaths. It is a meditation on the nature of power and the importance of knowledge in any age.
Presented as a multimedia dance theater piece with a cast of four dancers/ actors playing numerous parts, the narrative unfolds through dialogue, action and an emphasis on integrating choreography and visual arts to explore the content.
The theatrical conceit of an “imposter” who can become anyone or anything, is created by use of a rotating disc, which gives the effect of a “music-box” dancer. In this way, the object becomes the people standing upon it, and this is a low-tech solution to the problem of how to portray such a character. The device lends itself to levity and presents interesting choreographic challenges.
Michael Chang’s abstract expressionist artworks play an integral role in the performances. His fine art objects have served to inspire this execution of the narrative and are part of the set, as props, and even in the fabric of the costumes. Michael also collaborated on the video portions of the show.
The dances are set to the original music of Brooklyn-based musician J Pasquale Greco.
The show was produced by Green Space in Long Island City, New York in October, 2010, and an excerpt from “Stories of the Sun God” was performed in September, 2010 at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, NY. Lighting design for the October show was by Gordon Olson.