National Black Light Theatre Prague

FANTASY TRAVELLERS GULLIVER ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Pavel Marek Artistic Director

with Pavel Marek Jr. as Gulliver Kristýna Marek as Alice

Also featuring Eva Dvořáková, Monika Mrnková, Martin Kalous, Aleš Hnídek, Erik Rebernak, Petr Beneš, Štěpán Mandík, Zdeněk Hanousek, Marek Blanař, Zdeněk Chupík, Karel Leixner, Alan Fiedler

Script Stage Design and Masks Editing Pavel Marek Richard Maška Matrin Bláha

Direction Costume Design Sound Pavel Marek and Radka Eizltová Tomáš Krupka Emma Srncová

Music Film Clips Lights and Projection Ondřej Soukup Pavel Marek Martin Bláha

Song lyrics Computer Animation General Manager Gabriela Osvaldová Milos Cihak Jakub Marek FANTASY TRAVELLERS GULLIVER ALICE IN WONDERLAND

A non-verbal, black-theatre, multi-visual performance, freely based on the themes of the world-famous novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

With its distinctive magic and charm, its unique stage effects, and its animated and acted film, National Black Light Theatre Prague will take you on a journey amongst giants and Lilliputians, dancing octopuses, singing flowers, and living chess figures. We allow Alice to fly, shrink, and disappear, while Gulliver visits the most bizarre continents, full of unknown creatures and objects. The performance features world patented stage mechanisms, allowing actors to fly in close proximity to the spectators.

Alice in Wonderland Arises from the age-old tradition of Czech special effects and animated films. We have prepared a free stage version of the world famous book by Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland. The young girl explores the world behind the looking glass while looking for her lost violin and has the most incredible adventures. She meets wondrous beings and animate objects, changes her form, and finds herself in the most bizarre situations. The magical world of Carroll’s Alice allows us to open wide the gates to fantasy, leave the reality of ordinary life, and become children again…at least for a while.

Gulliver A comedy about a person nobody wanted to believe. It is the story about the sailor Gulliver, who, after many years of wandering the world, returns to his country of birth. He brings reports of hitherto unknown places, newly discovered lands, and the strange beings that live there. He is the target of sneers and insults and is pilloried for spreading heresy and sacrilegious ideas. However, he has the last laugh on his detractors … At the 52nd World Theatre Festival in Edinburgh in August 2002, this performance won the prize for best political fantasy. The jury of critics put together by the Scotsman newspaper awarded it a medal, winning place out of more than 900 shows. NATIONAL BLACK LIGHT THEATRE PRAGUE CREATIVE TEAM

Pavel Marek: Producer and Artistic Director, Pavel Marek was born on 5 July, 1956 in Olomouc. He studied at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Musical Arts in Prague. Shortly after graduation, he co-founded the avant-garde theatre “Under the Tent,” which was closed after several years by the communist regime for political reasons. The restrictions on the right to free speech became a reason to find a means of concealed stage speech: a speech of symbols, allegories, and metaphors. In 1983, he founded the black theatre company “Pan Optikum”. He wrote the scripts, directed, acted, and invented special effects (e.g. ways of making actors fly). He travelled around Europe, Asia, and other continents with his multi-visual projects. In 1988, he received an award from the prestigious Comune di Veron for his performance of Baron Munchhausen. The following year he co founded the Ta Fantastika Theatre and spent the next thirteen years as artistic director, writer and director. He directs many multi- visual projects and produces musicals. His scripts to Made by Homo Sapiens, Aspects of Alice, The Magic Flute, and Gulliver are featured on the most prestigious stages of the world. He has been a guest in Paris, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Brussels, Zurich, as well as Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Jakarta and New Delhi. The musical Joan of Ark won the award of the public at the prestigious International Festival of Musical Theatre in Cardiff. In August 2002, his multi-visual performance of Gulliver was included among the nominations by the commission of renowned critics put together by the Scotsman for “Best Performance” at the 52nd World Theatre Festival in Edinburgh. He also won the Fringe Report Awards for “Best Political Fantasy” of the year. In 2003, his performance of The Magic Flute won the prize of the Spanish public for “Best Family Show of the Year” In that same year; he founded the National Black Light Theatre Prague and commenced a relationship with Columbia Artists Management in New York. Josef Bednárík: Director of successful productions of Joan of Ark, The Magic Flute, Odyssea Musica, and more. A fascinating personality, he is recognised for his unique productions in many countries. Petr Hapka: Composer of film and theatre music. Also one of the most renowned composers of contemporary Czech popular music. Richard Maška: Stage and props designer. Stage designer for Gulliver and The Magic Flute. Gabriela Osvaldová: Lyricist and writer. Co-author of the successful musical Joan of Ark. Gabriela also wrote the lyrics to four of the best selling CDs by the Czech “Golden Songbird,” Lucie Bílá. Her songs have repeatedly won prizes for Song of the Year. Ondřej Soukup: Composer and producer. The composer of music for many theatre projects and twenty feature films. The film Kolja won an Oscar from the American film Academy in 1997 for Best Foreign Film. The musical Joan of Ark was the only non- English musical selected in 2002 at the world festival of music theatre in Cardiff. Ondřej Soukup has written the music to three of the most successful CDs by the Czech “Golden Songbird,” Lucie Bílá. Emma Srncová: Painter, writer, and designer. Founder of the Museum of Laughter. In the words of one critic, “M. Chagall in female form”. Co-creator of many black theatre projects. FANTASY TRAVELLERS PRODUCTION TEAM

Jakub Marek: General Manager and cofounder of National Black Light Theatre Prague. Negotiated and organized the participation of Joan of Ark at the International Festival of Musical Theatre in Cardiff. Organized the successful production of Gulliver at the Edinburgh Festival. In 2003, began cooperation with Columbia Artists Management. Martin Bláha: Lighting and Projection Designer. David Dvořák: Representative of the Artistic Director and Operations Director. Tomáš Krupka: Sound Designer. Ivana Marková: Cofounder and Financial Director. John Finen: Production Manager. John has worked extensively around the world as a lighting designer and production manager. Recent projects include a 15 city US tour with ballet legend Suzanne Farrell’s new company as Technical Director and Lighting Supervisor, Site Coordinator for the Dave Matthews Band Concert in New York’s Central Park. Prior to that, he survived several surreal years with the modern dance troupe Momix as Technical Director, Lighting Director and General Manager/Director of Production. Other projects have included: Stage Manager for New York City Opera at Lincoln Center, Production Manager for Tap Dogs US Tour, Production Stage Manager for Jam on the Groove, a hip hop musical, tour of Europe and Japan, Assistant Lighting Supervisor for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Assistant Lighting Designer for the Tony nominated design of the Broadway musical Jekyll and Hyde. Erk Rebernak: Stage Manager.

National Black Light Theatre Prague General Manager: Sadová 437 Jakub Marek 252 43 Průhonice Mobile: 0042 724 007 265 Czech Republic Email: [email protected]

Exclusive Representation: Margaret Selby Columbia Artists Management Inc. 165 West 57th Street, NY, NY 10019-2276 Ph: (212) 841-9554 Fax: (212) 841-9770 E-mail: [email protected]