2015-16 UMS LEARNING GUIDE Nufonia Must Fall BE PRESENT Table of Contents 04 05 06 19 ATTEND THE DETAILS LEARN CONNECT 07 Why? 20 Being an Audience Member 09 Artist 23 Arts Online 12 Art Form 25 Recommended Reading 15 Performance 29 Writing About Live Performance 32 About UMS 34 Credits and Sponsors BE PRESENT 2 UMS SCHOOL DAY PERFORMANCE march 10 Nufonia Must Fall Thursday, March 10 // 11 am Power Center BE PRESENT 3 Attend Coming to your E-mail Inbox! Map and Driving Directions Logistical Details (drop-off/pick-up locations) Venue Information UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122 BE PRESENT 4 The Details ACCESSIBILITY We aim to maximize accessibility at our performances and below are details regarding this performance’s points of accessibility. If you have further questions, e-mail [email protected] or call 734-615-0122. The following services are available to audience members: • Wheelchair, companion, or other special seating • Courtesy wheelchairs • Hearing Impaired Support Systems PARKING There is handicapped parking very close to the Power Center on Fletcher Street and in the parking structure behind the Power Center on Palmer Drive. The first three levels of the Palmer Drive structure VENUE ADDRESS have five parking spots on each level next to each elevator. There are Power Center, 121 Fletcher St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 a total of 15 parking spaces in the garage. EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY 734.764.2538 The Power Center is wheelchair accessible and has 12 seats for audience members with special needs. ARRIVAL TIME Between 10:30-10:50am BATHROOMS ADA Compliant toilets are available in the green room (east corner) of the TICKETS Power Center for both men and women. We do not use paper tickets for School Day Performances. We hold school reservations at the door and seat groups upon arrival. ENTRY The front doors are not powered; however, there will be an usher at FOOD that door opening it for all patrons. No food or drinks (including school lunches) are allowed in the theater. BE PRESENT 5 Learn Nufonia Must Fall UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122 BE PRESENT 6 LEARN Why? UMS EDUCATION ARTISTIC STATEMENT Nufonia Must Fall tells the story of the robot Nufonia and his attempts to woo the human woman he loves. Yet behind this production’s simple narrative is a complex, interdisciplinary, and multilayered performance. The focal point of the piece is the projection of a live movie created by filming the movements of tiny, silent puppets across many different sets. Nufonia Must Fall is based on a graphic novel of the same name by artist and scratch DJ Kid Koala (also known as Eric San). The graphic novel, which does not use dialogue boxes, translates seamlessly to silent film. But while the film does not involve speech, it is far from silent: the musical collaboration of Kid Koala and the Cecilia Quartet provides the principal emotional content of the story. While the music and film of Nufonia Must Fall provide touching and entertaining material, the finished film is only part of the performance. Audiences are equally engrossed by watching the intricate creative processes involved in creating the live movie. The blurring of genre and multifaceted artistry make Nufonia Must Fall a distinct experience for every audience member. We hope the interdisciplinary and virtuosic creativity of this production will inspire our School Day Performance audiences to expand their understanding of the possibilities of collaboration and performance. BE PRESENT 7 LEARN Why? ONLINE: CONNECTING TO THE PERFORMANCE Learn more about Nufonia Must Fall by watching this trailer BE PRESENT 8 LEARN Artist NUFONIA MUST FALL: 5 THINGS TO KNOW 01 Nufonia Must Fall is adapted from Kid Koala’s graphic novel of the same name. He was inspired to write the novel after watching silent films by Charlie Chaplin. Kid Koala envisioned the novel, which does not contain dialogue boxes, as a visual silent film, and even released a 17 minute long soundtrack to be listened to while reading. 02 03 04 05 The production is directed by The music will be performed The show’s team of visual The performers must move KK Barrett, who has worked as live by the Cecilia Quartet artists brought Kid Koala’s between 14 different module an art director and production and Kid Koala (on turntables). drawings into three dimensions sets that are carefully designer for feature films The all-female, Canadian by creating dozens of puppets constructed to allow full including Her, Where the Cecilia Quartet has performed and sets. Lead designer Patrick movement of the puppets, Wild Things Are, and Lost all over the world, including Martel believes in the ability of puppeteers, and cameras. in Translation. As director, appearances at Amsterdam’s puppetry to relate deeply to In creating the sets, the Barret’s job was to bring the Concertgebouw, London’s human themes: “Puppets, yes, production designers hoped to story, emotion, and visuals of Wigmore Hall, and the Berlin are small, but on the screen match the depth and detail of the graphic novel to the live Konzerthaus. Cecilia is also they show up really, really big a recorded film while still being screen. committed to outreach; the so a very slight movement able to move quickly between ensemble has commissioned sometimes gives a lot of scenes. Each set is lit with major works from young, emotion.” battery powered LED’s and female Canadian composers requires two puppeteers and a and launched a performance cameraperson. series for children on the autism spectrum. BE PRESENT 9 LEARN Artist NUFONIA MUST FALL KID KOALA KK BARRETT CECILIA QUARTET PATRICK MARTEL Canadian artist Eric San, also Director K.K. Barrett brings a Taking its name from St. Cecilia, Patrick Martel has created puppets known as Kid Koala, is a scratch DJ, wealth of experience to the the patron saint of music, the and set designs for Cirque du Soleil, composer, illustrator and graphic stage, having previously worked Cecilia String Quartet recently Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, novelist. As a DJ he has toured as a production designer and art celebrated its 10th anniversary. and Montreal’s Théâtre Incliné. with groups including Radiohead, director for popular films such as The Quartet was formed in Martel contributed puppets to the Beastie Boys, and Gorillaz, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Toronto, and after a decade of Montreal’s recent 375th birthday often performing in his signature Close (2011), Where the Wild fruitful musical discovery, they celebration, and his puppets koala suit. Kid Koala has also Things Are (2009), and Marie once again reside in Toronto frequently appear on Canadian contributed to Hollywood film Antoinette (2006). His most recent where they are Ensemble-in- television. He holds a degree in scores including Shuan of the project, Her (2013), led to both Residence at the University of puppetry from the École supérieure Dead and The Great Gatsby. The an Academy Award and a BAFTA Toronto’s Faculty of Music. des arts de la marionette in France, seamless connection of different Film Award nomination for highest where he now teaches. artistic disciplines in Nufonia achievement in production design. Must Fall reflects Kid Koala’s appetite for innovation through collaboration. BE PRESENT 10 LEARN Artist ONLINE: GETTING TO KNOW KID KOALA Watch Kid Koala performing as a DJ in this video Connect with Kid Koala on Twitter by following @kidkoala BE PRESENT 11 LEARN Art Form MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCE: Nufonia Must Fall brings together several different art forms to create a completely unique performance experience. PUPPETRY LIVE FILM SOUND Puppetry is a form of theatre where the This production challenges its The soundtrack to the silent film comes from performer uses an object in addition to their cinematographers to create varied and visually three sources: Kid Koala on scratch turntable, voice, body, and imagination to tell a story. appealing shots but on miniature sets and in the string quartet, and occasional sound The passive nature of a puppet demands real time. Two cameras must move steadily effects that match the characters’ actions in active engagement by the operator/performer, around the sets, one on a large dolly track and the film. Kid Koala composed the music for because a puppet that is not moving or the other on a slider. The camera crew also some of the sections while other moments focused does not seem “alive.” Audiences edits the film in real time. are improvised; the musicians observe immediately anthropomorphize puppets; an and react to the puppeteers and audience object needs to give only a slight impression members at all times. Without dialogue, the of life before the viewer completes the picture. audience relies on the music to understand Because puppets are detached from humans, the characters’ situations and emotions. they provide a unique platform from which to explore human issues, sometimes in a more direct or provocative way than is possible through traditional theater. BE PRESENT 12 LEARN Art Form THE HISTORY OF ROBOTS IN FILM 1930’S AND 40’S The Wizard of Oz (1939) introduced the Tin Man, one of film’s most recognizable robots. While the Tin Man is lovable and human-like, the 30’s and 40’s still frequently included narratives of mad scientists and uncontrollable killer robots. 1950’S AND 60’S Film robots of the 1950’s reflected fear of the new forms of violence made possible by technology during the Cold War. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) depicts Gort, an enormous, metal, alien robot who delivers an anti-nuclear message to Earth. Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) features HAL, one of film’s most recognizable robots.