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Sullivant’s Travels - Program Information

Sullivant's Travels Event Information

Stephan Koplowitz would like to thank: Susan Petry for her vision and invitation to work with her wonderful dance students and faculty, to Maria Palazzi of ACCAD for her sensitive support of this project, to my super fine production trinity who part waters and provide other miracles, thank you Ann Sofie Clemmensen, Mara Penrose and Oded Huberman, to all of the faculty and staff collaborators who have shared generously with their creativity, trust and humanity. To my colleagues at the California Institute of the Arts for their support of my artistic life and to my wonderful cast of graduate and undergraduate students who have approached the creation of this work with much humor, risk and intelligence, it's been a pleasure, thank you all.

The Department of Dance would like to thank the College of Arts and Sciences for the generous commission for Sullivant's Travels all the leaders and staff in the collaborating units: ACCAD, AAEP, Barnett, School of Music, Department of Theatre, ASC Communications, WOSU Broad and High, BalletMet; Susan Chess; Travis Hearld; Ralph Kerr; Elaine Smith; Tim Valentine

Please Note: Out of the eleven events that comprise Sullivant's Travels, No audience member will be able to see everything in one performance. Please be aware that you have a finite amount of time to immerse yourself in these performances.

Artist Statement

Sullivant's Travels is a promenade, site-specific and site-inspired performance that allows each audience member to select a unique path through the building and to experience various performance events. Some are durational others time specific. No audience member can see everything in one performance. Like immersive theater, everyone will have a slightly different experience and perspective as they journey through Sullivant Hall. Each of the 11 performance works is a world premiere and is inspired by the history of the building, the architecture and/or the current use of specific spaces. The cumulative effect of these works serves as a metaphor for learning, collaboration, creative play, and dreaming. It is my hope that you will come away from the experience with a new perspective on the life of and the intention of both the building and its mission.

Stephan Koplowitz
September 2014

Sullivant's Travels is comprised of the following works

Dance for the New (Old Building)

Location: 2nd floor balcony over High Street Entrance
Duration: 7' loop

Choreography: Stephan Koplowitz in collaboration with the Core Company and performers
Performers: Robin Ediger-Seto, Madison Girardi, Erica Jackson, Julie Kogan, Cailin Manning, Savannah Weatherington.

Rehearsal Assistant: Kimberly Wilczak
Viewing this section: Feel free to watch as much or as little as you wish of this performance installation.

Rotunda Site and Sound

Location: East Rotunda
Duration: 15' loop

Direction and Choreography: Stephan Koplowitz in collaboration with the Core Company
Performers: Victoria Alesi, Julia Ayau, Rachel Barker, Taylor Craver, Kristina D'onofrio, Maggie Ferrell, Dani Fishman, Kimberly Issacs, Lauren Merle, Chloe Napolitano, Mary C. Pierson, Kylee Smith, Elissa Snouffer, Charlotte Stickles, Kelly Widerschein, Sheila Zeng,
Music: Past Life Melodies, composed by Sarah Hopkins, and Earth Song, composed by Frank Ticheli; arranged by Kristina Caswell MacMullen
Musical Performance: University Chorale conducted by Robert Ward; Symphonic Choir conducted by Kristina Caswell MacMullen

Viewing this section: This performance installation is created to be experienced from multiple perspectives as you navigate through the space on all levels.

The Past is Up

Location: Studio 390
Duration: 7' 30" repeated in approximately 12' intervals

Direction and Choreography: Stephan Koplowitz in collaboration with the performers Music: Original Composition by Kevin Estes Performers: Brandon Adams, Tommy Batchelor, Jessica Cavender, Jada Green, Josh Hines, Colin Umek, and Gabriella Wiltz, Matt Bowman (alternating)

Rigging Design: Ralph Kerr
Rehearsal Director: Sarah Levitt
Aerial Training: Jessica Cavender

Green: Room

Location: third floor greenroom located outside of studio 370
Duration: 5', repeated continuously

Conceived and Directed by: Stephan Koplowitz
Text devised by: Carrie Cox and Stephan Koplowitz
"Stage Manager": Carrie Cox
"Assistant Stage Manager": Erin Yen
"Dresser": Marissa Ajamiam
"Stagehand": Calder White
"Audience": Rachel Freeburg Nicole Garlando, Fenella Kennedy, Asha Whitfield,
Performers: You (yes, you, the person reading this program.)
Artist notes: This is a five-minute audience participation experience where the relationship between audience and performer as well as between stage and backstage is blurred. Please Note: This an immersive performance, some of which takes place in the dark; if you feel uncomfortable at any time please say so and you will be safely escorted out.

One Way: A Telematic Trio

Location: composite digital performance in Rm. 251
Duration: 6' loop

Conceived and directed by: Stephan Koplowitz. In collaboration with Matt Lewis (interactive software design)
Performers: Timothy Bendernagel, Lilianna Kane, Madeleine Leonard-Rose

Viewing this section: This work is a scored/structured improvisation for three dancers in three separate studios inside Sullivant Hall. A one-way telematic link between the three dancers, along with digital processing, creates a composite visual experience to be seen in a fourth space.

Learn, Capture, Repeat

Location: teaching, learning, and recording in studio 250 (this will take approximately 3' of your time); screening in Schultz lecture hall (Rm. 220) can be viewed in a 3' cycle.

Conceived and directed by: Stephan Koplowitz. In collaboration with Alan Price (interactive software design)

Teacher/Facilitators: Shannon Drake, Ruth Keysor, Sarah Levitt
Performers: You, the audience are invited to participate by learning and performing a 3-second movement phrase in Studio 250. Each 3-second phrase is recorded, processed, and screened in the Schultz lecture Hall.

Technical Assistance: Sarah Lawler

WatchingWatching, Episode 3

Location: Studio 370
Duration: 7' repetition
Conceived and Directed by: Bebe Miller
Performers: Abby Carlozzo, Ca'la Henderson, Kelly Hurlburt, Melissa Mark
Music: Beth Custer, David Vargas

Artist's Notes: I'm fascinated by a dancer's negotiation of their performance (with all the regard for form, feeling and getting-it-right that entails) with the relative privacy of learning and absorbing the dance in the first place. What you see here is a media strategy for learning and performing-the-learning of movement, which becomes the dance itself.

Re: Phrase

Location: Studio 290
Duration: 7' 30" repetition
Choreographed by: Susan Petry
Performers: Lily Friedman, Christine Ghinder, Tess Gilbert, Rachel Merry, Heidi Murr, Hana Newfeld, Dana Schafer
Music: "Myhrpolska" by Per Myhr, "Tjångel" by Jens Comen played by Hoven Droven

Construction Sight

Location: Rm. 225, Barnett Conference Room.
Duration: 4' loop
Film: Mitchell Rose
Music: Michael Wall

Faculty Office Installations

Created by Department of Dance Faculty
Location: Sullivant Hall 316 faculty offices Ongoing

Horizon Time

Location: Barnett Theatre Lobby and Lighting grid – entrance from West hallway rear of theatre
Duration: 14' 30". Ushers will inform you of performance start times at the end of the 1pm and 4pm performances.

Conceived and Choreographed by: Stephan Koplowitz
Additional Lobby and Grid choreography: Core Company
Music: Original composition by Marc Ainger

Lobby Performers: Victoria Alesi, Julia Ayau, Taylor Craver, Robin Ediger-Seto, Dani Fishman, Madison Girardi, Kimberly Issacs, Erica Jackson, Julie Kogan, Cailin Manning, Lauren Merle, Chloe Napoletano, Mary C. Pierson, Kylee Smith, Elissa Snouffer, Charlotte Stickles, Savannah Weatherington, Kelly Widerschein, Grid Performers: Noelle Bohaty, Chelsea Shott, Katelyn Sheffield, Callie Lacinski, Kennedy Goldenbager (understudy)

Lighting Design and Stage Management: David Covey

Viewing this section: Please enter at the two rear doors of the Barnett Theatre on the Third Floor. Artist Notes: This section has been designed as the finale of Sullivant's Travels to be seen from the rear of the performance space.