Corningworks

Life & Death of Little Finn

upcoming world premiere! The 2012 GLUE FACTORY PROJECT - The Life & Death of Little Finn

WHO: CORNINGWORKS presents

WHAT: THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT 2012
the world premiere of
THE LIFE & DEATH OF LITTLE FINN
– a puppet dancetheater work for adults

created by the multi-disciplinary Canadian puppet theater, COMPANY X
in collaboration with CORNINGWORKS

DATES: September 12 – 16, 2012
SHOW TIMES: Wed 7pm Opening Night pre-performance Cocktail reception catered by DISH Osteria/ doors open at 6pm

Thursday. 7pm SOLD OUT

Friday  8pm AND 10pm

Saturday 8pm AND 10pm

Sunday 6pm AND 8 pm (PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN admission – 8pm show only)

WHERE: Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
10 Children’s Way, in Allegheny Center on the Northside
FREE PARKING in the Museum Lot

TICKETS: $30 general admission, $25 senior/student
LIMITED SEATING-30 per show/ RESERVATIONS STRONGLY SUGGESTED
For adults 18 & over
TICKETS ONLINE: www.showclix.comZ (CORNINGWORKS The Glue Factory Project)
FOR TICKET INFO: visit www.corningworks.orgZ

CORNINGWORKS’ annual GLUE FACTORY PROJECT world premiere --- a DANCETHEATER PUPPET WORK FOR ADULTS performed AFTER HOURS AT THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

CORNINGWORKS, directed by Beth Corning, will present Pittsburgh’s 3rd annual GLUE FACTORY PROJECT —her critically acclaimed annual series of dancetheater productions created on nationally and
internationally renowned performing artists over the age of 40 — with the world premiere of THE LIFE & DEATH OF LITTLE FINN – an adult puppet dancetheater production created by the multi-disciplinary Canadian puppet theater, COMPANY X.

Traveling with it’s own portable theater, including it’s own lighting, sound, 48” projection monitor, and intricately designed and built performance decks, this intimate hour-long work explores the human desire to
be loved and the cruel realities that journey can inflict.

THE LIFE & DEATH OF LITTLE FINN
– an dancetheater puppet show for adults
3 consummate dancers,
6 puppets,
original animation,
& numerous other moving parts,
all combine to tell the story of an ordinary little man made of clay and wood struggling with love and life’s fickle tango. A unique snapshot of memories and emotional ruminations, poignant and sad, funny and cruel. A provocative, moving, and highly personal theater-going experience.

Ironically this production, created for adults 18 and over and intimately sized audiences of 30, is performed, after hours, in the magical venue of Pittsburgh’s Children’s Museum.

In 2010, Ms Corning launched CORNINGWORKS, a vehicle for innovative dancetheater works, including her critically
acclaimed, annual series THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT. Initiated in Minneapolis, MN in 2000, THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT established itself as an award-winning, sold-out annual event. Engaging a diverse cast of critically acclaimed performers from the performing arts that has included stars from TV, music, theater, and dance, these
full-evening works transcend age and address universal issues of the human condition. Choreographing this international array of seasoned performers, Corning employs her signature dry wit, lush movement, theatrical inventions, and own seasoned point of view. She premiered the series in Pittsburgh in 2010. The national magazine DanceMag & Pittsburgh City Paper reviewer Steve Sucato wrote: “a wonderful mix of sobering thoughts, images and smart humor”. The Pittsburgh Tribune
Reviewer Mark Kanny said: “...both wit and harrowing emotional force…fresh evidence that Corning is a master choreographer of dance theater.”

CORNINGWORKS’ presentation of the world premiere of THE LIFE & DEATH OF LITTLE FINN - a dancetheater/puppet show, for adults 18 years of age and older- is a collaboration with the multi-disciplinary Canadian COMPANY X from Nova Scotia, led by Marina Harris. This touching account of the life and death of Finn, one ordinary, mistreated little man, is told through original puppetry, animation, dance, and voice over.

THE LIFE & DEATH OF LITTLE FINN inhabits an intimately scaled multi-dimensional landscape, performed by three live professional dancers:
           • Beth Corning, artistic director of CORNINGWORKS
           • Melinda Evans, former principal dancer with the renowned Utah Repertory Dance Theater,
           • Marina Harris, classically trained dancer, and award-winning choreographer, costume designer and writer
Together they partner two traditional 20-inch marionettes, three 15-inch rod puppets, one 11- inch hand manipulated doll,and other various moving objects, all hand made by Marina Harris. Supporting the “live” action is an innovative use of original animation, also created by Ms. Harris, that runs throughout the hour-long production providing the moving scenery, commentary, and internal monologue for all the “performers”.

The irony of an adult dancetheater/ puppet production, performed after hours in the Children’s Museum, for an intimate audience of 30, promises a provocative, moving, and highly personal theater-going experience. A unique snapshot of  memories and emotional ruminations that run the gamut from poignant to sad, funny to cruel — a bouquet of love’s fickle
serenade.

Traditionally, productions of the GLUE FACTORY PROJECT are choreographed solely by Beth Corning, however, this season’s 3rd annual Pittsburgh production, (the seventh in the national series), marks a first; THE LIFE & DEATH OF LITTLE FINN is the brainchild of Marina Harris, co-director of COMPANY X — a production company she started
with husband Kip Harris, an award-winning design architect and photographer. Ms. Harris — a multi-disciplinary award-winning
writer, choreographer, costumer, and set designer — and Corning share a long history of artistic collaborations stretching over two decades. They first met in 1988 as guest artists in Robert Redford’s Dance Film/Video Lab, and have continued their friendship and artistic collaborations through 20+ productions involving Ms. Harris’ costume designs for
Corning, invitational choreographic commissions, and mutual performances in each other’s work. 

Corning’s own use of puppets was inspired by Harris; in 1996 Corning commissioned four full-body sized puppets from Marina for a full-evening work they collaborated on for Norway’s premiere modern dance company Nye Carte Blanche (Corning created the choreography, Harris the design and construction of 45 hand-made costumes and 30 props).

During Corning’s six-year tenure as Artistic Executive Director of Dance Alloy Theater, she commissioned two works by Harris; 3 Camille’s and Blue Quartet. Both garnered rave local reviews, particularly for her witty and unforgettable bubble gum trio that became the signature section the Blue Quartet. Two plus years ago, Marina began talking about an idea for a full-evening length puppet work performed by “mature” dancers and her puppet creations, Corning excitedly offered to produce the premiere of the work for THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT. Harris’ signature dry wit, and her acute attention to detail are legendary. While Ms. Harris created the puppetry, animation, and storyline, the choreography for the work is
created collaboratively between the three dancers.

This work is made possible in part by generous support from The Heinz Endowments Small Arts Initiative, First Commonwealth Bank,  The City of Asylum, The Port Authority of Allegheny County, MAYA Design, WYEP 91.3 FM, individual donations, and CORNINGWORKS Board of Directors.