Don
Q April 21 - May 13, 2006 |
 Photo Credit: Kagami |
Instigated by
Lluís Valls
Directed by Libby
Zilber
Music Composed by David McLean
Created with James Wilson, Norman Muñoz, Jubilith Moore, Brady Gill*, Sheila Berotti
Set Design by Max
Costume Design by Marilyn Yu-Li
Light Design by Stephen Siegel
*Appeared courtesy of AEA
When a man speaks the truth we call him wise.
When a man walks into danger we call him brave.
When a man tilts at windmills we call him mad.
When a man does all these things we call him Don Quixote.
Don Quixote is regarded as a pivotal piece of world literature and has been adapted to both film and stage many times. It’s the story of a man so overcome with tales of chivalry, knights and damsels that he attempts to live the life of a knight errant. His imagination overwhelms him as he mistakes windmills for giants and friars for evil magicians. Don Quixote (played by guest clown artist James Wilson) is companioned by an earthy squire Sancho Panza (played by Lluís Valls) who helps him steer through danger the best he can, hoping for the rich reward of a promised Governorship. When both get what they strive for, they find it wanting, and instead realize that the journey, albeit full of bickering and broken bones, was the true destination. Although Don Quixote and his antics both frustrate and entertain, he eventually endears all with his idealistic persistence which reminds us that “Too much sanity may be madness, perhaps maddest of all is to live life as it is, and not as it should be.” (Cervantes)
For this famous tragicomedy Theatre of Yugen trades in their austere Noh form for a bumbling and boisterous romp with clowning and visual delights. Ballads and dance are accompanied by the rich flamenco-based compositions of Bay Area guitarist David McLean, and the characters appear in and out of a fantastical life-size pop-up book (set designed by Max). Don Q is a collective creation by Theatre of Yugen’s ensemble under the direction of Joint Artistic Director Libby Zilber and includes Joint Artistic Director Jubilith Moore in a leading role as the Duchess along with Sheila Berotti, Norman Muñoz and Brady Gill (AEA). Marilyn Yu-Li (voted Best APA Designer in the Bay Area by Asian Week readers) returns as costume designer, along with resident lighting designer Stephen Siegel. The dynamic duo design team of Siegel and Max was acknowledged by the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle for the 2004 production of Frankenstein at Theater Artaud for which Stephen won Best Lighting and Max received a nomination for her set.
The collaborators spent three days and nights at the Occidental Art and Ecological Center (OAEC) sharing thoughts on the novel, exploring the possibilities of paper and developing vocabulary for a new version of this venerable novel.
Click here for images of our Don Q retreat at OAEC.
Click any image for full size
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Book Arts Exhibit
Paper Crane Press
Concurrent book arts exhibit in the NOHspace lobby organized by Susan Lopez
Participating artists include:
Jody Alexander, Susana Aragon, Amy Berk, Katherine Case - Thicket Press, Lucy Childs, Barbara Eaton, Melissa Kaup-Augustine - Lizard Press, Deborah Kogan, Sara Press, Paper Crane Press, Howard Ryan, Alice Shaw, John Sullivan & Tom Bonauro.Most items will be for sale with proceeds supporting the production of Don Q.
The run of Don Q will feature a special 3:00pm matinee on April 23 in honor of World Book Day 2006, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading. World Book Day is marked annually around the globe in over 30 countries, originating from Catalonia, Spain, where roses and books are given as gifts to loved ones on St. George's Day. This day’s celebration will launch a Community Book Drive for audience members to bring in any books (up through May 13) and Theatre of Yugen will pass them along to The Living Room Senior Center and the Tenderloin Childcare Center.
Don Q is indebted to:
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, San Francisco Grants for the Arts/Hotel Tax Fund, the Mathais Lloyd Spiegel Foundation, the Flintridge Foundation and the Zellerbach Family Foundation.
Special thanks to: Moshe Cohen, the Center for the Book.