PUTNEY — The journey through Sandglass Theater's almost-40-year history continues with weekly releases of archival video from productions that are no longer being performed.
August will present three collaborative works and conclude with a special presentation of the recently retired D-Generation: an Exaltation of Larks. A question-and-answer session will accompany each livestream and will include special guests such as Sandglass founders, ensemble members, and collaborators.
Sandglass will host these presentations as one-time events throughout the summer months via sandglasstheater.org, as well as the theater's You Tube channel and Facebook page. After 24 hours, all recordings will be available for rental on Vimeo On Demand.
The first offering in August, Between Sand and Stars (2005), is a collaboration among Nimble Arts, Rob Mermin (founder of Vermont's Circus Smirkus), and Sandglass Theater.
Initially inspired by the life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (the writer of The Little Prince and other novels) and the music of Mozart, this innovative work combines Sandglass's renowned puppets with aerial acts and swinging trapeze.
Next up is Natán el Sabio (2015), created in collaboration with Teatro Luis Poma (El Salvador).
Nathan the Wise , G.E. Lessing's epic verse play, was written in 1779. It is a great German Enlightenment work dealing with the interconnectedness of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. This production is in Spanish; a synopsis will be available on the Sandglass website.
The collaborations series will conclude with Story of the Dog (2005), a collaboration between Cambodian shadow puppetry and dance company Sovanna Phum and Sandglass Theater. The subject of the piece is the effect of war on private lives.
Combining performers from both companies, the story integrates Sandglass' characteristic puppet style with traditional Cambodian shadow puppets, dance, and music. Additionally, we screen a documentary about the creation process of the show and its initial touring in Cambodia.
Throughout the two days of streaming The Story of the Dog and the documentary, Sandglass will raising funds for Sovanna Phum. The company, including most of the regional arts sector, is experiencing tremendous hardship as a result of the global pandemic and reduced tourism, which accounts for most of their operating budget.
Sovanna Phum and their community are concerned for the survival of their space and their art form. To make a donation to Sovanna Phum, go to the Sandglass “contribute” page or contribute via Paypal and note that your donation is “for Sovanna Phum.”
By popular demand, the summer series closes with the release of Sandglass's most recently retired show, D-Generation: an Exaltation of Larks, which was performed from 2012 to 2019.
This piece explores the rich creative potential and ability to communicate that exists even in people with late-stage dementia. Their words and images, their creative imaginations, yield work that is poetic, humorous, and quite mysterious.