Back to the Boneyard

Redmoon’s Boneyard Prayer was inspired by several things, one in particular being the movie Ironweed. I love the story, the modern bunraku, the music, the dirt, the lighting, and the shadows.

Set during the Depression, an alcoholic man named Martin comes home after 25 years. After having left his wife Alice so many years ago, he confronts his past as it is literally unearthed before him. In his own way, he apologies and makes amends with his vices and wrong doings without ever uttering the words “I’m sorry.”

The haunting marbled glass eyes and mobile nature of the puppets themselves breathed life into the family. The interaction between actors and the ¾ life-sized bunraku puppets brought animation and expression to inanimate and expressionless objects.

The original score was fitting - mixture of vocals, piano, and electric guitar; the rhythms, hymns, and melodies reflected the time period.

About 85% of the set was dirt. If it was not dirt, it was covered in it. Giant crates, two of which were independently mobile, carried over 600 pounds of dirt.

The lighting was visually rich and captivating in its generally sepia tones. The colors and haze created the proper shadows. The lighting pulled people and objects out of the darkness, both literally and figuratively, highlighting moods and characters.

Along with lighting, the shadow shows provided a mood as well as a window into Martin’s past. This was the first time I saw a shadow show live and in this scale. Taking the entire backdrop of the stage, the shadow shows took on a cinematic quality.

Overall, Boneyard was audibly and visually robust. It was rough, bold, gritty, and physical. And yet, it was also delicate and fragile. The mediums and forms aptly reflected the nature of the story.

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This written work was an essay from 2010 for an enrollment application to TFA. "Boneyard Prayer" was a show I stage managed that will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the second production with Redmoon I stage manged but the first production I stage managed with them from beginning to end. The first theatrical production was "Hunchback" -- I came on as a swing assistant stage manager and then brought on to stage manage it to the end. It was just one of the productions in Chicago. It would make another return in a space much more closer to it's story's setting...

From the wonderfully creative minds of Leslie Buxbaum Danzig and Jim Lasko and the original 2000 company, featuring Matt Hawkins, Mary Winn Heider, Katie-Rose McLaughlin, Alden Moore, Jeremy Sher, Samuel Taylor, Jay Torrence, and Leah Urzendowski, with music by Michael Zerang and lighting design by Ben Wilhelm, "Hunchback" was performed at Redmoon Central in Chicago; New Victory in New York City, and Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago in Chicago.

More on the ridiculously amazing retelling of Victor Hugo's "Hunchback of Notre Dame" production may be in the works. There is a strong possibility there will be more writings on "Boneyard Prayer" as well. And maybe more Redmoon in general. Redmoon prided itself on the ephemera and being an engineering wonder. How could I not share some of the amazing things they did!

I saw them at the inaugural Looptopia event (possibly more on that later as well) and thought to myself, "I want to work with them." and that very same year I did! What other company will hire you to sit in a crescent moon 30 feet in the air and chuck candy at kids? Though this particular image below isn't me -- Yes, I was allowed to do that for one of the Boneshaker years! And another year they were even invited to perform at the White House.

Please feel free to leave comments and writing-feedback. It is my hope to (1) get a bulk of these loose stories compiled into one place, (2) eventually compile some (and write and rewrite) into memoirs, and (3) improve my writing.

If you've made it this far, thank you kindly for taking the time to visit this page and taking the time to read it.