Crane: On Earth, in Sky Comes to Lied Center for the Performing Arts
(© Joseph Marzullo)
Crane: On Earth, in Sky, a new environmental production, will be mounted at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska, on March 9 and 10, followed by an engagement at the Merryman Performing Arts Center in Kearney, Nebraska on March 13. The show is ultimately planning a national tour and return to New York City.
Created and co-written by Heather Henson and Ty DeFoe with direction by Maija Garcia, an earlier version of Crane: On Earth, In Sky was performed as part of the LaMama Theatre Puppet Series. The show is described as "a spectacle of environmental theater, music, and dance told through immersive rituals and contemporary ceremony that reflects our connectedness with all of creation." The performance features music by Dawn Avery and Larry Mitchell.
"One will journey alongside whooping cranes as they use waterways for maps during their migration cycle. Indoor kite flying, amazing puppetry, and video projections will help tell the story. In this day of climate control and the dangerous effects on animals and migration, this story couldn’t be more timely and important. This show will show the potential dangers to a crane’s life and will celebrate the richness of indigenous cultures as well as Native American traditions that invoke a spiritual essence in honor of these majestic birds."
Henson is a contemporary puppet artist and storyteller, as well as the daughter of the legendary Jim and Jane Henson. She and her company, IBEX Puppetry, are committed to furthering the fine art of puppetry. DeFoe is of the Oneida and Ojibwe Nations, and works as a playwright, composer, performance artist, and educator. He was just announced as a recipient of the American Theatre Wing’s 2017 Jonathan Larson Grants, and received a Grammy Award for Best Native American Music album for his work on Come to Me Great Mystery Native American Healing Songs.
