The Improvisation of Presence

CRS is delighted to present internationally acclaimed improviser Ruth Zaporah and guests for an exceptional evening of spontaneous performance. As the originator of the unique physical performance form, Action Theater, Zaporah is a true master of the present moment on stage, able to weave pathos, laughter, and startling imaginative landscapes out of thin air. She is a two-time recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Choreography Fellowship and currently a Cultural Envoy of the U.S. State Department. Joining her on stage will be three members of the International Action Theater Ensemble: Cassie Terman, Heather Harpham and Sabine von der Tann.

In this form the performers enters the stage with no pre-arranged concepts and begin with a spontaneous action. Each improvisational performance’s content and scenarios are built step by step. Within each performance, the performers introduce characters, events and situations that reflect the spontaneous workings of their imaginations and personal experience. The pieces are dreamlike, landscapes grounded in humor and pathos, interweaving images through movement, language and sound.