Posts Tagged ‘heart of the beast’
The Impact Theory of Mass Extinction at HOTB
About Impact Theory From June 16th to June 26th, Heart of the Beast will produce our first major puppet and mask performance since 2018, The Impact Theory of Mass Extinction, by Junauda Petrus-Nasah. Impact Theory tells the story of two black, queer, teens who discover dinosaur bones in their South Minneapolis neighborhood! Our teens get sucked through a prehistoric portal, where they explore extinction theories ranging from the scientifically accepted to the outright absurd. On their Jurassic journey, our protagonists draw comparisons to their own lives, reflecting on themes of ancestry, queerness, and non-binary identity. Impact Theory’s playwright, Junauda Petrus-Nasah, is an acclaimed poet, playwright, screenwriter, and multi-dimensional performance artist. West-Indian descended and African-sourced, she grew up in Minneapolis’s own Phillips and Powderhorn neighborhoods. This production will be born from the skills of local artists: shadow, table top, and [...]
Interview With Local Artist Orren Fen
by Mary Ellen Kaluza Last month the alley debuted a new feature highlighting young artists in Phillips. Within moments of having the idea of a regular featured artist, I knew I had to talk with Orren Fen. I first met Orren a few years ago, in pre-COVID times. I was visiting their home and they showed me a project they were working on: a puppet stage made out of cardboard, maybe 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. I was blown away by the clever design, the creativity, the engineering — both structural and mechanical. Orren explained all the parts, moving and stationary, in great detail. Like I said, I was blown away! Lucky for us, Orren graciously agreed to be interviewed for the alley. How old are you? What grade are you in? Fourteen, and I'm a freshman in high school. Describe your main art form. I focus mostly on puppetry and performance art. What inspired you to take up your art? I grew up two blocks from In the Heart of the Beast Theatre, and participated in the [...]
MayDay Festival!
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre A teen from Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue sculpts the face of the Mojiganga Medicine woman youth in El Colegio High School’s art room. La Mojiganga will make an appearance at the May 1 festivalPhoto Credit: Spencer Joles Heart of the Beast is excited to invite the community to a redesigned MayDay Celebration. The event will look different from the parade of MayDays past. In the spirit of shared leadership, local organizations MIGIZI, Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue, and Roosevelt High School have been selected by HOBT’s MayDay Council as community partners to lead this year’s MayDay celebrations. Instead of a parade, there will be an art-filled political and cultural festival. This celebration will take place on May 1 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. in the Four Directions Family parking lot. All are welcome to attend this free event. HOBT’s MayDay Council is a community-nominated group of majority IBPOC artists and leaders. They have [...]
