BareBones Productions is pleased to announce the selection of Alison Heimstead and Maren Ward as the Artistic Co-Directors of the 20th Annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza.

Alison Heimstead is the founder of the Halloween Extravaganza. Her 1994 senior thesis at the U of MN, “Sam Hain’s Flaming Pavement Puppet Show”, was the original Halloween spectacle performance that eventually became the Annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza. Alison is an artist, puppeteer, and puppet theater director.  She is Performance Curator at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre in Minneapolis.

Maren Ward helped present “Hullaballoo” in 1996, what was the first “Halloween Extravaganza” under the banner of BareBones Productions. She has been involved as a performer or director in every Halloween Extravaganza since. Maren is a stage actor and theater director.  She is a founder and Producing Director at Bedlam Theatre in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

For the members of the Halloween audience who joined BareBones over the course of five nights this year, thank you for being part of public art, for supporting community theater, and for celebrating the season and honoring the dead.

Read more about the BareBones Halloween Extravaganza 2012 on the Chicka-BOOM!  home page.

An explosive “Thanks!” to the cast and crew of Chicka-Boom!

The following 286 known Aerialists, Artists, Board Members, Builders, Carpenters, Choreographers, Cooks, Coordinators, Dancers, Directors, Editors, Fire Performers, First-Aid Providers, Fundraisers, Graphic Designers, Kid Wranglers, Kitchen Hands, Lighting Designers, Managers, Musicians, Organizers, Painters, Papier-Maché Hands, Parking Lot Hands, Photographers, Police Officers, Performers, Puppeteers, Riggers, Site Hands, Sound Engineers, Stage Hands, Stilters, Storyboarders, Ushers, Videographers, Visiting Artists, Writers and various Helpers, Collaborators, and Supporters of all kinds, plus another dozen or two unable-to-be-printed Excellent Others all helped to create the 19th Annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza:

Alex, Angela, Autumn, Fiona, Nanette, Paul, Tick, Waffle, Wilda, Jami A, Christopher Allen, Calder Alspach, John Alspach, Shaylie Alspach, West Alspach, Erie Altenberg, Emma Alves, Nicole Amaris, Emily Anderson, Spencer Anderson, Amber Ashes, Beth Atim, Julia Babb, John Babcock, Alex Backer, Angelina Ball, Amy Ballestad, Lilith Bandargog, France Barbeau, Christina Barber, Pam Barragan, Justine Baumgartner, Erin Belfry, Bruce Blacher, Justin Boeke, Angela Brewer, Mikelle Brown, Brian Brugioni, Corrine Bruning, Mandy Bower, Malia Burkhart, Roger Cain, Todd Caldwell, Katie Capistrant, Alex Capitaine, Joan Capitaine, Juan Capitaine, Lisa Carlson, Susie Carlson, Sheila Casey Best, Tony Chapin, Laurel Chapman, Sarah Chapman, Allen Christian, Dana May Christensen, Giuliana Ciabo, Nicolas Collard, Paige Collette, Jason Colvin, Kevin Cosgrove, Angie Courchaine, Nick Cousley, Tina Decker, Sharon Dill, Mitchell Dose, Tona Dove, Devon Drosdeck, Ila Duntemann, Alicia Dvorak, Seth Eberle, Ea Eckwall, Heidi Eckwall, Ulli Eckwall, Ari Edes, Jan Elftmann, Sandee Elftmann, Miranda Elliot Rad- er, Scott Evanssmith, Tara Fahey, Jonah Finkelston, Andy Fischer, Chelsea Fisher, Brenna Frank, Yana Frank, Kris- tin Freya, Katie Fritz, Michelle Funk, Flora Gaard, Greta Gaard, Chris Gamm, Korey Garvey, Elle Gilbert, Patty Gille, Lisa Goese, Clint Goetze, Anna Goldammer, Peter Goldammer, Steve Goldammer, Susan Goldammer, Renee Goneau, Joseph Gonzalez, Jana Goodermont, Sam Granum, Flora Greenwald-Gaard, Janet Groenert, Chad Guerrero, Jayme Halbritter, Scottie Hall, Whitney Haltes, Cynthia Hamre, Sarah Honeywell, Natalie Hanson, Brent Harring, Mike Harris, Maryanna Harstad, Starri Hedges, Madeline Helling, Erik Heimark, David Heitzman, Chanel Hennessy, Carrie Hesse, Alyssa Hill, Eric Hofstad, Chloe Hollister-LaPointe, Willow Hollister-LaPointe, David Hoyt, Johanna Huber, Mike Huber, Xena Huff, Matt Ides, Julie JAO, Rosie Jablonsky, Raymond Jackson, Jinny Jacobson, Ynes Jennings, Ja- net Johnson, Olli Johnson, Oliver Kilgore Jones, Brie Jonna, Munir Kahar, Katie Kaproth, Andy Kedl, Kathlyn Keilty-Lucas, StacyLee King, Harry Kingham, Ian Knodel, Rah Kojis, Jim Koplin, Leah Koster, Robert (Bob) Kucera, Lynette La Rue, Charlie Laikind, Tracey LaPointe, Matt Larson, Sarah Larsson, Mong Lee, Avram Leierwood, Greg Leierwood, Mina Leierwood, Gustav Leinbach, Nick Lethert, John Lozoya, Marc Lovejoy, Billy Luetzen, Elise Lyon, Elissa Mann, Isaac Martin, Laura Matus, Derek Maxwell, Carol Michalke, John Michalke, Paul Michalke, Pasha Milbrath, Maggie Miller, Debbie McGovern, Mollie Rae Miller, Bryan Millner, Stephanie Molstad, Amber Moore, Henry Montplaisir, Billy Mullaney, Nell Nere, Robare Nickey, Mary Jo Nikolai, T.J. O’Connor, Alan Olson, Kevin Opatz, Craig Otto, Esther Ouray, Thomas (Tom) Owen, Richard Parnell, Nick Pawlowski, Lora Pedersen, Barbara Peterson, Isaac Peterson, Soma Peterson, Tracey Peterson, Joel Peyton, Tom Phelan, Daniel Polnau, Olivia Quintanilla, Abraham Rafowicz, Charles Rafowicz, Rachel Rafowicz, Sally Rafowicz, Eric Raven, Leesh Rearick, Kevin Reinke, Shanana Rene, Rebekah Rentzel, Nickey Robo, Jason Rodney, David Rosen- thal, Angelina Roslik, Spencer Roth, Ben Ruby, Nicole S, Devon Sayers, Noah Schafer, Andy Schultz, Beth Schultz, Mark Safford, Douglas Saldana, Anna Salerno, Noah Schafer, Essie Schlotterbeck, Alex Schrocter, Andy Schulte, Peter Schulze, Stacey Schwebach, Kurt Seaberg, Donna Sellinger, Kari Setterholm, Zeb Shaffer, Sara Shaylie,Tabu Simbi, Andrew (Drew) Smith, Osmar Smith, Zakyra Smith, Isaac Sondquist, Jackon Sondquist, Kellen Sondquist, Ramon Sota Martinez, Violet Soule-Fahey, Sandy Spieler, Rose Spieler-Sandberg, Calvin Stalvig, Patrick Strauss, Davey Steinman, Emily Stephenson, Jon Steven, Huckleberry Stoike, Nicole Sunsuki, Amanda Svendsen, Joel Swearingen, J.R. Syverson, Amy Taylor, Emily May Taylor, Elle Thoni, Linda Thoni, Rick Thoni, Stefan Thust, Dawn Tipka, Rhiannon Tippery, Joe Toth, Duane Tougas, KaleyJo Tousley, Nick Tousley, Ruby Tresch, Serena Tritsehler, Amanda Turanski, Fred Tyler, Andrea Urei Nelson, Brittany Van Hove, Jami Viergets, Maren Ward, Julie Weflen, Kat Weisberg, Arwen Wilder, Johnny Williams, Inga Wing, Laurie Witzkowski, Carlos Wong, Alexandra (Sasha) Zavyalova, Forrest Zoll, Nadeja Zoller

Images from BareBones’ 19th Halloween Extravaganza, Chicka-BOOM!
Photography by Jayme Halbritter, October, 2012

Images from preparations for BareBones 19th Halloween Extravaganza, Chicka-BOOM!
Photography by Jayme Halbritter, October, 2012

View more photos from Jayme at Barebones Facebook page:

• 9-23-12 Rehearsal
• 10-2-12 Build
• 10-11-12 Build
• 10-14-12 Rehearsal
• 10-16-12 Build

Chicka-BOOM! was dedicated to the life of Andrew Wagner who entered the woods on May 3rd and “crossed the veil” thereafter. Andrew was a friend, colleague, and mentor to hundreds in the Twin Cities theater scene and elsewhere and, among other personal and professional pursuits, was a respected actor, lighting designer, and director. Andrew was Sound & Light Technican on “Foretold” in 2005, Technical Director on “The Uninvited Guest” in 2006, Technical Director on “As Muck Would Have It” in 2007, and Artistic Co-Director on “Carnetheria” in 2010. Andrew’s last romp with BareBones was as a bike puppeteer, a “Sheriff” astride the Jackalope with the BareBones unit in the 2011 State Fair Mall Parade.

In BareBones circles, Andrew is especially fondly recalled by those who were there for crawling around the perimeter of the stage in a cardboard “alligator” suit to hand-spotlight creeping puppets five years ago in “As Muck Would Have It”.

Tonight, call Andrew’s name, crawl around the woods a bit on your own when you have a chance and then stop and listen for a gentle voice exhaling slowly from behind a cigarette, with a chuckle and a wry smile you can almost see beneath a pork-pie hat, crossing over the shortest distance between here and the farthest place that love will always reach.

A Memorial for Andrew Wagner is scheduled for 10:00am – 4:00pm on Saturday, October 20th, at The Ritz Theater in NE Minneapolis where Andrew was Technical Director.  Doors open at 10:00am with a celebration service starting at 11:00am.

CO-DIRECTED BY ESTHER OURAY AND LYNETTE LA RUE

Art by Munir Kahar, Design by Giuliana Ciabo

October 20, 21, 27, 28, and 31, 2012

Hidden Falls Regional Park, St. Paul

Read more about Chicka-BOOM!

Download a printable poster

Download the Chicka-BOOM! postcard

On behalf of BareBones’ Board of Directors, we are thrilled to welcome Lynette La Rue and Esther Ouray as the 2012 Halloween Extravaganza Artistic Co-Directors.

Together they bring six decades of mega puppet building and pageant organizing wisdom.  Their formal and hands-on experience is certain to bless this year’s show with a special kind of magic.  Puppets!
–Scottie Hall, Halloween Staffing Committee  06/30/12

Lynette La Rue studied commercial art, theatre and improv, and has worked as an artist, actor, puppeteer, writer, and director with companies and colleges in WI, FL, TX, and MN. She was an improv actor, mime and puppeteer in Milwaukee, was Producing Director of “Enchanted Journey”, a Halloween extravaganza that played five years in Gainsville, FL and Austin, TX and was Producting Director for large youth events at the Minneapolis Convention Center and Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul. Since 2009, she has been a Lead Artist for the People’s Parade & Pageant at Milwaukee Public Theatre and, since 2010, Ceremony Stage Manager for the MayDay Parade & Festival at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre in Minneapolis where she is also a rostered teaching artist and the Touring Manager.

Esther Ouray has worked as a puppeteer, actor, director, choreographer, and dancer in Minneapolis and regionally for over 30 years. She has performed with numerous companies including In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre, Illusion Theater, Interact Theater, and At the Foot of the Mountain Theater Company in Minneapolis. Her most recent work is “The Hebrew Lesson”, a one-woman show created as part of the Jerome Naked Stages series and supported by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. Esther is a company member of zAmya Theater Project at St. Stephen’s Human Services in Minneapolis and on the Board of the War Plays Project in St. Paul.

Congratulations Esther & Lynette!

BareBones Board of Directors:  Brian Brugioni, Scottie Hall, Brent Harring, Eric Hofstad, Greg Leierwood, Paul Michalke, Mark Safford, Emily May Taylor (on leave), and Jami Viergets

September 5, 2012

Dear BareBones Nation,

The acorn falls and the apple drops. With the imminent cracking of the milkweed pod, the bird and the butterfly return to the Gulf, the Isthmus, the Equator, and beyond. The monarch and the oriole have each caught out southbound on a northwest breeze. Orange is outta here if it can fly and now these are the days of the yellows of Fall – goldenrod, corn cob, school bus, and leaf.

There will be a half-moon on the Autumnal equinox in a couple weeks which will keep waxing to the Harvest Moon, even as the nights will begin to grow longer. On the first day of Fall, it will hang there as a giant sign of “yin and yang”, even as the orbital pendulum of our planet swings us back towards shadow and frost, darkness and cold.

For the 19th spectacular year in a row, BareBones will gather the neighbors of Twin Town and beyond to collectively celebrate the changing of the seasons and honor the mysterious arc of death and decay that traces half the circle of life. Such is the beloved “Halloween Show”, the annual BareBones Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza.

This annual letter goes out to over 700 addresses for the first time. There’s a saying I’ve heard repeated for years inside the BareBones scene: “Many hands make light work.” Considering the aforementioned ancient Chinese principles, we need your helping hands right away in both of the following two ways:

Yin) Cold Cash. Please donate generously to this appeal according to your community values and personal means. Times are still tight so it works when we pool it by the dozens. We need your $5′s, $10′s, $19′s and $38′s, but consider mindfully whether you can help us with $76, $152, or $304 this year. If you have an employer who offers non.profit matching donations, please leverage the help of the boss. A donation now is best.

Yang) Warm Hearts. The Halloween Show is produced each year by a remarkable community theater-style cast and crew, that has grown to over 275 volunteer and contracted staff. Our stage door is wide so please come in. Whether as an artist, puppeteer, usher, musician, stage hand, bale bucker, or helper of many kinds, you’ve never had as much fun as being part of the grassroots spectacle theater tribe that is BareBones in the Fall. Check out the schedule on the website and just come on down.

BareBones Productions is a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) charitable performing arts corporation, registered with the State of MN, and donations are income tax-deductible as allowable by law. Our Federal ID Number is 41-1974225.

On behalf of the BareBones Board of Directors, thank you all and see you soon!
Brent Harring, BareBones Productions

• Download this letter as a PDF

The 19th Annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza

Get in Touch

• Website www.barebonespuppets.org
• Facebook BareBones Productions (Group)
• Phone Scottie Hall, Production Manager at 415-640-2116
• Volunteer volunteer@barebonespuppets.org

Community Kickoff at Karmelita Central

TU 09/11 from 7-9pm at Karmelita Central Building (side) behind Royal Cafe, 2601 Bloomington Ave. This is the SE corner of Bloomington Ave and E 26th St. View the storyboard, meet fellow cast & crew, and join in the 2012 production.

Community Build Workshops at Kamelita Central (13) + (1)

SA’s 1-6pm and TU’s & TH’s 7-9pm from 09/13-10/11. Plus, Final Fix-It Workshop on TU 10/16 from 7-9pm. Make puppets, props, set pieces and masks from papier-mâché and cardboard.

Daytime Stage Rehearsals at Hidden Falls (5) + (1)

SU’s 1-5pm from 09/16 -10/14. Plus, SA 10/13 at Hidden Falls Regional Park – North Gate at 1305 S Mississippi River Blvd, St. Paul south of Ford Plant. Take to the stage, backstage or offstage as part of singular community theater.

Music Rehearsals (TBD)

Dates, times & locations TBD.

Contact Matt Larson, Music Director, at 612-251-6818 or matt.a.larson@gmail.com.

Nighttime Technical and Dress Rehearsals at Hidden Falls (3) + (1)

MO, WE, FR 10/15, 10/17 & 10/19. Plus, FR 10/26. The theatrical layers begin to run deep when electricity, sound, and light get added.

Caravan to the Farm & Straw Bale Seating Load-In at Hidden Falls

TH 10/18 from 10am-3pm, starts at Karmelita Central and ends at Hidden Falls. Be the bale buckers of BareBones’ legend. Brunch provided by BareBones.

Stage Raking & Straw Seating Set-Up at Hidden Falls

SA 10/20 from 10am-2pm. Uncle Sam Hain wants YOU for manual labor! “Get behind the mule and plow in the morning!”

Performances at Hidden Falls (2) + (2) + (1)

SA-SU 10/20-10/21, SA-SU 10/27-10/28 and WE 10/31 from 7-10pm. Cast call at 5pm. Cast & crew circle at 6pm. Showtime nightly from 7-9pm followed by live music, dancing and food till 10pm. Strike till 11pm.

Performance Site Cleanup at Hidden Falls

TH 11/01 from 12-3pm. Help us leave our beautiful riverside St. Paul park space the way we found it.

Build Site Cleanups at Karmelita Central (2) + (1)

TH-FR 11/01-11/02 from 6-10pm & SA 11/03 from 1-5pm.

Volunteer Appreciation Potluck & Feedback Party

SU 11/11 from 4-8pm, location TBD. Share food plus stories and ideas from the 2012 Halloween Extravaganza!

Images from BareBones Halloween Extravaganza, A Fistful of Dirt by Jayme Halbritter, Oct 30- 31, 2011

BareBones Productions is accepting applications for the position of contract Artistic (Co-) Director(s) (1 or 2 persons) for production of the 2012 Halloween Extravaganza. The contract period is six months of Summer and Fall from June 1st – November 30th with most work concentrated in September and, especially, October. The contract is for a total of $2000.00 whether the position is staffed by one person or shared by two persons.

To apply, please email a resume and a statement of vision to: barebonesadmn@gmail.com

If you are applying as Co-Directors, both of you should submit applications.

The Artistic (Co-)Director is employed on a freelance or fixed-term contract basis and is expected to be effectively present throughout the contract term. Though the schedule is flexible beyond the commitments listed below, the time commitment in the two weeks before Opening Night is at least forty hours a week.

Job Description

Since its inception in 1994, BareBones Productions has nurtured a structure in which the annual Halloween Extravaganza has been created by two Artistic Co-Directors who collaborate as equals. We’ve used this structure because of the amount of work involved and the broad range of skills necessary for the job. The Artistic Co-Directors have had shared responsibility for the overall practical and creative development of a dramatic Halloween Extravaganza performance. In 2012 for the first time, we are inviting applicants to fulfill this role either by themselves as a single Artistic Director, or in a partnership with one other person as Artistic Co-Directors.

Generally and ideally speaking, the organizational structure of BareBones Productions and the Halloween Extravaganza is collective in nature and community-driven. Every step of the process, from initial story visioning that comes from the community to the actual five-night performance run, is dependent on a large amount of community participation and input. The Artistic (Co-)Director is responsible for making decisions and taking action in a way that honors this process and respects the community members it relies upon.

The Halloween Extravaganza has deep roots in the ritual exploration of the changing of the seasons. It is a celebration of Halloween in which we reconcile with death and honor the dead in our lives. Within this theme, the community generates ideas that are distilled into a story. The show is typically storyboard-driven. Therefore, there is less emphasis on creating or interpreting a “script”. Artistic Co-Directors are responsible for facilitating, over a period of up to six weeks, the Storyboard Process through a series of public brainstorming and storyboarding meetings with the BareBones artistic community, including the annual “Halloween Kickoff” meeting that launches the project Build Workshops.

The Artistic (Co-)Director works closely with a variety of people and teams (e.g. Site Manager, Production Manager, Music Director, Volunteer Coordinator, Stage Manager, Section Designers, Lighting Designer, Sound Engineer, other contracted project staff, volunteer artists and performers, various other kinds of volunteers, and City of St. Paul officials) to create a performance which connects with the audience. They therefore need to be able to coordinate and communicate effectively across a wide range of disciplines with artistic vision, pragmatism, clarity, and humility.

Desired Experience

Generally and ideally speaking, applicants must have experience building, supporting, directing, or performing in at least one previous BareBones Halloween Extravaganza.

Experience with collective structure and process is considered very important to this role, and and will be weighted heavily in the decision-making process.

Experience in one or more of the following artistic disciplines is strongly desired:

• Puppetry
• Circus
• Spectacle Pageantry
• Theater
• Musical theater
• Dance
• Organizational Structure

The Halloween Extravaganza is managed by a Production Team comprised of the primary contracted project staff and key volunteers. A Site Manager is responsible for liaising with the various City of St. Paul departmental authorities, and ensuring compliance with required agreements, permits, and licenses as well as managing related logistics and liabilities at our selected performance site.

The BareBones Board of Directors is the producing entity of the Halloween Extravaganza. The Board has final oversight of the project including legal and financial responsibility and creates and manages the project budgets and manages the project grant agreements. The Board Treasurer handles contractor payroll and other project payments and closely monitors the project budgets. The Artistic (Co-)Director is obligated to work within the limits of the project budgets and grant agreements and must submit proposals for any significant budget changes directly to the Board of Directors for any possible approval.

Because BareBones has no standing Artistic Director to select the story or craft the show to be produced each Fall, the Artistic (Co-)Director functions in many ways as more typical theatrical Artistic Directors during their term of contract.

Job Activities

The Artistic (Co-)Directors are expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:

• Facilitate the Storyboard Process, including scheduling and promoting up to six weeks of pre-advertised public brainstorming and storyboarding meetings with the BareBones artistic community, including the annual “Halloween Kickoff” meeting in mid-September.
• Work with the Board of Directors, especially the Treasurer, to execute project budgets.
• Collaborate closely with Music Director, Lighting Designer, and Sound Engineer.
• Work integrally with project marketing elements.
• Conduct research and analyze and explore content to strengthen the storyboard.
• Work with the Halloween Staffing Committee in June, July and August to staff remaining project contractors.
• Manage time and organize people and space.
• Attend public Build Workshops: Tuesdays and Thursdays 7-9pm and Saturdays 1-5pm from mid-September – October.
• Describe and explain the storyboard during Build Workshops.
• Hold artistic staff meetings to clarify storyboard and integrate build staff into roles.
• Meet regularly with core artists and production team, including attending weekly production meetings.
• Conduct and attend Rehearsals: Sundays 1-5pm from mid-September – October and three night rehearsals on MO-WE-FR prior to opening weekend.
• Prepare detailed rehearsal notes for the cast and crew and present them during group circle-up held at beginning of Rehearsals.
• Be responsible for insuring loading and unloading of trucks before and after Rehearsals and Performances.
• Be responsible for insuring straw bale seating pickup and delivery run.
• Be responsible for insuring and assist in pre-show site setup starting at 10am on opening night, and post-show site clean-up starting at noon following closing night.
• Attend Cast & Crew Appreciation Potluck in November two Sundays after closing night.
• Attend Debriefing with Board of Directors in November.

Fourth and final Halloween Community Storyboard Meeting!

Sunday, September 2nd

3:00-5:00pm

Hidden Falls Regional Park – North Gate, St. Paul

Meet at the Picnic Shelter.

“Thank you for coming!”  For the 6,678 members of the Halloween audience who joined BareBones over the course of five nights this year, thank you for being part of public art, for supporting community theater, and for celebrating the season and honoring the dead.

Here’s a message from Lelis Brito & Kristi Ternes, Artistic Co-Directors of the 2011 BareBones Halloween Extravaganza – A Fistful of Dirt: How the Death Was Won

As directors of this mammoth cast of performers and volunteers, we cannot help but be awed by the generosity of spirit, hard work, creative drive, lost sleep, and community support offered by this otherwordly and life-giving community called Barebones. Since August, section designers, community members, board members, the production team, riggers, musicians, performers, aeralists, writers, stilters, puppeteers, children, elders, techies, and foodies have gathered regularly to contemplate the nature of death through conversation, imagery, puppets, and shared community. What a privilege to get the wide-angle view and to be asked to listen to people’s visions. Thanks to every volunteer for welcoming us and trusting us.

Read more about the BareBones Halloween Extravaganza 2011, including comments from the audience, on the Fistful of Dirt home page.

A huge roar of “Thank You All!” to the following 258 known Aerialists, Artists, Board Members, Builders, Carpenters, Cooks, Coordinators, Directors, Editors, Fire Performers, Fundraisers, Graphics Designers, Kitchen Hands, Lighting Designers, Managers, Musicians, Organizers, Painters, Papier-Maché Engineers, Parking Lot Hands, Photographers, Police Officers, Performers, Puppeteers, Riggers, Site Hands, Sound Engineers, Stage Hands, Stilters, Storyboarders, Ushers, Videographers, Visiting Artists, Writers and various Cooperators, Helpers, Key Collaborators, and Supporters of all kinds, plus another dozen or two unable-toget- named Excellent Others who all helped to create this remarkable 2011 Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza:

Amber, Autumn, Finley, Kelly, Klint, Max, Murray, Muskrat, Nick, Paul, Paul #2, Rob, Song, Riva, Tick, Vince, Waffle, Trevor Adams, Christopher Allen, Nicole Amaris, Brent Anderson, Emily Anderson, Joel Arce, Owen Arthur, Lisa Baker, Jamie Barber, Boe Bauman, Jackie Beckey, Erin Belfry, Andrew Bendzick, Rachel Blomgren, Gustavo Boada, Justin Boeke, Thomas Boguszewski, Andrew Boos, Alina Breneman, Angela Brewer, Joe Bridge, Megan Bridges, Lelis Brito, Simon Buley, Joe Burns, Betsy Burr, Elizabeth Cain, Pete Callahan, Lisa Carlson, Laurel Chapman, Allen Christian, Carrie Christensen, Kim Christensen, Giuliana Ciabo, Anna Cioffi, Beatrice Collard, Nicolas Collard, Amber Collett, Bahiyyah Comeau, Willow Cordes- Ecklund, Kat Corrigan, Kevin Cosgrove, Angie Courchaine, Sarah Cunningham, Joe Cypher, Brian Dahl, Brently M Davis, Zander Davis, Katey Dolezal, Erica Dossa, Mitchell Dose, Sam Dunkley, Ryan Dunlop, Ila Duntemann, Alicia Dvorak, Ea Eckwall, Heidi Eckwall, Ulli Eckwall, Ben Egerman, Deb Ervin, Mike Fahey, Tara Fahey, Mary Farrell, Carrie Feldman, Geneva Finn, Rosemary Fister, Dylan Fluncker, Yana Frank, Peter Frey, Katie Fritz, Isa Gagarin, Cully Gallagher, Chris Gamm, Rosa Garcia, Sean Geherty, Patty Gille, Renee Goneau, Journey Gosselin, Sam Granum, Jayme Halbritter, Scottie Hall, Elysia Hansel, Ashley Hanson, Sarah Hanson, Brent Harring, Bryce Harring, Mike Harris, Tim Harlan-Marks, Starri Hedges, Josh Journey Heniz, David Heitzman, Soozin Hirschmugl, Pam Hoffler, Eric Hofstad, Chloe Hollister-LaPointe, Willow Hollister-LaPointe, Lela Horst Bauman, David Hoyt, Xena Huff, Nathan Hurley, Brian Ioni, Julie JAO, Rosie Jablonsky, Ynes Jennings, Lisa Johnson, Olli Johnson, Oliver Kilgore Jones, Julia K, Munir Kahar, April Kaisen, Andy Kedl, Tynan Kerr, Lucy Kervin, Charlie Koecher, Rah Kojis, Jim Koplin, Robert Kucera, Walter LaMay, Marc Lamm, Tracey LaPointe, Sarah Lazarewicz, Greg Leierwood, Mina Leierwood, Nick Lethert, John Lozoya, Andy Looze, Gina Louise, Alex Lundberg, Sarah M, Angela Maki Jones, Jennifer Mars, Derek Maxwell, Amanda Mayer, Andy Mazarol, Kelley Meister, Sharon Meister, Anna Michalke, Carol Michalke, Paul Michalke, Sarah Frances Michaelson, Pasha Milbrath, Matthew Miller, Stephanie Molstad, Amber Moore, Henry Montplaisir, Arielah Moskow, Will Munger, Emrys Muriel, Sheila Nelsen, Nell Nere, T.J. O’Connor, Alan Olson, Jason Overby, Laurie Pape-Hadley, Kristi Papenfuss, Heather Pavlu, Nick Pawlowski, Krista Pearson, Gator Pete, Casey Peterson, Svetlana Petrovich, Barbara Peterson, Tracey Peterson, Sean Petteway, Amber Phelps-Bandaroff, Daniel Polnau, Cassie Pupovac, Lyndsay R, Eric Raven, Serena Raven, Tina Raven, Soma Raye, Kelley Reierson, Renae Rentz, Ryan Rentz, Friede Rica, Colleen Rice, Sarita Riddle-Bencriscutta, Hannah Rivenburgh, Chris Roberts, Elizabeth Rosenberg, Angelina Roslik, Spencer Roth, Ben Ruby, Emily Ryan, Mark Safford, Douglas Saldana, Alli Schorn, Alex Schroeter, Peter Schulze, Rocky Schulze, Richard Schuster, Rachel Schwalbach, Kurt Seaberg, Donna Sellinger, Kait Sergenian, Lindy Sexton, Leesh Sharkstar, Noah Simcox, Violet Soule-Fahey, Kevin Springer, Sarah Steinman, Elise Stern, Huckleberry Stoike, Abe Stroock, Gretchen Strobel, Joe Sullivan, Natalie Taber, Anwen Taber-Buley, Amy Taylor, Emily May Taylor, Kristi Ternes, Nicole Terry, Telsche Thiessen, Stefan Thust, Duane Tougas, Nick Tousley, Flor Trevino, Liz Turan, Annie U’Ren, Genaro Valentine, Jami Viergets, Sarah Vig, Jes Vos, Rachel W, Andrew Wagner, Vanessa Walek, Maren Ward, Kirsten Weigmann, Trevor Wennblom, Isaac West, Kirstin Wiegman, Martin Wigert, Arwen Wilder, Inga Wing, Aaron Wise, Sarah Wolbert, Aby Wolf, Carlos Wong, Alexandra Zavyalova, Forrest Zoll

This is a test of the BareBones Feedburner email delivery system.

We are attempting to iron out some problems with the system.

If you have the time, please send a message to nickverde@barebonespuppets.org if you receive this post in an email.

Thanks!

Art by Munir Kahar - Graphic Design by Giuliana Ciabo

A Fistful of Dirt:
How the Death Was Won

BareBones Productions Presents the Eighteenth Annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza!

October 22, 23, 29, 30, 31, 2011

Hidden Falls Regional Park

The Halloween Extravaganza is both “pay-what-you-can” and “pay-what-it’s-worth-to-you”. The production is grassroots community theater at its “rootsiest” and our fabulous audience loyally supports half of what it costs each year. Please be generous.

This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Dedication to Roy McBride

The 2011 Halloween Show was dedicated to the life of Roy McBride who, as we say, “crossed the veil” between this world and the next on July 29th. Roy was a long-time poet and visual artist on the local spoken word and puppetry scenes and was a colleague, friend, teacher, and inspiration to many of us. In BareBones circles, Roy is immortalized as a Beat Poet Rat in the “Trail” scene from Petrafied: A Puppet Fairytale, improvising ten years ago on how “still we survive”.
Roy believed that each one of us is an artist and that art brings all of us into community.
Tonight, call Roy’s name, improvise a line of poetry of your own, and listen for that quietest voice behind the biggest smile that the world has known, riffing back across the shortest distance between here and the farthest place that love will reach.

Roy McBride

Wounded eyes of history. Light.
Touch in the shadow of the steel beams.
Bright eyes; fields of harvest, fields of flowers,
fields of wildness beside roads.
Dark adventure of morning. Alien landscape.
Creatures of herding anon. And none. And none.
Touch. Touch.
Light.

From the poem MN City by Roy McBride, 1976

Read more about the BareBones Halloween Extravaganza 2011, including comments from the audience, on the Fistful of Dirt home page.

BareBones Halloween Extravaganza 2011 WANTS YOU to come perform with us!

This mammoth community cast of puppeteers, dancers, actors, aerialists, stilters, and more gathers each Fall to create a spectacle celebrating the turn of the seasons and honoring the arc of death along the circle of our lives. If you want to perform, this is grassroots community theater and there is a place for you regardless of your level of experience!

A Fistful of Dirt: How the Death Was Won is specifically looking to cast the following roles:

• Tengu Spirits – Inspired by Japanese tengu (spirits of arrogant or vain people who live in the mists), the tengu in this story are mischievous creatures who have taken over the Veil between the living and the dead. They move like they’re half-ape, half-chicken, and perform throughout most of the show.
• Veilettes – These 6 ethereal beings have costumes that transform and function like a butoh dance-style Greek chorus, echoing the emotional content of each scene. They perform throughout the show both within the audience and in the performing arena.
• Flag/Lantern Bearers – For a funeral procession.
• Shadow Puppeteers – Various roles.
• Puppeteers – Especially for a mob scene of elders, creatures, and appliances that can’t die.
• Actors – Especially for mob scene.

For more information:

• Scottie Hall (Production Manager) at 415-640-2116.
• Or, just come to one of our remaining Community Build Workshops on Saturday, October 15 from 1-5pm or Tuesday October 18 and Thursday, October 20 from 7-9pm.

Build Site:

• Sisters’ Camelot, 2310 Snelling Ave, Minneapolis (Behind Coastal Seafoods in Seward Neighborhood)

Rehearsal Site:

• Hidden Falls Regional Park – North Gate (Magoffin Ave) Entrance - 1305 S Mississippi River Blvd, St Paul

Over 100  fabulous Crew Volunteers are required to create and produce the epic annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza.

There is something for anyone and everyone who wants to join in.

Please use the Volunteer Form below to sign up for truly extraordinary Halloween volunteer experience.

Photos of the 2011 BareBones Halloween Extravaganza build at Sisters’ Camelot on Sunday October 18, from Jayme Halbritter.

View more at Jayme’s Picasa site

Photos of the 2011 BareBones Halloween Extravaganza rehearsal at Hidden Falls Park on Sunday October 2, from Munir Kahar.

You are invited to the Community Kickoff for the 18th Annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza!  At the Community Kickoff, everyone will meet each other, be introduced to the project staff and view the storyboard.  “The Build” will then begin in the last half of the Kickoff so be prepared to start papier-mache and cut cardboard!

• Date:  WE 09/14/11
• Time:  7:00-9:00pm.
• Place:  Sisters’ Camelot  at 2310 Snelling Ave  in Minneapolis.

The 2011 Halloween Build Site at Sisters’ Camelot is directly adjacent to the Hiawatha LRT line and the Hiawatha Bike Trail ramp at E 24th Street.

The complete Halloween Calendar for SEP-OCT-NOV may be viewed on the Calendar Page, or you can use this downloadable and printable version.

To volunteer, contact the Halloween Volunteer Coordinator, Anna Cioffi, at 651-815-9118 or send Anna a message with the contact form.  Or, just show up at any scheduled Halloween event.

Please note that the Community Kickoff has moved to Wednesday night this year instead of the usual Thursday night.  Also, the Build Workshops will be taking place this year on Monday and Wednesday evenings until the start of  “Tech Week” instead of on the usual Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  The schedule for Tech Week through opening night will then be the same as in recent years with the final two Build Workshops on Tuesday & Thursday nights.

Everyone is invited to Summer Storyboarding for the 18th Annual Halloween Outdooor Puppet Extravaganza!  Bring your visions, dreams, and ideas and join the front-end, grassroots, community process that begins this year’s Halloween Show.

Five Sunday afternoons from Noon – 2 pm.
August 14, 21, & 28, and September 4 & 11. The Halloween Storyboard will be finished by the Equinox!

Location has been changed to the new space of Sisters’ Camelot, which is also the location for the Halloween Community Kickoff on September 14 and the Halloween Community Build Workshops.

Sisters’ Camelot · 2310 Snelling Ave · Minneapolis, MN 55404

Sisters’  is at the corner of Snelling Ave and E 24th Street in the Seward Neighborhood of south Minneapolis. This is behind Coastal Seafoods at the dead-end of the street used to reach United Noodles.  This is two blocks south of the Franklin Ave LRT stop via the Hiawatha Bike Trail and directly adjacent to the trail exit at 24th St.  There is on-site and on-street parking.