Halloween 07 Poster by Tou Cha

Poster Graphics by Tou Cha

The 14th Annual BareBones Halloween Extravaganza

Co-Directors: Maren Ward, Lindsay McCaw, & Adam Cook

October 27, 28, 30, & 31, 2008

Our beloved Mississippi River was the source material for this year’s Halloween Show. In a departure from past years’ stories, we’re presenting a literal stream of imagery inspired by the  natural life and human history of this massive North/South channel.

We begin on the actual river bank as charlatans peddle their societal remedies and revelers prepare for their steamboat ride through the ez life. The contemptible King and Duke in all their fake-royal  glory conduct a séance as another money making  scheme. To their surprise the spirits of the river actually arrive. The King and Duke flee to avoid  reckoning with the energy they’ve evoked.

So we, as artists and audience, take over and follow the spirits through the initial layer of Mississippi nostalgia to a small town where Mark Twain introduces his characters Huck and Jim. Eternal outsiders, they leave the town and embark on a journey through the wild terrain. The steamboat tourists return and capture a giant catfish that has dredged up objects from the river  bottom. Spirits arrive to remind us we’ve polluted these  waters with a society built on genocide and oppression.

Together with this baggage we travel to the ancient swamp – and stew in the muck. We look to the ancestors and each other for guidance. We try to reconcile. We grieve. The swamp transforms this grief into an awakening cry. We light a torch and move forward in a flood of light.

A MIGHTY BIG THANKS!

To the following 162 Puppeteers, Organizers, Artists, Carpenters, Builders, Dancers, Helpers, Musicians, Directors, Stilters, Coordinators, Fire Performers, Technicians, Choreographers, Painters, Videographers, Ushers, Editors, Sculptors, Cooks, Photographers, Paddlers, Fundraisers, Papier-Machérs, Stage Hands, Board Members, and Others who all helped to create this Halloween Extravaganza:

Emily, Erin, James, Kristin, Marshall, Lucas, Penelope, Scott, Susin, Tina, Waffle, Ynes, Erin Adams, Trevor Adams, Christopher Allen, Emily Anderson, Melis Arik, Emily Atchison, Dave Bailey, Amy Ballestad, Erik Bang, Aaron Barck, Tracy Bauer, Alice Battey, Jackie Becky, Tony Biele, Schmitty Bietila, Ryan Billig, Alex Bleiberg, Justin Boeke, joAnn Blohowiak, Jane Bolla, Meridith Bomster, Willis (Bow) Bowman, Kathy Brazil, Alina Brennaman, John Francis Bueche, Tou Cha, Shelly Chinander, Charlie Chinander-McFaul, Zoe Chinander-McFaul, Allen Christian, Leigh Combs, Adam Cook, Tony Cordes-Ecklund, Kat Corrigan, Kevin Cosgrove, Pete Crane, Willy Crary, Laura D’Alessandro, Brad Dahlgaard, Bex Dalton, Joseph Damman, Jonah Dill-D’Ascoli, Rene Dommain, Biff Dunsworth, Miriam Grace Eason, Ea Eckwall, Heidi Eckwall, Julia Eagles, Deb Ervin, Tara Fahey, Maria Filatowa, Rose Friedman, Cully Gallagher, Rosemary Gerber, Renee Goneau, Journey Gosselin, Bill Grape, Kristin Green, Joel Grostephan, Jayme Halbritter, Brent Harring, Mike Harris, Karen Haselmann, Carey HeartBorne, Starri Hedges, Julia Herrman, Penelope Hillfrau, Soozin Hirschmugl, Allana Hjortland, Josefine Hoffheinz, Eric Hofstad, Chloe Hollister LaPointe, Willow Hollister-LaPointe, Erik Holtzapple, David Hoyt, Xena Huff, Andy Hurley, Nathan Hurley, Julian Hyde, Dana Jeffries, Ethan Johnson, Lydia Jones, Munir Kahar, Jessica Karels, Andy Kedl, Loren Kellen, Sean Kennedy, Lars Kraege, Rah Kojis, Mona Kreienbring, Justin Lander, Lena Lange, Tracey Lapointe, Miriam Larson, Mary Jane LaVigne, Greg Leierwood, Fernando Lopez, Henning Luck, Tri Mai, Angela Maki Jones, Josina Manu, Lindsay McCaw, Kate McDonnell, Julian McFaul, Lisa McGrath, Laura Meuller, Donna Morris, Kirk Nelson, Leroy Nestory, Jenny O, Alan Olson, Ross Orenstein, Sarah Pantera, Jack Pavlik, Nick Pawlowski, Krista Pearson, Megan Pierce, Anton Pokhil, Daniel Polnau, Janaki Ranpura, Nicole Ratigan- Green, Nona Ruthless, Melanie Ree, Ian Moore, Mark Safford, Douglas Saldana, Michael Savage, Kurt Seaberg Noah Simcox, Sarah Simrall- Wanless, Tom Snell, Violet Soule-Fahey, Sandy Spieler, Huckleberry Stoike, Alisha Strater, Gretchen Strobel, Kait Surgenian, Amy Taylor, Kristi Ternes, Gerty Tonjum, Jessica Tweet, Johann Ulrich, Emily Umentum, Ed Vogel, Andrew Wagner, Ryan Waldoch, Maren Ward, Arwen Wilder, and Sascha Woellner, plus Michael Sommers and 20 first-year honors students enrolled in “The Cultural and Artistic Landscapes of the Twin Cities” course this semester at the University of Minnesota, and another dozen or two others that jumped on board after this list was compiled.

Have a memory you'd like to share about this show? Use the comments box below. If you were involved in this production, but don't see your name and would like it listed, send us a message from our Contact page. Thanks!

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