TITLE OF SHOW: Dialogues for a Dead Day

LENGTH OF SHOW: 70-minutes

INTERMISSION none required

THEME [describe in one sentence]: DIALOGUES FOR A DEAD DAY is a testimony of and about disabilities.

CONTENT [brief description]: Combining works of theatre and dance from the classics and original repertoire, DIALOGUES FOR A DEAD DAY is a hard and compelling look at disabilities, mental, physical and emotional. From Richard III to a Vietnam veteran talking about body counts to a quadriplegic talking about his love life to Nijinsky going mad, the show is an uncompromising, intense, compassionate witnessing of the disabled in our society.

GOAL [the purpose of this show]: To raise audience awareness that we are all disabled in some way; that the disabled have a real and important role to play in our society and that their needs are indeed our needs; and that our attitudes toward our own disabilities and those of others constitute the triumphs and tragedies of our collective human existence.

POINT OF VIEW OF ARTISTS: Bob and Dana both felt that they wanted to create a show during the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE DISABLED which would celebrate, expose and witness with what those of us with obvious disabilities must cope and what those of us with in-obvious disabilities sometimes ignore. They both feel that we are all disabled – in numerous ways – and that we must understand that the world is for all of us to compassionately share with each other.

CLASSIFICATION: Festival and Adult, parental guidance suggested. This show has become one of the signature pieces of all of Sun.Ergos’ work.

PRESENTATION [skills used to present show]: The stage is a black box created by black surrounds. There is one white chair, no props, no setting. The stage is treated like a void into which characters and dances are hurled with shocking juxtaposition, tossed with insensitivity, tenderly placed with care in order to achieve the most intense effect on the audience. Vocal skills, modern dance skills, harsh lighting, black and white costumes – all provide the strong contrasts that burn this production into the mind like a Rembrandt etching. The title is derived from the fact that many disabled people live in isolation – even to this day – without real emotional, physical support, and that these people have dialogues with the void in their lives in empty rooms, in dead days.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Festival and Adult audiences; PG-13 rating. Many disabled people have seen this performance and have acclaimed it as a wonderful abstraction of the situation of their lives of others they know. It is a stern show, but it is compassionate, accessible and moving. It is challenging and does not let the audience get off easily.

CAST: Robert Greenwood (actor) and [Mr.] Dana Luebke (dancer-actor)

LANGUAGE IN WHICH SHOW IS PERFORMED: English

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE:
Poster blanks
Video-clips of individual pieces only
Black and White photos
Preview articles
Reviews

WHERE SHOW HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED OR WORLD PREMIERE, ETC.: The world premiere of DIALOGUES FOR A DEAD DAY was in Edinburgh at the prestigious EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE. It has been performed in Calgary, in Winnipeg at The Gas Station Theatre, in Nitra, Slovakia, at the INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL as a first Canadian entry in the history of that festival, and excerpts have been performed at Dance in Canada Conferences in Saskatoon and Toronto and at the 4th INTERNATIONAL MODERN DANCE FESTIVAL in Bratislava, Slovakia.

REFERENCES FOR SHOW:

• Miriam Adams, DANCE IN CANADA ASSOCIATION, Toronto, Ontario

• Fernau Hall, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, London, England

• Davina Karova, Dramaturg, DIVADLO ANREJA BAGARA, Nitra, Slovakia

• Boby Novan, Director, SLOVAK TELEVIZIA, Bratisalva, Slovakia

• Dick Foose, Consultant, ALBERTA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Professional Arts Groups, Edmonton, Alberta

• Brian Cooper, THE STAGE AND TELEVISION TODAY, London, England

• John Clifford, THE SCOTSMAN, Edinburgh, Scotland

WORDS WHICH HAVE BEEN USED TO DESCRIBE THE SHOW:
compassionate, explicit, professional, remarkable, memorable, quality, skilled, rewarding, distinctive, talented, powerful, stern, vivid, wonderful, fresh, striking, courageous

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR MATERIALS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Administrative Assistant
Sun.Ergos, A Company of Theatre and Dance
130 Sunset Way
Priddis, Alberta, CANADA T0L 1W0

TEL 403-931-1527 TOLL FREE 1-800-743-3351
FAX 403-931-1534
e-mail: waltermoke@sunergos.com