Every day on Art&Seek, we’re talking to people who have tips for virtual art experiences. Share yours with us on Facebook, Instagram, or @artandseek on Twitter. Click above to listen to Matthew Posey, Artistic Director and Founder of Ochre House Theater, share his tip with KERA’s Nilufer Arsala.
Matthew Posey, Artistic Director and Founder of Ochre House Theater
Ochre House, a small alternative theater space in the Fair Park area, is staying connected with their audience by going deep into their vault and presenting past productions on their YouTube channel.
Here are some of the virtual shows you can enjoy:
Photo: Ochre House Theater
La Muerte de Don Quixote (2019). Inspired by Cervante’s Don Quixote, this fantasy was a collaboration with Ochre House, the Flame Foundation & The Dallas Flamenco Festival. The story imagines the last day of Don Quixote and explores the human condition of love, loss, success and failure in the face of his greatest giant, Death.
Photo: Ochre House Theater
The Egg Salesman (2015) Written and directed by Matthew Posey. The comedy follows a day in the life of an ordinary Egg Salesman who finds himself at the dog races, where he tries his luck, betting his last life savings. The show features original music, lyrics, and puppets.
Photo: Ochre House Theater
Smile, Smile Again (2017) Written and directed by House Artist-In-Residence Justin Locklear. Set in the aftermath of WWI, it tells the story of of man’s inhumanity to man. It’s about a soldier who is stuck in the mud and unable to escape. He is discovered by madman, who believes he has discovered a mythical soldier-plant, growing from the ground and requiring the care of a gardener. The ensuing poetic struggle features entrancing language, original music, and a bizarre, surreal landscape.
In a few weeks, the theater plans to follow up Smile, Smile Again with a Zoom panel discussion with cast and crew. They’ll reflect on their experiences and how the show has become newly relevant during the current awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Ochre House stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter,” said Ochre House Artist Director Matthew Posey. “I think it’s a very important discussion. Especially in the arts and diversity in the arts.”
Coppertone Jones and friends.
In August, Ochre House’s famous life-sized puppets return for an irreverent variety show called Coppertone Jones: The Amazing Traveling Sideshow Corker.
“The puppets will do Dick Cavett-style interviews and talk about timely topics,” said Posey. “They’ll be lampooning a lot of things. And just how strange this world has turned with the pandemic.”
Got a tip? Email Therese Powell at [email protected]. You can follow her on Twitter @TheresePowell13
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