M U D D B U T T M Y S T E R Y T H E AT R E T R O U P E
3 Decades of Artful Collaboration Telluride Academy
PHOTO CREDITS
1
M U D D B U T T M Y S T E R Y T H E AT R E T R O U P E 3 Decades of Artful Collaboration
©2016 TELLURIDE ACADEMY
CONTENTS
1
FOREWORD BY ART GOODTIMES
3
FOREWORD BY WENDY BROOKS
5 INTRODUCTION FRONT AND BACK COVER PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN FAGO
13 INITIATION
WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
19 PROCESS 27
WHY DO THEATER?
Kim Epifano Sally Davis 39 EMBARKING ON A JOURNEY Pam Zoline Michael Stasiuk 41 THE WAY WE WORK John Fago Wendy Brooks 41 WHAT WE DO, 43 WHAT CAN HAPPEN, Mudd Butt Troupe Members and Alumnae
TRANSCRIBERS Rebecca Mayer Jessica Nelson EDITORS
61
45 WHAT CAN INSPIRE US, 47 QUESTIONS WE ASK, 49 ADVENTURES, 53 BEAUTY OF MISTAKES 57 DAY BY DAY
THE TROUPE
Michelle Curry Wright 61 CHILDREN AS ARTISTS AND COLLABORATORS Carey Davis 63 TAP INTO KID POWER/GENIUS Rebecca Mayer DESIGNER
67
CHILDREN’S VOICES
69
CHILDREN AS TEACHERS
Barbara Kondracki
PRODUCER/PUBLISHER Telluride Academy
73 TRANSFORMATION
77 CRAFT
SOCIAL MEDIA 79 MUSIC, 81 DANCE AND MOVEMENT, 85 ACTING Lucie Weil PHOTOGRAPHY
87 SPECTACLE
105 STORYTELLING
John Fago Sally Davis 115 PERFORMANCE Kim Epifano Wendy Brooks 125 MUDD BUTT INTERNATIONAL Abby Zoline Michael Stasiuk 125 ON THE ROAD Dickon Pownall-Gray Mark Westman 144 3 DECADES OF ARTFUL COLLABORATION Rob Huber Billi Cusick 147 ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS AND FAMILY PAGES Lisa Barlow Emma Grace Messenger 167 THANK YOU
FOREWORD BY POET AND SAN MIGUEL COUNTY COMMISSIONER ART GOODTIMES Telluride, Colorado has seen wave after wave of immigrants, opportunists, cultural heroes and
others around the world. Mudd Butts was founded to offer kids a theater
of the season. Shows to be proud of. This was serious theater, and grand fun as well.
outlaws. But it was the mid-Seventies tsunami of
experience unparalleled in formal American
Theater has always held a special place in
urban refugees that beached up on this high alpine
educational systems. Hands-on teachers who
the life of a community. It is a giant moiré screen
box canyon and turned a gold rush mining camp-
inspired their charges, not just kept them in line.
where actors could perform the puppet shows of
has-been into a cultural mecca in the mountains.
Who offered mythic stories of relevance and big
script but inject between the lines many of the
mysteries. Librettos by writers of opera. Live
pressing issues and controversies of the day. Could
hidden assets subsidizing a counter-cultural
music. Make-believe on a gigantic scale, as big
portray them in public for all to see. And hopefully
lifestyle. Others hitched into town and found open
as the Bread and Puppet Theater-style puppets
heal or at least patch up relationships and situations
arm opportunity. But almost all came with the
they wielded around the stage. Fantastic props.
where things had fallen apart.
hope of creating something unique. Something
Outrageous costumes.
Some came to town as trust-funders, their
extraordinary. Artists were especially entranced by dropdead vistas, cheap rents and a cultural landscape enriched with developing infrastructure -- a local
Unusual locals became characters in their plays.
Now, at last, the Mudd Butt creators have gathered up their cultural mementos into a bookish
Role reversals were common. My daughter played
compendium to share with those outside our
Whispering Jim Dalpaz in one early drama.
mountain hideaway. A celebration of children’s
The community learned to come not only to see
theater like no other. An honoring of the wild
radio station, numerous local art groups, and a
their children and their friends’ children on stage,
artists who take their artistry to new levels – not of
vision of doing something different in a place that
but to enjoy the spectacle, laugh at local jokes and
personal fame and fortune, but community wealth
mattered. As daughter of the ski area founder,
ribbing endemic to an isolated community, and
and tradition.
Pamela Zoline has always said, “Telluride is a
learn from the casting of local stories as larger-
window on the world.”
than-life legends.
Bluegrass. Film Festival. Preservation of the
And the participants learned new skills, old
Valley Floor. Telluride has become famous for
songs, what it means to hold an audience in the
doing things differently. Things that have inspired
palm of your hand. Performances were high points
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
Welcome to Mudd Butts. Be ready to be amazed. – Art Goodtimes
1
FOREWORD BY VISIONARY EDUCATOR WENDY BROOKS John Fago and Pamela Lifton-Zoline. A brilliant
Palm Theatre in early August with 21 young
superintendent of the Telluride Schools hired me
and peculiarly suited visual artist from Portsmouth,
actors. And thirty-five-year-old Mudd Butt
to begin a series of enrichment programs for the
New Hampshire, Michael Stasiuk, joined the team
graduates will be bringing THEIR children to see
students of the district, the offshoot of which was
in 1991.
the shows!
In the 1980’s Margaret Hatcher, the new
called Telluride Academy. At the time the School
Today, though the name has changed, Mudd
What exactly has created this crucible of
District budget did not allow for adequate history,
Butts is the oldest surviving class offering of the
magic? Probably just the right mix of creativity,
language, and the arts.
Telluride Academy and is the longest continually
structure, improv, scripts, scores and scenes,
running theater troupe in Telluride. In a show
props and costumes of incomparable imagination,
recruited two young friend-of-a-friend thespians
of utter devotion, love, care, and endurance,
and a permanent challenge to the kids to dare to
and teachers from San Francisco, Kim and Sally,
Kim Epifano and Sally Davis have shown up
make something amazing occur. And they do.
who arrived in of 1987, ready and willing to work
every single year, growing up and older with the
Consistently. All these seasons down the road, the
with their seven girl students in the first Mystery
program, and refining it to its current state. The
program still fills up and still delivers.
Theater Troupe. Help came in the form of artists
Troupe will present its 30th annual show at the
I realized I had stumbled onto a dream job. I
– Wendy Brooks
3
INTRODUCTION The Mudd Butt Mystery Theater Troupe began in 1987 as a Telluride Academy summer program for the theater arts. The purpose was to create an interdisciplinary theater troupe with an emphasis on experimentation and storytelling. It was important for us to infuse our stories with local and global issues. From its inception the program has been a shared experience between adult professional artists and participating children ages ten to thirteen. In addition to theater arts the program promotes the development of important life skills which serve its graduates in all aspects of their school, personal and professional lives. With the troupe we explore what constitutes the mythic foundations that make us human and give life meaning. Music, dance and theater nurture the magic of childhood and set the stage for a creative and playful adult lives.
5
“It is exciting to work with this particular age group. They have one foot in kid world and one foot in teenage world. They have access to deep play and are also very interested in world issues and the grittier side of life.” For 30 years we have created theater with children both in the U.S. and around the world. Our approach to theater honors the original ancient Greek context of the word,“ a place of seeing.” A supportive, innovative, idiosyncratic and highly disciplined environment allows young people to learn to see themselves with greater clarity and to see each other with greater compassion. It also helps them to see the world in which they live with a healthier critical perception.
7
In the Mudd Butts tradition, all members of the troupe participate in the entire monthlong collaboration. The friendships created can be long lasting. Kim, Sally and Mike first met as art specialists in 1985 in Hillsboro, New Hampshire at an international arts camp which was then called Interlocken. “We were instantly well matched and complemented for humor, creative ideas and a desire to create memorable moments that were bigger than we could generate on our own. We were also deeply inspired there by the theater work of Roy and Maggie Nevitt of Milton Keynes, England. We kept in touch after this chapter but wanted to work together again. In 1991 Mike volunteered a week of work helping the Mudd Butts, and the rest is history.�
PHOTOS NEXT TWO PAGES: JOHN FAGO
9
PHOTO CREDITS
11
INITIATION How We Got Our Name In 1987 our intimate group of all girls was called The Mystery Theatre Troupe. One day, seeking inspiration from nature we hiked up Coronet Creek to the waterfall. Because it had rained the day before everything was covered in mud. We played around the waterfall, painted each other’s faces with rock paint, sang songs and had a picnic. On our slippery return trip we had to slide on our butts to get down. At the bottom of the trail we were met by a reporter from the Telluride Times-Journal who was writing an article about us. He wanted to know the name of our troupe. The kids spontaneously shouted: “We are the Mudd Butts!” The name stuck, just like the mud, and the muddy tradition at Coronet Creek Falls to this day is an initiation into Mudd Butts.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
13
Mudd Butts is not just a summer program but a culture. At this point the children of Telluride recognize and honor the opportunity to participate. It is gratifying to us that many graduates return to help with subsequent productions and to share with those following in their footsteps. What do we hear most often about the benefits of the Mudd Butt experience? Increased confidence in public speaking and performance. Awareness of the value (and fun) of collaborating in a group. The ability to make creative transformations in difficult situations (wherever they may appear in life). And a general sense that all of us can have a positive impact on the future. For the students that have participated in Mudd Butts International, there is an added benefit of global citizenship developed through the rich experience of travel. Young people have such strong feelings about the state of the world. Mudd Butts empowers them to voice these feelings.
15
Mudd Butts found me at a crucial age where there were two paths I could have taken. The first being the path that was embarrassment free. The second path included a lot of strange hippie dances, loud noises, bright colors and speaking from my gut. Luckily I chose the latter, without Mudd Butts in my life, I don’t know what kind of person I’d be. Kim and Sally taught me to fearlessly express myself at all times. – Lucy Price, 1998-2000
17
PROCESS Our recipe is simple: take several wellseasoned artists from a range of disciplines, mix them with a bunch of creative children and some juicy story elements, simmer for one intensive month, toss in a pinch of guest artist, add a generous amount of masking tape, paper mache, a dollop of humor, and stir constantly until it boils. Let it boil over into the community. Voila! One gratifying part of our job is in bringing community together. We have had so many people locally and globally help us with our productions. We thank them all from the bottom of our hearts!
19
PHOTO BLACK & WHITE ABOVE: JOHN FAGO; BEAR DRAWING: PAMELA LIFTON-ZOLINE
21
23
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
25
WHY DO THEATER? Theater opens a door to the many layers of reality that are within us all. It brings soul and importance to everyday existence. It is human nature to get trapped in limited ideas of who we are, especially during adolescence. The theater experience can instill an awareness that we are not confined to a given role. Mudd Butts helps young people to feel comfortable with their inner talents so they can be shared with peers, adults, and a greater audience.
27
29
31
PHOTO CREDITS
33
35
Inspiration, creativity and spontaneity. All three came hand in hand with Mudd Butts, and all three are driving forces in what I do in my everyday life. – Meghan Fernald, 1997-2000
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
37
EMBARKING ON A JOURNEY It’s not just a clichÊ: Process is important. We value it as much as the spectacle that we create. Our individual work in the arts is inspired by our experiences, dreams, exposure to other cultures and a deep, vibrant connection to the natural world. We meld cultures by using music, dance and myths from around the globe. These elements elicit the magic and mystery of life and allow a student to connect with his or her wilder and more intuitive side.
39
THE WAY WE WORK What We Do We play hard and we explore our hopes, beliefs, fears and dreams. We develop skills. We practice, EXPERIMENT, create, improvise, memorize, twist, shout, move, stretch, act, sing, drum, forget, write, dance, take chances, laugh, break the rules and go where we’ve never been before.
I learned to sing, dance, shave my legs and yodel! I learned to express myself with silly style, confidence, and a drizzle of grace. — Morgan Metzger, 1988-1989
41
What Can Happen Through participation in theater we encounter: surprise, beauty, humor, power, transformation, education, empowerment, friendship, community awareness, personal expression, inspiration and joy. The beauty of working with kids is that they are full of the unexpected. They take you down a road that you might not have found otherwise.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
43
What Can Inspire Us Places, languages, found objects, sacred objects, personal stories, family, unexpected events, meetings with animals, local and global challenges, heroes, the human body, poetry, history, sounds, music, emotions, dreams, memories, old stories, new stories, elements, earth, the cosmos, past‌ present‌future, almost anything!
Mudd Butts reinforced to me how important it is to think outside the box, be independent, and most importantly be comfortable with who you are. – Natania Crane, 1997-2000
45
Questions We Ask Who are we? Why are we here? Where do we come from? What is important? Why do we make theater? Do you have a story to tell? (Everybody does‌) What is your body telling you? What would our world be without art? What do you love? What do you fear? What’s worth fighting for? Who are your heroes and why? What do you believe and why?
47
Adventures Place-based improv (site-specific artistry) is the true calling of intuitive physical architecture of the body and its relationship to space. It calls upon us all to see the work we’re doing from a fresh perspective. It engages the performers and the audience to look at the investigated material with new eyes because of the setting. Student and adult collaborators then realize what material is needed and what is not. Outside, things are more direct -- and even more 3D. If you’re under a tree or on some steps, it will change the interpretation based on the location. This new material can then be factored into process and innovation.
49
51
I believe that playing the role of the king in Tatterhood and the Case of the Missing Head was the best part. It was so much fun because I almost fell off a table singing about being a “man.” – Daisy Barth, 2003-2006
Beauty of Mistakes Mistakes, failures and successes are full of valuable information. In every facet of Mudd Butts’ process we showcase happy accidents as creative opportunities. Some of the best moments on stage are when things go wrong and the kids very skillfully (and sometimes hilariously) carry on navigating, improvising and finding their way out. Mistakes can change the tempo and color of what was intended and often make it better. What is important for kids to realize is that they can play any given scene in uniquely different ways.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO, WOMAN DRAWING: PAMELA LIFTON-ZOLINE
53
ALUMNUS KATE BARTH RECOUNTS A CRISIS I suppose I was your typical 12-year-
waiting on the stage for the curtain to
old girl in 1994. I liked Nintendo,
arise on opening night. I smiled to
Absolut ads, Sprite, boys, gym, long hair,
myself; I was ready. I knew my lines
knee highs and Madonna. I didn’t like
meticulously and I could do the dances
homework, braces, shirts with collars,
with ease. Dress rehearsal that afternoon
boys, pink or Metallica. But most of all, I
had gone incredibly smoothly.
didn’t like the spotlight. The potential for
And then the crisis happened. As
humiliating myself was far too great, and
the applause died down and the curtain
at that age, embarrassment is like death.
slowly rose, I noted to my horror that a
Why, there was a boy in my class who
silver dress, my prop that had been laid
once had given a presentation with his fly
out for the first scene, was rolled up in
unzipped and all the other kids still called
the curtain. There was no time to run for
him Zippy!
another dress. The play must go on.
Now don’t get me wrong, I had no
When it came time for the bit of
problem with being on stage in a band
dialogue about the dress, I improvised…
of people, or even in a carefully scripted
badly. The audience laughed and
scene. And lord knows I certainly didn’t
momentarily I was crushed. But
mind humiliating myself in front of
somehow I pulled myself together and
friends and people I felt comfortable with.
managed to finish the scene. And when
It was just the idea of being laughed at by
I got backstage something extraordinary
strangers that sent me reeling. It kept me
happened. I laughed.
from dancing in the school talent show
I laughed until I couldn’t breathe,
or auditioning for a solo in the school
then caught my breath and laughed some
chorus.
more. I was embarrassed and it was
When I joined Mudd Butts. I sang,
ok! Heck, I was embarrassed and it was
smiled, danced, romped about, acted,
better than ok; it was funny! I laughed
wrote, slid on my butt, got the role of
periodically through the rest of the
Persephone, learned my lines, was fitted
evening. And I’m still laughing.
for my costume and finally found myself
– Kate Barth
55
Day By Day Time devoted to exploration is a luxury of the Mudd Butt schedule. We work with students for one intensive month transforming them into professional collaborators. Many creative production tasks are assigned to our young people in the making of each show.
57
A successful troupe requires healthy colleague-to-colleague relationships among the kids. Much time is spent getting to know each other and discovering proclivities and personalities. For one month, we become a small community within the larger one, and work at getting along and feeling safe enough around each other to experiment. Much of this doesn’t have exclusively to do with theater, but it is one of the most important aspects of what we do. Making something bigger than ourselves is always the goal.
59
THE TROUPE Children as Artists And Collaborators Working alongside grown-up artists young people can witness process, problem solving, resourcefulness, spontaneity and the hard discipline required to bring an idea to fruition. Teaching is a combination of passing on craft, making a safe place, taking the lid off something that’s already there, modeling creative relationships and sharing deep stories.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
61
Tap Into Kid Power/Genius Young people are a boundless resource for creative ideas in writing, acting, choreography, making music and visual art. We can trust that they will come up with solid material when given the challenge. Physical movement before writing is a great way to loosen things up and get the creative juices flowing. The style of teaching in the prop room mimics the old masters. It is an apprenticeship, but instead of mixing pigments with linseed oil, it is fast, on-thespot problem solving using masking tape and cardboard.
63
We don’t hide mistakes while we are working, but turn them into teachable moments instead – opportunities for brainstorming and reacting with the best part of our creativity. Craftmanship and even artistry is largely about using mistakes to their best advantage. One of the things we inherently share with children is a strong work ethic.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
65
CHILDREN’S VOICES I can’t really choose a single best memory from Mudd Butts. I suppose every opening night has to be my favorite memories. There is no feeling quite like that packed house and the frenetic energy backstage. Every would just be so excited. And with all opening nights there was always some classic mess ups that had people rolling in the aisles. – Jared D. Gluckstern, 1995-1998
67
CHILDREN AS TEACHERS If you follow the kids and you trust their logic, you will be less likely as a grown-up to fall into some hackneyed, predigested, controlled, predictable situation. There are specific ways in which kids treat, produce, and scan material – for one thing, they are able to plumb their dreams and the subconscious for fresher, wilder connections. This fades with maturity, but can be revitalized by witnessing it over and over again with kids!
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
69
The river as metaphor: If you provide a safe place for creativity and remind the group that you are all in this raft going down the river as one, everyone is inspired to take care of each other and work together. Of course, there will be some difficult moments while making theater happen, but beneath is the deep and moving river of creativity and the desire to produce. If you can get everyone excited to be on board, everyone makes it to the shining shore.
PHOTO BLACK & WHITE ABOVE: JOHN FAGO
71
Transformation Theater can transform us. We see young actors become more self confident, with a greater sense of their own imaginations. By engaging in theater arts they develop a stronger voice in the world . At a certain critical point a culture can validate the early powerful aesthetic kids have naturally. This gives them a confidence that’s permanent rather than something they have to reconnect with down the road. Mudd Butts shows them ways in which they can interact with the world, complex as it is.
73
I learned to just let go and go with the flow. The most creative and amazing things happen when you aren’t feeling self-conscious and are just letting yourself get crazy. It also taught me to appreciate those times of unabashed creativity. Not too many people get the chance to do something so creative at such a young age and I definitely think that edge has stayed with me since. I definitely would not be the person I am today without Mudd Butts. – Jared D. Gluckstern, 1995-1998
75
Where’s Alice?
characters in order of appearance OPENING Dance of the Valley Floor – The Elements Mountain Backdrop: Trees, River, Clouds, Cows, Biker, Someone with sign “Private Property”, County Courthouse, Theatre w/ Fly Tower, People with hard hats SCENE 1 Brother Al from the Great Beyond, playing cards in Radio Space Station Brother Al: Good Morning KOTO listeners. I’m broadcasting to you from the other side … the great beyond. Today, we bring you an exciting episode of “Alice in Telluride.” It was a lovely summer day. Our lovely valley floor was a blanket of yellow dandelions, the cows had returned for the summer, the San Miguel was flowing strong with the snowmelt and the trout were jumping. And then along came Alice and her sister, Helen. They had decided to have a picnic on the River Trail …
CRAFT Craft is a skill, intuitive and learned, which can turn an impromptu play into a powerful spectacle of music, dance, language and visual art.
It’s okay to be weird. In fact, it’s boring not to be weird. I can still be found on regular occasions waving my arms around and making animal noises. I am 100% serious. – Ali Crockett, 1993-1996
77
Music We have all written songs over the years. Sometimes we start with words inspired by a story element and sometimes with a single note. Some songs have come from pure experimentation with the group, using sounds, rhythm, echoes and harmony. At times, we’ve used known songs. Quite often, a character will lip sync a song for its comic impact. We have also used all kinds of musical instruments, both traditional and alternative, or made with found objects. One spring, while on a camping trip in the Utah desert we found a pile of old truck mufflers in a field. They became the instruments for a fabulous Gamelan orchestra for the opening creation dance.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
79
Dance and Movement Tapping into children’s physical play is a natural way to get them interested in all kinds of dance forms. The technique of different forms of movement is then easily taught once their interest is sparked. Contact Improvisation is a key movement form that helps kids feel comfortable exchanging weight. To lift one another is an exercise in truly trusting. Aerial work can be exciting, surprising and sometimes scary for the audience. It is a way for viewers to physically identify with performers. The job of the dancer is to make the apparatus look like home – that anyone could do it, specifically anyone in the audience. This is liberating for everyone.
81
83
I think one of the most important marks to leave on this world is to teach the gifts of magic, creativity and humanity to those young and idealistic with hearts still freshly open. You guys should be proud of doing just that. Thank you. – Josie Kovash, 1990-1993
Acting Improvisation is our passion. It is our main tool for discovering theatrical possibilities and characters, and for tapping into the intuition of young people. When a great character is suddenly born during an improv moment, we will sometimes hold onto that character and follow it to see where it wants to take us. Young people are natural comics. Their wits and imaginations are fresh and ready for anything, and we are privileged to be constantly inspired by them. When casting we try to connect the young actor with a character that will challenge them to grow as a performer and as a person.
85
SPECTACLE For prop makers, spectacle is achieved in a variety of ways. The cartoonishly largescale rendering of objects is a trademark of our aesthetic. The oversizing of everyday objects serves to animate the stage with moveable sculpture and defines a sense of place minimizing the need for a stage backdrop or set. It makes the theater experience a fantasy. Something very large, usually a puppet, is on the prop list for the purpose of creating spectacle. Examples include a very large skeleton for “The Myth of Persephone” and a giant Cyclops for “The Odyssey.” In the show “Alice in Pieces” a large puppet of Alice was made to come apart on stage like puzzle pieces. In addition to the spectacle, this act of puppetry served as a visual metaphor to represent the emotional journey of the main character.
87
Multiples can create a spectacle of volume and movement; such was the case with the oversized bee puppets on sticks in “Fears of Your Life.” There was a memorable moment in “The Ramayana” when six actors took the form of ten in a portrayal of the character Ravana. The six actors wore mask/helmets that matched four rod puppets, with one of the actors riding on the shoulders of another. The rod puppets spoke with hinged jaws controlled by a second rod. The combination of masks and puppets with various types of movement has taken shape in many different ways throughout our history. We have incorporated many different dance forms, including aerial work, which inspired us to have Hanuman as a flying white monkey in “The Ramayana.”
89
In “Don Quixote,” lighting put the finishing touches on making the windmills a complete spectacle. In the windmill scenes, scale, movement, lighting and sound worked together to animate the stage in a simple but powerful way. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza charged through the windmills carrying their horse and donkey puppets on shoulder straps – a low-tech, but poetic way to suggest riding. Our ability to create spectacle varies given our resources of time, space, materials and manpower. The Sheridan Opera House was our first performance space, and it was very intimate. A dance number or a twelve-foot skeleton could fill the stage, back then. When we moved to the Palm Theatre, it seemed gigantic. A spectacle that was big in the Opera House was small in the Palm; and to this day, we still work to fill the space.
91
Humor brings people together in a basic way, and so, in its own way, does art. When humor and seriousness – two disparate things – come together, a spark is created. This can redefine reality for a viewing audience and help them see how anything can happen. Once the audience is clued in, it seems normal for a giant cardboard TV stand to walk on stage and offer up a commercial, or Dolly Parton to appear for a meeting with the Dalai Lama, Dolly the Sheep, and Salvador Dali.
93
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
95
97
101
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
103
STORYTELLING Every year, we Mudd Butts talk and brood about what main story we will go with, vowing to have a lot of it written before the troupe convenes. While we have gotten somewhat more disciplined in coming up with a good chunk of the script early, we’re also getting more complex and more demanding of ourselves. So… it’s always a crunch. There’s excitement and intensity, agony and ecstasy (and everything in between) in the rush to get to the finish line.
105
Looking over the shape of the plays through the years, a few things stand out: • We almost always use some unique angle on an established story, use it as the core story, and we might often mesh it with a number of community connections and topical issues and characters. • We often use the sense of various time frames coexisting in the dramatic space, i.e. myth time, ancient time, geologic time, star time, present time, dog years, possible futures, etc. • In Mudd Butt shows, we give animals voices, as well as human qualities, a storytelling tool used since the beginning of time. We also use the same tool with other natural elements like rocks, trees, rivers, etc. • We often use various special zones, some concrete and some magical: the underworld, caves and tunnels underground, the earth, under the sea, space, life on other planets, mythic upper regions such as Mount Olympus, and so on.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
107
• We almost always present the kids with some story ideas, outline, and a certain amount of script draft, and then work to incorporate the ideas that come up in their improvs, theater games and written work. • The fact that kids play a very serious part in shaping the tone and content of the play tremendously deepens their ownership of the whole thing. • The list of characters might include the core story’s main players, some kid protagonists, a few local characters and heroes, and some historic or modern “celebrities” from Martha Graham to Bob Dylan or Galileo to Obama as giant puppets.
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
109
• There are well-known stories that can be embellished – say the tale of Persephone, Alice in Wonderland, the Ramayana. These are mined for their essential shape, hugely abbreviated, then opened out, cooked and seasoned, pushed and pummeled, and larded with burning local issues, major local jokes and world scale topics. It is this blending and meshing that is most important in Mudd Butts story making. The task of making meaningful local culture is more complicated than ever in human history, but is as crucial as ever to our health as human beings. It’s more complicated of course, because each of us swims through a vast and dense experience of images and stories, week in, week out. It’s easy in this situation to lose any personal grasp on making culture, meaning, and sense, and to totally substitute what is offered through TV, movies and other mass media. This is like living mostly on junk food.
111
• The Mudd Butt plays function as real culture for the community, analyzing, ridiculing, praising, making visible and illuminating some important aspects of our daily lives.
113
PERFORMANCE My first Mudd Butt Production was Muddlenium and I was cast as Einstein’s Brain. A brain on roller skates. The most challenging part of the role was not maintaining my balance on stage but delivering my lines in a German accent. – Carrie Towbin, 1999-2002
ELK DRAWING: PAMELA ZOLINE
115
117
Thank you for all the wonderful memories. Playing Marilyn made me realize I wanted to act. – Lily Sullivan: 2001
119
121
Axx Bxx
PHOTO CREDITS
123
MUDD BUTT INTERNATIONAL On the Road It was the sadness the original Mudd Butts felt when they aged out of the program that led to the creation of Mudd Butt International in 1993. Graduating Butts were invited on a three-week international intensive where they would live and work with their peers in a selected second- or third-world village and create a masterpiece of art and music, meant to unite the two cultures. MBI, traveling the world to bring peace and understanding, laughter and a deep creative connection between students, was an instant hit, and is still a hit at 21 years of age. We have traveled to Slovakia, Costa Rica, Cat Island, Brazil, Ireland, New Zealand, Bali,
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
125
Guatemala, Mexico, Viet Nam, Turkey, Nicaragua, India, Ethiopia and Chile. These trips have changed all of our lives in improbable and magical ways. MBI, now an institution in the community, has propelled kids who have been on these international adventures to do great things as adults. Several times a year, an MBI graduate will write and say: “I would never have been able to do X or Y or Z, if I hadn’t been challenged, if I hadn’t had my horizons expanded so dramatically, at such a young age.”
127
Over 500 kids have been part of one or more Mudd Butt classes, and now some of their own children are enrolled. I know my own world view has grown and been enriched by my connection with three thespians who continue to think way outside the box and have challenged me to join them. I photograph differently; I appreciate different attributes of kids; I take more risks; I sing more loudly and freely. I dare to be more like them. Thank you for the gifts! And let our adventures continue! – Wendy Brooks
129
On international trips our improvisational skills are put to the test. One favorite example was on the Bali trip of 1999. The daily tropical rains made it impossible for the paper mache to dry. A difference in electrical voltage made hot gluing also impossible. How to make ten giant faces of Ravana with these constraints was the challenge. Eventually, the faces were painted by Balinese high school students on black umbrellas from the market. They were beautiful, individualized, and skillfully and expressively rendered. In Bali, they don’t have the word “artist” in their vocabulary because everyone is one – it’s a given.
131
Sometimes, the spectacle isn’t on the stage but in the street. In Vietnam, we rode a huge elephant puppet on a tuk tuk and drew people to the theater. The elephant wouldn’t fit in a car, and we needed to advertise the show. In Ethiopia, we sent three paper mache goat-headed characters into the village street. The cloth bodies each had two people inside. The interaction between goats and locals was a gift of laughter and a shared moment between all of us. Through creating and collaborating we all come out changed and more prepared to live in our complicated world. We are – and are still learning to be – artful, improvisational and soulfully connected.
133
135
137
139
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
141
MB MB MB
MB
MB
MB
MB
MB MB MB
MB MB
MB
MB MB
143
Eggs Marx the Spot
145
ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS
147
SALLY DAVIS “Lunatic Girl,” “Sonic Luminescence” and
NC; Telluride Mountain School, Telluride, CO;
director, and arts educator in Telluride, Colorado
“Einstein’s Daughters” with Kim Epifano, S.F.,
Telluride Middle School, Telluride, CO; Bay Area
and in communities around the world. She is on
CA; and “The Mission is Not Impossible” with
Discovery Museum, San Francisco, CA; and many
the Telluride Institute Board of Trustees, is
composer Peter Whitehead, S.F., CA.
wonderful theater adventures with Mudd Butt
Sally Davis works as a musician, theater
a recipient of the Telluride Institute Visionary
Her children’s theater residencies include:
International, including Bali, Indonesia 2016. Sally directs theater productions and conducts
Award and has received five Just for Kids
Telluride Institute’s Wild Mountain Puppet
Foundation grants.
Theater, South Western CO; George Moscone
residencies and workshops in schools around the
School/Las Americas Children Center, S.F.,
US. She is co-director of The Mudd Butt Mystery
collaborator with Bart Hopkin and Krys
CA; San Francisco Youth Theatre, S.F., CA;
Theatre Troupe and Mudd Butt International. She
Bobrowski, Center for New Music, S.F., CA; “San
Stonington Opera House, Stonington, ME; New
is the director of Circus Holus Bolus, Moving
Francisco Trolley Dances” and “Heelomali“ with
Durham School, New Durham, NH; Marsh Youth
Mountain Theater and Telluride Institute’s Wild
Epiphany Productions; “Planet Protectors,” “How
Theater, S.F., CA; The Children’s Storefront
Mountain Puppet Theater. Her collaborative video
Clowns Got Their Red Noses” and “Field Trip”
School, Harlem, NY; Norwood Elementary
works created in Telluride include: “Tomboy
with Telluride Repertory Theatre’s ACTion Tour,
School, Norwood, CO; Naturita Elementary
Bride,” ‘Who Lives Here,” “The Mountains are
“St. Adolf’s Ring,” with composer Terry Riley,
School, Naturita, CO; Wilkinson Public Library,
Calling” and “Meetings with Remarkable Kids.”
USA and Bern,Switzerland; “Body Tjak” with
Telluride, CO; The Ah Haa School, Telluride,
Keith Terry and Wayan Dibia, USA and Indonesia;
CO; Spruce Pine Montessori School, Spruce Pine,
Her performance work includes: Musical
149
KIM EPIFANO and “A Gift to the city” by the audience. SF Trolley
a prestigious grant from the Gerbode Foundation
choreographer, director, performer, vocalist,
Dances received SF Weekly’s “Best Transit City
Choreography Commissioning Award: She also
educator, curator and collaborator. She is the
Ballet” award. Special projects include visioning,
created a mentorship arts program in SF with
Artistic/Executive director of the San Francisco
co-producing, curating and choreographing with
Refugee Transitions teen program. She is Artist in
Company Epiphany Productions Sonic Dance
partners ODC Theater on Walking Distance
Residence through YBCA in the SOMA district in
Theater since 1997, which creates thought-
Dance Festival, Brava! Theater for Woman in the
SF at Bessie Carmichael School where she teaches
provoking, accessible dance performances and
Arts “Baile en la Calle-The Mural Dances” and
storytelling, dance, theater and visual arts. She
educational programs, building understanding
Rhythmix Cultural Works presenting “Island City
is the co-artistic director of Mudd Butt Mystery
across cultures and ages. On the stage and in
Waterways”. Kim’s work has been presented by
Theatre Troupe and Mudd Butt International.
the street, illuminating the ordinary and the
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco,
She received her MFA in Choreography and
extraordinary, inspiring social change using art
Switzerland’s TanzOlten Festival, Mad’Art
Interdisciplinary Performance from UC Davis.
as a vehicle. Epiphany has produced and created
Carthage in Tunis,Tunisia sponsored by the
She was recently a guest and adjunct professor
“Botany’s Breath” set in the San Francisco
American Embassy, Ireland’s Croi Glan Integrated
at UC Berkeley and UC Davis among others.
Conservatory of Flowers, “Solo Lo Que Fue” in
Dance Company and others; and garnered multiple
Kim’s work has been funded by the NEA, Irvine
the border town of Mexicali, Mexico and “Fears of
Isadora Duncan Awards and nominations. YBCA
Foundation, Grants for the Arts, The Creative
Your Life” with developmentally disabled artists.
has commissioned a major new work “Last
Work Fund, The Haas Fund and The Hewlett
The annual, free San Francisco Trolley Dances was
Blue Couch in the Sky” by Epifano in honor of
Foundation, among others. For more information
founded in 2004 and is called “Art For Citizen’s”
Epiphany’s 20th anniversary in June 2017, with
go to www.epiphanydance.org.
Kim Epifano has a 30-year history as a
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
151
MIKE STASIUK “Altered Art,” Bobby Hansson’s revised edition of
Productions. He made puppets in 2010 for “Burt
artist and art educator who lives and maintains a
“Fine Art of the Tin Can,” and Tim McCreight’s
Dow Deep Water Man,”at the Stonington Opera
studio in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He has
“Design Language,” interpretive edition. Mike
House in Stonington, Maine. In 2014 he was a
created masks and puppets for theater groups and
has taught found art assemblage at Haystack
featured artist for the New Year’s Gala for The Ah
children’s museums throughout New England
Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, ME and
Haa School of Art in Telluride, CO. This is Mike’s
and shows sculpture at the Clark Gallery in
at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in
26th Mudd Butts year in Telluride and his 20th as
Lincoln, MA and the George Marshall Store
Gatlinburg, TN. In 2007, Mike was an artist in
an International Butt. For 28 years, he has also
Gallery in York, ME. His work with found
residence in San Francisco at Creativity Explored,
been “Mr. Stasiuk” on a part-time basis at the New
objects has been published in Schiffer Books
working on Kim Epifano’s “Fears of your Life”
Durham Elementary School in New Hampshire.
“Found Object Art Vols. I and II”, Terry Taylor’s
project thanks to a grant awarded to Epiphany
Mike Stasiuk, Prop Master, is a sculptor, theater
153
CLAYTON FROHMAN He has been a WGA member since 1974.
currently adapting “The Far Side Of The Sky”
from Washington University in St. Louis and
His film credits include “Defiance,” “Under
by Dan Kalla as an international television
worked as a journalist for the St. Louis Post-
Fire,” “The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson,”
series, and is a contributing writer for “Fretboard
Dispatch and Rolling Stone magazine before
and “The Delinquents.” He has also worked in
Journal.” Clay, father of two, also works with
moving to Los Angeles and embarking on a career
television on “Shannon’s Deal” for NBC
the Telluride Academy in the Mudd Butt Mystery
as a writer and producer for film and television.
and “Hearts Are Wild” for CBS. He is
Theater Troupe.
Clayton Frohman, born in Chicago, graduated
155
WENDY BROOKS The answer turned out to be YES, then and now.
into the program each year with applications and
musicals on Broadway in the ‘40s; I wore black
I learned a lot from these two new friends and
essays. And then when the Mudd Butt family had
patent leather shoes and white socks with lace
continue to do so. My Mudd Butt role is seriously
become very strong and cohesive, my job was
around the top and we drove the Packard to
back stage. At the beginning it was convincing
helping create Mudd Butts international: so that
Manhattan for very special matinées My second
kids to take a chance and spend a month with two
13 year old graduates could continue to work
theater was El Teatro Campesino, the protest
ladies from San Francisco (and later with their
with us and so that our message of promoting
theater company Luis Valdez and Augustin Lira
male co-stars: John Fago and Mike Stasiuk).
peace and understanding through the theater arts
created for farm workers in Cesar Chavez’
And convincing the Opera House to make their
could spread far and wide: to Slovakia and New
movement in the ‘60s. I realized then that
stage affordable for children’s theater (they did!).
Zealand and Viet Nam and India; to Ethiopia and
theater could be something quite different and
When it became apparent that Mudd Butts was
Turkey and Brazil and Chile. We have seriously
extraordinary: excite and educate people to
here to stay, I tried to have the name changed
and masterfully perfected bi-lingual, bi-cultural
overcome fear and become empowered. My
to something, well, more socially acceptable,
practices and productions and have witnesses
third theater experience was Mudd Butts. To
but to no avail. When Mudd Butts grew and
around the world to support our claim.
this day I am never fully prepared for the magic
prospered, my role was recruiting and finding
that Kim and Sally dish up for us, but back then
funding for invisible kids in the community who
girls in 1987 is now a global clique of folks who
I was dumbfounded and a bit frightened by the
also needed a chance to shout out who they were
all understand what Mudd Butt means. I am
power and honesty of the scripts they proposed to
becoming. Eventually my job morphed into
honored to be one of them.
produce. Was Telluride ready for the Mudd Butts?
controlling the number of kids who were admitted
My first theater was Rogers and Hammerstein
The family that started with seven brave small
157
PAMELA ZOLINE recently begun to install the ‘Clute Science Fiction
falls into the category of social practice. The three
and librettist. With her husband John Lifton, she is
Library at Telluride’ which, at 12,000 volumes,
Lifton-Zoline children, Abby, Jos and Gabe, are
co-founder of the Telluride Institute in Telluride,
is a major collection of the works in the field. It
excellent old “Butts” who bear the marks.
Colorado, and the Centre for the Future in
will serve as the core for a program of research,
Slavonice, Czech Republic. Pamela and John have
scholarship and discussion. Much of her work
Pamela Zoline is a science fiction writer, painter
PHOTO FACING PAGE: JOHN FAGO
159
JOHN FAGO In 1948 the gypsy living down the street in
thought I could possibly feel, on my meandering
and occupied was nothing short of fantastic. For a
New York City stopped my mother to look at her
way back to Vermont I rolled over Lizard Head
while it seemed we were living in a version of the
new infant. My hair grew in five directions so I
and down into Telluride. The majority of shops
abandoned town in “The King of Hearts”... before
would travel, she said. In 1969 I took a leave from
on Colorado Avenue were boarded up and plumes
the Allied “liberators” arrived. For me, The Mudd
Marlboro College, caught a ride to Albuquerque,
of toxic dust rose hundreds of feet into a crystal
Butt Mystery Theatre Troupe came together in
bought an old BLM Dodge Power Wagon panel
blue sky surrounded by snow covered peaks. It
1987 to make sense of the inevitable intrusion of
truck, tossed in a sack of brown rice and some
was love at first sight. It took me until 1974 to
the real world. It was a dream I woke up in and for
adzuki beans and drove to southeast Utah. I’d
make it back but when I did, I did not go any
which I am deeply grateful. Big hugs to my dear
heard Lake Powell was filling but if you were
further than Montrose or Sand Canyon for the
collaborating friends and the hundreds of children
crazy you could get to and hike down into the side
next three years. For me living in Telluride was
(and their parents!) who trusted us enough to make
canyons to reach hundreds of sites once occupied
going to heaven. We were so remote and unlikely.
this improbable backflip into the realm of magic
by the Ancient Ones, soon to be underwater. A
L.O.F.T.S. – leftovers from the sixties, as Peter and
theater happen.
couple of months later, feeling about as good as I
Ellen Shelton dubbed us all. The culture we built
161
GUEST ARTISTS Ashley Boling, Richard Kittle, Valerie Madonia, Andre’ Gregory, Jos Lifton Zoline, Jeb Berrier, Paul “Magic”Distesfano, Angela Watkins, Deb Gesmundo, Maisy Cooper, Tree Priest, Sara Doerhman, Jeremy Baron, Elaine Buckholtz, Nikki Schiedt, Kelsey Trottier, Jane Goren, Marc Froehlich, Erica Czajka, Lynn Davis, Judy Kohin, Emily Klion,
Karen “Lulu” Ezekiel, Megan Bierman,
TELLURIDE ACADEMY STAFF & ARTISTIC SUPPORT
Roland McCook, James Moody, Eli Burke,
Elaine Demas
Barbara Kondracki, Michael Bernard Loggins, Jeannie McKenzie, Lucy Reeve, Suzan Beraza, Buff Hooper, O’Shane Farquson,
Carlin Power, Annette Brown
Luke Brown Ashley Smith Larry Rosen Kelly Sheedy
163
GLUCKSTERN FAMILY
The muddy initiation and 8 consecutive years of Mudd Butts ... improv, contact dancing, the free box, paper mache, and paint and hot glue and glitter ... cross dressing ... beards and being Andrew Weil ... being Aphrodite and Dalai Lama and Dolly Parton and the shil ... Slovakia, Costa Rica and Brazil ... the Opera House ... knowing that opening night was the best night of the year ... We love you all. — Sarah, JD, Judy and Steven
HODES FAMILY
FROM ETHIOPIA TO VIETNAM TO CHILE TO TURKEY ... MUDD BUTTS INTERNATIONAL IS THE BEST! WE LOVE YOU SALLY, KIM AND MIKE! 165
MCMANEMIN FAMILY
THREE GIRLS EIGHT VENUES Seventeen Scripts 83,532 Frequent Flyer Miles
55 Dozen Pigs in a Blanket COUNTLESS O LE LE’s
One Amputation
PRICELESS! With Love and Gratitude
Megan, Casey, Ryan, Hayes and Audrey McManemin
THANK YOU Ah Haa School for the Arts
Elaine Demas
Hodes Family
Nugget Theater
Dawn Taylor
Emma Anderson
Xanthe Demas
Buff Hooper
Dat Nguyen
TCTV
Tor Anderson
Krista DeNio
Robin Hope
Northrup-LaBarge Family
Telluride Academy Staff
Arena Energy
Maria Dillon
Michael Isaacs
Jennifer Nyman-Julia
Telluride Commission for the Arts
Zach Aronson
Jacqui Distefano
Craig Jackman
O’Shane “The Dancer”
Telluride Eco Cleaners
Art Goodtimes
Deborah Duffield
Kathy Jepson
Ken Olson
Telluride Elks Club
Azadi Fine Rugs
Miles Duffield
Johansson Family
Ronnie Palamar
Telluride Film Festival
Ken Bailey
Mary Egleston
Just for Kids Foundation
Nancy Parkinson
Telluride Gallery of Fine Arts
Baked in Telluride
Brian Ensor
Kanner Family
Tina Peterson
Telluride Foundation
Ed & Frances Barlow
El Pomar Foundation
Kenworthy Family
Tran Phan
Telluride Free Box
Carol Barnett
Epifano Family
Megan Keever
Samantha Pitts
Telluride Inside and Out
Barth Family
Epiphany Productions
Barbara Kondracki
Plum TV
Telluride Properties
Daisy Barth
Tim & Mary Erdman
Olivia Kunda
Cindy Plumber
Telluride School District
Scott Ray Becker
Erik & Josephine Fallenius
KOTO Radio
R-word.org
Telluride Theater
Between the Covers Bookstore
Faraway Ranch
La Cocina de Luz
Raynier Institute & Foundation
The Daily Planet
Suzan Beraza
Megan Fernald
Lifton-Zoline Family
Francis Raley MD
Fiona Thompson
Thomas Blake
Finger Family
Lucky Star Foundation
James Ray
Towbin-Barlow Family
Wendy Brooks
Franks-Price Family
Alpine Lumber
Rehnborg Family
Kelsey Trottier
Luke Brown
Franz Klammer Lodge
Matamoras Family
River Club
Van Der Steen-Mizel Family
Tanya Calamoneri
Alan Gerstle
Walter C. McClennan
Dean Rolley & Dragonfire
Vanhille-Fahnestock Family
Sandra Carradine
Elisabeth Gick
McManemin Family
Productions
Anton Viditz-Ward
Will Carrell
Gluckstern Family
Suzanne Metzger
Rose Russell Family
Village Market
Trisha Clement
Kate Grace
Dalton Metz
Rustico Restaurante
Susan & Clint Viebrock
Scott Cohen
Ciara Green
Michael D. Palm Theatre
Matt Ryan
Craig Wasserman
Coll Family
Groner Family
Minarovic Family
Jane Salem
Watch Newspaper
Lillian Corbin
Charlotte Hacke
Brittany Miller
San Miguel County
Weisel Family
Cosmopolitan Restaurant
Abby Hamblin
David Miller
Nikki Scheidt
Kimberley Williams
Creativity Explored & Amy Taub
Steve Hand
Gloria Miller
Kelly Sheedy
Hep Witzel
Cucciniello-Sullivan Family
Dan Hanley
Karen Moore
Sheridan Opera House
Allen Wilner
Rosie Cusack
Doug and Joan Hansen
Leslie and Ned Mulford
Ashley Smith
Michael Wingfield
Ericka Czajka
Margaret Hatcher
Lucas Myerson
John & Bunny Steel
Paul Yoo
Davis Family
Marcus Henchen
Myerson Family
Antonella Hidalgo
National Inclusion Project
Jeannie Stewart Steven & Monica Spencer
Zia Sun
Dawn Davis Mona de Alva
Keith Hill
Nevasca Realty
Sweet Life
167
Naming every person over 30 years who contributed to the Mudd Butt miracle is nearly impossible. The volunteers who have never taken a bow on stage are the true angels who have made the success of this program possible. Thank you all.