Cahoots NI's "Penguins"

wexner center for the arts AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTS

Cahoots NI

Penguins

2019–20 PERFORMING ARTS FOR CHILDREN

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Special thanks to all Wexner Center members and sponsors. Your support makes this event possible.

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POLICIES The show will start on time. Staff will be on hand to assist as needed and answer questions.

Latecomers will be helped to their seats by event staff. If reentry to the event is needed, please alert staff and they will assist you. Staff can assist those with mobility concerns to their seats.

Taking photographs, filming, or operating recording devices during the performance is strictly prohibited.

Please silence mobile phones and other electronic devices before the performance.

Aid and comfort devices are welcome and please use them as needed.

All programs are subject to change. Sorry, no refunds or exchanges unless an event is canceled.

A note to parents/chaperones/aides: All performances of Penguins are relaxed and sensory friendly. The story will largely be told through dance and props. There will be moments of loudness, and headphones and other assistive devices are welcome. We have a calming room that is available to anyone whenever they would like to use it.

If you need to leave during the performance for any reason, please exit quietly through the center doors at the rear of the auditorium. There are restrooms in the lobby. Audio description will not be available for this show.

COVER PHOTO: ROBERT DAY AND CAHOOTS NI

Cahoots NI Penguins

SAT, MAR 7 | 10 am & 4 pm BLACK BOX ON MERSHON STAGE

Penguins is supported by Culture Ireland and is coproduced by Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Prime Theatre.

The Wexner Center’s presentation of Penguins is made possible by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Ohio Arts Council, American Electric Power Foundation, The Columbus Foundation, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Additional support is provided by Megan and Mark Kvamme. Special thanks to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

this presentation made possible by

additional support provided by

MEGAN AND MARK KVAMME

community partner

this work made possible by

PROGRAM

Cahoots NI Penguins CAST

Dom Coffey Osian Meilir Olivia van Niekerk

CREATOR AND DIRECTOR

Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney

CHOREOGRAPHER

Carlos Pons Guerra Patsy Browne-Hope

STAGE MANAGER

Vicki Mohan

SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER

Sabine Dargent

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Simon Bond

COMPOSER AND SOUND DESIGNER

Garth McConaghie

This performance is 45 minutes long with no intermissions.

PROGRAM NOTE

“A beautifully boundless, ceaselessly charming concoction for children and adults alike.”

—THE BIG LIST

PHOTO: ROBERT DAY AND CAHOOTS NI

A delightful production, Penguins explores the true story of two male penguins in the New York City Central Park Zoo who adopted and raised a baby together. As actors dance across the stage, be prepared to enter a world that dives into themes of friendship and family. Our tale begins with our penguin protagonists swimming and playing happily and continues their saga to bring forth their joy for their egg and future family. Through witnessing their relationship and the care they provide their chick, Penguins enchants the whole family and expands ideas on what it means to love.

PHOTO: ROBERT DAY AND CAHOOTS NI

BIOGRAPHIES

Dom Coffey (performer) was born in Chorlton, Manchester, England. Now 25, Dom found his interest in dance while attending Chorlton High School. He started training in contemporary dance at the age of 16 while studying at Pendleton College, Greater Manchester, from 2010 to 2012. After leaving college, Dom completed his degree at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. On graduating Dom gained a place in Jasmin Vardimon’s Professional Development Certificate Course, where he had the opportunity to tour in a company called JV2. During his time there Dom performed work by Jasmin Vardimon herself. Dom has also worked professionally with Gary Clarke, Hawk Dance Theatre (Manchester), Carlos Pons Guerra, and Joe Garbett.

Dom is also an educational facilitator for Jasmin Vardimon.

Osian Meilir (performer) is originally from Pentre’r Bryn on the west coast of Wales.

Meilir went on to train at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, attaining a first-class degree before continuing his studies and completing his MA in dance performance as part of Transitions Dance Company in 2017. Since graduating, Meilir has worked as a rehearsal assistant for Lizzi Kew Ross as she choreographed a piece for third-year students at Trinity Laban and on the creation of his own solo for Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch entitled Palmant/Pridd (Pavement/Pasture), which was performed at Agor Drysau-Opening Doors festival in March 2019 and at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in August 2018. Meilir’s very early experiences and background in Welsh folk dance have led him to appreciate dance from all cultures and to enjoy how dance can build meaningful bridges between people from around the world. He is very excited to be back working on the production of Penguins, which shares a story that he holds quite close to his heart.

Olivia van Niekerk (performer) pursued her professional training at Central School of Ballet in London and graduated in 2018. While there, she danced all over the UK with the graduate touring company Ballet Central, performing pieces by choreographers such as Wayne McGregor, Christopher Marney, Jenna Lee, and Matthew Bourne.

Olivia also played the title role in Cinderella, originally choreographed by the late Christopher Gable for Northern Ballet Theatre (England). Since graduating, Olivia has worked as a soloist with Ballet Pécs in Hungary, performing regularly in Budapest as well as touring to countries such as Russia and Bosnia. Most recently Olivia was featured as a lead dancer in a short film titled ManMade commissioned by the BBC. Olivia is now looking forward to performing in Birmingham, Belfast, and the USA with Cahoots NI in Penguins.

PHOTO: ROBERT DAY AND CAHOOTS NI

BIOGRAPHIES Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney (creator and director) is from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and is the founding member and artistic director of Cahoots NI, which began operations in November 2001. In his role as artistic director of the company he has produced and directed many shows including Egg, Nivelli’s War, Pinocchio, Under the Hawthorn Tree, Shh! We Have a Plan, The Gift, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, and The Snail and the Whale. His writing credits include Lights! Camera! Math!; Danny Carmo’s Mathematical Mysteries; The Assistant’s Revenge; The Family Hoffmann’s Mystery Palace; The Magic Hat; and Cuchulain: The Hound of Ulster. Paul has worked extensively as an illusion consultant on many different productions ranging from Shakespeare in the open air to Broadway musicals. As an actor Paul was nominated for the prestigious Ian Charleson Award and received a Commendation from the National Theatre for his performance in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. In November 2011 Belfast Metropolitan College honored Paul with an Award of Distinction for his contribution to the art of theater.

Carlos Pons Guerra (choreographer) is originally from Gran Canaria, Spain, and trained at the Choreographic Centre of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Madrid Royal Conservatory of Music, and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. He is also an associate artist at DanceXchange, Birmingham, England. Carlos is an independent choreographer who has created work for companies including Rambert (London), Northern Ballet, Attakkalari Dance Company (India), and Escuela Nacional De Danza (ENDANZA, Dominican Republic).

Guerra directs DeNada Dance Theatre, for which he has created four internationally touring productions. Nominated for the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards in 2015 (Emerging Artist) and 2016 (DeNada for Best Independent Company), Guerra recently created a new ballet for Ballet Hispánico of New York; TORO, an original full-length production for DeNada; and Man to Monk, a duet commissioned by Sadler’s Wells Theatre.

Vicki Mohan (stage manager) graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a BA in drama with English in 2013 and then returned a year later to complete a masters in arts management. Since then she has enjoyed working in theater in both stage management and technical roles, as well as moving into prop buying for film and TV. She regularly returns to work for Zodiak Kids Studios on the shows they produce for Children’s BBC such as Secret Life of Boys (2018–19) and the new teen comedy Flatmates (2019). Vicki enjoys working on new theater pieces such as Madame Geneva (directed by Cara Kelly) and Ruby! (directed by Richard Orr), with which she completed a regional tour in early 2019. This will be Vicki’s second time returning to work on Penguins for Cahoots NI, having completed a tour of the UK and Ireland with the show in 2018 and a performance in Philadelphia in 2019.

Simon Bond (lighting designer) is a senior lighting technician at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. This will be Simon’s third time working on Penguins for Cahoots NI as lighting designer/operator, previously working on Penguins in Birmingham in 2018 and in Philadelphia in 2019. Simon’s previous work includes lighting designs for the UK tours of A Thousand Splendid Suns; Rebus: Long Shadows; and Of Mice and Men, as well as productions of Jekyll & Hyde; Orange Polar Bear (presented in Seoul and Birmingham); The Whip Hand (Birmingham and Edinburgh Festival Fringe); 101 Dalmatians; To Sir, with Love; Looking for John; The Quiet House; The Rotters’ Club; Never Try This at Home; Circles; Come, Heavy Sleep; Hopelessly Devoted; The Legend of Mike Smith; Europa (Birmingham; Bydgoszcz, Poland; Dresden, Germany; Zagreb, Croatia); Hip Hope Hero; Wounded; Gravity; Travesties; The Importance of Being Earnest; Notes to Future Self; Cling to Me Like Ivy; and Looking for Yoghurt (UK, Japan, Korea).

PHOTO: ROBERT DAY AND CAHOOTS NI

PHOTO: ROBERT DAY AND CAHOOTS NI

UPCOMING EVENTS

Family Studio: Slow Art Day SAT, APR 4 | 11 AM–3 PM

Join artist Jonna Twigg for an all-ages communal book-binding event that fosters introspection, imagination, and expression in a quiet-but-active space.

PHOTO: SARAH-JANNAT SABITI

CAFÉ FREE FOR ALL AUDIENCES

Film and Family Studio with PNC Green Screen SUN, MAY 17 | NOON–4 PM

Join artist, arts educator, and Pages educatorin-residence Mindy Staley for a hands-on visual arts studio where participants of all ages create collages and layers of narratives centering identity and place.

DETAILS AT WEXARTS.ORG | (614) 292-3535

PHOTO: DIONNE CUSTER EDWARDS

MERSHON LOBBY FREE FOR ALL AUDIENCES