performance

Sap of Zenith

During my junior year of high school I researched, conceptualized, and created a collaborative multimedia piece. I wrote, directed, and performed in my piece called, Sap of Zenith. It is a performance piece based on my interpretation of Zelda Fitzgerald's journey of hope. I explore the idea of the form and thoughts of Mrs. Fitzgerald to tell a story of joy, heartbreak, and insanity. Through my process I had the opportunity to collaborate with the following artists:

Asia Pryon - Choreography, dance
Thomas Litchev - Dance
Jos Salinas - Music composition, pianist
Luciano Gomez - Music composition, pianist
Kelli Brush - Assistant Director

Special Thanks: Niki Conraths, Derek Brockington

Der Liebesbrief

This performance is dedicated to the men and women present during World War II. This piece is a love story that shows the complicated relations during the time. Should she open the letter? Is it a love letter? Or a letter declaring the death of her lover?

Cast - Comparative Arts Department, Band of Interlcochen

Dancers - Oliver Jull, Johari Taitt

Composer - Joseph Murfin

Rosetta

Today our world is able to communicate instantaneously, but even now there are just as many faults in our communication as right after the Tower of Babel fell. With this being said, humans have always strived to overcome communication barriers so that we can interact, and we do this via empathy. This piece is an experimentation with empathy. Can we really exercise our empathy to truly overcome the murky confusion of language barriers, deafness, generation gaps, and gender differences? Or are we doomed by our differences to never communicate purely?

Text by: Mary Helen Porter, Dante Alighieri, Louis Aragon, and Rainer Maria Rilke

Cast: Derek Brockington (choreographer, dancer), Johari Taitt (dancer), Cosetta Righi (speaker), Haley Jennings (speaker), Maggie Shepherd (speaker), Tyler Johnston (speaker), Emily Folan (speaker), Linnea Fox (speaker), Nolwenn Salaun (speaker)

Music: Jose Salinas (composer), Ximena Calderon (violin), Monse Siles (violin), Essien Duke (viola), Daniel Agusto (cello), Ryan Avila (bass)

Special Thanks: Dr. Kedrick Merwin, Nicola Conraths-Lange, Cameron Basden