SHOW HISTORY

June 2006: On the Backs of Fishes at the Cooking Fire Theater Festival; Toronto, Canada

May/June 2004: World Festival of Puppet Art, Prague

May 2004: International Istanbul Puppet Festival

March 2004: Manhattan Theatre Source’s Estrogenius Festival

December 2003: Sword of Yamato at BRIC Theater

October 2003: On the Backs of Fishes at the Barents International Puppet Festival; Oulu, Finland

May 2003: On the Backs of Fishes at Great Small Works’s Spaghetti Dinner

October 2002: On the Backs of Fishes at Theatre for the New City, the Women-at -Arms Festival

SHOW PRAISE

“Gretchen Van Lente, Director of Drama of Works, assembled a stellar cast of puppeteers and actors in the highly comical and well-timed shadow puppet work The Sword of Yamato. The story is superbly written by Crystal Skillman. The audience strongly responded to the dramatic story and the humor of the work. The piece definitely left images lingering in my mind. I can still hear the puppets chanting 'Yamato, Yamato...'”

— Michelle Moskowitz, BRIC producer, Brooklyn

coming soon...

Journey One: The Sword of Yamato immerges as pieces of rice paper and paper-cutting turns into shadow puppetry to tell the story of the fearless (and reckless) Warrior Prince, Yamato. He is sent by his father to tame his homeland, which has been overrun by Demons and bad men. He is aided by his wise Aunt who knows the ways of the gods. See what horror, magic and majesty we can conjure with an overhead projector, various shades of blood-red and some haunting poetic language. Follow Yamato, the great warrior, as he searches for the Flaming Sword, only to lose his one true love as he is blinded by its glory. Partway between sacred Japanese myth and Monty Python animation, The Sword of Yamato is the best of all worlds.

Journey Two: On the Backs of Fishes immerges as beautiful Japanese fabrics which turn into abstract table top puppets to tell the story of Jingo-Kogo, Empress warrior, who is the wife of Emperor Chuai, the son of Yamato. The Great Deity speaks through Jingo using her advisor, Takeshi, as interpreter. After the Deity slays her husband, Jingo takes command of her people and the Emperor’s great armies. Pregnant with the heir-apparent and riding the sea on magical beasts, Jingo battles Korea. And as she brings the prize of a written language and a new prince home to her people, she must also defend her title from traitorous stepsons. The Great Deity names her son Ojin, Great Warrior Prince.

Journey Three: The Book of Ojin uses masked actors and stylized movement to tell the story of Great Warrior Prince Ojin. Now a war veteran, Ojin has begun to record the history of his family and homeland with the writing his mother Jingo brought back to Japan. He does not find counsel in the Great Deity, for she has not spoken in years. After seeking companionship from his love Miya, Ojin discovers that his son Yami- Mori, has joined forces with the army of Silpa in turning against him. With the land of Yamato on the brink of war, Ojin must save his homeland, and accept his fate in the long line of Great Warriors before him so he might meet the Great Deity again—for one last time.

written by
Crystal Skillman

directed and designed by
Gretchen Van Lente

puppetry direction by
David Michael Friend

Musical direction and composition by
Julia Balestracci and
Amy Carrigan

Puppets built by
Amy Carrigan
David Michael Friend
Serra Hirsch
Vita Mechachonis
Gretchen Van Lente
Scott Weber

WARRIOR was written by Crystal Skillman, for Drama of Works, using many different styles of puppetry. The play is inspired by stories from The Kojiki, the collected legends of ancient Japan. It follows three generations of warriors who fight to protect their homeland of Yamato, losing faith along the way in the ancient traditions and the all-knowing Great Deity. As the land of Yamato grows older and evolves, so does the puppetry style change for each journey, reflecting the changing times. Director Gretchen Van Lente is now also exploring the idea of a play within a play, as we see 1880’s-dressed Westerners enter with large suitcases and trunks, as if they have returned from long journeys to the East. The play then literally immerges from what they have brought back from their travels. All three parts are held together by a mysterious female singer/storyteller who ties the pieces together through song.