Be Transported on "Voyage Imaginaire" March 26-29, 2014
February 27, 2014
A 16-year-old bullied dreamer named Camilla sets out on a hero's journey to retrieve the lost imaginations of everyone in her world. On her quest, she receives help from some fantastic characters, travels through a magical forest pool and encounters the embodiment of evil. Camilla's adventure is portrayed in the world premiere of "Voyage Imaginaire: One Girl's Quest to Save Our Dreams…Forever," written and directed by Theatre Professor Gregg Jones and co-created and performed by Theatre Santa Fe at the SF College Fine Arts Hall at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, March 26-29, 2014. There will be a special matinee for children and families at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29; the matinee is free for children under 12.
Tickets are $15 orchestra, $12 balcony, $9 senior and children 12 and under, and free to Santa Fe College students and employees. For ticket information, call the Box Office at 352-395-4181 or visit the Fine Arts ticket website at:
https://www.sfcollege.edu/finearts/
Jones describes "Voyage Imaginaire" as "a modern fairy tale, a fantastic journey through a world of puppets, masks, music and object theatre. This is the first production we've done recently that's definitely for kids as well as adults." But like all fairy tales, "Voyage" carries a deep message-about how society denies the importance of creativity and suppresses it, both overtly and covertly.
"When I was talking with students about this play, about two-thirds of them said they identified with what the lead character experiences, including not being embraced by their families for their choice of a creative life's journey," Jones explained, "yet the creative types are the ones who move the world." Jones cited Apple founder Steve Jobs and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg as examples.
Creativity is evident in the staging of "Voyage Imaginaire" as well as in the plot. In a nod to ancient theatre practices, giant puppets built by David Ballard play key roles. The puppets are juxtaposed with modern technology that includes 3-D projections and original music by Josh Lederman. The set shifts from a teenager's bedroom to the SpringWeb Forest, the Pool of Emiyon, and the Cave of Dreams. Magical beings include Luagi, half man and half frog; Tangron and his Denegrates, the villains; the wind god Zephyros; and Camilla's female guides Fuhrena, Morphea, Rheia and Reveria.
"Most of the main characters are female," Jones said, "with goddess-like robes and masks. It's a very physical play, with a lot of spectacle and a metaphysical reach that connects with our collective unconscious through symbols and archetypes. The cast loves it!"
"Voyage Imaginaire" advocates for imagination and intuition in a world that often seems devoid of both. As Zephyros says, "There is no place in this world, or any world, for those who don't believe in dreams. That's how the world changes and becomes new again-the dreamers do it."
You can watch the play develop and meet some of the cast members on the Voyage Imaginaire Community Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Voyage-Imaginaire-Community/529742243800071
For more information about "Voyage Imaginaire," call Gregg Jones at 352-395-5004.
For information about programs in SF College's Fine Arts Department, call Alora Haynes at 352-395-5296.
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Poster design by Stewart Thomas, Palmstone Studios. Photography by Suzanna Mars.
