Sounding the Resonant Path
Puppetry and design by Tom Lee
Music by Ralph Samuelson, Perry Yung, Tatsu Aoki, Kioto Aoki
Moving Panorama Scrolls by Blair Thomas
Sounding the Resonant Path is a performance installation that draws on the spiritual connection between the human world and the natural environment. We witness an artist, seeking the unknowable, encounter the growing bamboo and tree, whose harvested material is crafted into the artistry of the flute and the puppet. Japanese kuruma ningyō style puppetry, shadows and scrolls play out in this cosmic, wordless tale to the accompaniment of shakuhachi, taiko & electronica. Music by Ralph Samuelson, Perry Yung with special guest Julian Kytasty. Video by Chris Carcione, Assistant Designer Grace Needlman, Scrolls by Blair Thomas with KT Shivak and Jaerin Son. Dedicated to Jun Maeda.
Tom Lee is a director, designer, and puppet artist based in Chicago and New York. He appeared on Broadway in War Horse and in Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Lee is a student of Master Koryū Nishikawa V with whom he created Shank’s Mare and Akutagawa. Tom is co-director of Chicago Puppet Studio and Chicago Puppet Lab and teaches and performs nationally and internationally. He began his career at La MaMa.
Photos by Richard Termine
Puppetry and design byTom Lee
Music by Ralph Samuelson, Perry Yung, Tatsu Aoki, Kioto Aoki
Moving Panorama Scrolls by Blair Thomas
Tom Lee is a director, designer, puppet artist based in Chicago and New York. He appeared on Broadway in War Horse, at the Metropolitan Opera in Madama Butterfly, and most recently, in The Queen of Spades at Lyric Opera Chicago. His own work includes Shank's Mare (recently on tour in Paris), Tomte (Gnome) presented by La MaMa Kids last fall, and place(no)place at the Pesta Boneka Festival in Indonesia. Tom is co-director of Chicago Puppet Studio and teaches nationally and internationally. He began his career at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club.
Sounding the Resonant Path is made possible by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the Howard Gilman Foundation, The Jim Henson Foundation, Puppet Slam Network, the Mellon Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation. Additional support from Cheryl Henson is gratefully acknowledged.
La MaMa Puppet Festival
The La MaMa Puppet Festival showcases new contemporary puppet theatre by artists from around the world. Curated by Denise Greber, focusing on diversifying the voices, stories, and perspectives shared onstage, with the goal of uplifting marginalized identities within the puppet community.