Water in production. Photo by Carl Skuch.

Produced by
Electronic Music Foundation
Ear to the Earth 2010

New York Soundscape

Sheila Callaghan

Daniella Topol

Katie Down


Saturday, October 30, 3pm
White Box
329 Broome Street

$15 / $10 seniors & EMF members / $5 students


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PROGRAM


Water (or the secret life of objects)
    A multimedia production
    Sheila Callaghan, playwright
    Daniella Topol, director
    Katie Down, sound artist


ABOUT THE ARTISTS


Sheila Callaghan
Sheila Callaghan is a playwright whose works have been produced and developed with Soho Rep, Playwright's Horizons, South Coast Repertory, Clubbed Thumb, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, New Georges, and Moving Arts, among others. Her honors include two Princess Grace Awards, an LA Weekly Award, a Jerome Fellowship, a Chesley Prize, grants from NYFA, NYSC, and a MacDowell residency.


Daniella Topol
A New York based freelance theater director, Daniella Topol works with writers to develop relevant and adventuresome new plays and musicals. Recent credits include: Susan Yankowitz’s NIGHT SKY (Baruch Performing Arts Center), Judith Thompson’s PALACE OF THE END (Epic Theatre), Trista Baldwin’s SAND (Women’s Project and Productions), and Sheila Callaghan’s DEAD CITY (New Georges).


Katie Down
Katie Down is a sound artist, composer, performer, and sound designer for theatre, film, video, and dance. She also performs regularly with The Ukuladies, where she sings and plays ukuleles, as well as various toy instruments. She has traveled throughout Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and South Africa as a performer (at both music and theatre festivals), a sound designer, and a teacher.

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ABOUT THE EVENT

Combining visual art installation with fragmented scenes, videos, sounds and audience interaction, Water (or the secret life of objects) aims to illuminate struggles around water – including access, purification, and privatization – while exploring water as a life force, an object of political debate, and a powerful and beguiling element. Combining visual art installation with fragmented scenes, videos, sounds and audience interaction, Water explores how we as a global community overcome tragedy, surrender to it, or exist in the spaces between.


Water in production. Photo by Carl Skuch.

Drawing upon the research and insights of scientists, activists, and advocates working on issues of water and climate change, Water’s ultimate purpose is to deeply engage audiences in a dialogue about our environment, and what it
means to participate in a global society.

· · ·

Water was initiated by playwright Sheila Callaghan and director Daniella Topol, who, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, were compelled to explore human relationships with water and crisis. The formal development process was launched in 2007 when the playwright and director joined HERE Arts Center’s Artist Residency Program, and has continued with workshops and performances at HERE’s Culturemart, CUNY’s Prelude Festival, and the Baryshnikov Arts Center as a recipient of the Princess Grace Work-In-Progress Award.

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