2004 - 2005 Season
TANGLED TRICKSTERS: TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
by The Company Members of Pollyanna Theatre
June 11-19, August 6-14, 2004
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Tangled Tricksters I and II are two completely different collections of stories featuring fun and funny multi-cultural tricksterS from around the globe. Characters such as Hare, Toad, Fox, Spider and human trickster characters are found in folk tales from many cultures. Come and bring the children in your care to see and learn from these age-old legends that often explain how things came to be and/or teach life lessons about the importance of honesty. And have a great time while learning!
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Tangled Tricksters I received three B. Iden Payne Awards in 2004: Pollyanna Theatre Company (Outstanding Production of a Play for Youth), Alex Garza (Outstanding Actor in a Play for Youth),
Betsy McCann (Outstanding Actress in a Play for Youth). Bernadette Nason was also nominated for a B. Iden Payne award (Outstanding Actress in a Play for Youth) for her performance in Tangled Tricksters I.
Tangled Tricksters II received one B. Iden Payne Award in 2005: Betsy McCann (Outstanding Actress in a Play for Youth).
TRAIL OF TEARS: WALKING THE CHOCTAW ROAD
a co-production of Ballet Austin and Pollyanna Theatre Company
Libretto by Emily Cicchini
Choreography by Gina Patterson
January 2005
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Based upon the stories of Tim Tingle,
Walking the Choctaw Road (Cinco Puntos Press)
Ballet Austin and Pollyanna Theatre collaborated to create this original production of Trail of Tears: Walking the Choctaw Road. After discovering Tim Tingle's book, Walking the Choctaw Road, Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, Pollyanna Theatre Founding Director, realized Tim's stories would make a wonderful stage production for youth and families. The tragic tales about the forced removal of the Choctaw Indians from their native lands shed new light on this historical event.
The collaborators feel a great responsibility to show respect and honor for the Native American people and their culture. The Choctaws' amazing courage and tolerance in the face of discrimination teaches us much we can apply in our lives today.
This dance drama is based on Tim Tingle's book, Walking the Choctaw Road. Tim teaches the mystery and power of the Choctaw Nation and their legends through his stories, songs, flute and drum. As an Oklahoma Choctaw and collector of Choctaw oral literature, Tim travels across America presenting native songs and stories. He uses vocables, sounds that do not directly translate into words, as part of his native chants and songs during performances. Tim's recorded voice is used to provide narration and sound effects during the performance.
Tim has generously shared his stories with the Trail of Tears: Walking the Choctaw Road collaborators, guiding the project with the care of an historian and the soul of an artist. He helps make sure the dance drama remains an authentic representation of Choctaw experiences and stories.
The Choctaw lived peacefully for hundreds of years. They farmed using tools made from stone, wood, and bone. They hunted large game with bows and arrows and smaller animals using a blow gun made from swamp cane. For awhile, the French and then the British controlled the Choctaw until the United States Government recognized the independent Choctaw Nation in January 1786. In 1830, the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek began the process of Native American relocation to Oklahoma, which means Red People, in reference to the red colored clay soil. The Choctaw traded 23 million acres of land in Mississippi for 13 million acres in Oklahoma. They were the first tribe to begin the 350 mile journey on the Trail of Tears. One fourth of the Choctaw died of hunger and disease while traveling during one of the most severe winters in recorded history.
Pollyanna Theatre Company and Ballet Austin extend special thanks to:
Tim Tingle, Johnny Byrd, Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, 3M, Applied Materials, Dell Foundation, Seawell Elam Foundation, Austin High School, Manor ISD, St. Stephen's Episcopal School, Southwestern University, Texas School for the Deaf, Brenda Blue, Lori Braun, Madison Piner, South Austin Hospital, Texas Coffee Traders, Earl and Idaline Ross, Jorja Perme, Sarah Knoles, Dea Eggleston, and Anne Marie Melendez.
This text was adapted from the Ballet Austin Footnotes for Trail of Tears: Walking the Choctaw Road, edited by Brenda Blue.
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Trail of Tears received three B. Iden Payne Awards in 2005: Judy Matetzschk-Campbell (Outstanding Director of a Play for Youth), Gina Patterson (Outstanding Choreographer), and Ia Layadi (Outstanding Costume Design).
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I'M NOT THE WOMAN I WAS: THE MEMOIRS OF FRANCES NAIL
script adapted by Robyn Turner
May 12 - 22, 2005
Who could resist hearing one of Austin’s favorite artists, Karen Kuykendall, as she presents selected stories from the personal essays of local author Frances Nail? Like thumbing through a well-kept scrapbook, these stories show us with humor and wisdom the characters, scenes, and memorabilia that have shaped this one woman’s life. But when looking into the character’s unique story, it doesn’t take long to recognize bits and pieces that are also your own experiences. The people and places in Nail’s personal stories open a window into a by-gone way of life that will be recognized by many Texans. These tales offer a knowing view of the down home and the down-home view of the unknowable. Come along for an evening of great storytelling performance as the author sorts through her material in preparation for a radio appearance.
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Arts on Real Theatre (2826 Real St., Austin, TX 78722)
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For her performance in I'M NOT THE WOMAN I WAS, Karen Kuykendall received the B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy
PATTERNS
by Emily Cicchini
June 9 - 15, 2005
This new play is a theatrical exploration of the patterns we see in the world all around us. Patterns are found in nature, in visual art, in music, and many other places. And Pattern recognition is a very important skill! Come join Pollyanna as four very different friends figure out how get along and have fun in the process. This unique theatrical exploration will be enjoyed by audience members of all ages.
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For children ages 4 - 10 and their families
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For his performance in PATTERNS, Skip Johnson received the B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play for Youth.
"Learning should always be fun and challenging."