Hatched: Life on The Farm, Premieres

Hatched: Life on the Farm is almost here. We premiere the piece at Long Island Children's Museum April 20 & 21, 2012, and then to the lovely Ailey Citigroup Studio Theater in NYC for performances May 3-4, 10-11 & 19, 2012. Tickets have been selling quickly, and we are contemplating adding more dates.

Hatched Cast Photo By Christopher Duggan, Puppets by Patti Gilstrap

What a farm we have built. My idea for our young seedling drama sprouted last January. From that point, Treehouse Shakers began fundraising, writing grants, proposals, and solidifying the idea. When Jim Packard, the theater manager from Long Island Children's Museum, expressed interest, I was more than excited. He immediately wanted to partner and help in whatever way possible. To have a producing theater express interest in the work, offer us a space for rehearsals, to be able to show the work in development on a live audience, and to premiere the piece, has been a dream. 

Hatched in Development at Long Island Children's Museum, Sarah Young with Audience Members Feeding the Lamb (Photo by Tara Pallisico)

Making a show takes time. Especially a piece that isn't scripted. Making it well developed, takes even more time. Beginning last June, several of our wonderful company members agreed to develop the piece. We went to rehearsal without puppets, a script, or even a true beginning. I knew I wanted live music, the story to revolve around a newly hatched chick, movement, and to be geared to the youngest audience members. With these seeds we improvised, talked, moved and began creating the storyline.

I love the European performance model of making work for babies to age three, but since Treehouse Shakers' needs to be able to market to a slightly larger audience pool, we compromised on making the piece for members of a young family. Hatched is marketed to ages 0-6, and I know that the whole family will enjoy the work.

Hatched Postcard Design by Appolllo Bey

We have developed Hatched to be intimately staged. Audience members are encouraged to interact with the newborn animals as they explore their worlds. Through movement and music, the calf learns to walk, the baby birds attempt to fly, and the lamb makes a new friend with the curious hatched chick. Audience members interact and play with the characters on stage; they give the chicks their feed, milk bottles to the lamb, are licked by the cow, and feed worms to the baby birds. Babies in the audience will be enticed by the animal sounds and textures, while toddlers will love watching and imitating their favorite farm animals as they come to life. Preschoolers will delight in learning about life on the farm and older kids will be entertained by the delightful storytelling, live music and dance.

Over the next month, I want to highlight aspects of Hatched; from our amazingly talented musician Anthony Rizzo, to Patti Gilstrap's beautiful puppets, and Lauren Rockman's well designed set. Not to mention the fantastic performance company who has put in so many hours as we explore, change, and grow the piece into the vision I saw last January. It takes a true artistic village to make a piece come to life!

I hope you can join us for one of the upcoming performances.

Tickets & Info:          (212) 715-1914

                                   treehouseshakers

On May 10 & 19 in NYC, we will have a Treehouse Shakers' Playdate after the show: Reception, Meet the Cast, and Take Photos.

The New York City program is supported, in part, by public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, The Edith Lutyens and Norman Bel Geddes Design Enhancement Fund, New York State Council On The Arts, Puffin Foundation and Individual Contributions to Treehouse Shakers. 

Special Thanks To: Company Members; Amber Ford, Josh Tag, Miranda Wilson, Sarah Young, Emily Bunning (Treehouse Shakers' co-founder), Jim Packard (LICM), Nancy Moon (Publicist), Chrissie DiAngelus (Artist Manager), Appolllo Bey (Graphic Designer), Christopher Duggan (Photography), Alaric Hahn (Ailey Citigroup Theater), Patti Gilstrap (Puppets and Costume), Joey West (Our amazing intern who helped last summer) Lauren Rockman (Set), Dan Ozminkowski (Lighting), Brent Hankins (Video Diaries), Valerie Green (GreenSpace Rehearsal Studio).