Making New Work for The Very Young

Postcard Drawing & Design by Appolllo Bey

In two very short weeks, Treehouse Shakers will premiere our new work for the very young,
Olive & Pearl at the beautiful Flushing Town Hall in New York City. Olive & Pearl, is an idea that has been percolating within my creative brain for sometime, even before Hatched. Specifically made for the toddler and preschooler, Olive & Pearl follows the day in the life of a little girl Olive, and her grandmother Pearl, who live within a grassy, hillside knoll. Intimately staged, audiences sit within Granny’s home, and explore the primary feelings of what it means to be truly at home. Throughout their day the characters play, go on an imaginary journey to the moon, sing songs, and dance. Granny recants stories of her own childhood home, while sharing rhymes and poetry. Additional characters are portrayed through puppetry, layering further meanings of home: a robin in a nest, a fish in its bowl, and a mouse in its hole. An original and live music score by Anthony Rizzo, delicately plays underneath, combining traditional string instruments and melodies of Bluegrass, Irish Fiddle, and lullabies. The storytelling is both rich and inviting to be enjoyed not only by the very young, but also by their adult companions. We want Olive & Pearl to be a first experience of live theater, music, and dance, while at the same time giving young people the highest quality production of artistic work.

Olive & Pearl, Photo by Christopher Duggan

Through the writing, I have pointedly made a nod to the children's writers who have inspired me, as both a storyteller, and a writer. These inspirations include Margaret Wise Brown's simple poetry, the 1800's folktale rhymes of nurseries, and the familial connections of grandparents to their grandchildren that Tomie DePaola eloquently writes about. Never having lived close to either of my grandmothers, this story also stems from my own childhood fantasy, of the deep desire to be closer to the women I seldom saw throughout the years.

Margaret Wise Brown, my inspiration over the years

Emily Bunning, my business partner, and the choreographer of the piece, had a close relationship with her beautiful grandmother, Fan, which I also had the good fortune of knowing. She not only helped to raise Emily, but Fan's sister Susie, my surrogate grandmother, influenced us both to be artists early in life. Emily and I grew up together in Wyoming. By the age of six, we spent our Saturdays in art class at Susie's house, making pottery, eating lunch, playing games, and listening to stories of Susie's childhood on their family homestead. And even though I wrote the piece, and Emily created the dance, we seem to have merged our collective feelings of being loved and cared for and our deeper meaning of home. The performers, Katie Montoya and Miranda Wilson, have helped to further develop and layer this meaning, from their own influences, making the work richer in experience and depth. My hope is that the families in the audience, will feel this sense of home, happiness and well-being within the work, and leave with a greater feeling of joy and connection.

Olive & Pearl premieres
March 17 & 18, 2017 at
Flushing Town Hall
137-35 Northern Blvd.,
Flushing, NY 11354