Deconstructing boundaries between artists and audiences during the artistic development process, the Alternate Visions Festival presents readings, works in progress and a world premiere. Join Pangea World Theater for an aesthetically diverse array of new voices whose work demonstrates the transformations of our culture through a series of events.
Stage Readings begin with “Curiosities”, written by Heid Erdrich, on June 10 and June 12, 7:30 p.m. at Pangea Studio, 711 West Lake Street, Suite 101, Minneapolis.
Curiosities is the true story of Maungwudaus an Ojibwe man who traveled with the artist George Caitlin in Europe in the nineteenth century.
A member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibway, Heid grew up in Wahpeton, North Dakota. There is a $5 General Admission.
On alternating days come listen as Bao Phi reads his, “The Nguyens”, written on June 11 and June 13, 7:30 p.m. at Pangea Studio. There is a $5 General Admission. This performance work is based on spoken word poems that explore fictional characters from across America all with the last name of Nguyen.
A performance poet since 1991, Bao Phi (Thien-bao Thuc Phi) is also the Associate Program Director of Spoken Word and Community Collaborations for The Loft in Minneapolis.
A two-time Minnesota Grand Slam champion and a National Poetry Slam finalist, Bao Phi has appeared on HBO Presents Russell Simmons Def Poetry, and a poem of his appeared in the 2006 Best American Poetry anthology. His poems and essays are widely published in numerous publications including Screaming Monkeys and Spoken Word Revolution Redux.
He has also released several CDs of his poetry, such as the recently sold-out Refugeography to his newest CD, The Nguyens EP. He has performed in venues and schools across the country, from the Nuyorican Poets Café to the University of California, Berkeley.
Bao Phi was featured in the award-winning documentary feature film The Listening Project as an American listener who traveled the world to talk to every day people about global issues and politics. He also returned to acting in 2008 with a feature role in Theatre Mu’s production of Q & A.
In addition to his creative work, he was recently honored with a Facing Race Ambassador award in recognition for his community work, and has published essays in topics from Asians in hip hop to Asian representation in video games. He maintains a popular blog for the Star Tribune’s website, which he uses to bring issues and alternative perspectives on Asian American community to light.
He continues to perform across the country, remains active as an Asian American community organizer, and works at the Loft, where he creates and operates programs for artists and audiences of color.
A double-bill performance of “Solo Flight” and “Hmong Bollywood” will be held from June 24-27, 7:30 p.m. at Pangea Studio. There is a $10 General Admission.
“Solo Flight” is written and performed by Katie Herron Robb, with direction and dramaturgy by Meena Natarajan. Inspired by the New Zealand-born pioneering aviatrix Jean Batten, the one-woman performance is a journey of risk, fame, isolation and heart-wrench that question desire and consequence in the most extreme forms.
Katie Herron Robb is a performing ensemble member of Pangea World Theater. Since 2008, she is Minnesota educated and also trained with the Flinders Drama Centre in Adelaide, Australia, DAH Teatar in Belgrade, Serbia, and in the South Indian martial art Kalaripayattu.
“Hmong Bollywood” is written and performed by Katie Ka Vang, with direction and dramaturgy by Meena Natarajan. The story follows a “Bollywood addict” who gets to the bottom of her addiction and explores different roads to recovery.
Katie Ka Vang is a performance artist, writer and diaspora rocker. She envisions her work to help communities and individuals to create work for and about themselves.
The premiere of “Ady”, a play that reveals the woman in the photograph through the lens of race, history, and art, written by Rhiana Yazzie, a Navajo playwright, and directed by Hayley Finn, will be held July 9-25, 7:30 p.m. a the Playwrights’ Center, 2301 East Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis. There is a $15 General Admission.
A Lee Miller photograph of surrealist artists that includes a dancer from the West Indies naked to the waist is the jumping off place for this play. A contemporary Navajo woman relates the mostly unknown story of the surrealist muse Adrienne Fidelin, Ady.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.pangeaworldtheater.org or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006.
