Conceived, directed and choreographed by Chocolate Factory Artistic Director Brian Rogers, redevelop (death valley) is inspired by his experience of living and working in Long Island City, Queens (the site of an ongoing massive redevelopment project) for many years; and by his fascination with the Gold Rush-era ghost towns of the American west. redevelop (death valley) will juxtapose found footage and field recordings of ghost towns, precisely executed miniature dances, and video captured in real time to construct a series of interweaving visual narratives around ideas of shared, temporary and abandoned living spaces.

Separated from the audience by movable translucent panels made from industrial plastic (which also serve as projection surfaces), barely-seen on-stage movements will be performed, captured in extreme close-up by moving video cameras, then repeated, cut up, and mashed atop one another, leading to a sort of densely layered accumulated history of many people in one space over time. Assembled from field recordings and video filmed during visits to ghost towns in Nevada, Arizona, and California (Death Valley); video interviews with lifelong LIC residents; dances made from mortgage calculators and real estate ads; Ennio Morricone-inspired sounds; text compiled from FDR's fireside chats, statements by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, and poems by Greg Vargo; and a meal prepared and eaten onstage; redevelop (death valley) will unfold as a gradual unveiling, demolition, and removal of the performance and the space itself.

redevelop (death valley) features concept, direction and choreography by Brian Rogers; video design by Brian Rogers and Madeline Best; scenic design by Brad Kisicki; lighting design by Chloe Z. Brown; sound by Chris Peck with Brian Rogers; costumes by Maggie Dick; stage management by Alexandra Rosenberg; and creation & performance by Brian Rogers, Jennifer Lee Dudek, Sheila Lewandowski, Yoko Myoi, and Mark Sitko. Additional collaborators include Josh Hoglund, Mike Rugnetta, and Greg Vargo.

February 12-28, 2009 Thurs-Sat @ 8PM (add'l performance Mon 2/24 @ 8PM) $15

Buy Tickets https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/238