Photo: Natalie Deryn

Video: Junting Zhou

Photos: Natalie Deryn

delicates

“delicates” is a theme and elaborations of mismatched perspectives on a base scene we crafted to have both minimal content and maximal developmental potential.

Through a series of minor deviations within a simple two person interaction, the mundane is gradually stretched into horror, meanwhile you, the audience, are instructed to close and open your eyes between each chapter, as to self simulate blackouts and jump cuts.

The true essence of the piece lies in the structuring of the task versus the resulting piece. That being said, this first iteration just so happens to center on the conflation of etiquette and territoriality.

"delicates" was created in residence at the Jonah Bokaer Arts Foundation between March and May 2018.

Tisch Summer Dance Residency (June 2018)

* in this video excerpt, begin watching with eyes open. The first buzzer will cue you to close your eyes, the second to open, and that pattern will continue, without fail, but you might.

Performers: Jonathan Matthews & Holly Sass, featuring Armando Zimmerman and Dave Hannon

Stage Manager: Susan Hamburger

Lighting Designer: Michael Cunningham

Stage Crew: Robin Sherrell Davis and Taína Lyons

Set Design: Jonathan Matthews and Holly Sass, executed by Oriental Trading Company and Ikea.

Sound Design: Jonathan Matthews and Holly Sass, executed by Holly Sass

Sound:

"Rise Up, You, Red Sun (Lyric Song of the Belgorod Region)" - traditional Russian performed by Russian Druzhina Ensemble

"Short Buzz From Game Show Wrong Answer Buzzer" - ripped from

YouTube

"Xavier" - Dead Can Dance

"Foot Vengeance" - written and performed by Jonathan Matthews

"Fight Scene from NBC's Generations" - ripped from YouTube

"École Buissonière" - Jean Constantin

"Recording of Holly's Blender while Jonathan Matthews screams and Holly talks," recorded by Jonathan Matthews

"Could It Be Magic" - Donna Summer

"CAR CRASH - sound effect" - ripped form YouTube

"The D Bag Rag" - The Avett Brothers

"Jelly Roll Gumdrop" - Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention

"Whole Foods Checkout Line," recorded by Holly Sass

"Column Vengeance,' written and performed by Jonathan Matthews

"I Know Where I’m Going" - traditional Irish performed by Jonathan Matthews and Holly Sass

"Holly singing along with 'Wild Woman' by Margo Price," recorded by Holly Sass

"This Merry Pleasant Spring" - composer anonymous, performed by Connor Burrows and Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet

Duration: 50 min

Location: Jack Crystal Theater, New York, NY

Video: Junting Zhou

Thank you to:

Phoebe Sandford for managing our house.

Armando Zimmerman for being our ghost.

Dave Hannon for jumping in to instruct the audience.

Lucas W. Wilson-Spiro for teaching us Qlab.

Clarissa Fattoruso and the Jonah Bokaer Arts Foundation for offering us a home to incubate this work at Chez Bushwick.

Anne Easterling Freifelder for additionalsupport with space.

Connor Gressitt for his clowning tutelage.

Philippa Fort for footage and photos

Maddie Schimmel, Justin Faircloth, Dan Rodaire, Sean Morris, Phoebe Sandford, Tyler Curry, Tara Lynch, & Kayla Macfarlan for their generous feedback in this process.

Nico Gonzales Jen Roit and Marissa Brown for their sheets.

Paul Zimmerman for trusting us with his precious boy.

Chez Bushwick A.I.R. 2Nite Show (May 2018)

Performers: Jonathan Matthews & Holly Sass

featuring Lucas Spiro-Wilson