1996

PROJECT GRANTS

Carter Family Marionettes – The White Snake Fairy
A collaboration with Chinese handpuppet master Yang Feng, based on the popular Chinese legend. ($2,000)

Center for Puppetry Arts – Frankenstein
A reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s novel as a spiritual journey influenced by Voodoo practices and beliefs, directed by Jon Ludwig. ($3,000)

Alice Farley Dance Theater – The Human Life of Machines
A collaboration between choreographer Alice Farley and jazz musician Henry Threadgill. ($4,000)

Figures of Speech Theatre – Sea Change
An adaptation of the Greek myth of Icarus, examining contemporary society’s relationship to technology. ($2,000)

Janie Geiser – Infared
A collaboration with playwright Mac Wellman. ($3,000)

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater – Songs for a Millenium
A piece honoring the creative and courageous power of a community blossoming in the midst of urban decay. ($2,000)

Mabou Mines – Peter and Wendy
An adaptation of the J.M. Barrie classic directed by Lee Breuer, featuring Asian puppetry techniques and an original Scottish score. ($4,000)

Mum Puppettheatre – The Net of Germs
A multi-disciplinary collaboration between puppeteer Robert Smythe and composer Adam Wernick. ($2,000)

Roman Paska – Moby Dick in Venice
A piece that melds the legend of Ishmael, Ahab and the great white whale with the city of Venice, two parallel struggles for survival. ($4,000)

Skysaver Productions – Journey to the Island
A work exploring the history of prisons in America through the stories of women prisoners from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. ($3,000)

SEED GRANTS ($1,000)

Stephen Kaplin – The Unfinished Eye

Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre – The Golem
An experimental musical adaption of the Czech Jewish legend, directed by Vit Horejs.

Great Small Works – Untitled
A series of performances to be held at branch libraries through New York.

Orchestra of St. Lukes – Aucassin et Nicolette
A collaborative production by St. Luke’s Orchestra, Arts at St. Ann’s, and puppeteer Amy Trompetter.

Perry Alley Theater – The Tree of Life, Jack and Yettl, Share and Share Alike
An evening of theater composed of three new works combining music, puppetry, and dance.

Shadow Box Theater – The Earth and Me
An experimental production with a variety of puppet types, multiple stages and projections, choral music, and dancers.

Shadowlight Productions – Electric Shadows
A collaboration between Larry Reed and gamelan musicians to reinvent the ancient art of shadow theater.

Basil Twist – Symphonie Fantastique
A full-length fantastical work inspired by the symphony by Hector Berlioz.

“When I first saw Indonesian shadow plays, I thought they were like primordial movies. What we are doing is translating traditional forms into modern ones. “

– Larry Reed, Shadowlight Productions

“The Henson Foundation has been a critical and nurturing force in my creative life. My relationship with the Foundation connects me to the magic of Jim Henson, which has inspired my creative life since childhood.”

– Basil Twist