StudioReynard|HélèneLesterlin,Director
FORIMMEDIATERELEASE:September26,2016
StudioReynardpresentsFoxvsKingdom,anepicpuppetsatire,
atthehistoricByrdcliffeTheaterinWoodstockNY
Contact:HélèneLesterlin,Director,StudioReynard
[email protected]/917-622-0294
Formoreinfo(pleasepublish):[email protected]
Pressqualityphotosavailable:clickhere
FoxvsKingdompremiere
October28-30,2016
(Halloweenweekend)
Friday+Saturday,8pm/Sunday,7pm
Doorsopenanhourbeforetheshow
@TheByrdcliffeTheater
380UpperByrdcliffeRoad,WoodstockNY
Tickets:$40/$25/$20
Purchaseticketsonline:studio-reynard.com
orbycalling917-622-0294
StudioReynard,directedbyHélèneLesterlin,ispleasedtoannouncethepremiereofFoxvs
Kingdom,anepicpuppetspectaclebasedontheancientstoryoftheanti-heroReynardtheFox.
Createdbylocalartistsandlong-timecollaboratorsHélèneLesterlinandAnastaciaBolina,and
Brooklyn-basedsinger-songwriterLauraBrenneman,thisoriginalprojectbringstogetherlive
music,dance,masks,andoverthreedozenpuppets,alongwithtastysnacksanddrinksby
chef/sculptorMorPipman,allsealedwithawickedsenseofhumor.
Drawingonthedisarmingcharmofpuppets,FoxvsKingdomisanoutrageousstorytoldin
English/French/Latin/jibberish,andthroughsongandpuppetry.Itexposesthemesof
entrenchedpowerstructures,theadventoflaw,theslickrebuttal,andthehungerthatdrivesus
tobreakcodesofconduct.
Withhandmadepuppets,low-fispecialeffects,songsandshadows,thethreetroubadour
performerswillimmersetheaudienceinoneoftheoldestanimalsatiresinthehistoryof
literature.Stagedasthoughinamedievaltavern,FoxvsKingdomteasesthelinebetween
spectacleandlyricalanimaltale.Careeningfromfolksongtooperaticlamenttosalacioustango,
animalappetitesdominateinthisretellingofamedievalblockbuster.
TheaudienceisencouragedtodonHalloweencostumeswithabeastlymedievaltheme–think,
wildboarwithacutlass.
STUDIO REYNARD | 28 Gladys Lane| Saugerties, NY 12477 | 917.622.0294 | [email protected]
www.studio-reynard.com
StudioReynard|HélèneLesterlin,Director
ASHORTHISTORYOFTHESTORY
TheoriginalepicofReynardtheFoxgoessomethinglikethis:Reynarddupeseveryone,
devoursafew,sweettalkshiswayoutoftrouble,andside-stepsasuredeathbyhanging,
multipletimes.Intheprocess,heblithelyexposeshypocrisy,corruption,greed,lechery,and
gluttony,includinghisown.
ThestoryofReynardwaswildlypopularincentralEuropeeightcenturiesago:thewittyoutlaw
whotriumphsoverentrenchedpowerthroughsheerrhetorichadresonanceinaviolentfeudal
societywithnascentruleoflaw.Webelieveithasresonancetoday:Reynardisatrickster,who
muddiesthewatersbetweenrightandwrong,betweenwhatwesaywewantandwhatwe
actuallydo.
Weareanimalsafterall.
Ourscriptisbasedontwoversionsofthetale:
1.WilliamCaxton’sEnglishtranslationof1481,edited/publ.byHenryMorleyin1889
2.J.W.vonGoethe’sReinekeFuchs,trans.byThomasJamesArnold,publ.in1954
ASHORTHISTORYOFTHEPRODUCTION
FoxvsKingdomisStudioReynard’sbiggest,mostambitiousproductiontodate,andhasbeenin
progressforoverfouryears.
WhenshecameacrossthestoryofReynardtheFoxinthecourseofresearchingDarkling,
anothermedieval-themedproject,Lesterlinwassmittenbytheepic’scombinationofsatire,
story-telling,talkinganimals,andthedark,troubling,complicatedlightitshedonthe
emergenceofjusticeinmedievalEurope.Shestoredtheideaawayandthenbeganapproaching
collaboratorsin2013.Imaginingthatthisstorycouldonlybetoldthroughpuppetry,Lesterlin
turnedtoherbackgroundasasculptoranddovein,withoutanypriorexperiencewithpuppets.
“Puppetryisidealterritoryforme–Iloveit.Combiningdance,gesture,sculpture,sound,music,
humor,andthisstrange,uncannypresencethatapuppetcanhave,puppetryallowsustosay
anddothingsthatwewouldneverdaretosayordoinperson.And,it’sallsurprising,always
new…ThisprojectisdefinitelymorecomplexandalotfunnierthanIimaginedatthestart,andit
isfullofhilarioussongs.ThatallhastodowiththetalentandgenerosityofLauraandAnastacia,
whoeachbringsuchamazingartistryandcommitment…Wemakeareallygoodtrio,wehave
goodchemistry:that’swhatpeopletellus!Wecan’twaittoperformthisaftersolong.”
–HélèneLesterlin
InvitedtobeapartofthePuppetLabatSt.Ann’sWarehouseinNYC,anine-month
developmentlabfornewpuppettheater,StudioReynardpresentedthefirst20minutesofthe
showaspartofthe2014Labapalooza!Festivaltosold-outaudiencesinthe400-seattheater.
STUDIO REYNARD | 28 Gladys Lane| Saugerties, NY 12477 | 917.622.0294 | [email protected]
www.studio-reynard.com
StudioReynard|HélèneLesterlin,Director
StudioReynardalsohostedaseriesofdinnersalons,calledCaféIsegrim,indifferentvenuesin
theHudsonValley:scenesinprogresswereshownwhilesharingafeastwithacommunityof
fans.Begunasawaytoshareinspiration,prototypes,techniquesandnewmaterial,Café
Isegrimgrewintoatwice-yearlypubliceventinwhichafully-fledgednewepisodeoftheshowin-progresswaspresentedeachnight,alongsidealightdinner.
OthersupportthathasmadethisprojectpossibleincludetwograntsfromTheJimHenson
Foundation,agrantfromlocalfunderArtsMidHudson(acompetitiveNewYorkStateCouncil
ontheArtsregrantprogram)andtheessentialtimeprovidedbydevelopmentresidenciesand
work-in-progressshowingsatMountTremperArts,andDrop,Forge&Tool.StudioReynardalso
ranasuccessfulIndiegogocampaigninSeptember2016toraisefundsforthepremiere.
AboutStudioReynard|HélèneLesterlin
Nimbleandwily,StudioReynardisinspiredbyitsprotagonistmascot–thefox.
DirectedbyHélèneLesterlin,StudioReynardisaspaceforthecreationandproduction
ofperformances,installationsandotherartprojects.Thecreativepracticeembodiedby
StudioReynardcrossesboundaries:artist/curator,liveperformance/visualart,
sound/video,dance/text,solo/epics.
HélèneLesterlincreatesperformancesthatfusetheater,dance,puppetry,soundand
visualart.She’sinsatiablycuriousaboutthecreativeprocess:she’sacollaborator,
performer,director,choreographer,improviser,andhands-onmaker.Fascinatedby
fables,memories,andancientsongs,shedigsintohistory,archives,poetry,artand
musictocreateherperformances.Foundedin2012,StudioReynardishomebasefor
herwork.Lesterlinalsohasapassionforworkingwithcontemporaryperformingartists
tohelpbringtheirworksintobeing:shecurrentlyservesasDirectorofProgramsat
MountTremperArts,andwasthefoundingCuratorforDanceandTheateratEMPAC.
In2014,shecreatedtwoworksbasedinhistoricalarchives:Overlook,asolodance
theaterprojectintheformatofalecture,drewfromtheWoodstockHistoricalSociety’s
archivesandinterviewswitheldersinthecommunity;Geographica,asite-specific
improviseddanceduetwitharadio-basedsound-score,createdforWaveFarm’s
Groundswell2014eventatOlana(Hudson,NY)minedtheOlanaarchive,andresponded
toboththePersian-inspiredhistoricsiteandcurrenteventsintheMiddleEast.
Lesterlinistherecipientofnumerousawardsandresidencies,mostrecentlya2016
ProjectGrantforFoxvsKingdomanda2014IndividualArtistGrantforOverlook,
throughtheDecentralizationProgramregrantfromNYSCA,administeredbyArtsMid
Hudson;andtwoJimHensonFoundationgrantsforFoxvs.Kingdom.In1999-2000,a
LuceFellowshipallowedhertopursueherworkforayearinTaipei,Taiwan.Sheholdsa
BAinVisualArt(sculpture/performance)fromYaleCollegeandaMFAinDancefrom
BenningtonCollege.ShegrewupinParis,LondonandNYC,andnowlivesinSaugerties.
COLLABORATORBIOS:http://studio-reynard.com/collaborators/
STUDIO REYNARD | 28 Gladys Lane| Saugerties, NY 12477 | 917.622.0294 | [email protected]
www.studio-reynard.com
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Fox vs Kingdom
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A troubadour puppet satire by Studio Reynard / Created and performed by Laura Brenneman, Anastacia Bolina and Hélène Lesterlin
Developed as part of Puppet Lab 2013-14 at St. Ann’s Warehouse, NYC.
Photo 1, Reynard the Fox rod puppet (20” tall)
Photos 3, 4, Isegrim the Wolf rod puppet (8” tall) and set design for his scene of getting stuck in the ice
Photos 2, 5, 6 taken at dress rehearsal for Labapalooza! festival performances at St. Ann’s, May 2014 (performers + shadow scene)
Photo 7, the entrance to Reynard’s castle lair
Photo 8, hand puppet of the Crow (18” tall)