[NEohioPAL]Ancestral Voices at Gordon Square and on WCPN

Sat Jun 23 14:10:30 PDT 2007

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Ancestral Voices opens on Friday, June 28 at the Gordon Square.  Be =20
sure to tune in to "Around Noon" on Wednesday, June 27 to hear Dee =20
Perry interview Nadia Tarnawsky, the show's director and Mark =20
Tomasic, one of the show's choreographers.  Also, look for Donald =20
Rosenberg's preview in the PD some time this week.  I've included a =20
copy of a review from a performance at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival =20=

earlier this month.  Hope to see you this weekend!

Ancestral Voices

An original dance-theatre piece based on Ukrainian folk songs and the =20=

poetry of Oleksander Oles, Lesia Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko and =20
Mykhailo Drai-Khmara. Featuring dancers from Verb Ballets: Erin =20
Conway, Catherine Meredith, Anna Roberts and Mark Tomasic. =20
Choreography by Natalie M. Kapeluck and Mark Tomasic. Directed by =20
Nadia Tarnawsky. June 29-30, 2007 at 8 p.m. July 1, 2007 at 3 p.m. at =20=

the Gordon Square Theatre (6409 Detroit Avenue). Tickets $20 general =20
admission, $15 for students and seniors. For more information, call =20
Nadia at 216-269-7228
E-mail mn2productions at yahoo.com
URL http://www.mn2productions.com

City Beat
June 06, 2007
Ancestral Voices

This is a delightful dance-theater experience that
takes you straight into the poignant and poetic world
of magical Ukrainian folklore, where the moon dances
with the stars in the blue vault of heaven, spring
blazes with plentiful flowers and willows bend like
drunkards in the wind.

At base are the ancient traditions of oral
storytelling and the piercing tone and expressive
embellishment of traditional Ukrainian =93open-throat=94
singing, both mastered by narrator Nadia Tarnawsky.
Her solid, motherly presence anchors the hour-long
performance, which weaves through eight scenes of
poetry, dancing, singing and puppetry loosely tracing
the divergent life paths of two sisters, one rich and
one poor.

Alternately speaking and singing, with deftly
interspersed Ukrainian-to-English translations,
Tarnawsky=92s voice joins additional recorded voices and
traditional ethnic instruments including cimbalom,
violin, sopilka, zozulka and bandura, according to
program notes. Dancers Erin Conway, Catherine
Meredith, Anna Roberts and Mark Tomasic (who had a
terrific solo portraying Fire) bring emotion, vitality
and clarity to Natalie M. Kapeluck=92s choreography,
portraying a variety of characters and situations
extremely well within the limited space they have to
work at the Contemporary Arts Center=92s black box
theater.  They also become puppeteers and prop
masters, as needed.

Ancestral Voices has so much aural and visual richness
that following the sisters=92 lives eventually didn=92t
seem nearly as important as marveling at the wondrous
tales being told along the way. As =93the stars speak to
the moon,=94 two dancers loft illuminated globes that
represent the moon and a star dancing a charming duet.

A new bride, thrust into the home of her unfriendly
mother-in-law, is transformed into a poplar tree
during her husband=92s absence, which the mother-in-law
then commands him to cut. The tree begs, =93Don=92t chop
me, beloved. I am your wife.=94 It is too late, but a
child is found within the branches of the tree.
A barrel-maker=92s daughter (portrayed cleverly by a
life-size puppet with two =93live=94 arms) refuses a man=92s
advances and runs away. When he catches her, she tells
him she would rather =93rot in the grave than live in
slavery with you.=94 He dispatches her, but her grave
beckons to the Wind (given voice by an undulating
dancer and a flute), saying =93Do not let me fade away.=94

A woman sings =93Mother, I Love a Man of the Black Sea=94
who leads =93me barefoot through the frost.=94 When her
lover disappears at sea (from a wooden boat floating
on top of a fabric sea), the bereft woman vows to
become a mermaid, =93find him and embrace him.=94

The final scene evokes a celebration feast but, like
all things folkloric, brushed with melancholy. When,
surrounded by masked dancer in the guise of Earth,
Wind, Water and Fire, Tarnawsky=92s singer finally
prophesies that her soul =93shall speak in the leaves of
the willow tree=94 and intones =93remember me when I am
gone.=94 It's a lovely and heartbreaking moment, as
authentic as you're likely to get in these days of
easy virtual entertainment. Grade: A-

=97 Kathy Valin=

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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Ancestral =
Voices opens on Friday, June 28 at the Gordon Square.=A0 Be sure to tune =
in to "Around Noon" on Wednesday, June 27 to hear Dee Perry interview =
Nadia Tarnawsky, the show's director and Mark Tomasic, one of the show's =
choreographers.=A0 Also, look for Donald Rosenberg's preview in the PD =
some time this week.=A0 I've included a copy of a review from a =
performance at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival earlier this month.=A0 =
Hope to see you this weekend!</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><TABLE width=3D"463.0" =
cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" style=3D"width: 463.0px; =
background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 1.0px 0.0px 1.0px =
0.0px"><TBODY><TR><TD valign=3D"top" style=3D"width: 457.0px; margin: =
0.5px 0.5px 0.5px 0.5px; padding: 0.0px 1.0px 0.0px 1.0px"><DIV =
style=3D"text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"Times" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><B><I>Ancestral =
Voices</I></B></SPAN></FONT></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; =
min-height: 19px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 16px/normal Times; min-height: 19px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Times" =
size=3D"3"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;">An original dance-theatre piece based on Ukrainian folk songs and =
the poetry of Oleksander Oles, Lesia Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko and =
Mykhailo Drai-Khmara. Featuring dancers from Verb Ballets: Erin Conway, =
Catherine Meredith, Anna Roberts and Mark Tomasic. Choreography by =
Natalie M. Kapeluck and Mark Tomasic. Directed by Nadia Tarnawsky. June =
29-30, 2007 at 8 p.m. July 1, 2007 at 3 p.m. at the Gordon Square =
Theatre (6409 Detroit Avenue). Tickets $20 general admission, $15 for =
students and seniors. For more information, call Nadia at =
216-269-7228</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Times" =
size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
16px;">=A0</SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Times" size=3D"3"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px;">E-mail =
</SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"mailto:mn2productions at yahoo.com"><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Times" size=3D"3"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px;"><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
color=3D"#003FDA">mn2productions at yahoo.com</FONT></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Times" size=3D"4"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
16px;">=A0</SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Times" size=3D"3"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px;">URL =
</SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"http://www.mn2productions.com/"><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Times" size=3D"3"><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px;"><FONT =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
color=3D"#003FDA">http://www.mn2productions.com</FONT></SPAN></FONT></A></=
DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">City Beat</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">June 06, =
2007</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Ancestral Voices</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">This is =
a delightful dance-theater experience that</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">takes =
you straight into the poignant and poetic world</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">of magical Ukrainian folklore, where the moon =
dances</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">with the stars in the blue vault =
of heaven, spring</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">blazes with plentiful flowers =
and willows bend like</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">drunkards in the =
wind.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">At base are the ancient traditions of oral</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">storytelling and the piercing tone and =
expressive</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">embellishment of traditional =
Ukrainian =93open-throat=94</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">singing, both =
mastered by narrator Nadia Tarnawsky.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Her =
solid, motherly presence anchors the hour-long</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">performance, which weaves through eight scenes =
of</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; ">poetry, dancing, singing and puppetry loosely =
tracing</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">the divergent life paths of two =
sisters, one rich and</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">one poor.</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">Alternately speaking and singing, with deftly</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">interspersed Ukrainian-to-English =
translations,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Tarnawsky=92s voice joins =
additional recorded voices and</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">traditional =
ethnic instruments including cimbalom,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">violin, =
sopilka, zozulka and bandura, according to</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">program =
notes. Dancers Erin Conway, Catherine</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">Meredith, Anna Roberts and Mark Tomasic (who had a</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">terrific solo portraying Fire) bring emotion, =
vitality</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">and clarity to Natalie M. =
Kapeluck=92s choreography,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">portraying a =
variety of characters and situations</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">extremely =
well within the limited space they have to</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">work at =
the Contemporary Arts Center=92s black box</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">theater.=A0 They also become puppeteers and prop</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">masters, as needed.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Ancestral =
Voices has so much aural and visual richness</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">that following the sisters=92 lives eventually =
didn=92t</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">seem nearly as important as =
marveling at the wondrous</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">tales being =
told along the way. As =93the stars speak to</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">the moon,=94 two dancers loft illuminated globes =
that</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">represent the moon and a star =
dancing a charming duet.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">A new bride, thrust into the =
home of her unfriendly</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">mother-in-law, is =
transformed into a poplar tree</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">during her =
husband=92s absence, which the mother-in-law</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">then commands him to cut. The tree begs, =93Don=92t =
chop</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">me, beloved. I am your wife.=94 =
It is too late, but a</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">child is found within the =
branches of the tree.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">A barrel-maker=92s daughter =
(portrayed cleverly by a</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">life-size =
puppet with two =93live=94 arms) refuses a man=92s</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">advances and runs away. When he catches her, she =
tells</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">him she would rather =93rot in =
the grave than live in</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">slavery with you.=94 He =
dispatches her, but her grave</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">beckons to =
the Wind (given voice by an undulating</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">dancer =
and a flute), saying =93Do not let me fade away.=94</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">A woman =
sings =93Mother, I Love a Man of the Black Sea=94</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">who leads =93me barefoot through the frost.=94 When =
her</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">lover disappears at sea (from a =
wooden boat floating</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">on top of a fabric sea), =
the bereft woman vows to</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">become a =
mermaid, =93find him and embrace him.=94</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The final =
scene evokes a celebration feast but, like</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">all =
things folkloric, brushed with melancholy. When,</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">surrounded by masked dancer in the guise of =
Earth,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Wind, Water and Fire, =
Tarnawsky=92s singer finally</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">prophesies =
that her soul =93shall speak in the leaves of</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">the willow tree=94 and intones =93remember me when I =
am</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; ">gone.=94 It's a lovely and heartbreaking =
moment, as</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">authentic as you're likely to =
get in these days of</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">easy virtual entertainment. =
Grade: A-</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">=97 Kathy Valin</DIV></BODY></HTML>=

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