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Ancient Greek myth reinvented in multi-media presentation of "The Puzzle Master"

Released on April 02, 2007
Contact:
Media contact: Marsha MacEachern, marsham@brandeis.edu or 781-736-4203
Brandeis event is part of 2007 Boston Cyberarts Festival.
Copyright 2007 Denise Marika
Copyright 2007 Denise Marika
May 5 & 6, 2007 – 8:00 pm
Laurie Theater, Spingold Theater Center
Brandeis University

WALTHAM, Mass. – It’s a new twist to an epic story. On May 5 and 6 the ancient Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus will come to life on an imaginary island through digitally and visually enhanced theater in “The Puzzle Master.” This multi-media Brandeis and Boston Cyberarts Festival event will reinvent the story of Daedalus, the world’s greatest architect and inventor, and his son Icarus, who falls from the sky when the wings his father creates melt as he flies too near the sun.

Eric Chasalow, Brandeis composition professor and director of the Brandeis Electro-Acoustic Music Studio, is the show’s composer. “The Puzzle Master” expands Chasalow’s music and the words of poet F.D. Reeve into the realm of digitally enhanced theater. The piece is scored for five live singer/actors plus keyboard and electronic sound. As in Chasalow’s award-winning “Dream Songs” (2001), the live ensemble is modulated by and placed in counterpoint with layers of computer manipulated spoken and sung words and electronic sound.

The digital portion of the score, and the production overall, will envelop the audience using highly sophisticated BeoLab5 surround sound system (from Bang & Olufsen) provided through a collaboration with their designer, David Moulton.

Video artist and set designer Denise Marika collaborated with the composer to create a digital video environment for the production. Additional support for Marika’s work comes from the LEF Foundation. The cast of professional actors includes Jennifer Ashe (Icarus), Donald Wilkinson (Daedalus), Pamela Dellal, Matthew Anderson and Paul Guttry (the Caribes). The music director is Eric Hewitt and the pianist is Yoshiko Hiramatsu-Kline.

“The Puzzle Master” is supported by the Poses Foundation and the Theodore and Jane Norman Fund and is part of the 2007 Boston Cyberarts Festival, which brings together visual and performing artists, cultural organizations, educators and high-technology professionals in and around the Boston area.

For more information log onto http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/music/puzzlemaster.html

Location and Tickets

The Laurie Theater in the Spingold Theater Center is located on the Brandeis University campus at 415 South St. in Waltham, Mass. Tickets are $20/$10 and are available by calling 781-736-3400. For more information visit http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/music/tickets.html.