Hawaii Tribune-Herald Island Beat Thursday, February 2, 2017 11 ‘LOON’ From page 2 Doors will open at 6PM Advance Tickets: $30 General; $40 Side Reserved; $50 Center Reserved. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or over the phone with a credit card at 934-7010, M-F, 10am-3pm. All tickets will be $5 more on the Day of Show. this character because of the lengths he’s willing to go to find love,” Phoenix says. “It’s creating a sense of empathy and understanding about a really wonderful character that wants so much to find love but has been somewhat unlucky in life and love.” Wonderheads will present “Loon,” recommended for ages 10 and older, in two Big Island performances: at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center and 6 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Kahilu Theatre. “This season we are pushing the envelope of surprise, intending that our audience comes away with their artistic horizons broadened and their eyes opened to an expression of humanity they haven’t seen before,” says Deb Goodwin, Kahilu Theatre executive director. Adds UH-Hilo PAC manager Lee Dombroski, “We haven’t had a puppet or mask company bring a production in about five years now, and when I saw this company perform I was absolutely enchanted by this particular story. It is beautifully presented. It has a lyrical, poetic quality that really moved me.” When Phoenix and Braidwood started Wonderheads in 2009, they wanted to step beyond the words of the typical play experience and ignite the imaginations of every audience member. Their work is performed in full-face mask — a wordless form that mixes European larval mask traditions with character mask styles, resulting in a craft rarely seen in the U.S. “Though our theater is different than most people might be used to, I think it’s more accessible and I think people would be surprised that something so accessible is wordless,” Phoenix says. “The biggest appeal to me is the universality of it. I think audiences can connect to the emotions of the characters and put their own story on top of that. People find something to identify with. I’m always looking for a way to achieve more truth and connect with people, and I’ve found that with our work, we have the ability to reach a broader audience.” Phoenix and Braidwood met years ago as students at Dell’Arte International in California, where they studied ensemble theater. This type of theater allowed them to collaborate in productions and have a hand in everything from writing and acting to directing and more. Braidwood also has a degree in acting from the University of Victoria and a master’s in ensemble-based physical theater from Dell’Arte. It was at Dell’Arte where her passion for mask emerged. She went on to study mask design domestically and abroad, but much of what she learned, says Phoenix, was self– taught. As for Phoenix, he has a bachelor’s in acting from Texas State University and also has a master’s from Dell’Arte International. “I grew up in Texas where there were more traditional theater programs,” Phoenix explains, “but I took clowning and mime and got really interested in nonverbal work like silent films. I was curious about the possibilities of how you could tell stories without using words.” The music helps set the mood — in this case some Frank Sinatra, classic love songs and a cello piece among others — and there are voices of outside characters, but the character and the story are purposefully simple. Shortly after Phoenix and Braidwood decided to start Wonderheads — and were almost done with the creation of their first show, “Grim and Fischer” — the two fell in love. Now married, Phoenix says they are a great pair and collaborate on every aspect of their stage endeavors. The masks Braidwood creates for Wonderheads shows take approximately 50 hours to make. Performance masks, made of papier-mache, are guarded like children — there is only one of each character — but they are more durable than people think, Phoenix says. “People always ask if we are using electronics or other effects to make the masks move,” he says. “But the mask is a fixed thing. The fun thing is that even though the mask is fixed, it still has this live effect of emotion. “The way the mask is made and the way we move it, the mask changes from happy to sad … magically in front of you … even though you know it shouldn’t. People always say to me, ‘I know it can’t move, but why did it seem like it could?’ There’s a certain magic that happens in live performance.” Adds Dombroski, “The masks are really spectacular! The nuanced way the performer is able to convey character and emotion using subtle gestures and body language is phenomenal! When the face is covered, every other part of the body must be used to tell the story, and the Wonderheads artists are masters at this form of mask work and puppetry.” Email Katie Young Yamanaka at BIVHawaii@ gmail.com. When Phoenix and Braidwood started Wonderheads they wanted to step beyond the words of the typical play experience. Photo: Second Glance Photography
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