Past Productions

Festivals

2nd Annual State of the Nation Art and Performance Festival

Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
03-10-05 – 05-19-05

In March 2005, Mondo Bizarro co-produced the Second Annual State of the Nation Art and Performance Festival in conjunction with ArtSpot Productions and M.U.G.A.B.E.E. of Jackson, MS. This festival was a ten-day event involving over fifty local, national and international performance and visual artists. The first weekend featured three nights of inspiring curated performance, visual art, and music. Each artist or group offered a creative interpretation of the ever-changing state of our nation with styles ranging from the socially satirical to the acutely personal. The second weekend of this ten-day festival ushered in an experiment in collaboration. Four groups of artists, educators and community organizers collaborated for four days to create a new piece of work based upon one simple theme: moral values. The results of this week-long collaboration were presented for two nights, followed by post performance discussions concerning the works presented.

The State of the Nation Art and Performance Festival

Jackson State University, Jackson, MS
07-12-04 – 07-14-04

In July 2004 Mondo Bizarro was invited to perform at the first annual State of The Nation Performance Festival in Jackson, MS. This festival was made possible through funding provided from Alternate ROOTS. Mondo Bizarro opened the festival with an original performance based upon the executive branch’s proposal to provide one billion dollars to fund manned missions to Mars. With the help of space suits, four-foot helmets, sharp video images, and music we presented a twenty-minute performance addressing the ever-changing state of our nation. Our humorous, jarring, ironic and energetic performance sparked discussions with the other artists, educators and community organizers for the rest of the weekend. In addition to performing, we provided lighting equipment and operational services for the festival.

A Summer Solstice Festival

The Big Top, 1631 Clio Street, New Orleans, LA
06-21-03

For the first day of summer, 21 June 2003, Mondo Bizarro teamed up with the ladies of 3 Ring Circus Productions to host A Summer Solstice Festival. It was an artistic extravaganza including: an art opening, theater, music, mural painting, snowballs, food, a dunking booth, free fruit, beer and a mysterious rum punch concocted by our scientists.

The lineup included:

Music: Josh Bennet and the Civil Disobedients * DJ Happenstance

Theater: New Work by Rob Tsarov, Adela The Storyteller, Alan Walter, New Orleans School of Circus Arts, Zhoux Zhoux Theater/Dance Company

Art: MJ Robitaille, Shaun Yount, Jillian Gibson, Tanya Manou, Nancy Lasowski Maas, Will Smith , David Momyer, Juliet Lockwood, Blake Haney Zack Smith, Jeannine Flores, Michele Flores

A Summer Solstice Festival was featured as Gambit Weekly’s Hot Pick. It was a great celebration of local artists and the longest day of the year.

Performance

The Far Country

Nunez Community College, 3710 Paris Road, Chalmette, LA 70043
01-21-05 – 05-31-05

In January 2005 Mondo Bizarro participated in a workshop with students from the Nunez Community College Department of Theater Studies to produce Alan Walter’s bold new play The Far Country. Alan Walter is a New Orleans playwright that was commissioned to re-write this script first produced in conjunction with Swine Palace Theater in Baton Rouge, LA. Our eight week rehearsal process resulted in six critically acclaimed live performances at the end of January.

The Little Prince

The Big Top, 1631 Clio Street, New Orleans, LA
11-07-03 – 11-17-03

In November 2003 we produced, directed and performed an original adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s allegorical classic The Little Prince. With the assistance of thirteen dedicated cast and crew members, Mondo Bizarro led an eight week rehearsal process culminating in a two-week performance of one of the most widely read books in the world. The Little Prince was the perfect starting place for our company as it allowed us to explore a wide array of creative methodologies on stage. The show incorporated original film footage, contemporary music and a variety of stage conventions to bring this imaginative tale to life.

Film & Video

Encroach

ENCROACH from Mondo Bizarro on Vimeo.

There are many types of fear. Fear of dying. Fear of insects. Fear of enclosed spaces. However, nothing has as strong of a hold on our minds as the fear of the unknown. Encroach is an eerie short film that exploits the terror that springs from our own imaginations when we are home alone at night. Created on location at Mondo Bizarro International Headquarters and starring Maeci Wang, this film weaves together elements of classic horror pictures that will leave you wondering who or what is outside your window waiting for an opportunity to come in. Filmed in black & white with a spine-chilling score from Rising Appalachias Chloe Smith, Encroach is the third fictional film release from Mondo Bizarro. Encroach will be shown at film festivals around the country and the world, but you can watch it right now. Help us spread the word by telling your friends about the terror youve witnessed and, for your own sake, make sure all your windows are closed and locked before you press play.

Running Time: 10 minutes

The Bowel Movement

A silent, foreign musical

The Bowel Movement from Mondo Bizarro on Vimeo.

The Hedgehog

Shot in New Orleans
04-01-04 – 04-30-04

Shot on location in New Orleans, The Hedgehog is a film short about a man who is convinced he’s on his way to making it big by manipulating the stock market and positioning himself to make a fortune via such scheming. The final stage of editing has recently been completed for this short film and we have submitted the piece to several local and national film festivals.