Dear Friends, Colleagues and Artistic Associates,
In a year when we all seem to need a good laugh, this summer's 18th Annual KO FESTIVAL OF PERFORMANCE will offer a season on the theme of "THAT'S FUNNY!" / "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" Join us on the Amherst College campus in Amherst, MA as we investigate what genuinely makes us laugh, and why, and also what goes too far (or not far enough).
For more information on individual productions, or on the special savings that come with our Festival Pass visit www.kofest.com
WORKSHOPS
Would you like to stretch your creativity in a supportive environment? Immerse yourself in art? Meet a really interesting group of people, half of whom are local and half of whom come from all over the country? Join us for one or more of our series of 6-day WORKSHOPS with expert teachers who are adept at gearing their classes of all levels of experience. Past participants have ranged in age from 18 to 80.
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July 13 – 18
DRAMATIC FOOLERY: The Paradox of Comic Acting with Lecoq grad Drew Richardson (aka Drew the Dramatic Fool) In an effort to provoke deeper laughter, it’s often the case that the more serious you are, the funnier you are. No irony, no wackiness, just you, trying your imperfect best in absurdly real situations. In this workshop, Drew will guide the participants with tragically comic exercises using clown, mask, and movement to express their own dramatic foolishness and then use what they learn to create character-based theatrical comedy. For people who don’t think they are funny, actors who want to be funnier, or anyone who wants to explore sincerely playful creative problem solving. |
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July 20 – 25
FINDING COMEDY IN A SERIOUS WORLD with actor, writer & Dell 'Arte Ensemble member David Ferney An exploration of what is funny as a tool for creating new performance. Using clown, mask and absurdist theatre to find the comic in our often to serious world, Mr. Ferney will lead the class through an exploration of what is funny. Through exercises and explorations workshop participants will be encouraged to “find the funny” and develop a sense of play for creating interesting comic characters and generating new material. |
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July 27 – August 1
CREATING SOLO PERFORMANCE: Amusing the Muse (or – The Art of Juggling the Truth) with world-renowned juggler & solo theater artist Sara Felder A workshop on developing performance material from our own lives using objects, character work, monologues and humor. We will write, try on different performance styles, create images, play with objects, investigate characters, consider different narrative voices, find the humor in the pain (and vice versa) experiment, fail, laugh and surprise ourselves. Use this workshop to generate material for a solo performance. Emphasize the use of performance to say something important, and, if we’re lucky, to amuse (or shmooze or cruise) the Muse. |
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE EVENTS OR TO DOWNLOAD A REGISTRATION FORM REGISTER PLEASE VISIT www.kofest.com Note that there are discounts for members of NET and TCG companies! We also have a limited pool of financial aid.
Please help get the word out by passing this information along to all appropriate friends, colleagues and students!
All best wishes,
–Sabrina
Sabrina Hamilton
Artistic Director
Ko Festival of Performance
Please, let me know if you would like to receive a festival brochure or weekly email reminders of our performances during the month-long festival.
Ko is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council; a state agency; the Amherst Cultural Councils and individual donors. Please consider joining our list of supporters. You are what makes this work possible!
