Purify
"Purify" is built upon the notion that certain routines and tasks are imperative to achieving success, happiness and salvation in our mortal lives. It is an interactive performance and installation, which utilizes the ancient structures of ritual to lead the audience through the necessary steps to achieve purity in life. This event relies on a mysterious, yet familiar aesthetic, and will immerse it's viewers in an uncertain twilight; and invite them to participate in this shadowed, yet promising land.
Purify is composed of four Steps, conducted by the Maestro, during which the audience will be invited to follow in various group-oriented tasks, interact with the environment of Purify, and ultimately "purify" the Medium. However; despite this entire process and the audience's completion of each task, the Medium is labeled by an appalled Maestro as a failure; he does not actually achieve "purity." This ironic twist accentuates Purify's themes of uncertainty and promise, and leads the audience to question the role that routine and tradition both play in their lives and whether they will amount to any sort of sustained purity.
The performance and interactivity of Purify is aimed to fully immerse the audience, and lead them through the Ritual's multiple steps and engaging tasks.
The cast is composed of three bodies:
The Maestro, who directs the structure and rhythm of the ritual.
The Medium, who accompanies the Maestro, and assists in directing each stage of Purify. They are ultimately led to become the object of Purification during the last stage of the ritual.
The Audience, who are invited by the Maestro to follow the multiple steps, which involve completing a series of tasks, and interacting with the installations various objects.
The 4 Steps of Purification:
One: Creation of Divine Alters. During which the audience is invited to collect various building blocks and objects that are strewn about the space, and work together to combine, and create as many or as few Alters as they decide reasonable.
Two: Illumination. The audience is invited to decorate each Alter with strands of Christmas lights (actual color to be determined later,) activate each strand, and illuminate the space in a divine glow.
Three: Filling the Divine Pool. The audience is invited to each carry a vessel filled with "divine liquid" to the Divine Pool, which is permanently located in the center of the space. Once the Pool is filled the Maestro will begin the Final Step.
Four: Purification. The Medium ascends the main stage to join the audience, who are invited by the Maestro to usher and carry the Medium to the Divine Pool. After a brief, final incantation and sing-along, the Medium is submerged in the waters, so that they will arise as a pure and successful being.
Note: Each Step and interactive task will be accompanied by music and the opportunity to sing along with the Maestro and the Medium as they lead the audience in a variety of Divine Tunes, Chants and (after the final step) a brief, Divine Dance Party. A keyboard and beat machine will be utilized by the Maestro and the Medium to provide a structure for these activities.
Materials Breakdown:
The objects used to build the Alters are not intended to be overly elaborate, and their forms would depend on the availability of local materials, as well as their potential to be built / stacked / arranged in a substantial fashion.
The Divine Pool's form will be that either of a tub, an appropriated trough, or plastic kiddie pool. An old, ornate bathtub is ideal, however, the availability of resources will decide which item is utilized.
The strands of lights will ideally be purple Halloween-style Christmas lights. Extension chords and power strips may also be necessary, so as to provide the audience with a way to activate them and give Divine Illumination to the space.
The Divine Liquid used to fill the Pool will be water dyed a deep magenta. It will be contained in gallon jugs, from which the audience will take enough to fill each of their vessels (cups / small pitchers,) in order to fill the Pool in step Three.
Note: For the musical aspects there needs to be: a keyboard, two microphones, some sort of device to play beats, or an amplifier with laptop compatibility. (chords and amps for each microphone and the keyboard will also be necessary.)
Timeframe:
Purify will begin with a quick introductory song and instruction from the Maestro, which will last about 5-10 minutes.
The First Step will be given around 10-15 minutes.
The Second Step 10- 15 minutes.
The Third Step's time will depend on the actual depth of the Pool, and speed at which the audience participates. Any lag during this Step can be assisted by the Medium or the Maestro, who could take control for a short moment to carry, and pour an entire gallon of the "liquid" into the Pool.
Note: All of the performance and actions after the Fourth Step will take about 10 minutes, after which the event will end.
Estimated entire length: 45 minutes.
Purify is composed of four Steps, conducted by the Maestro, during which the audience will be invited to follow in various group-oriented tasks, interact with the environment of Purify, and ultimately "purify" the Medium. However; despite this entire process and the audience's completion of each task, the Medium is labeled by an appalled Maestro as a failure; he does not actually achieve "purity." This ironic twist accentuates Purify's themes of uncertainty and promise, and leads the audience to question the role that routine and tradition both play in their lives and whether they will amount to any sort of sustained purity.
The performance and interactivity of Purify is aimed to fully immerse the audience, and lead them through the Ritual's multiple steps and engaging tasks.
The cast is composed of three bodies:
The Maestro, who directs the structure and rhythm of the ritual.
The Medium, who accompanies the Maestro, and assists in directing each stage of Purify. They are ultimately led to become the object of Purification during the last stage of the ritual.
The Audience, who are invited by the Maestro to follow the multiple steps, which involve completing a series of tasks, and interacting with the installations various objects.
The 4 Steps of Purification:
One: Creation of Divine Alters. During which the audience is invited to collect various building blocks and objects that are strewn about the space, and work together to combine, and create as many or as few Alters as they decide reasonable.
Two: Illumination. The audience is invited to decorate each Alter with strands of Christmas lights (actual color to be determined later,) activate each strand, and illuminate the space in a divine glow.
Three: Filling the Divine Pool. The audience is invited to each carry a vessel filled with "divine liquid" to the Divine Pool, which is permanently located in the center of the space. Once the Pool is filled the Maestro will begin the Final Step.
Four: Purification. The Medium ascends the main stage to join the audience, who are invited by the Maestro to usher and carry the Medium to the Divine Pool. After a brief, final incantation and sing-along, the Medium is submerged in the waters, so that they will arise as a pure and successful being.
Note: Each Step and interactive task will be accompanied by music and the opportunity to sing along with the Maestro and the Medium as they lead the audience in a variety of Divine Tunes, Chants and (after the final step) a brief, Divine Dance Party. A keyboard and beat machine will be utilized by the Maestro and the Medium to provide a structure for these activities.
Materials Breakdown:
The objects used to build the Alters are not intended to be overly elaborate, and their forms would depend on the availability of local materials, as well as their potential to be built / stacked / arranged in a substantial fashion.
The Divine Pool's form will be that either of a tub, an appropriated trough, or plastic kiddie pool. An old, ornate bathtub is ideal, however, the availability of resources will decide which item is utilized.
The strands of lights will ideally be purple Halloween-style Christmas lights. Extension chords and power strips may also be necessary, so as to provide the audience with a way to activate them and give Divine Illumination to the space.
The Divine Liquid used to fill the Pool will be water dyed a deep magenta. It will be contained in gallon jugs, from which the audience will take enough to fill each of their vessels (cups / small pitchers,) in order to fill the Pool in step Three.
Note: For the musical aspects there needs to be: a keyboard, two microphones, some sort of device to play beats, or an amplifier with laptop compatibility. (chords and amps for each microphone and the keyboard will also be necessary.)
Timeframe:
Purify will begin with a quick introductory song and instruction from the Maestro, which will last about 5-10 minutes.
The First Step will be given around 10-15 minutes.
The Second Step 10- 15 minutes.
The Third Step's time will depend on the actual depth of the Pool, and speed at which the audience participates. Any lag during this Step can be assisted by the Medium or the Maestro, who could take control for a short moment to carry, and pour an entire gallon of the "liquid" into the Pool.
Note: All of the performance and actions after the Fourth Step will take about 10 minutes, after which the event will end.
Estimated entire length: 45 minutes.