“THE ART OF GIVING JOY—BEYOND CLOWNING AROUND
The children were fascinated...Joan Merwyn performed a dance/mime with cat-like grace.”
— New York Daily News
All ages love this colorful, fun and imagistic work by Joan Merwyn, featuring music, text and
exciting movement theater. Through interactions between the live performer and her audio
sound track, the show suggests many important choices young people face in their lives
concerning peer pressure, drugs and alcohol, and environmental concerns.
CHO?CES is a performance piece for young people of all ages. It exposes them to unusual
musical sound and abstract visual imagery while heightening awareness and stimulating
thought about issues that are relevant to their daily lives. The approach is to suggest and
question through performance, in order to encourage and empower young people to decide for themselves which choices are best.
“CHOICES: There are no more mermaids. In the post-industrial twilight, there is only industrial damage and alien-like creatures all washed up on the East River. A huge tube crawls on to the stage: artist Joan Merwyn squirms inside. The death of fantasy is just one of the themes in this 45-minute, imagistic, movement theater piece for children of all ages. The piece grapples with peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, and environmental devastation; kids today face staggering life choices.”
—Gener, Village Voice
CHO?CES has toured the New York City public schools
under the auspices of New York Children's Theater and indipendently.
The show has been presented at adult mental health facilities,
rehabilitation centers and homeless shelters through Hospital
Audiences, Inc. Other Commissions include a run at Manhattan’s
avant guarde theater venue, HERE and Family Performance Series'
at Pelham Arts Center and Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX). For
booking information, please contact joanmerwyn@gmail.com. |
