UPCOMING WORK
the ineffable fixation on the melodramatic experience
the “extra-dramatic” pulls us in closer to the T.V, the stage, the sidewalks– even in a time when our attention spans are fleeting. does our fixation on the melodramatic experiences we are drawn to explain the realities we find ourselves in?
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the ineffable fixation on the melodramatic experience seeks to explore the real-lifeness of melodrama in four different locations with four different scenarios. these scenes, taken out of the context which they usually exist in, attempt to explore the relationship between accepted conditions and believability. operating based on amplified dramatics, the scenarios try to bring the validity of our obsessions into question. do these scenes make us realize the absurdity of our obsession… or does it make us love it more?
the four installations happen concurrently: situation a performed by Aislinn Travis, situation b performed by Catherine Bright, Joy Echols, and Rachel Osucha, situation c performed by Lucy Willcott, and situation d performed by Emma DeCaprio and Maria DeFeo.
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WHEN AND WHERE
around Duke's campus July 8th, 2023 from 2:30 PM-3:30 PM
situation a: in front of the Nasher Museum
situation b: on campus drive across from the Arts Annex
situation c: in front of Gilbert-Addoms
situation d: in front of the Rubenstein
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the installation will last for an hour; feel free to walk around to each of the locations to get a glimpse of all the scenes, or stick with one for the duration of the performance. you are welcome to come and go as you please.
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situation a: Aislinn Travis grapples with the concept of body as art, and how repetition uncovers a new understanding. our daily repetitions can teach us something new about ourselves, or, they can perpetuate a static position unbreakable by routine.
situation b: Catherine Bright, Joy Echols, and Rachel Osucha explore the connection between melodrama and music. in an attempt to make sense of a random string of songs, this scene brings into question the true meaning behind the songs, and how often this meaning is forgotten during the absentminded singing we partake in.
situation c: Lucy Willcott performs the undoable: a multi-character play turned one-woman show. when we take the multiplicity, the staging, the proscenium theater, out of the play, we might be able to see clearer. the melodramatic plus absurdity makes the melodramatic grow exponentially, or maybe it makes it lose its charm all together.
music credits for situation b:
All By Myself Céline Dion
Hopelessly Devoted To You Olivia Newton-John
1+1 Beyoncé
I Will Always Love You Whitney Houston
It's All Coming Back to Me Now Céline Dion
I Have Nothing Whitney Houston
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Aretha Franklin
Someone Like You Adele
Crickets& Frogs Alam
Text from Why Don't You Love Me? Beyoncé
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going Jennifer Hudson
My Heart Will Go On Céline Dion
situation d: Emma DeCaprio and Maria DeFeo partake in potentially the most enthralling act of human experience: a heated argument in a public space. in pushing the bounds of reality, the argument might become more, or less, believable. maybe believability is not required when it comes to the melodramatic.
PAST WORKS
untitled
May 2023
what is the fingerprint of my dance? can I analyze it and find patterns? is it specific to only me? untitled uses repeated movements and paint to uncover a tangible expression of personal movement and personal history. the durational work lasted for an hour, and also encompassed questions of spectatorship, the performer's relationship with the audience, and the body for sale.
TEACH ME HOW TO [ ]
May 2023
TEACH ME HOW TO [ ] is a fleeting exhibit that tries to wick away the pleasantries of familial history. focusing on the Cannistra family’s immigration from Italy to the United States in the 1950s, the questions arise: what is home? how do we become? how are your histories stored inside me? does my body already know what you are telling me? through interviews, storytelling, collecting of mementos, working with the physical body and tangible objects, the exhibit showcases the presented story, while always asking to understand the unshrouded truth. TEACH ME HOW TO [ ] is presented by Emma DeCaprio, the grandchild of the four sisters of the Cannistra family.
the exhibit, located in the Gershman Hall Levitt Foyer, opened May 1st, 2023 at 6 PM, and closed May 4th, 2023 at 9 AM. a performance took place on May 1st, 2023 from 6PM to 10 PM, which was interactive and culminated in a collective meal. the space is meant to be dynamic, and is open to participation, interaction, and touch. the performance can be watched in its entirety, or watched in snippets, coming in and out of the space as desired. all are welcome, all are wanted, all are appreciated.
