Caligula! A queer-community puppet project
Donation protected
Hi! My name is Bizzy Barefoot and I’m fundraising for a fledgling queer-community theater project dreamed of and designed by myself and co-directed by me and the marvelous Tim Cusack, founder and Artistic Director of Theater Askew in NYC, in the newly conceived and built Chinkapin Craftstead artists’ residence and performance space in Liberty TN. And here’s what we are making…
This year, theatergoers are in for a wildly entertaining and thought-provoking experience as an original puppet production takes center stage. "Camus’ Caligula 2024, an Absurd Puppet Extravaganza" brings Albert Camus' darkly absurd masterpiece, "Caligula," to life in a strangely whimsical and unconventional way.
Set in a chaotic grand music hall theater style, the story unfolds with a talented ensemble of performers/puppeteers bringing life to hand puppets the likes of which many of us grew up watching on television. Each character, meticulously designed with vibrant costumes and unique personalities, brings a touch of comedy and charm to the stage.
The show follows the journey of Caligula, a Roman emperor driven to madness by his thirst for power and unrelenting search for meaning. As the special guest star of the night, Caligula, the only non-puppet performer becomes the central figure in this berserk theatrical spectacle.
In this reimagined version, the puppets infuse the narrative with a musical variety style, featuring catchy original songs and lively dance numbers. The theater becomes a vibrant playground where the dark absurdity of Caligula's actions is juxtaposed with the wacky and whimsical antics of the puppet ensemble who play the arrogant patricians of the Roman Empire.
This unique structure and concept adds a layer of accessibility to the original absurdist piece. By combining the dark themes of the play with the light-hearted nature of puppetry and musical variety, it invites a broader audience to engage with the philosophical questions raised by Camus.
The juxtaposition of the absurd and the comedic elements in this production serves to highlight the underlying themes of power, morality, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. Through the lens of puppetry, the complexities of Caligula's character and the absurdity of his actions are explored in a way that while chilling and tragic, is also both entertaining and thought-provoking.
"Camus’ Caligula 2024 promises to be a theatrical experience like no other, blending the dark and the whimsical to create a truly unforgettable piece of theater that takes audiences on a rollercoaster of thought and emotions, leaving them questioning the boundaries of power, morality, and the human condition, and belly laughing all the way.
This performance is the first full scale live production being produced by Chinkapin Craftstead in their newly built timber framed pavilion, in rural TN. Chinkapin is a queer non-profit arts organization focused on promoting and nurturing creative spaces for underrepresented artists, people of color and rural Queer and trans people.
Located on 280 acres of meadows, springs and old-growth Forrest’s Chinkapin is a multi use space where artist residencies, theatre, community conversations, workshops and land-stewardship all take place.
This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to bring a rural queer community together in an epic way. In theses absurd and chaotic , and frankly treacherous times for marginalized people, it is essential for us to remain connected and creative as a community and there is no more effective or rewarding way for us to do that than making incredible things together..
Your donations will help us build sets, and costumes, and most importantly—PUPPETS! It will also help us pay a modest stipend to our participating artists. Please support rural queer community and give what you can.
Many blessings to you.
Bizzy
Organizer
BIZZY BAREFOOT
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY