TRIP Dance Theatre - Poisoning the Well

trip dance theatre

"POISONING THE WELL"

> Read Monica Campagna interview about this work

> SEE the dances in "Poisoning the Well" on this site:

Gathering at the Well
Valdez Tinikling
Walking Softly
Adrift
Mr. Plastics
Albatross (Synthetic Sea)
Elephants & Monkeys
The Evol-u-tion Channel presents "Text Off!"
Redtide
Drunken Trees, Bark Beetles & Fear
The Flood
Cause & Effect (video is on this page)
Returning to the Well

In April, 2007, we premiered our newest and perhaps most urgent work to date, "Poisoning the Well." Centered on environmental issues, the work is a journey into humankind's complex relationship with the earth through dynamic contemporary dance, sculptural costume design, stunning video imagery and live, original music featuring guitar, percussion, electronics and amplified handmade instruments.

"Poisoning the Well" celebrates the way nature feeds our souls whilst exploring the dramatic and often devastating impact humans are making on the planet.
With beauty, drama and humor - we bring to life the worlds of cranes, bark beetles, monkeys, fish, humans and polar bears in arctic landscapes, green rice patties, swirling gyres of plastic, red tides and "drunken forests".

"Poisoning the Well" features set/costume design and choreography by Monica Favand Campagna in collaboration with the members of TRIP Dance Theatre, outlandish comedic theater from Denesa Chan, Craig Ng and Tomas Tamayo, video design by Carol Gehring and original, live music by Charlie Campagna in collaboration with guitarist Andy Tabb and percussionist Hector Torres.

The creation and production of "Poisoning the Well" was made possible in part by funding received from the Dance: Creation to Performance program, funded by The James Irvine Foundation and administered by Dance/USA.

Director: Monica Favand Campagna
Composer: Charlie Campagna
Choreographed by Monica Favand Campagna in collaboration with the members of TRIP Dance Theatre: Denesa Chan, Andriana Mitchell, Tomas Tamayo, Taryn Wayne and Craig Ng
Musicians: Charlie Campagna (Guitar/Electronics/Percussion), Andy Tabb (Guitar), Hector Torres (Percussion)
Video Artist / Videographer: Carol Gehring
Costume Designer: Monica Favand Campagna
Lighting Design: Cris Capp

"Cause & Effect" section of "Poisoning the Well"
Choreographed / Performed by :Monica Campagna,
Denesa Chan, Andriana Mitchell, Tomas Tamayo &
Taryn Wayne / Live Music: Charlie Campagna,
Andy Tabb & Hector Torres

"And Man created the plast ic bag and the tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place and He could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator and throw away that which had no further use. And soon the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his head and cried: "Look at this Godawful mess."

~Art Buchwald, 1970

"The U.N. Environment Program estimates that 46,000 pieces of plastic litter are floating on every square mile of the oceans."

- Los Angeles Times