Amanda’s Halloween and the Coolest Volunteer Opportunity Ever - October 2009

A friend was in town from New Orleans to participate in the Barebone’s Productions annual Halloween Extravaganza. Kirk (my husband) and I were able to volunteer and at 11 PM one night we arrived at Bedlam Theater’s spooky warehouse workshop. Here with 50 focused puppet makers, we were assigned the task of making a human organ lantern. A what? This weird and macabre task of molding tape around bamboo reeds and painting it red got me really excited to attend the show. The result of our blood, sweat and tears was a shiny glandular blob. Oops, making a realistic liver is hard without all the technological tools and software I use at work.

Devoured, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, took place at Hidden Falls Park on the mighty Mississippi. It was well attended with over 1,000 people 3 nights in a row. The puppets were absolutely stunning, the iconography and visual imagery was highly effective and the 35 piece orchestra was outstanding. Particularly captivating were the dancing moths whom were hung among the trees. Once the majority of the performance was finished, the organs debuted! They lined the path leading to the river where songs were sung and ethereal projections engulfed the trees.

Following the show a New Orleans style jazz band performed while the shop keepers at the bazaar sold warm treats and other items supporting the troupe.

The pictures tell it all!