PigPen Theatre Co.’s THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON, a fantastical song-filled fable for all ages, directed by Stuart Carden and PigPen Theatre Co., opens at the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, March 2 and continues through Sunday, March 17, 2019, in The Wallis’s Bram Goldsmith Theater. Featuring a spirited indie-folk score performed live by PigPen, this one-of-a-kind theatrical experience is the touching tale of a man charged with the task of keeping the moon shining bright. A mysterious disappearance sends him on an epic adventure over land, sea and sky and ultimately reminds him — and us — of the unwavering power of love. The production, which had award-winning runs in New York, Chicago and Boston, combines PigPen Theatre Co.’s signature shadow puppetry, wonderfully melodic music, wildly imaginative staging and ever-changing characters. The Old Man and The Old Moon’s high-energy ensemble is comprised of PigPen Theatre Co.’s Alex Falberg, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen, Ryan Melia, Matt Nuernberger, Arya Shahi and Dan Weschler.
Critics have described The Old Man and The Old Moon as “a rare example of true theatre magic” (TheaterMania) and “a glorious fusion of music and theatrics!” (BroadwayWorld). The New York Times said, “words play second fiddle to the giddy feelings it inspires.” New York Magazine called PigPen Theatre Co. “absurdly talented, delightfully uninhibited and unpretentiously playful.”
The Old Man and the Old Moon is obviously aimed at kids, but this senior citizen, along with some of the other elderly folks in the audience, had himself a surprisingly good time.
Stuart Carden, credit as co-director with the members of PigPen, briskly orchestrates the keenly marshaled mayhem. The cast, which includes Matt Nuernberger, Dan Weschler, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen and Arya Shahi, doubles as musicians and singers who perform toe-tapping, Gaelic-seasoned music from the company's debut album. Their combined musicianship is a highlight, but the music is just the tip of their onstage responsibilities. All perform a dizzying array of roles: actors, puppeteers, prop masters, lighting specialists, Foley artists.
Co-directed by Stuart Carden and the PigPen Theatre Company, OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON is perfect family fare. Bring the kiddies and laugh along with them to this tuneful, clever show. The staging is truly wildly imaginative, with any and all bits and pieces serving multiple purposes a la Rube Goldberg...
This is an entertaining, sweet, and charming production which will delight the kids and amuse their families.
The Old Man and the Old Moon is an assemblage of all the elements that made theatre the earliest and most essential of humanity's creative expressions:
The making of myth and spinning of stories to explain the inexplicable, and tame the terrors of the unknown, the marshalling of music and song, puppetry and laughter to forge the shield of community, that indispensable armor which secured our survival; all entwined with the essence of wonder and imagination which has encouraged and ensured our evolution since the dawn of our kind.
Overall, the experience is one-of-a-kind and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, especially fans of retro theater. Their artistic portrayal elevates the clever and touching conclusion beyond the sum of the story's parts, altogether creating a memorable new folktale not soon to be forgotten. - RECOMMENDED
What is most striking about the production is how in sync with each other these likable artists are. It isn't surprising since they all met while attending Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and over the last decade have forged a creative alliance that makes use of all their many talents. To watch how seamlessly they pass the ball on stage is dizzying, given the various elements they incorporate into the show and how quickly it all moves along.
The stunning combination of catchy bluegrass music; shadow puppetry magic; and slapstick physical comedy, along with an adorable shaggy dog who steals our hearts, makes for a winning theatrical experience for the entire family.
There are so many noteworthy moments in this production, it is difficult to select which to mention in this review as each scene offers fascinating characters and staging to push the fable's tale along its path. There are pirates, flying machines, a legendary hero, journeys to the unknown, extraordinary shadow puppetry, a lifelong love story, and a wondrous full-arm dog puppet able to catch fish from the boat in which she is escaping with the Old Man on his journey to the City of Light. But once he gets there, will The Old Man find the person he seeks and be able to fulfill his mission to save the Old Moon? The joy is in the telling, making this production a visual celebration of all things creative!
The Old Man and the Old Moon is obviously aimed at kids, but this senior citizen, along with some of the other elderly folks in the audience, had himself a surprisingly good time.
Stuart Carden, credit as co-director with the members of PigPen, briskly orchestrates the keenly marshaled mayhem. The cast, which includes Matt Nuernberger, Dan Weschler, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen and Arya Shahi, doubles as musicians and singers who perform toe-tapping, Gaelic-seasoned music from the company's debut album. Their combined musicianship is a highlight, but the music is just the tip of their onstage responsibilities. All perform a dizzying array of roles: actors, puppeteers, prop masters, lighting specialists, Foley artists.
Co-directed by Stuart Carden and the PigPen Theatre Company, OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON is perfect family fare. Bring the kiddies and laugh along with them to this tuneful, clever show. The staging is truly wildly imaginative, with any and all bits and pieces serving multiple purposes a la Rube Goldberg...
This is an entertaining, sweet, and charming production which will delight the kids and amuse their families.
The Old Man and the Old Moon is an assemblage of all the elements that made theatre the earliest and most essential of humanity's creative expressions:
The making of myth and spinning of stories to explain the inexplicable, and tame the terrors of the unknown, the marshalling of music and song, puppetry and laughter to forge the shield of community, that indispensable armor which secured our survival; all entwined with the essence of wonder and imagination which has encouraged and ensured our evolution since the dawn of our kind.
Overall, the experience is one-of-a-kind and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, especially fans of retro theater. Their artistic portrayal elevates the clever and touching conclusion beyond the sum of the story's parts, altogether creating a memorable new folktale not soon to be forgotten. - RECOMMENDED
What is most striking about the production is how in sync with each other these likable artists are. It isn't surprising since they all met while attending Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and over the last decade have forged a creative alliance that makes use of all their many talents. To watch how seamlessly they pass the ball on stage is dizzying, given the various elements they incorporate into the show and how quickly it all moves along.
The stunning combination of catchy bluegrass music; shadow puppetry magic; and slapstick physical comedy, along with an adorable shaggy dog who steals our hearts, makes for a winning theatrical experience for the entire family.
There are so many noteworthy moments in this production, it is difficult to select which to mention in this review as each scene offers fascinating characters and staging to push the fable's tale along its path. There are pirates, flying machines, a legendary hero, journeys to the unknown, extraordinary shadow puppetry, a lifelong love story, and a wondrous full-arm dog puppet able to catch fish from the boat in which she is escaping with the Old Man on his journey to the City of Light. But once he gets there, will The Old Man find the person he seeks and be able to fulfill his mission to save the Old Moon? The joy is in the telling, making this production a visual celebration of all things creative!
