Useful Tables
Village Halloween Parade
NYC
2000
The first version of Useful Tables began as a large walking table, ‘The Table of Contents’. Commissioned by the Village Halloween Parade.
Labapalooza, St Ann’s Warehouse,
Brooklyn, NY
2001
A puppet show with large video projections.
A ten-foot table, ‘The Table of Contents’ dances in the opening musical number and lowers to become the puppet stage for the table scenes: 1) Table Manners – a gathering of the Grey Play Round Table who meet to share stories of grey parrots, 2) Operating Table – a surgery for pec enhancement gone awry, and 3)Tableware – a runway fashion show of the latest table wear. Featuring large rear- projections of the Periodic Table, Navigational Tables, Multiplication Tables, and other useful tables.
Conceived, written, and produced by Ed Woodham
Directed by Jane Catherine Shaw
Choreography by Meagan Boyd
Original music composed by Stephan Moore, David Patterson, Scott Burland, and Tedd Patterson
Madrigal vocals by Carol Binion and Jess Beck
Video and slide projections by DEKART VIDEO
Editing by Kay Hines, Dieter Froese, and Christine Ng
Puppet design: Table of Contents and Tableware designed by Jane Catherine Shaw and Ed Woodham; Parrots by Sam Hack; Patient by Jane Stein; LIttle Table by Oliver Dalzell; and Bodybuilder shadow puppet by Erin Orr.
Costumes by Ellen Van Wees
Lighting by Bill Bradford
Sound design by Stephan Moore
Puppeteers: Hjordis-Linn Blanford, Carrol Binion, Frank Dowd, Erin Orr, and Lake Simmons
Stage Manager: Mike Kelleher
Special thanks: Dan Hurlin, Theodora Skipateres, Rob Dyrenforth, Drama of Works, Paul Loverme, Liz Foley, Eric Novak, Jess Beck, Bob Riley, Sylvia Cross, Robert Johnson, George Spencer, Erin Orr, Hal Eager, and Eva Lansberry.
Photos by Richard Termine