Sprat Artistic Ensemble

Based in NYC, Sprat produces intimate performances about elderly, using theatre and performance to represent the underrepresented. Current show: HENRI, coming in October to Las Vegas.

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Wanted to share this trailer from Chicago-based Manual Cinema; beautiful example from another company using innovative performance to explore aging.

Bereaved of her twin sister Ava, septuagenarian Ada solitarily marks time in the patterns of a life built for two. However, a traveling carnival and a trip to a mirror maze plunges her into a journey across the thresholds of life and death. Set in a landscape of the New England gothic, Ada/Ava uses a story of the fantastic and super natural to explore mourning and melancholy, self and other.

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As the Sprat team gets ready for our Deep Space Residency at NACL Theatre (we'll be there from Sept. 15-21), we wanted to share with you a link for tickets to our workshop showing! Please join us in Highland Lake, NY, at 7:30pm on September 20 for an early look at Henri, focusing specifically on the characters and performances that form the building block of this new play's world.

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Opening of the Art of Ageing season in European theatres! Living longer with better health care Shrinking young generation Declining immigration An additional 24 Million people will live in Europe by 2040 By 2060 65-year and older people will make up 42% of the entire EU population In 6 years the EU will already massively lack labor force WHAT DO WE DO ? The Art of Ageing is an artistic project which aims at bringing the burning issue of our ageing societies and the resulting challenges via innovative art creation and theatre co-production to international audiences. By creating an acute visibility and awareness The Art of Ageing develops new perspectives and approaches to position artistic research in the current international, multidisciplinary scientific and socio-political discourse between Western- and Eastern European artists, scientists and audiences on demographic changes.

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Image research for the Isabella Residents.

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Visit Original Link

A track from sound designer Jess Malcolm's inspiration files.

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Today we wanted to share the website of one of the Henri cast members: the incredible and inspiring Thelma Ruffin Thomas.

Thelma Ruffin Thomas is a native New Yorker born in Harlem Hospital. She is a retired librarian who worked for The New York Public Library for 33 years and began telling stories professionally over a decade ago.

Ms. Thomas is the Artistic Director of the Pearls of Wisdom, member of the National Association of Black Storytellers, The Storytelling Center, Inc.,The Network of Biblical Storytellers, Inc., Black Librarians Caucus, Harlem Arts Alliance and one of the founding members of African Folk Heritage Circle.

Thelma is also the recipient of the 2011 ORACLE Award presented to her by the National Storytelling Network for her outstanding dedication and hard work in the storytelling community.

Thelma has traveled all over the world telling stories in Tanzania, Brazil, Ghana, Costa Rica, South Africa, Russia and Australia.

As a child, Thelma was an avid reader and when her mother would turn off the lights at bedtime, Thelma would turn on the flashlight she brought to bed with her and continue reading her books under the covers. It's hard to say when she actually began the art of storytelling because Thelma was always a good liar. If her parents were here, they would say, " 'tis true". 

Thelma has passed down this wonderful tradition... four of her eight grandchildren are storytellers.   A great grand daughter born on her birthday now begins the third generation of masterful storytellers.

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Hanna Wellish, our videographer and photographer, setting up for a video shoot at today's production meeting

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Photos from rehearsal by Hanna Wellish!

With full cast of HENRI, choreographer Stormy Budwig, and director Ryan Reid.

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THIS JUST IN: the official Henri trailer! Shouts to our marvelous videographer, Hanna Wellish. Get excited for October!

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR HENRI

Sprat Artistic Ensemble, in collaboration with the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, presents Henri, an intimate theatre experience about the beauty and complexity of Alzheimer’s and aging. Henri features a cast ranging in age from 8 to 80, led by a playwright/director in her 20’s, whose work has been called “delicate” and “sobering” by the NY Times. United, they create a composition of moments, feelings, and images from the title character’s life. Talk backs with leaders in Alzheimer’s research and treatment will follow each performance.

Tickets on sale Friday, August 15, 2014, 10:00a.m. Click here to get yours.

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Mood Board for Henri Scene 2 (Eva Jaunzemis, Costume Designer)

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Movement sketches for Henri by choreographer Stormy Budwig.

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Weekly Q&A: Playwright Ryan Reid brings the realities of Alzheimer’s to center stage

Spending time with [residents in the dementia unit at Isabella Geriatric Center] made me understand them more as individuals and become more interested in telling an individual story within a larger problem. And that the existence is not that bad for them, which probably sounds crazy because they have a very horrible illness, but they live and function in a very beautiful and complex way.

From the Q&A in Las Vegas Weekly with Sprat Artistic Ensemble's founder, Artistic Director, and playwright/director of Henri. Las Vegas, we're coming for you!

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First set sketches...so exciting!

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Sprat actress, Thelma Thomas, performing this Sunday!

Thelma Thomas, one of our beautiful actresses, is performing this Sunday in:

"Sing, Cry and Shout: Music of the African Diaspora"

Check it out and attend:

http://nycccha.org/events.html