ASHES: THE ALCHEMY OF HOPE

Ashes: The Alchemy of Hope is a multi-media performance involving improvised and metamorphic movement, film, shadow puppetry, and live music. It is a menagerie of styles pulled together by director/choreographer Deirdre Morris in collaboration with members of High Mayhem, Wise Fool New Mexico, Synchronicity Pictures, and Meat Puppet Theatre.

Deirdre developed Ashes: The Alchemy of Hope as a way to converse about the unconnected, despairing and utterly profound state of the world as she sees it today. We are terrorizing ourselves. We are in a state of cultural annihilation. We have become so homogenized we do not recognize our own faces.

This is a piece about recognition and reflection. It’s about Hope, a laundress who dreams about how the ignorance, apathy and negative deeds found in the world can be appeased if we can just learn how to connect with one another. There is always going to be conflict, but wouldn’t it be profound if we could have true dialogue? Through the meditative act of “washing” she discovers a profound ability to connect to the “others” of her world who have been made separate by her fear. Through her recognition of herself in the others, Hope discovers her namesake.

Alchemy is the process of transforming one thing into another. Through the process of cracking, grinding, burning, washing and being truly present, we find ourselves changed inexplicably when we consciously choose to participate in the process. What kind of world would it be if we all started to be truly present in all that we hope for – for ourselves, each other and the world around us?

Deirdre says "Hope is the place of possibility. Despair is a place of no possibilities at all. There is a certain kind of altruism that occurs when we allow ourselves to become suspended in that place of hopefulness; our fears and despairs fall away for a moment and we can see clearly in the darkness."

Directed by Deirdre Morris.

Music by Yozo Suzuki and Jeremy Bleich of High Mayhem.

Video/film by Joe Picard of Synchronicity Pictures.

Set Design by Damon and Sabrina of Meat Puppet Theatre.

Shadow puppetry by Alessandra Ogren, Amy Christian and Rebekah Tarin of Wise Fool.

When: May 24, 25, 26, 27 and June 1, 2, 3. All shows at 8p.m.

Where: Wise Fool Studio – 2778 Agua Fria Unit D, Santa Fe NM

Cost: $15. Tickets will be available for advance purchase at Wise Fool's online store and Backroad Pizza, or at the door.