Pilobolus' ‘Shadowland'
When: 8 p.m. Feb. 10-11
Admission: $10-$60
Where: Byham Theater, Pittsburgh
Details: 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org
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Updated 16 hours ago
In creating “Shadowland,” Pilobolus drew from a wide net of imaginative talent including … SpongeBob SquarePants?
To think of modern dance finding inspiration from a writer of the Nickelodeon animated series seems a farfetched idea, at first glance. But it actually makes perfect sense to enlist the quirky genius of Steven Banks.
“We were lucky enough to meet Steven because we were looking for a writer to help create this,” says Renee Jaworski, associate artistic director of Pilobolus, which will bring “Shadowland” to Pittsburgh's Byham Theater on Feb. 10 and 11 as part of the Pittsburgh Dance Council series.
“Steven's got a bunch of tricks in his bag,” she says. “He's a writer for TV shows. He's a writer for theater. He's also a mime — a mime who hates mimes. He studied as a clown; he went to clown school.
“This type of moving or acting is something that's really necessary in shadow. This seemed a natural fit for us — somebody who wrote for cartoons and understands how to speak without using the mouth, who understands body language and clarity. He is a master of clarity and simplification.”
In “Shadowland,” bodies work together to create the amazing, lifelike shapes that seem to do magical tricks behind the screen. A monster hand reaches down and appears to swallow a girl's head. You'll see an elephant, flowers, an airplane.
At times, the audience will get a peek at how the dancers fashion the illusions and learn a few secrets.
“It sparks the imagination even more because your brain is playing a game,” Jaworski says. “You see how we are doing it, but your brain is interested in the story. So, you're igniting all kinds of parts of your brain where the mythical and the archetypal sides are all working together to help you understand what you're looking at. It's an interesting approach to storytelling.”
The story itself is the journey of a girl who is coming of age.
“She is in a rush, as most young women are,” Jaworski says. “She pretends at night that she is older, and she puts on makeup and dances in front of a mirror. But her parents are still treating her like a child.”
The girl's passage of discovery transports the audience into the sensational world of her dreams — with humor, grace, and love — as she learns to conquer her fears. It's a great story for kids of all ages, Jaworski says. “And by all ages, I mean adults, too.”
Stick around after the applause. In every city where “Shadowland” performs, Pilobolus offers an encore of sorts with particular meaning to each audience.
“We do a special bit after the performance is finished,” Jaworski says. “We like to make local images in shadow. So, we'll look around, and we'll see if there are any landmarks or things people will recognize, and we add them to the show.”
Sally Quinn is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
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