The Marsh Presents The International Czech Theatre Festival 10/21-28

The Marsh Presents THE INTERNATIONAL CZECH THEATER FESTIVAL- a series of new plays developed in the Czech Republic in association with the Flying Actor Studio on October 21 - 28, 2009

The Marsh is proud to be hosting the International Czech Theater Festival, a series of four new plays developed in the famous physical theater tradition of the Czech Republic. Czech physical theater has been described as a celebration of human experience through visual poetry. Movement, neo-classic clowning, mime, puppetry and music all inform the story, playing a vital narrative role in addition to the spoken word. Wildly inspirational about life and living, Czech physical theater often feels like a good meal: delicious, dreamy and satisfying. One wants to return to the table. It also has a long history of image driven adventures into the surreal, often motivated by the powerful social/political forces of the 20th century. The absurd speaks the truth. Performers such as Bill Irwin and Geoff Hoyle have drawn from the tradition of Czech physical theater.

The festival performances include:

FLUSH (James Donlon & Howard Lotker)

ALBERT'S FEAR (Vojta Svejda)

POLARIS (Vojta Svejda & Jan Benes-McGradie)

BRICK CIRCK (Stevo Capko)

Wednesday, Oct. 21: POLARIS, 8pm
Thursday, Oct. 22: ALBERT'S FEAR, 7pm & 9pm
Friday, Oct. 23: POLARIS, 7pm & 9pm
Saturday, Oct. 24: BRICK CIRCK, 3pm. ALBERT'S FEAR, 8pm
Sunday, Oct. 25: BRICK CIRCK, 3pm. FLUSH, 7pm
Monday, Oct. 26: BRICK CIRCK, 7pm. FLUSH, 9pm
Tuesday, Oct. 27: BRICK CIRCK, 7pm. FLUSH, 9pm Wednesday, Oct. 28: FLUSH, 8pm

Festival performances run daily from October 21 to October 28, 2009 in The Marsh Studio Theater, 1062 Valencia Street at 22nd Street in San Francisco. Performance times vary. For more information and for a full schedule, the public can visit www.themarsh.org. To purchase tickets call 1-800-838-3006 or go to www.themarsh.org.

The idea for the festival came about as a result of a long standing exchange between the actors, clowns and directors connected with Ctibor Turba in the Czech Republic and James Donlon of the Flying Actor Studio in San Francisco. Turba and Donlon met in 1974 at the first international physical theater festival in the United States.

This event is co-sponsored by Flying Actor Studio. Coming to The Marsh is the INTERNATIONAL CZECH THEATER FESTIVAL that harvests a long developing series of mutuAl Cooperation and long term inspiration of the movement artists, clowns, and directors connected with two leading master teachers: Ctibor Turba in the Czech Republic and James Donlon of the Flying Actor Studio in San Francisco. The exchange is produced by The Marsh, The Lit Moon World Theater Festival in Santa Barbara, and HoME o.s., a Prague based international alternative theater company.

The cutting edge Prague theater Alfred ve dvore (Theater Alfred) managed by Motus o.s. is also helping to produce the project. Motus creates a framework of creative development by supporting alternative and unusual theatrical artistic activities, by actively improving artist's work conditions, and by bringing new directions in art to Czech audiences. Theater Alfred is a member of the NEW WEB project - a network for the circulation of independent theater projects throughout the Czech Republic and neighboring countries. The long range goal of "change and exchange" is to provide opportunities for theater artists connected with The Marsh to tour in Central and Eastern Europe through New Web. The artists will also offer workshops and lectures comparing the contemporary Czech and American physical theater scenes at Flying Actor Studio in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.flyingactorstudio.com .