New Live Composition Performance Festival Comes To Brooklyn

Brooklyn powerhouse, Letter of Marque Theater Co. (LOM) and the 20-year experimental trailblazer, Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble, are teaming up to produce a 2-day festival featuring 6 unique performance groups. Through the live remixing of theater, dance, music, and projection art, the festival brings together performers from around the globe to share innovative and nuanced improvised performance to savvy Brooklynites.

"There is a new technique for creating live performance exploding in Europe and, although it was born here, it is barely known in NYC," says LOM's Co-Artistic Director, Nolan Kennedy. "Once people have a chance to see what this technique can really do, it's artistic power... this is going to be the next big thing in the experimental performance movement."

Kennedy is referring to Soundpainting, a sign language used to sculpt a multi-disciplinary improvised performance in real-time. Soundpainting is a compositional tool that has spawned a growing art form in 33 countries around the world. It was invented by jazz composer Walter Thompson in the late 1970's. Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble Artistic Director, Leese Walker, was the first actress to be soundpainted. She explains how she got involved:

"Walter approached me in '96 about adapting Soundpainting for theater. We began to look at how each sign would affect an actor. Its amazing now to go to the annual Soundpainting Thinktank and meet Soundpainters from all over Europe, and from China, Brazil, and Turkey. Musicians have always been able to improvise together despite what language they speak but now, through Soundpainting, actors can too!"

But the best part of this Festival? There are a limited number of FREE tickets available online! And all other pre-sale tickets are $10 or less. Performances run Thursday and Friday starting at 8pm, followed by an "open jam."

"We want to pack the house with people hungry for something new. What better way to do that than with little or no cost tickets?" quips Kennedy.

Featuring Letter of Marque Theater Co., Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble, Brooklyn Soundpainting Company, Casual FreyDay, B.I.T.'s House of Worms, and more!

Live Composition Festival

Thursday May 31 and Friday June 1, 2018 at 8:00 pm

Tickets online: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/986574 or at www.lomtheater.org/LiveComp2018

Gemini & Scorpio Loft - 255 Douglass St. Gowanus, BK 11217 (Upstairs)

Email: info@lomtheater.org | Phone: 718-246-2211

Letter of Marque Theater Co. is a non-profit company that spreads ensemble culture through inclusive, accessible, and responsive performances, events, classes, and community. www.lomtheater.org

Established in 1997, Strike Anywhere is a permanent ensemble of jazz musicians, modern dancers, and actors. Performers collaborate through an ensemble-based process to create politically-charged, original works. www.strikeanywhere.info