Phillip Zarrilli's Llanarth Group Performs U.S. Premiere 5/20-21

In a first-time collaboration, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, in association with the Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department, presents director/performer Phillip Zarrilli and the Llanarth Group performing the U.S. premiere of Told by the Wind May 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. at The Dance Center, 1306 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago.

Told by the Wind, created by Kaite O'Reilly, Jo Shapland and Llanarth Artistic Director Phillip Zarrilli, is a performance fusing movement and text that "dances" an inner landscape. Stripped of the traditional elements associated with theatre, the stories are evoked and told by embodied silences, splintered interactions and slowed-down motion, performed on a dirt-covered stage. Inspired by Japanese "theatre of quietude" and String Theory, Told by the Wind is intimate and meditative, transformative and multi-layered; it is a requiem for the unseen, a poignant duet for two figures who never physically meet. Allison Vale of British Theatre Guide found it "...easily the most hypnotic piece [of] theatre I have experienced. The extraordinary poise and perfection in the movement, texting and staging of this piece makes for a beautifully contemplative sixty minutes."

RESIDENCY ACTIVITIES
As part of the Llanarth Group's residency, there will be a post-performance conversation with Phillip Zarrilli following the Friday, May 20 performance. Zarrilli will conduct a three-day psychophysical acting workshop, "Making the Body All Eyes," May 16-18 at The Theatre Center of Columbia College Chicago, 72 E. 11th St. This workshop introduces participants to a psychophysical process and approach to awakening the performer's "bodymind" for performance, through Asian martial/meditation arts: Chinese taiqiquan (tai chi chuan), Indian yoga and the closely related martial art kalarippayattu. Through learning basic principles and practicing these techniques, participants will develop an intuitive physical awareness necessary for performance-the body will "become all eyes." Those interested in applying for the workshop or for more information should contact Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department Chairperson John Green at jgreen@colum.edu.

THE LLANARTH GROUP
Founded in Wales, the Llanarth Group consists of theatre/performance artists, including playwright Kaite O'Reilly, choreographer Jo Shapland and director/performer Phillip Zarrilli, who employ psychophysical training and unique artistic collaborations to produce interNational Theatre. Zarrilli is internationally known for training actors in psychophysical process through Asian martial/meditation arts, and as a director. He runs a private studio in Wales and conducts workshops throughout the world. His productions of Samuel Beckett's plays in Los Angeles (2000), Austria (2001), Ireland (2004) and Indianapolis (2009) have won critical acclaim and awards. Zarrilli is also noted for his work with Indian dancers/choreographers, including bharatanatyam dancer/ choreographer Gitanjali Kolanad. In 2003 he adapted and directed a seventh century Sanskrit farce for the UK-based bharatanatyam dance/theatre company Sangalpam, with performances throughout the UK. In 2006, he created a new solo piece, The Flowering Tree, with Gitanjali Kolanad. He returns to India on a regular basis to continue his training. In addition to his professional work, Zarrilli is an award-winning author of numerous books on acting.

THE DANCE CENTER
The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, named "Chicago's Best Dance Theatre" by Chicago magazine and "Best Dance Venue" by the Chicago Reader, is the city's leading presenter of contemporary dance, showcasing artists of regional, national and international significance. Programs of The Dance Center are supported, in part, by Alphawood Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, New England Foundation for the Arts, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, The Irving Harris Foundation and Arts Midwest. Additional funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council. Special thanks to Friends of The Dance Center.

This co-presentation marks the launch of the Columbia International Theater Experience (CITE), a new initiative that links Columbia's Theatre Department with the work of International Artists and theatre companies, in an exploration of Contemporary Theatre practices worldwide.

TICKET INFORMATION
Phillip Zarrilli and the Llanarth Group appear May 20 and 21 at The Dance Center, 1306 S. Michigan Avenue. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. All programming is subject to change. The theatre is accessible to people with disabilities. For more information, call 312-369-8330 or visit colum.edu/dancecenter.

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