12 Shouts to the Ten Forgotten Heavens

photo by Paula Court

photo by Paula Court

12 Shouts to the Ten Forgotten Heavens is a three-year iterative performance project by American playwright, director, and performer Sibyl Kempson with her theater company, 7 Daughters of Eve Thtr. & Perf. Co. Presented at the Whitney on twelve occasions, 12 Shouts will mark each solstice and equinox occurring between March 2016 and December 2018 creating a new ceremonial calendar and a contemporary mythology.


photo by Paula Court

photo by Paula Court

12 Shouts to the Ten Forgotten Heavens: Fall Equinox

Directed by Sibyl Kempson

Performers: Kira Alker, Dee Dorcas Beasnael, Tymberly Canale, Hye Young Chyun, Sibyl Kempson, Elke Luyten, Jodi Melnick, Alexis Powell, Kourtney Rutherford, Ruby Stenhouse, Jessica Weinstein, Sarah Willis 

Collaborators
Sound design: Tei Blow
Costume design: Suzanne Bocanegra
Astrological dramaturgy: Omie Johnson
Choreography: Kira Alker and Elke Luyten
Musical composition: Alexis Powell
Doll being design and construction: Amanda Villalobos
Stage management: Molly Zimmelman

Production Assistance
Doll being design and construction: Ashley Chen
Sound assistance: Johnny Gasper
Intern: Livia Reiner

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY

2017


photo by Paula Court

photo by Paula Court

12 Shouts to the Ten Forgotten Heavens: Winter Solstice, 2017

Directed by Sibyl Kempson

Performers: Kira Alker, Rolls André, Dee Dorcas Beasnael, Lisa Holm, Robert M. Johanson, Sibyl Kempson, Elke Luyten, Stephen McGroarty, Jodi Melnick, Rachel Perks, Jessica Weinstein, Sarah Willis, Jay Wegman, Molly Zimmelman

Collaborators
Set Design: Jared Bark and Lois Lane
Sound design: Tei Blow
Costume design: Suzanne Bocanegra
Lighting design: Max Chester
Designer of bells: Diana Mangaser
Astrological dramaturgy: Omie Johnson
choreography: Kira Alker and Elke Luyten
Stage management: Molly Zimmelman
Knitters: Gail Blobner, Judy Breese, Lisa Holm, and Rachel Perks

Production Assistance
Sound assistance: Johnny Gasper
Costume assistance: Baille Younkman
Production assistance: Jason Hughes LNJ Tech
Intern: Rachel Perks
Slide contributors: Whitney Youth Insights Artists (Aneka, Angela, Chelsea, Clara, Diana, Irving, Jaylene, John, Laura, Lilly, Mara, Maxine, Minu, Miyani, Onaje, Seth, and Zachary)

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY

2017


photo by Paula Court

photo by Paula Court

12 Shouts to the Ten Forgotten Heavens: Fall Equinox, 2018

Directed by Sibyl Kempson

Performers: Dee Dorcas Beasnael, Tei Blow, Donna Brickwood, Omie Johnson, Sibyl Kempson, Stephen McGroarty, Jodi Melnick, Quartet Metadata (Lynn Bechtold & Mioi Takeda, violins; Carrie Frey, viola; Jennifer DeVore, cello), Milica Paranosic, Sarah Willis

Collaborators
Jed Bark: Potato Doll Being stewardship
Tei Blow: sound design
Suzanne Bocanegra: costume design
Omie Johnson: astrological dramaturgy
Kira Alker and Elke Luyten: choreography
Milica Paranosic: musical composition
Amanda Villalobos: puppetry consultant
Molly Zimmelman: stage management

Production Assistance
Leonie Bell: prop assistance
Johnny Gasper: sound assistance
Theodora Lang: costume assistance

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY

2018


photo by Paula Court

photo by Paula Court

12 Shouts to the Ten Forgotten Heavens: Winter Solstice, 2018

Directed by Sibyl Kempson

Performers: Sarah Willis, Dee Dorcas Beasnael, Brandon Alex Oakes, Jodi Melnick, Elke Luyten, Kira Alker, Omie Johnson, Donna Brickwood

Singers: Alexis Powell, Camille Harris, Milica Paranosic

Musicians: Camille Harris, Johnny Gasper, Wayne Tucker

Collaborators
Tei Blow: sound design
Suzanne Bocanegra: costume design
Darlene Farris-LaBar: seed and flower sculpture design
Omie Johnson: astrological dramaturgy
Kira Alker and Elke Luyten: choreography
Jodi Melnick: choreography
Amanda Villalobos: installation design
Molly Zimmelman: stage management

Production Assistance
Leonie Bell: assistant stage management
Johnny Gasper: sound assistance and band leader
Theodora Lang: costume assistance
Lillian White, Kat Moritz, Nora Daly: production assistance

12 Shouts Docents
Kira Alker
Rolls Andre
Jed Bark
Dee Dorcas Beasnael
Lynn Bechtold
Leonie Bell
James Benson
Maria Camia
Tymberly Canale
Woo Jae Chung
Hye Young Chyun
Darlene Farris-LaBar
Anne Gridley
Camille Harris
Greta Hartenstein
Eleanor Hutchins
Oceana James
Robert M Johanson
Sibyl Kempson
Danielle Levy
Molly Lieberman
Mo Lioce
Elke Luyten
Jodi Melnick
Tavish Miller
Brandon Alex Oakes
Milica Paranosic
Max Pollack
Victoria Roberts-Wierzbowkski
Kourtney Rutherford
Sarah Scholl
Mioi Takeda
Jay Wegman
Jessica Weinstein
Sarah Willis

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY

2018