“Innovative, emotional and well-executed”
“This is the most beautiful, honest and creative performance I have seen in a long, long time.”
“a riveting performance”
“stunning musical accompaniment… risk taking”
“innovative storytelling”
“beautiful and heart wrenching”
“powerful and poignant”
“Mike Czuba’s Satellites is a beautiful meditation on being human in a growingly complex world. Brought to life by a sublime convergence of words, music and movement, Satellites will move audiences and remind you to reach out and hold the hand of the loved one sitting beside you”. Kelly Reay – Artistic Director of Sage Theatre.
Full production can be seen here.
Program can be found here.
Reviews can be found here.
Music sample “Prologue” can be found here.
“SATELLITES is a play about words, movement, sound and re-connecting with the idea of wonder.”
October 2nd to the 5th – 2013 at the Epcor Centre’s Big Secret Theatre, Calgary AB with the support of the Alberta Foundation of the Arts,
Academic Process Paper “What is SATELLITES?”
Satellites 2013 reunites the original cast with some new members behind the scenes.
Written and Directed by Mike Czuba (Scientist)
Choreography by Melissa Tuplin (Scientist)
Original Composition by Nathaniel Schmidt (Scientist)
Design by Derek Paulich and Leon Schwesinger
Actors: Laura Allen and Steven Evanik
Dancers: Melissa Tuplin and Jason Owen F. Galeos
Stage Mangement by Marcia Liber
Publicity by Michelle Brandenburg
Photography by Jenn Weihmann
Graphic Design by Jarett Sitter
The Music of Satellites is available here: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/nathaniel-schmidt/id716666626
“My intention for the music of Satellites was to express both the atmosphere of melancholy found in the play, along with idea of orbiting satellites, moving in circles and emitting signals to and from Earth. What results is music that seems to move around and around in circles, while at the same time digging in to the deep, ingrained sadness that life can evoke in all of us. The story of Mark and Vanessa is something we can all connect with, and my hope is that the music will offer that same connection to its listeners.” Nathaniel Schmidt
Composed by Nathaniel Schmidt
Featuring: The Kensington Sinfonia
Producer: Donovan Seidle
Engineer: Spencer Cheyne
Violin I: Donovan Seidle, Hyewon Kim
Violin II: Jeremy Gabbert, Lenora Leggatt
Viola: Dean O’Brien, Carl Boychuk
Cello: Tom Megee, Rafael Hoekman
Piano: Nathaniel Schmidt
Recorded at The Station Recording Company Calgary, AB
All Photography by Jenn Weihmann
SATELLITES is a play about words, movement, sound and re-connecting to the idea of wonder.
SATELLITES is the story of Mark and Vanessa, a young couple who have drifted apart and how technology has infiltrated and infected their lives. It’s a play about communication and connections, to each other and their own bodies. Through several ‘Tracks’ we move along with them as they struggle to make sense of what has happened to their relationship and their lives. From first encounters to living together to drifting part and then attempting to find each other again. Through metaphor and hurtful truth, they tell their story to each other and to the audience, looking for some kind of reprieve, for someone to tell them that everything will be ok. The lies they tell each other are simultaneously exposed through the presence of two Dancers who are subtext come to life. As Mark and Vanessa try to pretend that the damage they’ve done to themselves is manageable, the Dancers show us a deeper truth.
DANCING MONKEY LABORATORIES 