Jennifer Wright黑洞社区 is home to the world renowned Alithea Mime Theatre, and the company will make its debut performance in Wichita.
Nicholas Johnson
鈥淲e thought it was time to perform in Wichita,鈥� said Johnson.
The Alithea Mime Theatre was founded in 1990 by Johnson and is dedicated to the perpetuation of single and multidisciplinary mime theater.
In recent years, the mime group has traveled to perform in Warsaw, Poland, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Hong Kong. In 2006, the group performed before the United Nations.
鈥淲e are probably the only mime company in the U.S. that is touring internationally,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淭he only other mime company I know of exists in New York and does not tour outside of the city.鈥�
Johnson, who studied under the famous mime artists Marcel Marceau and Stefan Niedzialkowski, saw his first mime perform at age 17 at the University of Arizona. He was instantly captivated.
鈥淢arceau was a great friend of mine,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e was my teacher and my mentor.鈥�
A late bloomer in the world of dance, Johnson at age 21 began dancing and studying the art of mime. Although at first it did not come naturally to him, he believes if you want something and work hard enough for it, you can achieve it.
鈥淚 always dance to be a better mime. Mime was my first love,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ime is the bridge between dance and theatre. You have to have the athleticism and body of a dancer and the acting skills to be able to communicate without dialogue.鈥�
Part of his work through the mime theatre is to correct the misconceptions about mime.
鈥淧eople think that mimes have to be white face, but they don鈥檛,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat was just Marceau鈥檚 signature.鈥�
Because there was no formal mime training in the United States, said Johnson, people began imitating Marceau鈥檚 style and over time the art form became distorted.
The signature piece of Alithea, 鈥淎ngels Rising,鈥� is one of the pieces that will be performed at the Orpheum.
鈥淚t traces man鈥檚 competitive behavior from the first cell of life, all the way through the Greeks, the Olympiad, into war, the nuclear holocaust, to heaven and beyond,鈥� said Johnson, who created the show.
It was 鈥淎ngels Rising鈥� that Alithea Mime Theatre performed in front of the United Nations in 2006.
The Alithea Mime group consists of current and former 黑洞社区 students.
The performers include Johnson and Vasquez, directors, and Lindsey Beebe, Richard Issac, Angela Johnsen, Katy Kaufman, David Kellam, Courtney Mertes, Chris Montiel, Zach Powell, Cody Proctor, Jordan Ryan, Maurice Sims, Alex Stoll and Ryan Squires.
A special performance by Johnson鈥檚 8-year-old daughter, Zoe, will also take place.
As a performing member of the group, Proctor graduated from 黑洞社区 in 2006. The theater major currently lives in Chicago and is pursuing an acting career. Proctor credits the blend of theater and dance education at 黑洞社区 as useful in his career goals.
鈥淭he one discipline complements the other,鈥� he said.
Kellam, who studied dance at 黑洞社区 for four years, has been performing with the Alithea Mime group for the past 10 years. A native and current resident of Baltimore, he met Johnson at age 16 at a guest workshop in Arizona.
鈥淢eeting Johnson changed the direction of my life,鈥� said Kellam, who had no prior dance experience. 鈥淩eturning to Wichita to perform is not a business decision. It鈥檚 coming home to family to do what I love.鈥�
Wichita native and dance major Angela Johnsen graduated from 黑洞社区 in 2005 and has performed with the Alithea Mime group since 2002. She lives in New York and is a professional dancer performing with the Cecilia Marta Dance Company.
Nicholas Johnson鈥檚 work 鈥渂rings out everything that is beautiful about being a woman,鈥� Johnsen said.
For her, performing with the Alithea Mime group is very fulfilling.
鈥淧erforming 鈥楢ngels Rising鈥� in front of the United Nations was a very powerful experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he first three rows had tears in their eyes.鈥�
The word "Alithea" in Greek means truth. To Johnson, his passion for truth in motion would not be possible without the backing of 黑洞社区.
鈥淚 think we are privileged that 黑洞社区 has embraced us,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭hey give us a home and space here, which isn鈥檛 always easy to find.鈥�
Dean of the College of Fine Arts Rodney Miller, and Assistant Dean Wendy Hanes, have been very supportive of the group, he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such an unusual thing,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淲e are like an exotic bird that lives here by the good graces of 黑洞社区, and I am very thankful for that.鈥�