imago theatre

IMAGO THEATRE

Founded in 1979 by Carol Triffle and Jerry Mouawad, Imago Theatre’s original productions have toured internationally for over two decades. Imago’s signature work FROGZ appeared at the acclaimed New Victory Theater on Broadway twice, in 2000 and 2002. Imago’s unique, playful menagerie of creatures fill the stage in their latest productions, ZooZoo and Biglittlethings. The universal nature of Imago’s world has won audience and critical acclaim in tours across Asia, Europe, Canada and the U.S. where they were awarded the New York Dance Film Award and “Best Touring Production” by Independent Reviewers of New England. Imago has been hailed by critics world-wide for their sophisticated, highly entertaining works for all ages. Working out of a large 18,000 square foot theatre laboratory in Portland, Oregon, Imago’s ensemble of actors, dancers, designers, fabricators and musicians become alchemists seeking fresh perspectives of performance. The company has been honored for mask theatre pieces which have appealed to a wide age range, and for innovative works that push the boundaries of form, design and story. Imago Theatre’s methodology is based on the teachings of Jacques Lecoq (1921-1999.) Ms Triffle studied extensively with Mr. Lecoq completing his exclusive pedagogical program. Drawing inspiration from Mr. Lecoq, Imago Theatre aims to place form and design at the forefront of theatre creation and infuses each production with an idiosyncratic physical energy. In 2006, the company’s innovative production of Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit ran at two Tony-Award winning theatres – American Repertory Theater and The Hartford Stage Company. The United States premiere of Caryl Churchill’s A Number was produced by Imago Theatre in 2003.

CAROL TRIFFLE (Creation, Design, Direction)

DIRECTION: Broadway: FROGZ, New Victory Theatre (2000, 2002) International Tours: FROGZ, Biglittlethings (1986 – 2009) Dance/Music/Opera Guest director Oregon Symphony, Jefferson Dancers. Imago Theatre: Buffo (1994) Ajax (1996), Ginger’s Green (1997) Trailer Park Paradise (1999), Oh Lost Weekend (2000) No Can Do (2001) Missing Mona a.k.a. Leo’s Lost Notebook (2004) Hit Me in the Stomach (2006) Mix Up (2007) The Dinner (2008) Simple People (2009) ACTING Imago Theatre Samuel’s Major Problems (Marie Helen, 1996) No Exit (Estelle, 1998, 2001) Uncle Vanya (Yelena, 2004) Exit the King (Queen Margarite, 2002) Not Not Not Not Not Enough Oxygen (2005) Serial Killer Parent’s (Woman, 2007), Apis, or the Taste of Honey (Queen, 2009) PRODUCING Imago Theatre A Number (United States premiere, 2003) Cuban Missile Tango (2009) AWARDS: IRNE, Best Touring Production, New York Dance Film Award, Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship Drammy Awards for Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, Best Original Play. Carol is a third-year graduate of L’Ecole Jacques Lecoq and is Artistic Co-Director of Imago Theatre.

JERRY MOUAWAD (Creation, Design, Direction)

DIRECTION: Broadway: FROGZ, New Victory Theatre (2000, 2002) International Tours: FROGZ, Biglittlethings (1986 – 2009) Regional Theatre: No Exit American Repertory Theatre (2006) Hartford Stage Company (2006) Bacchae (Choreographer) Portland Center Stage (1997) Dance/Music/Opera Guest director/designer BodVox, Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera, Jefferson Dancers Imago Theatre: Verdad (1993)Phoenicians in the House (1994) Samuel’s Major Problems (1996) Symphony of Rats (1996) Half Light (1996) Dead End Ed (1998) House Taken Over (1999) Double Feature (2007) No Exit (1998, 2000, 2005) Blood Wedding Blood Wedding (1999) The Imaginary Invalid (2000) Exit the King (2002) A Number (United States premiere, 2003) Uncle Vanya (2004) Not Not Not Not Not Enough Oxygen (2005), Betrayal (2006), Double Feature (2007) Vladimir Vladimir (2008) Apis, or The Taste of Honey (2009) Cuban Missile Tango (2009) ACTING Imago Theatre: Buffo (1994), Ginger’s Green (1997) Oh Lost Weekend (2000) No Can Do (2001)Missing Mona a.k.a. Leo’s Lost Notebook (2004) The Dinner (2008) Simple People (2009.) AWARDS: IRNE Best Director, IRNE, Best Touring Production, New York Dance Film Award, Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship, Portland Theatre Guild Fellowship. Drammy Awards for Best Actor, Best Light Design, Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, Best Original Play. Jerry is Artistic Co-Director of Imago Theatre.

JONATHAN GODSEY (Performer)

Jonathan became interesting in theatre in 1998 at the ripe young age of 28. Since then, he has performed in numerous national FROGZ tours with Imago, including runs at American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA, and on Broadway in the Big Apple. Jonathan's other Imago appearances include Oh Lost Weekend, The Imaginary Invalid, and Biglittlethings. He currently studies Aikido at Two Rivers Aikikai in Portland, OR and eventually plans to apply his extensive studies of Taichichuan and Aikido to the art of stage combat.

JONOTHON LYONS (Performer)

Jonothon has been a performing company member with Imago Theater’s Frogz and Biglittlethings since 2006. Last Spring he performed in the world premiere of ZooZoo. In September he collaborated with projection designer Daniel Brodie on an original piece entitled The Tenement which ran at HERE Arts Center in New York as part of the 2009 Autumn Artist Lodge. The short version of The Tenement was presented at Cave Art Space in Brooklyn in June, as part of the Live Arts Collaboration with The Performance Project at University Settlement in October, and also at Dixon Place in October as part of the 2009 New York Butoh Festival.

JOSEPH MICHAEL RAY LYMOUS (Performer)

Joseph is originally from New Orleans, LA now resides in Brooklyn, NY. Joseph studied performing arts at The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. While not playing with Imago Joseph can be seen performing improv and sketch comedy with Skit Happens of South Louisiana and The Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City. Most recently he performed at Here Arts Center in The Associated Mask Ensemble’s The Tenement. Joseph has also traveled with Mission Possible International to share theatre and dance with the youth of Capetown, South Africa. This is Joseph’s third season with Imago.

CARLOS ALEXIS CRUZ (Performer)

Carlos has been working as a professional actor for the last eight years performing in Puerto Rico, Northern California and Portland, and touring shows from NY City to LA and beyond, and overseas to the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Locally he has performed with Do Jump! Theatre, Imago, and Teatro Milagro. Carlos directed Miracle’s touring production, El Ultimo and most recently staged a one-act version of his show A Suicide Note from a Cockroach at Imago. A full-length version of this show is coming up later in the season. Look ahead for the roaches skittering back to a theatre near you! In 2004 his work was highlighted by the Theatre Critics of Puerto Rico for his performance in ĺconos de Vellonera, pointing him out as the only contender for the Best Young Actor recognition. He was recently seen in the Telemundo’s TV film Bala Perdida where he played a leading role. CarlosAlexis has an MFA degree in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre from the Dell’Arte International School in California. He has a BA degree in film studies from the School of Communication at the University of Puerto Rico. He has trained Circus Arts at the San Francisco Circus Center. He will like to thank his wife, Mayra, for all the support. CarlosAlexis makes a “salto mortal” into his 3rd Season with Imago! Y contento…

BRYCE FLINT-SOMERVILLE (Performer)

Bryce is an actor/cartoonist living in Portland, OR., where he has performed in Imago Theatre’s Biglittlethings, The Father Thing, FROGZ and ZooZoo. Past performances include Blue Man Group, Dwayne in Blame it on Dwayne, and Margaret in Gloria Staph’s The Little Ingot. Film credits include The Waiting List, Duck Rugby, and most recently, Twilight. Bryce recently appeared as the Valet in Imago’s No Exit.

CHRIS BALO (Production Stage Manager)

Chris is pleased to be returning to IMAGO Theatre on Tour. Chris also spends time working with Bodyvox Dance, White Bird Dance, Portland State University, PICA, Oregon Children's Theatre, Lakewood Theatre Company, IATSE Local 28, & Several Others in a variety of capacities from Audio/Video to Stage Management to Scenic Carpentry to Production Electrician & Lighting Design. Recent and memorable production highlights include: Pirates of Penzance with Eugene Opera (stage manager), Down in the Valley at the 2007 Kurt Weill Fesitval in Dassau & Berlin, Germany with Bel Canto NW (light & projection design), The Portland Christmas Revels 2006 (lighting design), Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera (light design), Bel Canto NW at PSU 2004-2006 seasons (light design & technical direction), Greek with Nimrod Opera of Zurich, Switzerland (light design), Sour Angelica & Gianni Schicchi at PSU Opera(light design), Toxic Avenger the Musikill (light design & technical direction), St. Nicholas with Cygnet Theatre (stage managment & technical direction), The Dinner Party with Lakewood Theatre Company (light design), and many more. Chris is always in search of the next great challenge wherever it may take him.

KATIE GRIESAR (Original Music)

Katie Griesar makes music with guitar, antique and toy musical instruments, found objects, collected sounds, awkward gestures, wrong notes, and other damaged goods. A graduate of Vassar College and the American Repertory Theatre Institute at Harvard University, she is a three-time Portland Drama Critics Circle Award winner for her music/sound work with Imago Theatre, where she is currently Resident Composer. Her work with Imago Theatre spans some 20 shows and includes the original music scores for FROGZ, Biglittlethings, and this year’s ZooZoo. She has also contributed original music/sound to works by choreographers Linda Austin, Catherine Egan, Mary Oslund, Cydney Wilkes, filmmaker James Westby, Mona Huneidi’s stop motion animation film Katching and is a founding member of Hopeless Theatre.

JEFF FORBES (Light Design)

Jeff is a Portland based lighting designer working primarily in theatre and dance. He is a nine-time winner of the Willie and Drammy Awards for theatre, for such companies as Artists Repertory Theatre, Imago Theatre, the Musical Theatre Company, Storefront Theatre, and Tygres Heart Shakespeare Co. He has also designed for American Repertory Theatre (Cambridge, Mass.), the New Rose Theatre, Portland Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Portland Actors Conservatory, and many others. He tours nationally and internationally with Imago's production of FROGZ as lighting designer and stage manager, and as technical director/lighting designer for the Deborah Hay Dance Company. His work in Dance and Performance includes frequent collaborations with choreographers such as Linda Austin, Linda K. Johnson, Do Jump! Movement Theatre, Monster Squad, Josie Moseley, Mary Oslund, Sally Silvers, and Cydney Wilkes. He is a co-founder, with Linda Austin, of Performance Works NW, for which he also serves as technical director.

GEORGE SMITH ("Cowboy" Illustrations)

George is a nationally syndicated cartoonist. He is best known for his strip, The Smith Family. His inspiration for the strip came from his one boy and ten girls, or which Carol Triffle is one.

MARK FORREST (Resident Fabricator)

Mark is co-founder with Susan Bonde of Bon Design which design and construct mascots, walk-arounds and other unusual creatures. Mark has been involved in theatre design and construction for over two decades including for projects Wee Sing, Oregon Children's Theater, ORLO, Sea World. Mark has been designing and constructing for Imago since 2003. He worked closed with Carol Triffle to bring to life Imago's 'Dino.'

CATI THOMAS (Fabricator)

Cati was born and raised in England. She started sewing at seven and a few years later set off to work in the costume shops of regional and London theatres. A taste for adventure led her and her sewing machine to the American Northwest where, for 20 years, she led a domestic life in Central Oregon. She has performed in, directed and costumed numerous community theatre and dance productions, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Charley's Aunt, Deathtrap, Oliver!, Swan Lake and The Trojan Women. When she returned to Portland three years ago it was her heart's desire to work at Imago Theatre and see the inside of an orb. She has since become intimately acquainted with the insides of many of Imago's creatures. This is her fourth season at Imago and her debut in front of the curtain. She would like to thank her three children.

Veteran Company Members

KYLE DELEMARTER

DANIELLE VERMETTE

REX JANTZE

Imago is a non-profit organization. Ticket sales and fees we receive from our touring productions cover only a portion of our costs. Contributions to Imago are tax deductible and are greatly appreciated. To contact us write:

Imago Theatre
Post Office Box 15182
Portland, Oregon 97293-5182
(503) 231-3959
www.imagotheatre.com

Tour Direction
Opus 3 Artists
470 Park Avenue South
9th Floor North
New York, NY 10016
212-584-7500
www.opus3artists.com
Info@opus3artists

Thanks to Shauna Uselman, Mona Huneidi, Twila Nesky, Lance Woolen, Scott McGregor, Keri Roberts, & others.

Imago Theatre Staff

Artistic Directors
Resident Composer
Resident Lighting Designer
Resident Fabricator
Fabricating Associates

Bookkeeper
Administrative Assistant
Design & Photography

Carol Triffle, Jerry Mouawad
Katie Griesar
Jeff Forbes
Mark Forrest
Cati Thomas
Katharine Gray
Bill Frazier
Sidonie Starr
Jerry Mouawad
Nathan H.G.

Imago Theatre
17 SE 8th Ave
Portland, OR
503.231.9581