The  Bipeds'  We  Choose  the  Moon:  What  a  Nice  Treat!

On Sept. 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech at Rice University to rally the nation in support of our country's race for the moon -- a mission that was far from certain. He said:

We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too.

The speech ended up being a turning point in the President's quest to secure funding for NASA, so that we could beat the Russians to the Moon; and it resulted in the government appropriating approximately $25 billion towards the endeavor ($100 billion in today's money!)

Jennifer Scully-Thurston (left), Curtis Eller, and Stacy Wolfson don spacesuits for We Choose the Moon (photo by Ricky Garni)

With this background, let's turn to The Bipeds Dance Company's May 4-6 production of We Choose the Moon, created and directed by Stacy Wolfson and Curtis Eller and performed in the Mettlesome Theater in Durham, NC. This show is an avant-garde dance production, wrapped in a savory stew of banjo, standing bass, oboe, song, simple harmony, and beat. What a nice treat!

We first meet The Hobo (played by Curtis Eller), carrying a large white balloon that suggests a moon. The Hobo's exaggerated movements harken to the old vaudeville and slapstick shenanigans of Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy. Indeed, at several points during the show, The Hobo ruffles his hair just like Laurel used to do (young'uns, you can look it up!).

We Choose the Moon starred (from left) Jennifer Scully-Thurston, Naomi Kraut, and Curtis Eller (photo by Ricky Garni)

At first, The Hobo warms himself in front of a barrel, but then he spots something inside it and decides to quickly blow it out. We then watch as he retrieves an odd assortment of items from the ashes -- a pin cushion, a banjo, a tape recorder (remember those?) and ... space suits?! Yes, space suits and helmets, actually!

Once The Hobo dons the space helmet and suit, he is joined by the other players, dressed in space gear -- Naomi Kraut, with her oboe; William Commander; Jennifer Scully-Thurston; Christopher Scully-Thurston, standing bass in hand; and Stacy Wolfson. They begin to float and twist in a slow-motion dance, drifting and returning, sometimes tethered together with bright red space-walk bungee cords, then suddenly the are unclipped and floating toward nothingness. They are all moved by the music, which is a simple mix of slapping bass, oboe, voices, and recorded drum.

This rustic music is the perfect backdrop for the simple dance moves of the troupe. The players all do double and triple duty, dancing, harmonizing, and playing instruments. They are lost, and struggling, and adrift in space.

The Bipeds Dance Company's production of We Choose the Moon starred Naomi Kraut and Curtis Eller (photo by Ricky Garni)

We Choose the Moon seems to speak to all that our government asked of us during the COVID-19 pandemic: the shut-down of business, the mask mandates, the vaccines, and social distancing. Just like Kennedy during the Space Race, our government asked for our support during COVID, and when we complied, some more than others (save your political rants for Facebook and your family Thanksgiving dinner!), like astronauts, we were cast into space, alone, yet not alone, struggling to make sense in a new world order. Was it all worth it to beat the Russians, and COVID? We are still not sure.

We loved the dance movement and the exploration of our feelings as humans during COVID. We loved the imagery of the floating astronauts, and the music. But we found ourselves wishing that these astronauts were not constrained by the small size of the stage.

The astronauts stretch their bungee cords in The Bipeds Dance Company's production of We Choose the Moon (photo by Ricky Garni)

Had they had the opportunity to stretch their bungees to the brink, it could have been that much more engaging. They could have further emphasized the expanse of distance between us all during COVID, and the rebound after it was all over. That said, it could be argued that the small space for the dance spoke to the confinement and loss experienced by society during and after COVID. You can be the judge.

Ultimately, we loved this piece. It was experimental, allegorical, historical, fun, and delightful. When they end on a song, "You can choose the moon or the future, but you are out of time!" we knew that we were, indeed, out of time, but not out of hope for experimental theater in North Carolina.

The Bipeds Dance Company, we have our eyes on you!

The Bipeds Dance Company's May 4-6 presentation of We Choose the Moon starred Christopher Scully-Thurston (photo by Ricky Garni)

Chix Pix #1: Naomi Kraut: Watch her shine! Moving, dancing, oboe-ing (if that is not a word, it is now!) and slapping the upright base. Righteous girl-power!

Chix Pix #2: Meddlesome Theater: The theater shares space in a renovated mill building in Durham with Hi-Wire Brewing Durham, Cugino Forno (a Neapolitan pizza place), and Two Roosters (an ice cream parlor). The grounds also have a stage for live music and a terrific firepit. The evening of the show, there were people playing frisbee, a live band was playing, and there were families out drinking craft beer and eating ice cream. A total evening can be had by all. Plan accordingly!

William Commander (center) and Curtis Eller starred in We Choose the Moon in the Mettlesome Theater (photo by Ricky Garni)

WE CHOOSE THE MOON (In Person May 4-6), featuring William Commander, Curtis Eller, Naomi Kraut, Jennifer Scully-Thurston, Christopher Scully-Thurston, and Stacy Wolfson (The Bipeds Dance Company in Mettlesome Theater in Durham). TRAILER: https://www.facebook.com/thebipedsdance/videos/3464861327130674/. VIDEOS: http://www.thebipedsdance.com/videos.html and https://www.youtube.com/c/BipedsDance. THE PRESENTER: http://www.thebipedsdance.com/, https://www.facebook.com/thebipedsdance, https://www.instagram.com/thebipedsdance/, https://twitter.com/BipedsDance, and https://www.youtube.com/c/BipedsDance. THE VENUE: https://thisismettlesome.com/, http://www.facebook.com/thisismettlesome, http://instagram.com/hellomettlesome, and https://twitter.com/hellomettlesome. INFORMATION: thebipedsdance@gmail.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: The Bipeds Dance Company. [RUN HAS CONCLUDED.]

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