THE NIS

ABOUT THE NIS

dates: 4 5 6 7 March 2009

times: 8pm start with a 3pm matinee and 8pm night show on Sat 7 March 2009

venue: 45 Downstairs Theatre, 45 Flinders Lane Melbourne (with disability access from Spark Lane)

cost: $25 full/ $15 concession / $12 access card

bookings advised.  Book on Ph. 03 9662 9966, online at www.fortyfivedownstairs.com or at the door.

The word NIS is a word made up by Catherine from the THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS. It has no meaning and sums up the core of the show which is about exploring those experiences in life that can't be explained. The show that is the NIS involves sonic performances by THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS and the BOLT chamber orchestra, that are framed by interactive screen projections, animations, stage movement by the STRETCH INTEGRATE artists and robotic machines. This is a true multimedia experience. A loose narrative frames the show: a character discovers their "shadow" self and seeks to overcome it's dark influence. But the shadow is not all that it seems to be.

Intrinsic to the heart of this show is it's embracing of inter-abilities artists - that is artists of varying abilities. The AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS and THE STRETCH INTEGRATE ARTISTS have significantly contributed to the development  of this show: they have sought to generously share their experience of intellectual disability with director JAMES HULLICK and the JOLT CREATIVES TEAM in an integrated development process that has been combined with HULLICK's creative vision for progressive new-media projects.

And the goal is to provide an experience that is beyond being about ability and focuses in on making quality art that has social integrity.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

THE AMPLIFEID ELEPHANTS

this sonic art ensemble has been developed by James Hullick at the Footscray Community Arts Centre as a function of the Centre's ARTLIFE programme for people with intellectual disabilities. Members of the group include:

Jay Euesden

Enza Pratico

Catherine

Robyn McGrath

Liz Hofbauer

Danny

Esther

June Bently

Stephen

See the JOLT ARTISTS page for more info about these guys.

STRETCH INTEGRATE

a physical movement workshop that is tutored by Rob and run out of the Footscray Community Arts Centre. Improvisations were developed by this group with James Hullick that have become the basis of some of the movement sequences for the show

Laszlo

Cathy

Stuart

Cameron

Rob

THE JOLT CREATIVES TEAM

JOLT's team of creative developers which includes artists from a range of disciplines working under Hullick's direction:

Katharine Neil - Gaming Developer

Tien - Animator

Richie Allen - Robotics Engineering

Royce Warden - Art Direction

Geoff Dunstan - Assistant Director

See the JOLT ARTISTS page for more info about these guys.

THE BOLT ENSEMBLE

an ensemble of some of Melbourne's most outstanding musicians directed by Hullick for the purpose of performing in projects created by Hullick

BELINDA WOODS - FLUTE

MARTIN MACKERRAS - CLARINET & CONDUCTING

ADAM SIMMONS - SAXAPHONE, WOODS & CONDUCTING

ADREA KEEBLE - VIOLIN

CAERWEN MARTIN - CELLO

ANITA HUSTAS DOUBLE BASS

TIM PHILIPS - PERCUSSION & CONDUCTING

PETER NEVILLE - PERCUSSION

See the JOLT ARTISTS page for more info about these guys.

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE (FCAC) AND JOLT ARTS INC.  

FCAC presented JOLT's first collaboration with the AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS in 2007 which was titled CRANKY ROBOTICS (see our 2007 program documentation for more info about this show). CRANKY ROBOTICS was the birth place of THE JOLT CREATIVES and was JOLT's first public presentation. Since that time and with kind advice from FCAC JOLT has learned to spread her wings, most recently presenting a show in New York that was reviewed as 'totally mind-blowing' by one New York critic.

JOLT and FCAC have revisited their partnership for several shows, all of which have featured THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS including: INTERACTACON (2007) and SHIMMERSONG (2007) , with THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS putting in a performance at JOLT's WIGGA exhibition at Shifted Gallery in 2008.

Through JOLT FCAC is able to interlock the community with cutting edge and experimental projects. Through FCAC JOLT is able to further it's understanding of how communities drive culture and to learn about what management processes might better arts organisations working with communities.

A REVIEW OF CRANKY ROBOTICS

A PREVIOUS EXAMPLE OF THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS WORKING WITH JAMES HULLICK, AND OF FCAC IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JOLT 

SOME IMAGES FROM THE ANIMATION FOR THE NIS

SOME IMAGES OF SOME OF THE MACHINES BEING DEVELOPED FOR THE NIS

gotholin

crankamaphone

whirling dervishes

prankyano

STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES CLOSER TO THE SHOW!!!