Raft Project (My Shapes Are In Turmoil)
Longtime Outdoor Theatre Goes Indoors to Beat the Heat!
Hip Pocket Theatre Presents
Raft Project (My Shapes Are In Turmoil)
Hip Pocket Theatre continues its 48th season with Raft Project (My Shapes Are In Turmoil), which will be performed indoors at the historic Southside Preservation Hall in Fort Worth, 1519 Lipscomb Street. Showtimes are at 8:15 pm on Friday through Sunday Aug. 9-11, and on Thursday through Sunday Aug. 15-25. Tickets are available on the Hip Pocket website.
Raft Project (My Shapes Are In Turmoil) is a wordless theatre piece co-created and co-directed by the collaborative team of Lake Simons and John Dyer. Accompanied by music composed by John Dyer with choreography and puppetry by Lake Simons, it reflects upon the current globally tumultuous times we are exposed to, both in person and via ever-cycling media, and the desire to seek balance and find solace.
The cast includes Allen Dean, Cy Dyer, Grainger Esch, Shelby Griffin, Sara Rashelle and Lake Simons.
“We’re overjoyed to be bringing the rustic outdoor magic of Hip Pocket indoors with our friends at Southside Preservation Hall for this production!” Simons said. “Last season, we found ourselves in the unfortunate position of canceling a large number of our performances due to the high heat index. We knew we needed to make plans for August 2024. We’re creating a theatre within the walls of ‘The Hall,’ capturing the beauty of the historic space and coupling it with the artful handmade, homespun theatre that makes Hip Pocket so unique.”
Lake Simons is a Texas-raised and Brooklyn-based director, designer, puppeteer and physical theatre performer. She creates theatre productions by using movement, puppetry and live music to share stylized visual storytelling for the stage. Her creations encourages viewers of any age to tap into their ability to “make believe". Simons is the managing artistic director of Hip Pocket Theatre, where she has contributed as a director, performer and designer for more than 26 years. She has collaborated with a multitude of musicians, performers, designers and artists throughout her lengthy career as a theatre artist in New York City and Texas, creating experimental movement and puppetry-driven theatre. She and her (most constant) collaborative partner, John Dyer, have created more than a dozen productions. Simons has received multiple Jim Henson Foundation grants in support of her original puppetry productions. She teaches puppetry in the theatre department at Sarah Lawrence College. Simons attended Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France, and North Carolina School of the Arts.
“We are so happy to be back in Fort Worth and look forward to sharing our new work with you! Join us on the water! We’ll be there, with bells on!” said John Dyer. John Dyer is a songwriter, musician and composer, as well as a theatre and visual artist. Founder of Fort Worth’s own Drama Tiki (1992-1998) and Music Director for North Carolina’s Paperhand Puppet Intervention (1999-2001), he now lives in New York City where he has performed at The Living Room, St. Ann's Warehouse, HERE, Dixon Place and La MaMa. Solo albums include One Among (2000), Phantom Fire (2003) and Independent Music Awards’ Best Album Finalist - GoStayPlay (2004). His song “Hot Owl” received an Honorable Mention in the International Songwriting Competition. Dyer is the recipient of multiple ASCAP Plus Awards, Meet The Composer grants and Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critic's Forum Awards. He has created multiple theatre collaborations with Lake Simons, from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (2003) to When We Were Very Young (2022).
Susan Austin is the costume designer for the show and Nikki DeShea Smith is the lighting designer. Learn more about the Cast and Production Team here.
Adult tickets are $25 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and $20 on Sundays, with reduced prices for seniors, military, teachers, first responders, students and children 12 and under. Tickets are available on the Hip Pocket website or by calling 817-246-9775. The box office at Southside Preservation Hall will open at 7:15 p.m. on performance nights.
Theatergoers are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy concessions and live music beginning at 7:15 p.m. in the salon/reception area. Concessions and music will continue after the production. Get the full music schedule here. No outside food or beverages are permitted.
