Black River Falling: A World Premiere from Tricklock Theatre Company April 19, 2007

Tricklock Company presents the World Premiere of Black River Falling: A Story of Self-Discovery in the Wake of Tragedy from April 19 through May 5, 2007 at Theatre X in the University of New Mexico’s Center for the Arts. Conceived and directed by Tricklock Company member Kevin R. Elder (Splinters, Welcome To The Family), the production features song, minimal text, puppetry, and highly stylized theatrical movement to create a beautiful and elegant story of restoration, resurrection, and revival.

Black River Falling explores the relationship among four sisters struggling to survive amidst the devastation and destruction of a natural disaster. In a lonely rural area of Wisconsin during the late 1800’s, a small farm is ravaged by a devastating blizzard. As sole survivors, the sisters struggle with grief over the loss of their siblings, parents and husbands. They are also overwhelmed by fear, and the mortal threats of starvation and demise from the elements.

The women must begin to rebuild their relationships and sense of identity while fighting to stay alive. As they strive to make sense of the desolate harshness, their fantasies, dreams and memories begin to bleed into their reality. Linear time blurs as the mundane becomes magical. The sisters are visited by relatives past, giant creatures and extraordinary fantasies. Through this filter of hardship, magic and beauty, the sisters and the audience explore the question, “Why, in the midst of constant tragedy, do we continue to fight to live?”

Drawing upon early American frontier culture, Black River Falling features traditional American folk and bluegrass music, as well as original songs rooted in early American styles of gospel and barbershop. Live musicians create the sound and landscape of the isolated and frozen lands of the Wisconsin farmstead.

Co-directed by Tricklock Company’s Byron Laurie (director of Rot, sickMan), Black River Falling features Tricklock Company members Elsa Menendez, Summer Olsson, Katy Houska and guest artist Abigail Blueher.

Performances of Black River Falling are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. There will be no performances on Saturday, April 21 or Sunday, May 6. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for seniors, UNM faculty and staff, and $8 for students. Tickets are available through the UNM Box Office by calling 505-925-5858 or going online to www.unmtickets.com.

Student rush tickets will be offered at all performances 10 minutes prior to curtain for $5 EACH on a first come, first served basis, AND only for those with valid UNM, CNM and high school student IDs. There will be no pre-sale for student rush tickets.

Tricklock Company is an international theater organization founded in 1993. Its mission is to create, tour, and produce theatrical productions as a permanent resident company at the University of New Mexico, committed to artistic risk, physicality, absurdism, and poetic work. The company’s website is www.tricklock.com.

Official Website: http://www.tricklock.com