synergic theater

Photos
Videos
Printed pieces
Other images

Photos
(click thumbs for larger images)
(see chronology for further details)

Durham I (1974-1978)
San Francisco (1978-1982)
Durham II, with New York (1982-1986)
New York (1987-1994)

Durham I (1974-1978)

The Ark (East Campus, Duke): Birthplace of Synergic Theater

Initial explorations in the Ark, spring 1974:

1975/76 Workshops:

"Cube Roots" rehearsals, fall 1976:

"The Death of Charlie Noble," February 1977:

Film from "The Death of Charlie Noble," February 1977:

"1 God, 2Me, 3 You and 4 Dimensions," February 1977:

"Pipe Dreams," February 1977:

The scene of the crime, Baldwin Auditorium, Duke, February 1977:

"Don Quixote in the Gardens," Spring 1977:

"Bits and Pieces of a Midsummer Night's Theme" (workshop performance) June 1977:

San Francisco (1978-1982)

"The Fool," March 1980:

"Ruins," June 1980, November-December 1980 and 1981:

"Discarnate Landscape," July 1981:

“Private Lives,” March 1982:

Durham II, with New York (1982-1986)

"Birthday," May 1983:

"Pipe Dreams," March 1984:

"Private Lives" (just quartet), March 1984:

"Birthday," March 1984:

"Lost," May and July 1984:

New York (1987-1994)

"Old Stones," June 1988:

"The Fool," June 1988:

"Lost," September 1988:

"The Fool," September 1989:

"Private Lives" (quartet), September 1989:

"I, migrant," September 1989:

"Editing Eurydice," February 1993:

Videos

All videos can be reached via the Synergic Theater’s YouTube channel. (If you bookmark anything, we suggest you use this because it will include any new additions or upgraded versions.)

Direct links to each one are also included below, along with pdfs of accompanying programs and, when available and relevant, scripts of spoken text. Some of the scripts also include stage directions and/or lighting cues. (Reviews can be found in commentary.) Further creative process resources can be found under Manuscripts in the Offstage section of this website.

Incident
Short film created for Suzanne's live stage production: "The Death of Charlie Noble."

Birthday
Multi dimensional synergic take on universal subject
Program (pdf) from 1984 memorial tribute to collaborators Georgio Ciompi and Frank Smullin

Old Stones
Movement theater brings to life Catalan Romanesque frescoes
Program (pdf) 1988 version (premiered in 1985)

Private Lives
Suzanne’s sparse masterpiece; solo, duet, trio, quartet
Program (pdf) 1989 version (quartet premiered 1976)

Lullaby Quartet from Private Lives
The last part, created first
Program (pdf) Part of memorial tribute to Giorgio Ciompi

Lost
1587 Lost Colony explored in shadowscreen imagery
Program (pdf) 1991 version (premiered 1984)
Script (pdf)

I, Migrant
Ellis Island immigrant brought to life in shadows, dance
Program (pdf) 1991 version (premiered 1989)
Script (pdf)

Editing Euydice
Orpheus attempts to rescue Eurydice from the Mediaworld
Program (pdf) May 1993 version (premiered February 1993)
Script (pdf)

Pipe Dreams
the evolution of a sculpture, staged
Program (pdf)

These videos were originally recorded on a rudimentary ancient device known as camcorder in a long forgotten language called VHS. Never clear to begin with, they have been resurrected from deep in the vault of the synergy archives by video archeologists and brought to light, however dimly, like prehistoric cave paintings.

The fact that these recordings are visible at all provides, at the very least, an impression of a special creative dimension, otherwise lost to time, space and limited analog technology (also limited budgets). One can only imagine the sense of scale, transition and live presence that marked the original productions. Then again, the participation of the audiences’ own imaginations provided yet another elemental dimension of that live experience, so like the viewers in the ancient ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, let your mind wander freely through what’s there ... and what’s not.

Printed pieces

Premiere Performances, Duke, 7/74