Act in a Moment–Lookingglass Alice
So much can happen in a moment, and so much can be conveyed, but with circus, the art is usually left to speak for itself, and rapport with the artists and creators about their creation is a rarity often reserved for talkbacks and after-parties. Circus Talk’s series “Act in a Moment” explores the idea that circus creatives have a lot to share about their work and the process of creating circus that can be conveyed with a little explanation and a lot of visuals. Explore the essence of an act or a show, the idea behind a new apparatus or the circumstances that led up to a great moment in circus with us as we speak to circus creatives about their favorite topic, their art form!
In this Act in a Moment, explore the Alice in Wonderland circus and theatre adaptation Lookingglass Alice from Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, IL (USA). Sit down with Circus and Movement Designer, Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi, and actors Michel Rodriguez Cintra as the White Rabbit (any many other roles) and Lindsey Noel Whiting as Alice for an exclusive look into the creative atmosphere of the show, the dynamics of the cast and crew, and the intersection of circus, theatre and storytelling that happens on the Lookingglass stage.
Interviewees:
Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi is a Lookingglass Theatre Ensemble Member Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, who grew up in the circus, has worked with Lookingglass Theatre Company on productions for over 30 years. She developed the 3-tier cloud swing used in the production, and works with each cast to develop movement, choreography, and spectacles unique to each performer.
Michel Rodriguez Cintra started as a competitive gymnast in the Cuban National Youth Team, then toured internationally as a principal dancer before moving to Chicago. Having found a production that allows him to use all his various talents, Michel feels that performing in Lookingglass Alice is what he was always meant to do.
Lindsey Noel Whiting has been in proximity to the Lookingglass Alice production in some capacity for the past 15 years. As one of the performers who plays Alice, she considers herself an actor first, but uses the physicality and difficulty of circus as a tool to communicate Alice’s rollercoaster of a journey to the audience.
About Lookingglass Alice:
Across the country, audiences of all ages have been transfixed, amazed, and moved by Alice’s hopscotch journey over life’s chessboard as she encounters the rules (and nonsense!) of growing up. Now, after a seven-year hiatus, this signature Lookingglass production, adapted and directed by Ensemble Member David Catlin (The Little Prince, Moby Dick), returns as a circus-infused trip down the rabbit hole and deep into your heart. After a period of accelerated change, Lookingglass Alice returns to ask through the ages, “Who are you?”
These days, Em independently travels and tours the US as burlesque and circus bombshell, Karma Carnelian. Karma's performance style seamlessly blends classic and neo burlesque choreography with dynamic acrobatic chair and floor work. Karma has performed coast to coast, from the Hubba Hubba Revue in San Francisco, CA, to the House of Blues in Chicago, IL, to countless productions in their home state.
Em received their BA in Advertising in 2019 and MS in Integrated Marketing in 2021 from Florida State University, where they also performed teeterboard, flying, swinging and double trapeze in The FSU Flying High Circus from 2016-2020. Em first joined CircusTalk first as a journalism intern in 2020, and currently serves as the team's Community Manager, creating written and digital content for the site, and managing the companies' social media channels.
Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.
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