The Improbable Reign of Norton i, Emperor of the U.S.A.
This is a video montage of the performance. To order a copy
of the DVD, click here.
The Improbable Reign of Norton I, Emperor
of the United States
an ODC Theater Commission
conceived
and directed by Catherine Galasso
Starring: Christine Bonansea, Marina Fukushima, Phoenicia Pettyjohn, Julie Sheetz and Andrew Wass
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Premiere:
May 9-10, 2009
ODC Theater, San Francisco
The
Improbable Reign of Norton I, Emperor of the United States,
is a 40-minute dance theater work for five dancers. This work will explore
the life and person of Joshua Norton, who in 1859 crowned himself Emperor
of the United States. The fact that Joshua Norton was a millionaire before
he lost his fortune and went mad, takes on added resonance 150 years later
during the current economic crisis. The Improbable Reign of Norton
I will be a dreamlike and humorous portrait of Norton as a multifaceted
metaphor, capturing his troubled interior as well as his comical public image.
The piece will reflect on hope, failure, and sanity, as well as on a rich
forgotten history of San Francisco.
photos by Andrea Basile
Type: Dance-Theater
Running time: 45 minutes
Direction/choreography: Catherine Galasso
Music: Michael Galasso, Dave Cerf and Brian Eno
Performed: May 2009 at ODC Dance Commons
Dancers: Christine Bonansea, Marina Fukushima, Phoenicia Pettyjohn,
Julie Sheetz and Andrew Wass