realcircus

Dear Friends and Acquaintances, I am writing to let you know about Atomic City, a performance I am creating and producing with Denmark’s physical theatre company, Terra Nova, Swedish Musicians Nils Bäckvall and Tobias Sondén, and German designer Felix Grimm. We have been invited to develop this piece as artists in residence at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center on Long Island and La MaMa E.T.C., NYC. Atomic City will premier at La MaMa E.T.C. in NYC and Proelhelm in Copenhagen at the beginning of 2009 with performances to follow in Stockholm, Berlin, and Los Angeles. Atomic City is inspired by Oak Ridge, TN, my birthplace, and the birthplace of the Atomic Bomb. Two single parent families live on opposite sides of “the fence”--mother and son, father and daughter. Both families work for the same “Cause” and for the same person, who is the narrator of our play, the conductor of this orchestra. Like in Dr. Seuss’ Butter Battle Book, trivial issues are grotesquely exaggerated to become monumental conflicts . Simple poetic scenarios mix with total-theatre experiences; the narrative unfolds in beautiful choreographies, live music, and interactive games such as Battleship & Bingo with numbers like B52 and F16, where the winner gets to blow up the world of the play. Atomic City explores cultures colliding, communication breakdown, and the power and fear created by weapons of mass destruction. This is a crucial time in our country. Foreign relations are weak and the threat of weapons of mass destruction spreads fear and distrust. Artists are being cut off from funding and in turn, from their community. This is not a time to cut artists off but a time to support them in holding a mirror to society. This is also a crucial time in my career as an artist. After accumulating numerous awards, grants, and residencies working with companies such as Cirque Du Soleil, Theatre de La Jeune Lune, Spymonkey, Fuerzabruta, Orphean Circus, and Diavolo Dance Theatre, I am now dedicated to creating my own work. Unfortunately, at this point, my resume and talent far outweigh my financial support. Fortunately, a Danish Arts Council Grant will cover the international flights for our upcoming residencies. We still need funding for food, housing for our two weeks at La MaMa E.T.C., and production costs (set, props, costumes…). So here’s an idea; The United States government is sending many of us a $300 - $600 tax credit this month. I am using my check to help buy a set piece for Atomic City. I challenge you to donate a portion or all of your check to our project or to another arts or charity organization. Atomic City is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions on behalf of Atomic City may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Donations can be made by credit card online at www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/1484 You may also mail checks to me at 3367 ¼ Hamilton Way, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Thank you for your generous support. Sincerely, Jon Morris www.atomiccity.info P.S. Watch for me on Live with Regis and Kelly with Fuerzabruta.Jon Morris.biz • 818-987-9435 • [email protected]