The Mirrored Pool is a mask and puppetry performance created by puppet master Tom Lee. In a wordless dream space at the edge of a shallow pool of water, Puppeteer and Puppet are presented as evocatively designed characters who switch back and forth between perceived identities as lovers, rivals, and caretakers. The performance is an exploration of virtuosic puppetry and mask performance, but also of the audience’s perceptions and prejudices about character and gender.

The piece has its roots in Tom Lee’s two decade long relationship to traditional Japanese puppetry through his teacher Master Koryū Nishikawa V. In traditional Japanese performance, character and gender are strictly prescribed for the audience. However, this is not a traditional performance in either design or performance. It leans into Mr. Lee’s personal investigations about how a viewer “reads” a puppet figure through design, hair, costume and manipulation.

Eighth Blackbird enters into this collaboration from their own deep musical explorations and experiments with puppetry. Lisa Kaplan and Matthew Duvall will help create a soundscape that is manipulated by touch and gesture and channels the materiality of the shallow pool of water and mirrored moon that create the setting for the piece. At some points, each musician will become a puppeteer, mask wearer and conjurer for this deeply experiential performance.

Join us for a unique event featuring a performance of The Mirrored Pool followed by a moderated discussion. Your attendance and support will directly contribute to the success of the Blackbird Creative Lab and its mission to nurture new talent. The Blackbird Creative Lab is dedicated to supporting emerging artists — fostering creativity and entrepreneurship.

A Tomte is a Swedish gnome, a quiet and unseen caretaker who watches over the lives of humans and animals.  On a cold winter night on a snow covered farm, Tomte teaches us about the importance of kindness and looking after living things.

Tomte is an intimate shadow puppet performance adapted from “The Tomten” by Astrid Lindgren and the poem by Victor Rydberg. The first part performance is created using live feed video of shadow puppets filmed through an overhead video camera and projected onto a transforming shadow screen. Puppetry, animal sounds and scenic transitions are all performed by Tom Lee with narration by storyteller Lisa Gonzales.  Following the shadow portion of the piece, Tomte emerges from the screen to interact with the audience.  During this portion, Tomte is presented as a kuruma ningyō (cart puppet) style figure inspired by Japanese traditions.  The entire performance is 30 minutes long.

Following the performance, puppeteer Tom Lee greets the audience and reveals the technology and traditions behind the performance and the kuruma ningyō style. During select presentations of the piece, Mr. Lee conducts puppet workshops where viewers can make their own simple shadow puppets and try them out on the screen.  The performance is intended for all ages.

A Tomte is a Swedish gnome, a quiet and unseen caretaker who watches over the lives of humans and animals.  On a cold winter night on a snow covered farm, Tomte teaches us about the importance of kindness and looking after living things.

Tomte is an intimate shadow puppet performance adapted from “The Tomten” by Astrid Lindgren and the poem by Victor Rydberg. The first part performance is created using live feed video of shadow puppets filmed through an overhead video camera and projected onto a transforming shadow screen. Puppetry, animal sounds and scenic transitions are all performed by Tom Lee with narration by storyteller Lisa Gonzales.  Following the shadow portion of the piece, Tomte emerges from the screen to interact with the audience.  During this portion, Tomte is presented as a kuruma ningyō (cart puppet) style figure inspired by Japanese traditions.  The entire performance is 30 minutes long.

Following the performance, puppeteer Tom Lee greets the audience and reveals the technology and traditions behind the performance and the kuruma ningyō style. During select presentations of the piece, Mr. Lee conducts puppet workshops where viewers can make their own simple shadow puppets and try them out on the screen.  The performance is intended for all ages.

A Tomte is a Swedish gnome, a quiet and unseen caretaker who watches over the lives of humans and animals.  On a cold winter night on a snow covered farm, Tomte teaches us about the importance of kindness and looking after living things.

Tomte is an intimate shadow puppet performance adapted from “The Tomten” by Astrid Lindgren and the poem by Victor Rydberg. The first part performance is created using live feed video of shadow puppets filmed through an overhead video camera and projected onto a transforming shadow screen. Puppetry, animal sounds and scenic transitions are all performed by Tom Lee with narration by storyteller Lisa Gonzales.  Following the shadow portion of the piece, Tomte emerges from the screen to interact with the audience.  During this portion, Tomte is presented as a kuruma ningyō (cart puppet) style figure inspired by Japanese traditions.  The entire performance is 30 minutes long.

Following the performance, puppeteer Tom Lee greets the audience and reveals the technology and traditions behind the performance and the kuruma ningyō style. During select presentations of the piece, Mr. Lee conducts puppet workshops where viewers can make their own simple shadow puppets and try them out on the screen.  The performance is intended for all ages.