Jumatatu Poe: Android Tears

October 16 - 18, 2014

Jumatatu Poe premieres his new solo, Android Tears, presented over three nights at JACK on a double bill with Club Diamond, a brief new work-in-progress by Saori Tsukada & Nikki Appino. Android Tears is inspired by Poe’s research on trickster deities and the history of signifying in African-American folklore. Appearing on stage on elevated black platform shoes and costumed in hot pink ribbon, the artist toys with the use of strategy in performance. Club Diamond, created by Saori Tsukada in collaboration with media and theater artist Nikki Appino, is the story of Saori coming to America. Part installation, part silent film, part live performance utilizing puppetry, the work is a Rashomon-like exploration of unreliable narration: each medium tells the same story, but will try to seduce the audience by fraud and misappropriation

Philadelphia-based choreographer and performer Jumatatu Poe works solo and within idiosynCrazy productions, a company he founded in 2008 and now co-directs with Shannon Murphy. As a performer, he also currently collaborates with Merián Soto and Marissa Perel. Since 2012, he has been engaged in a shared, multi-tiered performance practice with NYC-based dance artist Jesse Zaritt. Previously, Poe has danced with Marianela Boán, Tania Isaac, Charles. O. Anderson/Dance Theatre X, Keith Thompson, and Kate Watson-Wallace.

Described as a “charismatic mover with astounding precision”, Saori Tsukada harnesses her ability in theater, dance, in between and beyond. Saori’s acclaimed collaborative projects with the composer John Moran have been presented in NYC and throughout Europe. Tsukada was nominated for Best Actress twice at Dublin Fringe Festival. Nikki Appino is a filmmaker and theater artist. Trained at NYUs’ Experimental Theater Program, she founded the Seattle based company House of Dames and created original film and theater works. As a director, writer, and producer, she has received numerous awards including a National Endowment for the Arts Directing Fellowship.

Pictured above: Jumatatu Poe (c) Tayarisha Poe. Saori Tsukada (c) Nikki Appino.