Dancing with Bob
Rauschenberg, Brown & Cunningham Onstage
Dancing with Bob
Synopsis
Beginning in 2025, Trisha Brown Dance Company (TBDC) and Merce Cunningham Trust (MCT) celebrates the centennial of the visionary American artist Robert Rauschenberg. While widely recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to visual art, Rauschenberg also played a significant role in the performing arts-both as a performer and as a designer for choreographers over several decades. Among the many dance artists he collaborated with, his most frequent and notable partnerships were with Merce Cunningham and Trisha Brown.
For this occasion, TBDC will unite the work of these iconic 20th century artists in an evening of dance featuring “visual presentations” designed by Rauschenberg. The program will include Brown’s beloved Set and Reset, set to music by Laurie Anderson, alongside Cunningham’s Travelogue, a vaudevillian pièce de résistance and featuring music by John Cage, that hasn’t been seen by a professional company by 1979.
Credits
Programma
presented by Trisha Brown Dance Company with Merce Cunningham Trust
Set and Reset (1983)
choreography Trisha Brown
music Laurie Anderson, Long Time No See
original design and costumes Robert Rauschenberg
lighting design Beverly Emmons
choreography staged Carolyn Lucas with Cecily Campbell, Marc Crousillat, Jamie Scott
design & production reconstruction consultant Jessie Ksanznak, Nick Kolin
scenic reconstruction Lawrence Voytek, ShowFab
costume reconstruction Amanda Kmett’Pendry, Dyenamix Inc., Zarah Green
dancers Savannah Gaillard, Burr Johnson, Catherine Kirk, Ashley Merker, Patrick Needham, Jennifer Payán, Spencer Weidie
Set and Reset was first performed by the Trisha Brown Dance Company on October 20, 1983 as part of the Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Original Cast:Trisha Brown, Irene Hultman, Eva Karczag, Diane Madden, Stephen Petronio, Vicky Shick, Randy Warshaw
Travelogue (1977)
choreography Merce Cunningham
music John Cage, Telephones and Birds
original design and costumes Robert Rauschenberg
choreography staged by Marcie Munnerlyn and Andrea Weber
music director & realization of Telephones and Birds for mobile devices Adam Tendler
design & production consultant Davison Scandrett
scenic reconstruction Mrinali Thanwani, Bland Wade & Kris Julio from UNCSA School of Design & Production; sail reconstruction by Rose Brand
costume reconstruction Earlene Munnerlyn and Marissa McCullough
lighting reconstruction Davison Scandrett & Joe Levasseur
dancers Savannah Gaillard, Burr Johnson, Claude Johnson, Catherine Kirk, Ashley Merker, Patrick Needham, Jennifer Payán, Spencer Weidie
Travelogue was first performed by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company on January 18, 1977 at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City. Original Cast: Karole Armitage, Ellen Cornfield, Merce Cunningham, Morgan Ensminger, Meg Harper, Chris Komar, Robert Kovich, Julie Roess-Smith. Travelogue (1977) by Merce Cunningham Merce Cunningham Trust. All rights reserved.
Dancing with Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown and Cunningham Onstage is generously supported by Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, The Imperfect Family Foundation, The Wattis Family, The Dedalus Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, the James E. Robison Foundation, The Jerome Robbins Foundation and the Chicago Community Foundation. With additional support from Ken Tabachnick and Yael Mandelstam, Thomas and Lily Beischer, Bill Goldston and Riccarda De Eccher, Larry and Julia Antonatos, and Molly and Michael Rowen of Michael’s Motor Cars, Lancaster, PA.
Special thanks to Ken Tabachnick for envisioning this program; Andrea Weber, Rashaun Mitchell, and Patricia Lent of the Merce Cunningham Trust for their partnership; Courtney J. Martin, Francine Snyder, Kate Reibel, Miriam Master, and Anne Boissonnault; and the team at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation for helping to bring this vision to life.
European Premiere
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