Creative Capital

Deke Weaver The Unreliable Bestiary

Discipline
Performing Arts
Medium
Interdisciplinary
Subject

History

Narrative
State
Illinois
Year
2009
Status
Touring

Description

Inspired by the literary concept of the unreliable narrator and the medieval bestiary, which gave every living thing a spiritual purpose, The Unreliable Bestiary is an ark of stories about animals, our relationships with them and the worlds they inhabit. In addition to an encyclopedic set of books and a website, The Unreliable Bestiary includes performances for each letter of the alphabet, with each letter representing a particular animal or habitat. With the help of composer Chris Peck, choreographer Jennifer Allen and scenic designer Andy Warfel, each performance is scaled to different venues—from traditional theaters to intimate living rooms, outdoor pavilions and national park amphitheaters.

Deke Weaver

Deke Weaver is a writer, performer and video and graphic artist whose interdisciplinary works have been presented at venues in Russia, Brazil, Australia…
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Project Updates

2011: Weaver performs MONKEY from The Unreliable Bestiary at the Interactive Futures Conference in Vancouver, Canada
2011: Weaver performs Other Animals from The Unreliable Bestiary at Virginia Commonwealth University and Studio Roanoke
2011: Weaver performs ELEPHANT at the Salt Lake City Art Center
2011: Weaver performs ELEPHANT in the New Frontier Program at the Sundance Film Festival
2010: ELEPHANT, the second performance in The Unreliable Bestiary, premieres at the Stock Pavilion in Urbana, IL
2010: Deke Weaver travels to Thailand to research elephants at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center
2010: An iteration of The Unreliable Bestiary is performed at UCLA
2009: A workshop iteration of The Unreliable Bestiary is performed at HERE Arts Center in New York City