Family Circus Theater Collective 221 S.E. 11th Portland, OR 97214 503/236-7270 • The Family Circu~ Theater Collective _is a full-time touring · collective based in Portland that has been performing in parks, schools, universities, prisons, taverns, ment_al institutions and fairs throughout the West Coast since 1972. Their current pieces include Labor Pains (focusing on women and work), Top Cats and Underdog: A Male Menagerie, The Rip City Follies (abou~ older people and housing), and ShutDown or Fall-Out: A Tribute to Trojan (their statement on nuclear power). They'll be on tour soon, so watch for them on the West Coast, or contact Linda Gutherie, their Booking Coordinator for specific dates, places and workshops they offer. • We also have a report that the Mov~ment for a New Society offers training workshops in street theater five times a year. Contact: MNS 4722 Baltimore Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19143 l r And finally, an address for a group in Denmark cailed the Solar Wagens Leute Solv"gn Christiniania Kc,fbenhavn, Denmark The Tinker Truck 6205 Franktown Road Carson City, NV 89701 "Puppetry is becoming a more developed part of our program. A~ready we have two endangered species puppets: a Pronghorn Antelope and a White Pelican that tell their stories to the elementary school children we visit. Also we do a workshop on puppet making (from ~choolyard litter) where the theme is the basic elements: sun, water, soil, air, decomposers, plants, plan't eaters all asking a quizzical question: "Who's the most important?" We are working on Nevada historical characters who've had a role in the use,of the state's resources. We do some skit work with the kids too. "Here's another puppet-using group: The ~nvironmeI)tal Volunteers, Peninsula Conservation Center, 1176 Emerson St., Palo Alto, CA 94301." (Weed Evans) r- @ □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□ooooooo□□ooooooooooooooo□□o□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□ NtW-~ESTERN. ENERGY-SHOWS HOW How do you produce a traveling energy show? Of course, that depends on what is included iq the show, where you want to go with it, and what you want to do with it.,We aren't experts on any show except the New Wes-tern Energy Show, but with this limited experience we can offer a few hints. First some background: The New Western Energy Show brings exhibits of renewable energy devices and systems to Montana towns and cities. Large, colorfully illustrated panels, books for sale, a complete library, and fact sheets provide information for the public. Activities such as slide shows, lectures, informational and hands-on workshops for adults and kids involve the public directly in learning and sharing experiences. Finally, a full-scale theatrical and musical medicine show delights the senses and entertains and educates the mind. The th'eater is the razzle-dazzle selling point and magnet of the show; just as the old time medicine show pulled folks in with its flashy wagons and skits to sell remedies for bodily ills, we draw folks in and try to hook them on ideas and methods to remedy modern "ills" caused by over-use and misuse of energy. . The two a:~pects of a traveling show most important in shaping its form and quality are its philosophical message and the attitudes and approaches of its staff. The NWES's strong "do more with less" philosophy has its-foundation in Montana's grassroots citizen reaction to the threat of massive stripmining of the Northern Plains. This philosophy is reflected in the-attitudes and lifestyle of personnel whose qualifications include steadiness, sen~e of humor, ability to adapt; sense of equality, and ability and ~illingness to live lightly on the land. We have found to our great delight that persons with such qualities commonly have talent and common sense, take great pride in their work, and are able to work hard in concert with each other. The size and scope of a traveling energy show depend on what it hopes to provide, on its schedule, and on its audience; and the tasks involved are defined by the scope of the show. Allocation of the tasks depends on individual abilities. With a small troupe almost everyone must (for instance) fix carburetors in the morning, talk intelligently about recycling in the afternoon, and act in the evening performance. With a large -more+
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