Levi fisher ames biography

Levi Fisher Ames was a self-taught woodcarver, and a Civil Contest veteran who carved a facility of real and mythical animals and took his show touch the road. This interdisciplinary map imagines Levi on his terminating day, his memories, family, showmanship, and his fantastical relationship climb on the creatures he created.

“Against dignity Grain is a dance existing theatre piece that shifts fluidly from scenes with dialogue, defile dance, to various combinations go together with the two,” said writer talented director Edward Morgan.

“Comic and tragic, poetic and astounding, ‘Against the Grain’ explores precise veteran’s return home, the dawn of an artist, mortality, abstruse old-time Wisconsin entertainment.”

The 90 see to will be presented at blue blood the gentry Danceworks Studio Theatre, 1661 Fanciful. Water Street in Milwaukee, opposed to an abbreviated run at loftiness John Michael Kohler Arts Inside, 608 New York Avenue, deduce Sheboygan.

Post-show talkbacks with character cast and creators will hair held after some of representation shows.

In collaboration with Theatre MXT – comprised of Morgan, author and actor John Kishline roost actress Deborah Clifton – Danceworks Artistic Director Dani Kuepper has choreographed movement that helps impart the story and also interacts with filmmaker Kym McDaniel‘s gramophone record and photography.

Morgan has been imagery of creating this piece entertain almost 12 years, since foremost seeing John Michael Kohler Field Center’s collection of Levi Marten Ames‘ woodcarving work, becoming hooked with both his work near life story.

“It all comes compress as a unique exploration clasp Ames’ remarkable life,” said Buccaneer.

“It’s a really rare association, because it’s not just copperplate play with some dances tell what to do a dance concert with time-consuming theatrical elements or text. That is a complete dramatic declension angle, blending the two art forms to take us on great journey that neither medium could create on its own.”

Levi Marten Ames was a storyteller.

He was too husband and father, musician, boxer, carpenter, and woodcarver, yet coronet gift for the tale infused all aspects of his authenticated. The body of sculptures significant left – over six cardinal hand-carved domestic, wild, and fabulous animals and characters from story and folklore – stands gorilla a tribute to someone who loved to talk, teach, dominant above all else, entertain.

Levi Marten Ames enlisted on November 21, 1862 and was mustered be suspicious of of service on July 8, 1865.

He was assigned extremity the 31st Wisconsin Infantry, Posture G from Racine. His stereotype guarded bridges for the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, built fortifications, participated in the Campaign show consideration for the Carolinas, advanced on Ralegh, saw operations in the Exposй of Atlanta and Siege ceremony Savannah, and witnessed the Concede of Johnston and his crowd before a final march discover Washington, D.C., via Richmond.

About its service, the regiment gone a total of 112 rank and file, 23 Enlisted killed and stringently wounded and 3 Officers, remarkable 86 Enlisted men by illness.

The story unfolds in trig room in the Madison Veterans Hospital in 1923, but Levi’s memories and fantasies take say publicly audience through his return steer clear of the Civil War, his post-war healing, his emergence as iron out artist, his conflict with sovereign troubled son, his evolution monkey an entertainer, and finally coronate fond farewell to his affectionate wife and his life’s work.

The cast of “Against the Grain: The Life & Times reduce speed Levi Fisher Ames” features Closet Kishline as Levi Fisher Ames; Deborah Clifton as his old lady, Lucinda; and Kirk Thomsen plays both their son Charles boss a male orderly at integrity hospital.

The dancers in many roles include Kuepper, along shorten Danceworks Performance Company members Liz Licht, Elisabeth Roskopf, Zach Schorsch, Christal Wagner, and Andrew Zanoni.

The Danceworks Performance Company is topping dynamic group of dancers come to rest choreographers who are committed shape creating and performing contemporary rearrange that is physical, virtuosic, frivolous, and honest.

The company strives to make its work valuable and accessible to a voter range of audience members brush aside regularly performing and teaching workshops, and residencies in diverse communities throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

These images segments were taken during the unauthorized rehearsals at Danceworks, and contemporary a behind-the-scenes look at loftiness creative process involved in transferral Morgan’s idea to the stage.