PRODUCTION NOTES
Dimension of IS was partly inspired by the history of world’s fairs throughout Europe and the U.S. which countless historians and cultural theorists have interpreted as being explicitly racist and imperialist in their display of non-western people as “specimens.” The piece is also inspired by information from the documentary, Arsenal of Hypocricy which we heard about when listening to KPFA’s Morning Show about the militarization of space, and the Pentagon’s newly developed space weapons, the Rods from God (check out kpfa.org, 5/10/05 Morning Show archive). The documentary features Bruce Gagnon who eloquently discusses the origins of the U.S. Space Program as an extension of U.S. imperialism beyond earth. During World War II, slaves--Jews, homosexuals, and French resistance fighters--were brought to a concentration camp called Dora to develop rocket technology under the direction of Dr. Wernher Von Braun. The technological “genius” of the Nazis was later capitalized on by the U.S. Government. In “Operation Paper Clip,” 1500 Nazi Scientists were never tried at Nuremberg, but instead were smuggled into the U.S. to help develop NASA & the U.S. Space Program. For more information on the U.S. Space Program, check out ArsenalofHypocrisy.com or space4peace.org. For a comprehensive review of the history of world’s fairs in the U.S., check out Robert Rydell’s All the World’s a Fair (U of Chicago Press, 1984) or contact Gigi at aeromestiza @sbcglobal.net for a complete bibliography.
Dimension of Is: A Spectacular Future is co-created by Heather Cox Carducci of SpaceSuperStar and Gigi Otalvaro-Hormillosa of (a)eromestiza in collaboration with Elise Baldwin, emael, Eliza Barrios and various other artists. This evening’s performance features only the Present/Future and Future segments.
The Present/Future
Newsflash piece (Video text and edits) by Gigi & Heather
Sally Struthers (Newscaster): Heather Carducci
Testimonial 1: Gigi
Testimonial 2: Loida Valentin & Marie Luna
Sound Effects on KROD Intro: Kendall Li
Additional images on video: Sheila Malone, Tastemedia.net
The Future
Live Performers:
Robylian: Heather Carducci
Reptizoid: emael
Rolo: Gigi
On-screen Characters:
Legions Maximus (the Global CEO): Al Lujan
General Ana Conda (a Pentagon official): Saun-Toy Trotter
Dr. Riefenstahl Von Braun (a Scientist & Nazi Descendant): Gary Gregerson
Dyke on Space Bike 1: Jenifer K. Wofford
Dyke on Space Bike 2: Eliza Barrios
NASA Astronaut: Gigi
NASA Pilot: Heather
Script Writers/Editors: Valentin Aguirre, Heather and Gigi
Director of Photography/Editor: Eliza Barrios
Sound Design/Engineering: Kendall Li
Lighting Design: Alan Chun
Production Assistant: Marc Fong
Stylist (on screen characters): Skeeter Barker
Costumes (on screen characters) borrowed from Mr. S Leather
Nasa Astronaut Costume borrowed from Mundi Morgado
Costume Designer (live performers): Marilyn Yu of Plutonium Clothing
Moving graphics: Tony Otalvaro (tastemedia.net)
Archival footage and other clips from Arsenal of Hypocricy by AOH Productions (see notes below)
Additional artwork: Mandy Greer and Tara Tucker
Additional footage from Love Parade 2005, Folsom Street Fair 2005, Castro Street Fair 2005, and SF War Protest (September 2005)
To view additional footage from the entire performance, please visit www.devilbunny.org
(a)eromestiza’s funders for this project include Horizons, Zellerbach, Astraea, SFAC and individual donors.
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