15 Head Theatre Lab

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15 HEAD - a theatre lab was a non-profit, professional, experimental theatre company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 15 HEAD focused on creating original company works, using the Viewpoints method popularized by Anne Bogart and the SITI Company. The company's works featured a highly athletic style of performance, a rich visual palette and implementation of music and dance.^[1] The company was awarded Jerome Fellowship grants for their work in 2002^[2] and 2004.^[3] 15 Head produced plays and offered classes in Viewpoints method in Minneapolis from 1995^[4] until the dissolution of the company in 2005.

In 1995, the company was created by two directors and a designer to fill an artistic need in the Twin Cities community. 15 HEAD emerged as one of the leading companies developing innovative, exciting, and experimental work in the Twin Cities. 15 HEAD's productions were marked by a signature style featuring highly physical movement, music, and visually dynamic design. By combining the best elements of theatre, dance, and music performance, 15 HEAD created boldly experimental works, which touched the viewer's emotions, intellect, and senses. 15 HEAD's productions were epic in scope, but intimate in feel. 15 HEAD endeavored to make each performance accessible, entertaining, and thought-provoking.

An important feature of 15 HEAD was its use of a broad, cross-disciplinary, collaborative rehearsal process. The company of professional directors, designers, actors, and writers broke down traditional barriers between their specializations. Productions, inspired by stories, legends, and myths, were created by the company through an extensive discovery and rehearsal process. In this open forum, all participants had a voice in the style, content, performance, and visual elements of the production as a whole. The finished product was a reflection of the individual and collective strengths of all the company members.

Following two years at Old Arizona studios, they became a resident company at the Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis in 1997 ^[5]. Several former members went on the create the Minneapolis-based company, Sandbox Theatre.

1 Awards
2 Founders
3 Shows
4 References

[edit] Awards

Top Ten Shows of 1999 for The Mountain Giants -City Pages^[6]

[edit] Founders

Joe Stanley
Julia Fisher
Greg Smucker

[edit] Shows

1996: Lulu
1997: She Must Be Dreaming: Impressions of Wuthering Heights
1998: The Lady from the Sea; meFausto (review); Don Juan
1999: The Mountain Giants (review); Dracula
2000: Aria; The Insatiate Countess
2001: Coco; Cheri; RED/instructions to follow
2002: The Rush; The Enchanted (review)
2003: The VI Wives of Henry VIII; Sacred Space; Oil on Canvas
2005: Vacationland