Blast Off with Marvin the Mouse at Heritage Center
Mar 9, 2018
DUBUQUE, Iowa – University of Dubuque Heritage Center closes its fifth anniversary Live at Heritage Center Family Series with Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey, performed by New Orleans-based Lightwire Theater, on Friday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m. in John and Alice Butler Hall. A cosmic adventure about celebrating differences, this production tells the story of Marvin the Mouse through electroluminescent artistry, puppetry, dance, and poignant music story telling.
WHAT: Live at Heritage Center Family Series – Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey, performed by Lightwire Theater of New Orleans
WHEN: Friday, April 6 – 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: John and Alice Butler Hall, Heritage Center, University of Dubuque
TICKETS: $15 adult, $13 alumni/military, $9 student/child, $4 lap seat children 3 and under ($4 lap seat ticket available with purchase of an adult ticket)
Both loveable and relatable, Marvin the Mouse wants to be popular. Constantly bullied by the “cool” rats, he is labeled a looser and a geek. As respite from continuous badgering, Marvin retreats into his science books and world of fantasy. He takes the trip of a lifetime to the surface of the moon on his homemade rocket where he meets a strange cast of misfit creatures, learns of infinite peril, and views awesome beauty. Marvin’s journey of self-discovery reveals an important lesson that being different is “cool.”
Lightwire’s fifth full length show, Moon Mouse features a musical score spanning a variety of styles from pop to classical as well as original music. With the desire to engage every age group musically, Elton John’s “Rocket Man” and David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” are featured tunes. Over 40 luminous and endearing characters are operated by five performers. An expansive moon set features craters and caves complete with special effects and video. Each Lightwire performance is a unique interpretation of a story told by dancers and glow-in-the-dark puppets. These stories are told without words, leaving the interpretation totally up to an audience’s creative imagination.
Lightwire creators Ian Carney and Corbin Popp met while dancing in Twyla Tharp’s Broadway show Movin’ Out. An immediate connection was made as they discovered their mutual love of art, theater, and technology. After coming across a product called electroluminescent wire, or “EL wire” for short, the possibilities seemed endless. Together with their wives Eleanor and Whitney, they began to develop EL wire puppetry based on creatures that quickly gained personality. The performances are a truly unique, innovative, and visually dazzling theatrical experience. Cast members strap on EL wire puppetry to their bodies and bring creatures to life through movement and dance.
This performance is approximately 60 minutes in length and includes a short Q&A with the cast. There is an opportunity to meet performers and puppets in the lobby following the show.
Tickets for Moon Mouse can be purchased Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Farber Box Office, Heritage Center, University of Dubuque, 2255 Bennett Street; by phone at 563.585.SHOW; or online at www.dbq.edu/heritagecenter.
