A night of dancing, puppetry, live art and more is coming to Ball State with “Artrageous” at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Emens Auditorium.
“Artrageous” is an interactive music and art show that showcases the range of the fine and performing arts. A variety of artistic forms will be on display, from live-action painting to Japanese puppetry.
Producer and troupe member John de Wolf said the mission of “Artrageous” is to animate and bring to life different art forms.
One art form in particular is Bunraku puppetry, which originated in Japan. Three people are dressed head-to-toe in black to remain unseen while they operate an inanimate figure.
“Our goal in Bunraku is to have an inanimate form come to life,” de Wolf said. “The key is that the three puppeteers are placing their intentions on the puppet and creating an energetic field around that form.”
There are many different artists involved with “Artrageous,” but Lauri Francis, the show’s producer, said they all remain united through the art of performing and their friendship with one another.
“We’re really great friends, we like to travel together,” Francis said. “We’re super passionate about bringing the arts into communities, especially for children.”
The show also has an educational outreach program where the troupe perform and talk to children about the importance of the arts in their lives and schools.
“We talk about how important the arts are not only for your heart, but they’re also really important for your brain,” Francis said. “We just try to inspire kids to keep doing the arts and find something they’re really passionate about.”
Francis has been part of the group since she graduated high school in Ontario, Canada. Desk and office jobs didn’t appeal to Francis, so she called her aunt, a member of the original “Artrageous” troupe, and asked if she could visit.
After visiting, she said she realized there was “more out there,” and she could find it by being part of “Artrageous.”
Contact Adam Pannel with comments at arpannel@bsu.edu.
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