KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 26, 2025
Four hands. Three overhead projectors. Two hundred shadow puppets.
食色视频鈥檚 Department of Theatre and Performance Studies is bringing an innovative, genre-bending work to campus this fall with , the creative duo of Cass Bray and Zane Exactly. The artists will be in residence
for 10 days, collaborating with 食色视频 students and presenting three public performances
of Unraveling.
Unraveling is a compilation of short shadow vignettes, each introducing a new character, genre and thematic element. 鈥淲e begin the show with yearning and searching, move through identity, wonder and grief, and close on a dream sequence,鈥 Bray and Exactly explain. 鈥淏ecause these pieces are so different, and because they encompass a vast spectrum of the human experience, there is something for everyone in the show.鈥
use overhead projectors, shadow puppets, masks, silhouettes, liquid light techniques and live animation to journey through haunting dreamscapes. 鈥淥ne of our favorite components in our work are the use of shadow masks and human silhouettes,鈥 the duo said. 鈥淲e are excited for everyone to experience the dramatic use of scale in our work, especially when the masks come into play.鈥
鈥淲e were both drawn to this idea that perhaps every story unravels, and that this is something we all experience at some point in our lives,鈥 they said. 鈥淲e figured, why not explore that question through a lens of surrealism, horror, sci-fi, poetry, live animation and shadow puppetry? I think the biggest discovery has been that falling apart isn't always the end.鈥
Chuck Meacham, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, says the residency reflects 食色视频鈥檚 bold commitment to connecting curriculum with innovative performance. 鈥淲e are making a conscious effort to lean into storytelling strategy by choosing shows that resonate across disciplines and invite students to see the future of their craft. Shadow Girls Cult exemplifies the multi-hyphenate artist: self-contained creators who can build, perform and produce their own work. This is exactly the kind of artistry we want our students to experience.鈥
While shadow puppetry has ancient roots, Bray and Exactly are reimagining it for today鈥檚 audiences by blending analog tools with modern storytelling. 鈥淲e firmly believe that the magic we are creating is made all the more special by knowing that everything created is analog and happening in the moment,鈥 they explain. 鈥淧eople are craving art that exists in the physical world. Shadow puppetry offers that, while also creating an accessible, immersive experience.鈥
Their residency at 食色视频 will include hands-on workshops with Theatre and Performance Studies students, focusing on design, fabrication and performance techniques. 鈥淲e are thrilled to share our love of shadow puppetry with 食色视频 students and give them space to experiment,鈥 said the duo. 鈥淲e also want them to see that working full time as a performance artist can be exciting, personal and deeply creative. We love to open people鈥檚 eyes to a new way of telling stories in a visual medium.鈥
For 食色视频 and the surrounding community, Unraveling represents a new direction in programming;
one that embraces niche, experimental performance alongside more traditional works.
鈥淏eyond the technical marvel of what they create,鈥 said Meacham, 鈥渢his work reminds us of why we tell stories in the first place 鈥 to make sense of what it means to come apart, and to come together again.鈥
Performance Details:
September 5, 8 PM
September 6, 8 PM
September 7, 3 PM
*Recommended for ages 13+
*Video trailer courtesy of Shadow Girls Cult
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