Ellen Stewart Theatre

Urban Odyssey depicts the experience of immigration to America through movement and visual theatre. This new work is the culmination of a ten-year investigation that began in 2002 with a production created from Federico Restrepo’s personal experience as a Colombian immigrant. The first episode 9 Windows revealed a series of multi-media experiences of being a displaced immigrant. The second episode Open Door (2006) addressed the impact of the many immigrants from diverse cultural backgrounds that make up NYC; revealing their histories and states of mind. The third episode Room to Panic (2008) depicted the joy, fear, alienation and struggle that reveal the allure, disillusionments and rites of passage to achieve the American Dream. Urban Odyssey will merge all these concepts, creating an epic journey that acknowledges the inevitability of a new American culture. A voyage of human experience, from leaving ones homeland, to finding a new country, to making a new home and setting down roots.

The NY Times called Loco7’s Room to Panic an “elegant multimedia show…consistently touching and evocative” and described Open Door as “a striking, evocative theater experience.” Back Stage lauded Open Door as a “fantastic multimedia work” that “impresses as a work of whirling intelligence.” NYTheatre.com called In Retrospect “a memorable experience to ponder and treasure…the production is never less than awe-inspiring” and The Village Voice described Bokan, the Bad Hearted as “magical.”

The cast includes Federico Restrepo, Penelope J. Armstead-Williams, Ching-I Chang (Sleep No More), Maura Donohue (In Mixed Company Artistic Director), Denise Greber, Rob Laqui (MOMIX’s Botanica) and Gilbert Reyes, along with puppeteers Rocky Bostick, Kiku Sakai and Kayla Schetter.

The creative and design team includes Kris Kukul (Arrangement and Musical Direction), Federico Restrepo and Angela “Nena” Sierra (Video Edit and Design), Catarina Leitao (Tent Puppet Design), Federico Restrepo (Set and Lighting Design), Denise Greber (Costume Design) and Adriana Garcia-Pena (Production Technical Director).

About the Company: Loco7

Under the direction and vision of Federico Restrepo, Loco7 has been in existence since 1985. Loco7’s mission has been to develop the use of puppetry as an instrument for the dancer, a style that incorporates dance and design. Utilizing rhythmic music, dancers, body puppets and larger then life marionettes, Restrepo weaves a choreography that extends beyond the body of the dancer. Dealing with themes such as South American Culture and History, the immigrants’ experience and urban life, Restrepo creates an animated movement, in an ever-changing and surreal environment, bringing the stage to life.