Picture three crayons – green, rose and sea foam. These are the crayons left in the box, the ones never chosen. They jostle, jump over and climb onto each other, always looking upward, itching to be picked.
Such is the idea behind “Krayola,” a playful piece by Aura Curiatlas Physical Theatre. It might seem far-fetched, but once performed, the piece makes sense.
“People understand our work in a lot of different ways,” said co-director Joan Gavaler. “They need to use their imagination to kind of go with us into the environments we’re creating.”
Audiences can step into the Aura Curiatlas world at “Dream Logic,” presented May 6 and 7 at Kimball Theatre.
Though the company has traveled around the U.S. since premiering in 2014, Aura Curiatlas calls Williamsburg a home base. It grew from a collaboration between Gavaler, professor of dance at the College of William and Mary, and Dan Plehal, a university student at the time. Plehal now lives in Chicago, but remains co-artistic director.
In defining physical theater, Plehal described a spectrum bounded by pure dance and pure theater.
“Physical theater is kind of anything and everything on the spectrum in between,” said Plehal, who comes from a theater background.
Aura Curiatlas blends dance, theater and acrobatics, telling stories through movement and expression, not words.
“It’s a way of telling stories that uses the body as the primary storytelling tool,” Plehal said.
Consider “Seats,” a piece about an interaction between two bus passengers. The bus itself, portrayed by people, becomes the third character. Plehal described another, more abstract, piece where two performers portray the metal balls of a Newton’s Cradle.
Skilled acrobatics enhance stories at once comedic and complex, playful and technical.
“We throw each other around. We climb on top of each other, toss each other,” Plehal said. “That’s something that a lot of audiences haven’t necessarily seen outside of maybe going to the circus or Cirque du Soleil. We kind of bring it into a smaller, more intimate, less spectacle-focused venue.”
Whatever the story, physical theater allows the audience interpretive freedom.
“They’ll see story and situations that they connect to in their own way,” Gavaler said. “I’ve found that people just seem more excited and engaged to put their own idea out there about what that was.”
Because it’s nonverbal, Plehal said, “it doesn’t rely on knowing a certain language to be able to appreciate the comedy or the tension that’s present in each moment.”
“Dream Logic” features 10 stories, performed by Gavaler, Plehal and founding member Mickey Lonsdale. They’ll be joined by four guest performers.
“There is a huge amount of energy that comes off the group,” Gavaler said. “We really enjoy doing this.”
Bridges can be reached by phone at 757-345-2342.
Want to go?
When: 7 p.m., May 6 and 7
Where: Kimball Theatre, 424 W. Duke of Gloucester St.
Tickets: $10/students and seniors, $15/general pre-sale, $20/day of show. Call 1-800-HISTORY or visit ACPHysicalTheatre.com/events.
