Photos: First Look at Andy Russ in THE FLOATING WORLD At Wilbury

A smidgeon of Twain, a splash of haiku, and a hint of lunar conspiracy, served up on a bed of mixed metaphor and frogs-The Floating World, a new one-man-show by Wilbury Theatre Group Resident Artist Andy Russ that is equal parts pantomime and performance art, presents a series of multimedia meditations on the elusivity of the human experience and the languages with which we try to explain it.

"The initial idea for the work was sparked in 2012, after reading a Mark Twain essay bemoaning a mistranslation of his first successful short story: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," Russ explains. "Ten years and one pandemic later, the piece has evolved to include singing and dancing, projected slides, and historical film footage, plus an eclectic cast of characters including an astronaut, a geisha, and a game show host. Oh, and a bucket of frogs."

Andy Russ is a frequent Wilbury Theatre Group collaborator whose credits include Lifted (sound design), Krapp's Last Tape (sound design), Constellations (projection and sound design) and Fun Home (lighting and sound design). Russ has also performed in multiple FringePVD festivals with original works including Alchemy (2021), Vessel and To Remember (2018) and Familiar Sense of Slip (2016).

Under the name Passive Aggressive Novelty Company (PANoCo), Andy Russ makes performances that move freely between the genres of dance, drama, music and film. His work is driven by a desire for experimentation and artistic cross-pollination, creating self-aware theatrical fantasies that challenge the conventions of artistic practice and audience expectation.

Originally from North Carolina, with degrees in Music and Dance from Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio, Russ spent 10 years in New York City, working as Music Supervisor for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and surfing the downtown performance scene. In 2005, he relocated to Rhode Island to take on the role of Artistic Coordinator for cellist Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project, with whom he produced the Grammy-nominated album Off the Map. He has created over 80 original music compositions and sound designs for various media, and has recently taken up making short dance films.

Andy currently lives in Providence, RI, where, in addition to directing PANoCo, he is a Resident Artist at the Wilbury Theatre, Professor of Dance at Roger Williams University, Integrated Art & Music Teacher at the Wolf School, and Co-director of Motion State Arts.

Tickets and more info about the show available at thewilburygroup.org/floating-world. Performances of The Floating World will be held indoors at Wilbury Theatre Group's Performance Space at WaterFire Arts Center. Pursuant to the Wilbury Group's Health and Safety Precautions, all attendees must either show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 (at least 14 days have passed since the final dose), or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken in the prior 72 hours, or proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken in the prior 6 hours. Regardless of vaccination status, all attendees must also wear masks over their nose and mouth at all times while inside the venue.

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