Bricolage Partners with Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh for Immersive Show DODO

Named one of "7 Companies Producing Groundbreaking Immersive Theater" by Backstage.com, Bricolage Production Company has been pushing the boundaries of the traditional audience-performance relationship since its nationally acclaimed production, STRATA, in 2012.

The company's newest and largest production in its history, titled DODO, seeks to alter the interaction between visitors and museums. Created in collaboration with Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh as part of its innovative Carnegie Nexus initiative, DODO explores the intersection of art, science, and human history in an intimate, sensory-based journey. The production takes place in galleries and collections areas in Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, as well as some surprising behind-the-scenes spaces never before opened to the public.

"The museums look forward to working with Bricolage to set a new standard for participative experiences in the theater and museum fields," says Jo Ellen Parker, president of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. "This project has much to teach us, and most importantly, great potential benefits for the audiences who will join us on this journey."

DODO features the same creative forces behind Bricolage's nationally acclaimed urban adventure, OjO, and The Warehouse-sized STRATA, including Jeffrey Carpenter, Gab Cody, Tami Dixon, and Sam Turich. Although vastly different and larger in scale than STRATA and OjO, DODO shares the visceral personalized nature of all Bricolage's immersive work by putting participants at the center of the experience, surrounding them in an interactive environment and giving them critical agency within the piece. As with all the company's large scale immersives, the team has spent over a year in research and development interviewing scores of museum scientists and curators and investigating every nook and cranny of the museums' historic Oakland facility. DODO participants can expect to interface with the museums in a completely new way.

"Our team has been so incredibly inspired by the relevant work Carnegie Nexus is doing, drawing connections between the arts and sciences. This partnership is a true collaboration with, for, and by both museums, who have granted unprecedented access to us and now to patrons. This really changes everything," says Jeffrey Carpenter, Bricolage's Artistic Director.

DODO runs October 13 - November 19, Wednesday - Sunday evenings with a few exceptions. In order to create a more personalized experience, each performance time slot accommodates only 6 patrons at a time. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased at www.BricolagePGH.org.

SYNOPSIS:
Since 1760, they've operated in secret, preparing the way. Once considered legend, they've been steadily growing in number and influence. Their existence, in direct response to a pressing need expressed by the natural world, is one of the most significant and far-reaching stories in America: a story of un-natural selection. A story of extinction. The actions of humanity have set into motion events that will outlive our species. It must now be determined what will endure. Do you know how you got here? Do you know where you're going? Our past is a memory, our future is certain. DODO: the time has come.

CREATIVE TEAM:
Jeffrey Carpenter - Director / Co-Creator
Gab Cody - Lead Writer / Co-Creator
Tami Dixon - Director / Co-Creator
Sam Turich - Director / Co-Creator
District 5 Sound - Sound Design
Rob Long - Lighting Design

ACCESSIBILITY:
Bricolage is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all patrons and we endeavor to have transparency with all our programs that may present specific challenges. We want you to know that this production may be difficult for patrons with mobility issues, as it requires audiences to move up and down stairs, and through uneven terrain. For those patrons, we offer a wheelchair accessible path, as well as a wheelchair for those who do not have one but would prefer to utilize one. Bricolage also provides accommodations such as audio description through its immersive companion program. We encourage you to communicate any specific ways we might help you better enjoy your experience by giving us a call at 412.471.0999 or emailing Fred at fred@webbricolage.org two weeks in advance of your desired attendance date (if possible) so that we can design an accommodation unique to your needs.

AGE RESTRICTIONS:
This experience is for ages 18 and up, with no exceptions.

BRICOLAGE MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT:
Bricolage envisions theater not as a passive experience, but as a vehicle for heightened involvement for artist and audience alike. By combining different artistic mediums, nourishing local talent, producing provocative work, and facilitating audience engagement, Bricolage seeks to revitalize live performance for a new era.

The word Bricolage means "making artful use of what is at hand." What excites this company is the connection and interaction between seemingly disparate elements, and the potential for these components to resonate as one cohesive event. "What's at hand" is Pittsburgh's changing landscape, its plentiful human and material resources, and the salient political, cultural, and ethical issues they encounter and react to each day.

Their approach encourages artists to take the creative risks necessary to create full-blooded, high-quality theatrical experiences that challenge audiences to engage in new ways, react, and express openly their opinions about our work - to have a stake in the creative discussion.

CARNEGIE MUSEUMS OF PITTSBURGH:
Established in 1895, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh is a collection of four distinctive museums: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum. Collectively, the museums reach 1.4 million people a year through exhibitions, educational programs, outreach activities, and special events.

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