Ballet Austin presents Cult Of Color: Call To Color

The extraordinary production brings Hancock's mythology to life in a new dimension through this innovative partnership.

Working from concept to development and realization Stephen Mills established a unique creative alliance with Hancock and Reynolds. The trio is currently building the project synergistically, contributing their creativity and expertise to produce something completely fresh—and fearlessly original.

Cult of Color: Call to Color is a chapter in Trenton Doyle Hancock’s ongoing artistic mythology. Hancock’s paintings, sculpture, individual performances, drawings and prints work together to present Mounds, Vegans and other imaginative creatures who are at the center of the artist’s unfolding operatic narrative. Hancock’s characters and their dilemmas embody themes of life and death, the struggle between good and evil, love, authority, spirituality and moral relativism.

Biblical in scope, mythological in content and comic book in style the story tells of a battle fought between the gentle Mounds and the mutant Vegans. In this chapter we are introduced to Vegan minister, Sesom (Moses spelled backwards) who, like his namesake, offers the possibility of salvation to his unruly and war-like Vegan followers through the intervention of the loving character Painter. And, just as all the Vegans appear to be converted to the goodness of “The Cult of Color” one antagonist, Betto, resists. The ensuing violent struggles for power between these forces of will are at the core of this chapter of Hancock’s tale. Balancing moral dilemmas with wit and a musical sense of language and color, Hancock creates a painterly space of psychological dimension. What happens as this aspect of the story unfolds will continue to define and embody Hancock’s ongoing universe.

All of this will take place within a theatrical set design by Hancock including a backdrop measuring 17 feet high by 60 feet long (created in collaboration with Philadelphia’s Fabric Workshop and Museum). The highly original tale will be told through Ballet Austin’s company dancers, who will wear fantastical costumes of Hancock’s design. Graham Reynolds’ score for Cult of Color: Call to Color will be created by layering small acoustic ensembles with sound design and otherworldly effects to capture the spirit of the narrative.

The production will be the inaugural presentation in the dance company’s 275-seat performance venue – AustinVentures StudioTheater – nestled in the new 34,000 square foot Butler Dance Education Center and Community School. The downtown facility is one of only a half dozen in the nation owned and operated by ballet companies. -- www.balletaustin.org