VAN PARKED in front of hopkins center - rear doors towards the plaza. WE MEET THERE AT 2:45. 3 pm Amy Shlegel hood curator) will make an introductory announcement, then we OPEN VAN DOORS AND START.
1. SET SPACE - Enter space with sacks of pine needles (24). Place sacks in a large oval (10 BILL PACES WIDE BY 15 LONG) and make consecutive trips until the circle is complete. Sacks lie on side, top in. Lay out like clock for spacing. Bill will place cardinal points. Ruth and Meg will fill in. Distribute stones, a few near each sack. Ruth carries watering cans to tail end of oval and near preset hose for refills, Meg follows, places brooms at head end. Look and put down.
2. LAY OUT TEMPLATE - Bill carries in and places then Meg + Ruth unroll the plastic sheet within the oval. Sheet unrolls from head to tail. When unrolled Ruth goes to middle and leads opening of folds. Place a sack on edges of template to hold it down as needed. Distribute stones along perimeter of pelt outline.
3. TRACING VOLUNTEERS FROM AUDIENCE - Meg and Ruth first trace Bill, (LOOK at tracing) then trace each other (LOOK) then ask for volunteers from audience to lie down and be traced. (Go over to audience and bring participant into circle, ask them to lie down and make any needed adjustments in their outline, trace them, then LOOK AT their tracing with them, then return participant to audience. If people want to be traced together that's O.K. too, such as family groups or people with pets.
4. CUT OUT PELT SHAPE (simultaneously with 3.) - Bill cuts out predrawn pelt shape on template going around edge with scissors while audience participants are being traced. Bill also folds up and stores excess plastic as he goes around. If finished cutting before pelt outline is filled, Bill will also trace audience. When enough figures are traced Bill (or Meg or Ruth) will go to head of pelt and rest lying on a figure or stand and wait until all gathered. LOOK AT TRACINGS.
5. FILLING FIGURES WITH PINE NEEDLES. Each of us begins to fill a figure shape within the pelt starting at the head end. One feed sack will probably do two figures. Start at head and work to tail. After a figure is complete lightly water the figure. (First person goes to cans and fills them; we all refill as needed.) When walking to and from watering can and working keep awareness of where we are stepping. When all the figures we choose are filled, we pause and witness the pelt for a moment from the tail end. Then we fill in the spaces between the figures until the pelt is a unified mass of pine needles. Bill starts with tail, Meg, Ruth with one of the hind legs. Pet the needles into place as we go and lightly water as needed.
6. After the pelt is a unified mass of pine needles about 6" deep, Meg and Ruth tidy up edges of pelt with brooms starting at head and working slowly towards tail. Meanwhile, Bill molds a slight backbone to the piece also proceeding from head to tail. M and R put brooms down and pick up watering cans.
7. When done sweeping and building backbone, add or smooth or redistribute pine needles as fine. A last watering, Bill with hose sprayer, Meg and Ruth with watering cans and return to tail. When we all arrive at the tail (INCLUDING KEVIN) we take a bow (or two). Then walk around pelt to the van. FINIS.
note: if anyone needs a rest at any point, lying down on one of the figures for a few moments is an idea. also if anyone wants to move independently of the tasks --good! score will be posted in van window.
we will pick up feed sacks, rocks etc. after performance.