This performance piece is the second in what I hope to be a series of pieces based on Anne Sexton's "Transformations" poems. With "Sleeping Beauty" I wanted to explore different threads woven together in my subconscious. In Fall of 2006 I began undergoing hypnotherapy for treatment of migraines. This piece is an exploration of that process and also coming to terms with childhood notions of hypnosis which almost kept me from participating in the therapy.

"Sleeping Beauty" began as a walk through the forest. Actress Allison Whittinghill and I took a walk in April to take photos for the video. I was influenced by the use of still photography in the film "La Jetee," and wanted to do something similar, using still photos for the bulk of the video and moving images for key moments. These were edited together along with other images I created or altered. An image from a childhood book inspired the idea of a tree growing out of a book, though I wasn't sure if that was part of her dream or reality somehow intruding. Original music was composed for the piece by Kimberly Bird, student at USM.

An illustration from Chris Van Allsburg's "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick"

Originally I thought about having the performer prune bonsai trees (a miniature, controlled version of the forest) and other botanical activities, but I wasn't happy with the piece as I saw it. I took inspiration from installation artist Midori's "Path-Web-Choice," in which the artist bound visitors to her work into the piece itself. I decided to use fabric to bind the performer in place as she fell asleep reading - we see her fall asleep live onstage, but she only wakes up in the video. The fabric was also to be used as a projection screen for the second video, a collage of plants growing and seeds sprouting. This worked more for added texture and movement, and a light source for the performer, than for the actual images in the video. After the dress rehearsal the fabric was replaced with ribbon. The ribbon was much easier to work with in performance and winding it on a "spindle" tied it in further with "Sleeping Beauty."

special thanks to Allison Whittinghill, Kimberly Bird, Travis Bedard, and all ActLab people who helped make this happen.