The Rapture Project

January 4 - 21, 2007

HERE Arts Center 145 6th Ave.

The Rapture Project is Great Small Works’ newest production, a serio-comic epic spectacle about fundamentalism and American culture and politics. Inspired by rough-and-tumble Sicilian marionettes, current events, popular End Times literature, and day-to-day anxiety, with visual motifs from the Cockettes and 1920’s Christian iconography.

Alternately ridiculous and terrifying, The Rapture Project brings together tabloid newspaper stories, popular literature about Armageddon, and fundamentalist iconography to create an epic spectacle following an unlikely cast of characters from the USA to The Middle East and beyond.

See the Creationist tour of the Grand Canyon and learn the history of the world through Bible-based science.

Enter the world of Muslim squatter punks in Buffalo where young believers try to redefine Islam for the 21st century.

Marvel as the spirit of Susan Sontag debates the Devil.

Be awed as regular American citizens confront the growing power of fundamentalism over their lives and institutions.

Wonder if The Rapture is upon us!
Inspired by classic Sicilian puppet theater’s Orlando Furioso cycles, which performed the epic clash of Christians and Muslims in the 1800’s, THE RAPTURE PROJECT examines the influence of religion in American culture and politics today. In an age when so many Americans believe in the imminent arrival of The End Times, what does it mean that these believers have the ear of their highest ranking politicians?

Created and performed by Great Small Works members John Bell, Trudi Cohen, Stephen Kaplin and Jenny Romaine, with performers Shane Baker, Andrea Lomanto and Jessica Lorence, and musician Jessica Lurie.

January 4 - 21, 2007

Thursdays-Saturdays at 7pm

Saturdays additional performance at 10:30pm

Sundays at 2pm

Tickets: $20

HERE Arts Center
145 6th Ave.

Between Spring & Broome Sts

Entrance on Dominick St)