Cellula

Spotlight on CELLULA! Z-Puppets gets Glowing with CELLULA! Puppets and Music, Mitosis, OH MY!

Hello my fellow KID CITIANS! 

Gaosong here with your weekly blog, and do I HAVE A GOOD ONE FOR YOU TODAY! 

Today's blog is a special SPOTLIGHT and EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW about CELLUA! Produced by Chris Griffith and Shari Aronson, KID CITY Partners and Z-Puppets' Co-Creative Directors! As well as In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre! 

Cellula is like a bedtime story as told by biologists, illuminating the true marvels of cell science inside of all of us. This innovative show uses dazzling glow in the dark puppetry and live accapella music to tell the story of Mitosis! 

Yeah, I said Mitosis! (featured above).

This performance is directed by master puppeteer Kurt Hunter and features highly acclaimed improvisational vocalists Mankwe Ndosi and Libby Turner with blacklight puppetry from our very own, award winning, favorite Creative Director duo, SHARI AND CHRIS! 

Now, raise your hand if you remember learning about Mitosis in middle school? (Me! Pick me!) 

Very good, now raise your hand if you actually remember what Mitosis IS. 

...............

Yeah, I don't remember either. Here's a refresher in case you have forgotten, OR if this is your first microscopic lesson on Mitosis (Get it? See what I did there? Microscope, cells. CELLULA. Microscopic, because this is a tiny lesson?)

Definition courtesy of Google.com.

Definition courtesy of Google.com.

Now that we are all on the same page, let's dive right into the interview with Shari and Chris!

1) What was your inspiration for Cellula?

I wanted to create an experience for kids that conjured the same feeling of awe and wonder that I had when I first looked through a microscope with my mother. My father, my mother and most of the 2 generations before me are all scientists. People often overlook how close and deep the connections are between science and art. Cellula is an homage to my family lineage, my DNA!

2) What is the coolest thing you have learned about Cells in this process?

There are so many amazing facts about cells! I find it fascinating that cells signal each other and the different agents of action (like DNA and RNA) within their own membranes to communicate their readiness to move onto the next phase or to express or suppress the genes written into the codes of their DNA.

3) If you had to use 3 words to describe the show, what would those words be and why?

Joyous, swirl, mama Cellula is a joyous swirl of color and music in celebration of science. The show is like looking through the lens of a microscope along with a mother and her child. It is like a bedtime story as told by biologists.

Wow! CELLULA sounds SO AMAZING! I love how this show was inspired by memories Shari has of her parents. This would also be a wonderful show to share with your family. Even more though, just imagine all that you are going to learn about Mitosis (and I promise it will be more fun than that definition I posted above.)

I am so excited to see CELLULA on opening weekend and you can too! To buy your tickets today click on this link -->

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2592121

Lastly, if you come an hour early for each show, you can explore the Microscope Fun Gallery! FREE, Hands-on activities with state of the art, vintage magnification devices hosted by volunteers from the MN Microscopy Society, MIA and Mill City Museum!

Congrats again to Z-Puppets and In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre for your amazing production of CELLULA. KID CITY is so lucky to have Chris and Shari's creative minds' and playful hearts' guiding our programs, every step of the way!

For more details about CELLULA, keep scrolling down or visit the Facebook invite at https://www.facebook.com/events/1195440917176342/

Till next week! 

Have a Ctellula Weekend!

-Gaosong 

Purchase your tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2592121

Tickets: $15
Children: $8

  • Friday, January 27: 7pm
  • Saturday, January 28: 2pm* and 7pm
  • Sunday, January 29: 2pm**
  • Friday, February 3: 7pm
  • Saturday, February 4: 2pm* and 7pm
  • Sunday, February 5: 2pm**

Recommended for ages 5 and up

* Saturday matinees are pay-what-you-can at the door
** All matinees are sensory-friendly

Show Length: 50 minutes - no intermission