ECHO PRESENTS...
An Evening of Original Music, Dance, and Performance Art



June 3, 4, and 5, 1999 at 8:00 pm
Frank's Place at the Dallas Theater Center

Echo Presents... expanded Echo's focus from woman as writer to woman as performer. Participating in this event were local artists whose work Dallas audiences had seen before, but never quite like this!

The evening provided a venue for women to experiment with the theatrical form by trying out short performance pieces, presenting original music and dance compositions, and even tossing in some stand-up. As they challenged form, the women of Echo Presents... also be examined gender, focusing on what it's like to play a female, both on stage and off.

Pieces included Rhonda Blair's AMERICAN JESUS, an exploration of growing up female in a Christian fundamentalist household; Anna Brownsted's multi-media performance poem MATRON, MAIDEN, MAIN-DISH TART; powerful movement from Ground Level Dance Company; and music written and performed by Laurie McNair.

AMERICAN JESUS performed and written by Rhonda Blair, is about Christian fundamentalism of a particularly American kind. The piece uses fictionalized autobiography, the Bible, hymns, and to explore how it feels when Word is made Flesh, when the Word pushes itself into flesh and fundamental(ist) "writings" enter into the body and soul.

Anna Brownsted's MATRON, MAIDEN, MAIN-DISH TART is a movement based transformational piece which journeys from the unself-conscious imaginative play of a nine-year old to the world weary reflections of a twenty-five year old crone!

Ground Level Dance Company was created in 1997 for the purpose of challenging accepted ideals of contemporary dance. The collaboration with Echo was their final performance in Dallas before hitting the road in search of new and alternative ways of moving and producing fresh, innovative choreography.

Local actress and singer Laurie McNair provided original music. Ms. McNair was recently seen as part of the Our Endeavors show, THE ULTRA-HAPPY, SUPER-SAD, MEGA-VARIETY REVUE.