Mum News

Press Photos

- mum news -

Mum Puppettheatre's 2003-2004 season opens with Séance, October 7th through November 1st

For Immediate Release: September 15, 2003

Philadelphia, PA - Where does life end and begin? At the turn of the 19th century scientists found proof that there is an unseen world that surrounds us, full of energy like X-rays and electromagnetism. Finding themselves at the crossroads of faith and facts, millions of people embraced the hope that science would prove the existence of spirits and ghosts. In this Barrymore Award winning play without words, a young woman wavers in her beliefs as she uncovers long-lost family secrets. Séance runs October 7th through November 1st, 2003. Opening night is Wednesday October 15th at 7pm! Ticket prices range from $1 to $25. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Saturday at 2pm.

Since Mum's original mounting of Séance, Artistic Director, Robert Smythe, has spent a lot of time thinking about the reactions to what was achieved in the original production, including Adam Wernick's Barrymore Award for Outstanding Score. His conclusion: "I consider it a good starting point for a process similar to the one that turned The Fall of Icarus into From the Ashes, which has toured all over the world for the past 12 years."

Séance grows out of the spiritualism craze that swept the country at the turn of the 19th century. As scientists were busy discovering proof of invisible worlds, like x-rays and radio waves, many people, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (yes, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, that one) believed that it was only a matter of time before instruments showed the existence of a hidden plane of existence. What if there was truly a way to communicate with people who had died? What would you ask, if you could? What would you tell the people you had known and loved?

Séance focuses on a young woman struggling with these questions. Supporting her mother and herself as best she can, she can't be sure if the things happening to her are real. If they are, she has a chance, perhaps, to change the direction of her life. This summer, working again on Séance, Mum has been consulting the books and articles written by Houdini that expose how so-called fraudulent mediums tricked grieving relatives and the public willing to believe. We've tracked down a turn-of-the-century handbook for would-be spiritualists to help us convince you that what you see on stage might truly be evidence of unseen forces. To truly experience this for yourself, we invite you to take part in one of the small séances we will conduct before every performance. While every part of what happens is absolutely harmless, we do ask that no matter what happens you remember to keep you eyes closed and your hands firmly on the table.

Séance also makes use of the considerable physical skills of the new cast: not only is Séance performed using masks and puppets, it also includes choreography based on circus aerial exploits. So, in other words, while no two productions at Mum are ever alike, Séance is truly unlike any show we've produced before, and that includes its previous incarnation!

Join us, if you can, for our moderated Coffee and Conversation nights on Wednesday, October 8, 22 , and 29th with Gretchen Worden and Joe Gangemi! Coffee and Conversation evenings are generously sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Ms. Worden will be hosting Coffee & Conversation on October 8th and October 29th.Gretchen Worden has been with the Mütter Museum since 1975, becoming its Director in 1988. She is active in the Philadelphia area museum community, having served as president of the Museum Council of Philadelphia, and is also a member of the Medical Museum Association and the European Association of Museums of the History of Medical Sciences. She has given many presentations on the Museum and related subjects to medical and non-medical groups and museum professionals, and been interviewed by Errol Morris for his series "First Person".

Mr. Gangemi will be hosting Coffee & Conversation on October 22nd and October 29th.

Joseph Gangemi is a graduate of Swarthmore College with a degree in psychology. He has had the pleasure of working in film since 1998 as a screenwriter on projects for Columbia, New Line, Warner Brothers, and Paramount (among others). His original screenplay, "Eliza Graves" (based on a Poe short story) is slated for production by Mel Gibson's Icon Productions in 2004. Currently Joseph is writing a 70s CIA thriller for Tobey Maguire and Sony Pictures.

Viking will publish Joseph's new novel, INAMORATA, in February 2004. Set in 1920s Philadelphia, INAMORATA tells the story of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN magazine's highly publicized investigation of a beautiful "society psychic" who conducts séances in her elegant Rittenhouse Square home and claims to be in contact with the dead.

Interested in becoming a Mum Puppettheatre subscriber? Choose from our Evening Series, Family Series and Preview Series ticket options. Subscription prices range from $15 to $60. All tickets may be purchased at our box office Monday through Friday, 10am to 5pm, or by calling 215-925-7686. You can also order your tickets online at www.mumpuppet.org. And don't forget, Mum Puppettheatre gift certificates make unique presents for all ages! Our Coffee and Conversation program continues into the 2003-2004 season on Wednesday evenings following the performance. Join us for refreshments provided by Whole Foods Market and scintillating discussions with some of the area's most vibrant professionals! Grab a cup of holiday cheer before A Christmas Carol on Egg-Nog Thursdays! Complete with carolers and eggnog, the fun begins at 6pm, December 11 & 18th only!

# # #