Jackie Dempsey and Steve O'Hearn, Artistic Directors
The Squonk Astro-ramanauts believe that the recent UFO crashes in the region have
been a plea for first contact. They also believe that many of our greatest inventions, like
the pyramids, zippers and TV remote controls, were the gifts of
our extra-terrestrial friends.
To help them send their message to the cosmos, the Squonkers will build a 40' radio
telescope dish mounted to scaffold towers, tuned to the galactic frequency of B-flat.
Rising in scissor lift platforms and cherry pickers, they will compose a proud message
from our species, power up and transmit.
Some scholars and scientists have accused Squonk Opera of invoking pseudo-
science, and using smoke and mirrors to create tawdry concert spectacles. "They won't
be disappointed!" enthuses Science Officer Steve O'Hearn. "Music is the universal
language, and this intergalactic call and response will show the indomitable human
spirit."
Team Commander Jackie Dempsey says, "We're gonna party where no man has
partied before- this is the only show in this solar system that will be audible in the Crab
Nebula!"
Visit our Store to purchase a DVD of the full production or to download songs.
Reviews
“The brainy, bold music-and-performance ensemble is once again daring to go where
no performance art has gone before” - Washington Post
“a roman candle, one that happens to come with a rhythm section.” - City Paper
“The Biggest, Baddest, Boldest Squonk Opera Yet” - Pop City
“an American, terrestrial and perhaps galaxy original...a unique mix of geek and polish,
eccentric design and mocking wit” - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“hybridizer of art rock and performance, and expert at blending surrealism, high camp
and careful craft for the masses” - City Paper
Go to Media for full articles.
Upcoming Dates
Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2011
Frostburg State University
Frostburg, MD
Sept. 16-17, 2011
Ingenuity Festival
Cleveland, OH
April 26-29, 2012
Levitt Pavilion - SteelStacks
Bethlehem, PA
Artists
The Artistic Directors
Steve O’Hearn & Jackie Dempsey
The Band
Vocals
Autumn Ayers
Keyboard & Accordion
Jackie Dempsey
Acoustic & Electronic Percussion
Kevin Kornicki
Flute, Whistles, Sax & Wind Synth
Steve O’Hearn
Electric Guitar
David Wallace
The Team
Music
Jackie Dempsey
Design, Staging & Text
Steve O’Hearn
Concept Development
Steve O’Hearn, Jackie Dempsey, Buzz Miller, David Wallace & Rick Kemp
Video Projection Design
Buzz Miller with Steve O’Hearn
Lighting Design
Bob Steineck
Additional Music & Assistant Musical Direction
Kevin Kornicki
Additional Stage Direction & Text
Rick Kemp
Graphic Design
David Wallace
Lyrics
Autumn Ayers
Additional Video Projection Design
David Wallace, Dean Mougianis, Bonnie Bogovich, John Landis & Nick Frankhauser
Production Manager
Bob Steineck
Technical Director
Nathan Bell
Stage Manager
Heidi Nagle
Live Sound Engineer
Denny Strauser
Sound Systems
GP Audio & George Powell
Assistant Technical Director
Austin Osterhout
Assistant Designer
John Teacher
Project Astronomer
Diane Turnshek
Master Set Builder
Nathan Bell
Set Builders
Gregory Hofstetter, Wade Kramm, Heidi Nagle, John Teacher, Nathan Jedrzejewski, Denny Strauser, Austin Osterhout
Large Scale Fabrics
Malcolm Callery
Paint Charge
Michelle Carello
Costumers
Candy Callery & Lisa Leibering
Sculptors
Chris & Robin Letzelter
Additional Live and Video Performers
Mission Control Director
Nathan Jedrzejewski
Astro-Dancer
Nathan Bell
Astro-Dancer and PAL puppeteer
Heidi Nagle
Mission Control Operatives
Bob Steineck, Heidi Nagle, Doug Pona
Voice of PAL 9000
Demmler Schenck
Interview
SETI Composer Andrew Kaiser
Additional Video Credit: Projected Stock footage from iStockphoto.com and revostock.com, Hubble Space Telescope imagery from NASA and STScI.
Steve and Jackie would like to acknowledge everyone involved in this production for their creative contributions, especially the Squonk musicians for adding their own individual flavor to the music, and the designers, builders and technicians who added detail and richness to the production.
Astro-rama – The DVD
Produced and Directed by Brian Haughin
Edited by Christopher Phillips
A Do Re Media, LLC Production
Post Production at The Videohouse, Inc.
Music recording mixed and mastered by Kevin Kornicki
Live recording engineered by George Powell
Title sequence and credits designed by David Wallace
Camera work by Doug Bradley, Jessie Colaizzi, Jessica Futrell, Jim Mueller, Chris Phillips
Produced by Steve O’Hearn and Jackie Dempsey, Artistic Directors of Squonk Opera
Tech
Astro-rama is a large-scale outdoor show, and Squonk supplies all staging and tech tower elements, and several projectors (including a 15K lumen), props, instruments, costumes, and the “crash” of a 25' UFO. We arrive with 13 people. The staging includes scaffolding and a pyramid that has mounted on it a 32' screen that reaches a height of 45'. The footprint is 75' wide and 45' deep, and there is a 3-story tech/projection tower 65 feet into the audience. The Presenter needs to supply lights and sound and electric like any outdoor event, as well as a cherry picker crane and a scissor lift. The show has a 2-day load-in and 1-day strike, and we usually plan at least 2 shows in case of rain. For full tech requirements, refer to our Media page.
Touring History
Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights … Pittsburgh, PA
ARTSwego at SUNY Oswego … Oswego, NY
Clarice Smith PAC/U of MD … College Park, MD