"I was hiking through a slot canyon that had natural niches, and I thought it would be so neat to have actors in those niches, performing scenes from throughout history," Tobin says, explaining the genesis of Shadows. But then reality took her down. Situational and safety issues, she realized, precluded the possibility of such a performance ever taking place. Practicality moved her to decide that she could film actors in the niches and insinuate the footage into a cohesive piece.
For now, the walls of the Naropa Institute have to suffice as a canvas for the ultimate pastiche: Tobin and a cast of six will perform the work-in-progress outdoors in Naropa's courtyard this week as part of the Boulder International Fringe Festival, including shows at 8:15 p.m. tonight and tomorrow. And a year from now, Shadows will unfurl against some of the best canyon walls on the planet — in the Grand Canyon — in a more complete form, for which Tobin promises "more actors, more music and visuals, fire spinners and the whole deal."
See Shadows on the Naropa Green, 2130 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder; for tickets, $10 to $12, go to www.boulderfringe.com.
Sat., Aug. 18; Tue., Aug. 21; Wed., Aug. 22; Fri., Aug. 24; Sat., Aug. 25; Fri., Sept. 14, 7:17 p.m.
