Michael Cooper's one-man show features inventive hand-made masks, wild stilt dancing and clever movement...a one-of-a-kind performance full of fun and laughs. He is truly a "moving sculpture," combining mythical and autobiographical stories of courage and wonder to produce an eye-popping theatrical extravaganza. Featuring his breathtaking handcrafted masks and outlandish stilt dancing, his physical repertoire ranges from the madcap to the sublime. Each one of his masks is a larger than life work of a master craftsman.
Taking up to three hundred hours to produce a single paper, cloth or wooden mask, Mr. Cooper has elevated this most ancient of theatre crafts to the level of a fine art. His use of captivating stories told in prose, poetry and mime are funny and moving. By combining these various elements, Michael has designed a program that encourages creativity, compassion and a greater sense of self-worth.
For the past thirty years, he has spent most of his time traveling throughout the world, dazzling audiences of all ages. Along the way he has performed at such places as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Hong Kong International Children's Festival, The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, the Dublin Theater Festival, Great Woods, the Eugene O'Neill Theater, Bass Performance Hall and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
Michael Cooper will perform his show, Masked Marvels and Wondertales, at 2 and 4pm on Saturday, November 15 at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center Theatre at HACC. He will meet and greet audience members after each performance. Tickets are $8. Group rates are available. Early reservations recommended. Call the Box Office at (717) 231-ROSE (7673).