‘Frogz’ hops into Mayo PAC on Feb. 8
According to fairy tales, one thing can turn a human into a frog: magic.
According to Jerry Mouawad, three things can turn a human into a frog: “the depth of an actor, the timing of a comedian, and the grace of a dancer.”
Mouawad is not talking about an actual amphibian. He is referring to the creatures in “Frogz,” the stage production from Imago Theatre that will be presented at the Mayo Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Feb. 8.
“Frogz” involves actors dressed as penguins and felines, as well as the title critters. The family-friendly production combines elaborate costumes and masks with puppetry, mime, and acrobatics.
“It’s an organic experience,” says Mouawad, who co-founded Imago with Carol Triffle in Portland, Oregon more than 35 years ago. “The form remains the same, but it’s never done the same way twice, as different performers take the roles”
Through Imago, Mouawad and Triffle have presented numerous works for families and for adults. But “Frogz,” which was presented on Broadway in 2000 and 2002, has become the company’s signature work.
“It’s a phenomenon that we can’t quite explain,” Mouawad says. “The actor puts on the mask and becomes a creature. It’s more exciting than real life.”
Imago (rhymes with Chicago) is strongly influenced by the ideas of Jacques LeCoq, the late French mime and actor. He was also an influential teacher whose students include (besides Triffle) the director Julie Taymor and the actor Geoffrey Rush.
LeCoq stressed that a performance is informed by the actor’s individual sense of creativity. For that reason, no two performances of a production such as “Frogz” are ever the same, according to Mouawad.
“Everything is in a constant state of flux,” says Mouawad. “The performer makes the mask and costume come alive. That all comes from LeCoq.”
From 1979 until about 1989, the Imago productions were virtually silent. In the past 25 years, however, Mouawad and Triffle have developed several shows that rely heavily on text.
“We have productions with minimal words and productions with a lot of words,” Mouawad says. “Words are important, but it comes down to the actors.”
At the same time, Mouawad and Triffle continue to explore new types of productions for Imago to stage.
Mouawad cites a show now in development called “Ca Belle,” which is a variation on “Beauty and the Beast.” This production will include automata, self-operating machines similar to the one in the 2011 movie “Hugo.”
In many ways, however, Mouawad points out that the essence of Imago productions hearkens back to the roots of theater.
“We could have done something like this 600 years ago,” he says. “We used computers to run the sounds and lights, but what’s on the stage is what’s most important.”
“The media come at us in so many directions,” Mouawad concludes. “We’re starting to cherish those experiences that are not based on digital. When you watch a show that is a stimulating experience that does not have media, it means something.”
IMAGO THEATRE’S “FROGZ”
WHAT: Illusions, outrageous costumes, puppetry, and acrobatics come together in this family-friendly theatrical production. Performers dressed as a variety of fauna cavort around the stage and engage the audience in this piece, which has become the signature work for Imago, a theatrical troupe based in Portland, Oregon.
WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8
WHERE: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown
TICKETS: $19 to $39