HAPPY RETURNS SYNOPSIS

Happy Returns is a dance-theater film that reveals the anxieties and joy of returning to the theater life and physical touch as we emerge from a global pandemic. Featuring a veteran Lucky Plush ensemble and their newest family members, Happy Returns is also a reflection on the passage of time, the tension between individual perspectives and shared histories, and most importantly, the importance of staying awake.

Premiered

Happy Returns was part of our interactive digital festival-style event, Map of Now, which was hosted on an interactive online platform called Gather.Town through which audience members (as avatars) were able to adventure on a digital map of Chicago that highlighted the richness of Chicago’s performing arts ecology in four performing arts venues across geographically diverse corners of the city.

credits

CONCEPT & DIRECTED: Julia Rhoads

VIDEO DIRECTION & EDITING: Mark Comiskey

CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ENSEMBLE: Kara Brody, Michel Rodriguez Cintra, Elizabeth Luse, Melinda Jean Myers, Jacinda Ratcliffe, Rodolfo Sánchez Sarracino, Meghann Rose Wilkinson

VOCAL ARRANGMENT: Bethany Clearfield

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER, LIGHTING DIRECTOR: Rachel Damon

ADDITIONAL VIDEOGRAPHER: Liviu Pasare

PERFORMER, COMPOSER, SOUND DESIGNER: Michael Caskey

PRODUCTION CONSULTANT: John Musial

*Happy Returns was made possible with support from The Harris Theater Creative Future Fund. A very special thanks to everyone at the Harris Theater and their incredible production team for their support of this work.

COVID-19 safety protocols were followed while filming this project at the Harris Theater Music and Dance.