Flutter

The innovative original movement piece “Flutter” is a heart-warming adventure through two very different cultures that ultimately fuses them together beautifully.
Heather Pickering, Black Hills Community Theatre’s education and outreach director, her technical staff and the cast should be proud of their creation.
“Flutter” juxtaposes an ancient culture that believes butterflies are the souls of our ancestors with the butterfly-collecting, greedy world of 1700s Europe. The piece features larger-than-life animated sculptures and joyful performances from the Suzie Cappa Players of Black Hills Workshop.
Lighting designer Justin Speck was the first member of the production to shine. As the show opened, the music swelled and the lights came up on a chrysalis center stage. Beyond being beautiful in its own right, the lighting Speck cast on the cocoon gave life and depth to the static object.
It was clear from the start that “Flutter” would be a moving piece of art.
Speck’s lighting design continued to add depth and beauty to the extraordinary animated sculptures designed by puppeteer Chris Lutter, as well as the movement choreographed by Andrea Muehl.
Muehl’s choreography integrated the sculptures nicely and struck a visual contrast between the two cultures. Her choreography also made use of the various levels of talent in the cast.
Several of the dancers, including local dance instructor Paul A. Burns II and Muehl, are highly trained. But the variety and diversity of movement within the piece did not allow them to outshine the more limited cast members.
In fact, several of the cast members were confined to wheelchairs. But through use of the sculptures, a balance of levels and good use of space, Muehl was able to allow the seated dancers to shine as well.
The most striking element of the performance was perhaps the costumes and the sculptures. There were frogs, lizards, stick bugs, spiders, caterpillars and — of course — the butterflies. Pickering said that the vibrant, expressive costumes and sculptures of “Flutter” would not have been possible without Jolene Howell’s beautiful artwork. Howell finished the pieces expertly and the playful colors of the creatures she helped create made “Flutter” fly.
Pickering promised that while “Flutter” performances may not go exactly as planned, “whatever happens on that stage will be beautiful whether it’s perfect or not.”
She was right.
The innocent energy and pure joy of the workshop performers added a depth to the piece that made the audience laugh, cheer and for a few moments even cry.
Pickering’s attempt to highlight diversity was achieved in a beautiful way in “Flutter.”