By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — An industrial building tucked between the Rock River and Madison Street in downtown is being transformed into the backdrop for a surreal new show that blends various forms of performing arts.
“Somnium: The Book of Water Myths and Legends” turns the rear exterior walls of Cascade Industries, a wholesale countertop distributor at 702 N. Madison St. near The Lombardi Club, into an imaginative mural that serves as screen and stage backdrop for the show.
The live performance includes projection onto the mural, flow art, fire dance, light art, storytelling and other mediums.
“It takes the oldest archaic art forms like visual arts, storytelling, music and brings new media into it … plus film, and brings it together into one coherent product that blends together in an immersive experience,” said Emily Klonicki, co-creator and co-director of the project with Eddaviel Montero.
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Somnium debuts after night falls Saturday with show times at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. It’s meant to evoke mind-bending, almost psychedelic feelings that transport people out of their daily lives, Klonicki said.
“We want to make a little pocket of magic in people’s life,” Klonicki said.
Montero, who brought his first large-scale outdoor show to Rockford in 2020, said he drew some inspiration from director Alejandro Jodorowski.
“When he was exploring the idea of making ‘Dune’ the movie, one of the principal ideas he was thinking about was how can I make people feel a psychedelic feeling without getting drugs,” he said. “How can people be connected to a kind of psychedelic experience without drugs, and that’s really one of the things that’s explored in this project.”
Roughly 20 different artists collaborate to create the show, and each was encouraged to explore the concept in their own way, Montero said. Klonicki described it as “a space for artists to invent.”
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Last year, the creative duo and their team put on “Somnium: The Book of Dreams and Nightmares” at 715 N. Madison St., across the street from this year’s show. This performance evokes a similar feel but with new storytelling, production and performances.
“It’s not another chapter. It’s another corridor in the labyrinth,” Klonicki said.
The show also provided a training ground for high school art students and interns who participated in a three-week multidisciplinary workshop in collaboration with the Rockford Area Arts Council.
About 25 students learned to develop their skills in animation, creative writing, flow arts, dance and mural installation. Their work was integrated into the final production.
The mural will remain on the building after the show completes its three-week run on Oct. 14. Klonicki said she hopes when people see the mural after it will trigger feelings they had at the show.
“We just want to make magic for everyone,” she said.
If you go | Somnium
When:
- 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday; Sept. 30
- 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6
- 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7
- 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13
- 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14
Where: 702 N. Madison St., Rockford
Admission: Tickets start at $29.50
Tickets/info: Go HERE
The artists
Here is the cast of artists participating in Somnium:
- Projection and animation: Jason Judd and Iga Puchalska
- Choreography dance: Caitlyn Baylor, Meghan Baylor, Ella Lakey, Gretchen Stark and Faith Minneyfield
- Flow: Zach Stephens, Jenny Mathews and Zheka Fedoseyev
- Sculptural installation and costume: Melinda Cook, Eamonn James Talkington and Valentina Fedoseev
- Sounds and tech production: Bill Houtkamp and Andrew Ehrhardt
- Music performance: David Stocker
- Video: Alizé Jireh and Camilo Marte
- Narrative: Odilius Vlak
- Music and voice: Raymond Jaquez
Compiled by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas