On Saturday, September 8, Arts Gumbo opens with a focus on Zen, featuring UMO Ensemble's Zen Talesat 5 pm.
UMO brings its irreverent approach to Zen in a theatrical production in which clowns tackle ancient Buddhist, Zen and Sufi stories through mask, movement, music and text. The UMO Ensemble is a local physical theater company founded in 1987 and consists of a company of performers who create and compose their own productions. UMO's improvisations include movement, character, vocalizing, and writing as the basis for the creation and development of new works.
Located on Vashon Island, UMO Ensemble has created over 20 original works for the theatre. The production will be followed by an audience workshop on Sumi painting and calligraphy by Midori Kono Thiel, who learned Sumi painting and calligraphy in Japan and has been an artist-in-residence in Seattle schools more than 30 years. At 7 p.m. audience members will be treated to complimentary Zen food, along with an overview of the traditional Zen meal ritual of Oriyoki by Genko Blackman.
This family series is held at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center (3515 S. Alaska St.), in Columbia City and is being produced by Southeast Effective Development.
Tickets at the door are $8 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. For more information, call 760-4286 or visit www.seedseattle.org/seedarts.
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