The Japanese term benshi means film-teller, and the profession thrived in Korea and Japan during the silent film era. The benshi would write their own narration for silent films which they declaimed on stage, using different voice characterizations to switch between narrator and various on-screen roles. Neo-benshi is a step beyond fan fiction, DVD commentary tracks and vidding (pop songs cut against footage of favorite actors) because it is a live performance alongside the playing film (sound off), which reinterprets the scenes to the audience. Tonight we present original works of neo-benshi performance by Brandon Brown, Norma Cole, Roxanne Hamilton, Rodney Koeneke, David Larsen, Mac McGinnes, and Stephanie Young. (Konrad Steiner)
NOTE: Two shows, 7:30pm and 9:30pm