PERFORMANCES

My fanciful public documentaries are spectator participation rituals honoring my encounters with other human beings that show me how to truly appreciate life and rekindle my inner spirit.

REFLECTIONS ON FIRE

REFLECTIONS ON FIRE: Extinguishing Old Ideas

REFLECTIONS ON FIRE: Extinguishing Old Ideas is the Cabinet of Curiosity community participatory ritual performed in July 2020 at the Exelon Observatory at the 606 Chicago. I performed as the greeting Black Crow Dream Keeper imploring each participant to breathe and exhale upon entering the ritual space ~ Nothing good comes easy said the murder of crows – NOTHING. Dancers, ritual guides and dream keepers came together and led each person through a series of magical moments giving them space to make the one change they most desired.

URBAN RITUAL Panoramic Prayers is my performance artwork in collaboration with Cabinet of Curiosity, Frank Maugeri. The character is the Forest Mother embracing black divinity and the Mother archetype. She is the yin to the Mountain Mother yang.

The Forest Mother reads to each visitor from THE BOOK OF ASHES:

You must leave the forest and join the living.

The question is, who will you become and what will you remember.

Every storm runs out of rain, don’t worry.

We are just walking you home.

Listen carefully, they bear an ancient message.

Costume and books created by Toni Maugeri.

URBAN RITUAL

The Forest Mother reads to each visitor from THE BOOK OF ASHES:

You must leave the forest and join the living.

The question is, who will you become and what will you remember.

Every storm runs out of rain, don’t worry.

We are just walking you home.

Listen carefully, they bear an ancient message.

Costume and books created by Toni Maugeri.

BARDO ILLUMINATION

Bardo Illumination October 2018

The environment is created to represent Bardo, the resting place between lives, where the Red Queen presides over individual rituals. The brave audience asks the creatures of Bardo to take their requests for attainment and fulfillment and decide their fate.

Red Queen performed by Toni Maugeri

Illumination:

Frank Maugeri Cabinet of Curiosity

Environment:

Brandin Hurley

ARTS IN THE DARK

Arts In the Dark State Street Parade October 2018

My old friend Trickster

Moves silently through shadows

BE your own Hero!

And SHE Who Needed A SuperHero So Became One – performer Toni Maugeri

Trickster – performer Tom Smith

Luna Moth (major) – performer Joseph Jekot

Luna Moth (minor) – performer Nadia Jackson

Lantern Brigade Ringmasters – performers Frida Maugeri and Sam Maugeri

Sam and Frida – carrying banner down State Street

Photographer and Documentarian – Carmen Maugeri

Sound Equipment – Carmen Maugeri

Found Sound For SHE – Daniel Smith Angry Hippie Productions INDIE

HOPE Scroll Makers – Janet Byrne and Natalie Hernandez

Costumes - Toni Maugeri

Written, Created, Directed - Toni Maugeri

To my way of thinking: Luna Moths bring us HOPE as Trickster merrily weaves in and out of our lives ~ disruption and chaos is his game.

She Who Needed A SuperHero So Became One types one word that could change your life on her Underwood. She and the ever mischievous Trickster walk side by side. Whimsical but harmless Trickster ~ unless you are prone to the dark side and he wins you over ~ courts the audience.Made into scrolls our Luna Moths pass the words hope, dream, magic, faith, imagine, curious, believe, love, inspiration … to the onlookers.

SHE WHO WANDERS UNDER

THE FULL MOON DARKLY

She Who Wanders Under the Full Moon Darkly costume and performance under the full blue supermoon was part of the City of Chicago hosted LUMA8’s Arts In the Dark On the Riverwalk Lantern Procession 2019.

MERRY METAL CHRISTMAS 606

The 606 Parade After Dark December 2018

The Red Queen leads the Merry Metal Christmas parade sharing message bottles holding scrolls “Hope dies last! It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

Red Queen performed by Toni Maugeri

Merry Metal Christmas:

Frank Maugeri Cabinet of Curiosity