Alamanac 2013: Royal Osiris Karaoke Ensemble (Brooklyn, USA)

[alert heading=”The Contemporary Performance Almanac13″ type=”alert-info” block=”false” close=”false”]This post is part of a series of profiles on performance and performance makers from last year’s book, Contemporary Performance Almanac 2013, an overview of contemporary performance presented during the 2012/2013 season available for touring now. If you would like to be apart of this year’s book, Contemporary Performance Almanac 2015, you can join the project here. DEADLINE NOV 14, 2014 [/alert]

Royal Osiris Karaoke Ensemble (Brooklyn, USA)

Royal Osiris Karaoke Ensemble (Tei Blow and Sean McElroy) work with video, sound, and performers to create installation-based performances. The ensemble uses VHS tapes and the internet to create multidisciplinary shows centered around the re-performance of media archives of human experience.

Disciplines: Performance, Video, Sound, Installation, Karaoke, Theater

Everything One in the Disc of the Sun

In Everything One in the Disc of the Sun, three gold-clad Osirian priests gather at an Egypt-themed karaoke bar to re-perform songs and video clips from the lexicon of self-help. Under the glow of an LED pyramid, Royal Osiris Karaoke Ensemble sings, chants, and recites forgotten hits from the VHS vaults of gurus, cult leaders, corporate speakers, and extraterrestrial mediums, accompanied by original songs and video collages. The audience sits beneath the LED pyramid with the ensemble, taking part in song, drinking ceremonies, ritual fist-pounds, hugs, and handshakes as the performers re-perform fragments of text from found media in a form of ritual sermon.

Keywords: Pyramid, Cult, Performance, Karaoke, Ritual, Party

Production History: The James A Farley Post Office, JACK, Arts@Rennaisance, Aunts, Prelude13, Kate Werble Gallery

Video:

Website: http://royalosiris.com

Twitter: @royalosiris

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalosiris