Thursday, August 14, 2008

Islewilde

As of today, and until Sunday, I'm a full time resident of Islewilde on Vashon Island. This is the 16th year of a festival started by the UMO Ensemble as a West Coast version of the Bread & Puppet Domestic Resurrection Circus. While the puppets and performances remain, the festival has morphed over the years into a charming and rules-free 10-day party in the woods, at which dozens of artists from across the country, their friends and familes, and a handful of Vashon locals, come to put on a show, learn some new skills and laugh. I've been participating for years in a wide range of roles, from Artistic Director to Camp Cook and most jobs in between. This year I'm a rover, and am likely to find myself playing in the band, leading shadow puppet workshops, and staying up late looking for the elusive last drop of wine. It's a great festival with lots of creative people in a warmly chaotic environment. If you have the time and a ferry pass this weekend, come on by.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i have known you for many years now, and i did not know that you played any instrument... what do you play?

Andrew Kim said...

Ahhh, such fond memories of late nights having a sip of beer between layers of papier mache, teaching hippy children how to fall off stilts, making puppet show fast and sloppy and sweet. Hope it was a good year. From my current island, that island seems so far away and magic. (The funny thing is when I was there, I was bouncing off its walls.) Ain't it the way. Share some stories and photos when you get a chance.

Gurldoggie said...

Great to hear from you Andy. Your legend looms large at Islewilde, and you are welcome to drink our beer and harm our hippie children whenever you like! Until then, there's a great flickr group site with more photos than you can shake a stilt at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/islewilde/