“Ms. Coloff’s touch is light, her presence warm…She is, simply, honest.”
– Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times
“Whether through sung or spoken text, Coloff proved her success as a storyteller—setting distinct scenes with descriptively visual language, viscerally evoking emotion, and allowing the audience to feel part of her personal journey. As part storyteller and part singer/cellist, she seamlessly embodied the two distinct worlds.”
– Alyssa Kayser-Hirsh, I Care If You Listen
ThisTree… description
Dappled late-afternoon light bathes a clearing in the hand crafted forest. Sounds of nature gently reverberate. Radical cellist/singer Leah Coloff emerges, trailing a 25 ft. cape of tattered denim. Tracing the secrets of her family history, Coloff, a cross pollination between Laura Ingalls Wilder and Patti Smith, glides between idyllic childhood memories, unanswered questions and her wild ride through fertility treatments. ThisTree weaves autobiographical storytelling, Regular 8 home movies, and Coloff’s signature blend of blues, rock and non-traditional cello playing, supported by an all-female band, to investigate the vantage point of being the last branch on the family tree.
ThisTree premiered at Prototype Festival 2019
ThisTree was produced for PROTOTYPE Festival 2019 by HERE, a co-production of Beth Morrison Projects and HERE. Commissioned and developed through the HERE Artist Residency Program and a developmental residency at Bethany Arts Community. It was supported by HERE’s Fund for Women Artists, generously created by Jennifer Suh Whitfield and Benjamin Whitfield.
Photos from Prototype Festival 2019
all photos by Paula Lobo
The Creative Team
Ellie Heyman, Director
Ellie Heyman is a New York City-based theatre director. Her work is best known for its athletic physicality and visually imaginative aesthetic. She is the Director in Residence of Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater.
The Designers
The designers at the Bethany Arts Community during our September 2018 workshop.
From left to right:
Kevan Loney: video design
Haydee Antunano: Costume Design
Mary Eleanor Stebbins: Lighting Design,
Carolyn Mraz: Set Design
Musical Direction and Sound
The Band
