Left to right: Abby Hanna, Amy West and Jess Martin.
Photo credit: Ben Barnhart
NORTHAMPTON — A unique perspective on the works of Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley, Washington Irving, Emily Dickinson and others is coming to Western Massachusetts through the marriage of original music, shadow puppetry and cinematography and special effects.
The group, known as Shadow, Sound, Spectacle, will be performing Literary Monsters on Saturday, May 10 from 7-9 p.m., at Drawing Board Brewing, 36 Main St., Florence.
The performance is a collaborative project of different pieces led by Northampton-based singer-songwriter Jess Martin, Boston puppeteer Amy West and musician/visual artist Abby Hanna, who is also Northampton-based.
The production seeks to reimagine iconic gothic figures like Frankenstein’s creature, Poe’s raven and the Headless Horseman, as symbols of resistance, transformation and queer identity.
“It’s got shadows, original music and a lot of creative heart,” Martin said.
Martin explained how the trio aims to bring different perspectives to the production with her songwriting and theatrical roots, West’s national puppetry work, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Hanna’s vibrant and emerging musical voice.
She stated, “The result is immersive storytelling that blends music, shadow puppetry and performance. I think we’re just really excited to weave the story of what is the monster in the song or this complicated sort of narrative that has a little bit of nuisance, and you know, who is the villain and maybe inspire the audience to question what does it mean to be the villain or to be the monster.”
The event is open to the public and donations will support their fall tour.
Martin said the May 10 performance is a workshop showcase, and the group will be performing it once around 7:10 p.m. and then host a Q & A session before Drawing Board Brewing closes at 9 p.m.
They will also be performing on Saturday, May 18, at Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co. in Waltham.
Martin said the full production will be going on tour around Halloween season this year.
“We’re excited to showcase the latest works as well as revisit the work. It gives us the time to do a shakedown of how these integrate and work together as the three of us are all the moving pieces,” Martin said.
The project is backed by local cultural council grants from Holyoke, Newton and Springfield, with upcoming performances booked at venues like Newton Free Library.
Newton Free Library Programs Manager Lily Newton called the performance, “A unique, immersive and accessible art experience that engages the community through music, puppetry and innovation.”
For future events and performances, readers can visit the calendar at jessmartin-music.com.
To see a sneak preview of the group performing, Martin discussed their Tiny Desk Contest video, “Nevermore,” which is in the running for WBUR’s Massachusetts Favorite.
The production is a story about reclaiming the monstrous, queer creative voice and finding beauty in the shadows.
“It’s local, live and deeply relevant. For me as a queer artist, it has that sort of outsider residence resolute as well. People can sort of really feel like you’re not fitting in. That often, to me, resonates about that literature sort of background like the monster being this other, this outsider, this trespasser,” Martin said.
