Sawdust Palace (2007) is perhaps the first dance ever choreographed specifically for a Spiegeltent. Made up of a series of dances designed to be performed in-the-round, Sawdust Palace incorporates elements of burlesque, cabaret, and vaudeville to create an evening of outrageous and touching work. The 20 acts “ranging from live piano numbers to chicken-plucking, gave us both the superficial glamour of vaudeville showgirls and the emotional subtext apparent in her best work for the stage.” - Dance Magazine Choreography: Susan Marshall in collaboration with The Company Lighting Design: Mark Stanley Set and Decor Design: Susan Zeeman Rogers Costumes: Kasia Walicka Maimone Sound Design: Jane Shaw Length: 80 minutes Dancers: Kristen Hollinsworth, Luke H. Miller, Petra van Noort, Joseph Poulson, Darrin Michael Wright Pianist: Stephen Gosling World Premiere: The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, July 6, 2007 Commissioning credits: Sawdust Palace is jointly commissioned by the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at Maryland. © Susan Marshall & Company

Sawdust Palace (2007)

Choreography Susan Marshall in collaboration with the Company
World Premiere Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
New York Premiere Dance Theater Workshop, New York, NY
Lighting Design Mark Stanley
Scenic Design Susan Zeeman Rogers
Costume Design Kasia Walicka Maimone
Sound Design Jane Shaw
Stage Manager Betsy Ayer
Dancers Kristen Hollinsworth, Luke Miller, Petra van Noort, Joseph Poulson, Darrin Wright

Sawdust Palace is both a period piece put through the mill of Marshall's dance sensibility, and an embrace of the cabaret form. Sometimes a dance is just a dance and a cigar is just a cigar. Although, in this evening a cigar is never just a cigar—and a tea cup isn't just a tea cup, either.

The 20 acts “ranging from live piano numbers to chicken-plucking, gave us both the superficial glamour of vaudeville showgirls and the emotional subtext apparent in her best work for the stage.” —Dance Magazine

Sawdust Palace was jointly commissioned by the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at Maryland.