Eco-theater Performance Kicks Off ‘WATER’ Exhibit Friday

CHERRY VALLEY—Water Dreams,” an experimental site-specific, eco-theater performance, will be presented by The Telegraph School on Friday, October 6 at 6 p.m. This Cherry Valley Water Project performance will take place along the Cherry Valley Creek behind the Old School, 2 Genesee Street. It will be followed by the 25 Main Collective gallery opening for “WATER” from 7-9 p.m.

According to organizer Angelica Dzeli Palmer, the “Water Dreams” performance blends myth, magic, and history, and draws from the community’s stories, music, dance, and puppets created during the free summer art workshops offered through the Cherry Valley Water Project.

“The New York State Council on the Arts-sponsored workshops were sold out and we’ve been working hard to integrate all the creative material about water that the community has produced into an experimental theater performance and an art exhibit, and the culmination of it all will be on October 6,” Palmer said.

According to Palmer, more than 60 local people participated in the workshops and are part of the final performance and exhibition.

“Water Dreams” is performed by the Water Ensemble, an interdisciplinary performance troupe from the Central New York region, based in Cherry Valley and directed by Palmer.

“Magic is all around us every day, if you know where to look. The Cherry Valley Creek has nourished the plants, animals and humans in our valley for thousands of years. We are excited to share the stories and magic of the water with you, as you walk along the creek in the autumn twilight,” said Palmer, who is both the founder of The Telegraph School and a performance artist.

The performance will be followed by the opening reception for “WATER” at 25 Main Collective, featuring paintings, photos, sculpture, music, poetry and more. The work is created by the local community and inspired by the Cherry Valley Creek and is watershed.

Both the performance and the gallery opening are family-friendly, free, and open to the public. To learn more and to reserve a spot for the performance, visit thetelegraphschool.org. Both events are part of Cherry Valley First Friday, a monthly celebration in downtown Cherry Valley that starts at 5 p.m.

The Cherry Valley Water Project Palmer’s creation, funded by the New York State Rural and Traditional Arts Fellowship program. Funding for this project is made possible with support from the New York State Council on the Arts, the Governor’s Office and the New York State Legislature, the Arts Council for Wyoming County and The Cherry Valley Community Facility Corporation (The Old School).