About us

Some whimsical background. Founded in the want to travel, so the people in the company could learn and bring back to their communities. Originally, the performers built a show that was silent but deadly.... cough... no talking, beautiful music, lively physical theater, found-object puppetry, and "borrowing" the literary genre of Magical Realism. It toured to many places and won many awards. The theater continues, the original performers have moved on, like dandelion tufts in the wind to work within the communities they so love.

Founded in 1995 as an international touring company by Emmy award winning puppeteer Tim Giugni,  Teatro Calamari pursues theatrical engagement with productions that weave puppetry and physical theater into whimsical and innovative theater experiences for the entire family.

These things speak to us
as of December 29, 2023at around 13:43 PST

The Mission Statement is a living document and tool.
Writ on paper or electrons.
That should be changed often
so that you can see how the company has grown and changed.
Sometimes over a few weeks.
Sometimes over decades.
But the company and all that sail her, must grow.

Theater can only be reproduced LIVE,
with an invested, living audience and cast.
- This is why it's not called a movie -
2020 Caveat: Theater continues, online, taking the mantle of
Early television. May this continue to grow and be kept
so that when COVID is over, we can enjoy theatre from around the world.
(But the content should still be presented live)

It's okay to spell theater, theatre
and theatre, theater.
Just don't do it in the same sentence.

Performers must be explorers
and get lost, frustrated,
and question their abilities.
That’s part of the job.
It's unfortunate that it doesn't happens enough.

Theater is a dialogue.
Between the stage and audience.
Between your inner child and outer adult.

Honor those in the art that came before us.
Help those that come after us.
Do not mourn the past.
Do not diminish the future.

Do not EVER piss in someone's oatmeal.
This is about the how of another's presentation or art form. Still working on saying it better.

 

Promote- do not consume, other cultures.
Juuuuuust don't.

Explore more. Pander less.
Make the shows you want to see.

Don't let the dead and gone dictate the now.

Theaters come and go.
Learn from what they did.
Their then is not your now.

Pay the cast. In some way.
First in cash.
Second in travel.
Third in food.
Fourth in experience.
Just say, "Thanks"
--- It is best to do all of them. ---

 

Blindly following theater dogma is no.
Questions must be asked of the performers,
of the place, the theater, and of the audience.
This interaction, creates the vibrant experience.
-and makes for new theater goers.

Theater is a primal part
of the human social experience.

Wonder is what it is called.
When a bridge is built between
the 
adult that you are
and the child that you were
and they are given a place to meet.

Non sequiturs are cool.
Sturgeon.
No, the fish not the author.

No Secrets. Secrets kill. (1995)
Our actors do not hide. We do not hide.
Rehearsals are live cast on Facebook or YouTube or you can come and watch (2022)
We talk to and play with our audience after each show (since forever, 1987, we borrowed this from Tears of Joy Theater).
How else are you going to make the next generation of theater goers and doers if you don't?

FEED the art, not the building. (2021)

Experience new cultures, places, people, and grow.
(Again, promote- do not consume, other cultures.)

Find and promote the Other voices,
(Not just the ones in your head.)

Infinite diversity, infinite combinations.
Yes, we borrowed the IDIC thing from Star Trek
Because it is true.

We also lifted the Magical Realism from Latin America literature.
Because it's cool. Read Gabriel Garcia Marquez now.

This page prone to hyperbole and delirium.
 Use with caution.
Consult your doctor if theatre lasts more than a week.