Text with photo images is from the article The Mask as Messenger written by Artistic Director Sandra Lee Hughes. Michael Hickey has created masks for her plays and choreography for 27 years. Read the article.

“Recently, as I worked on a book about our work entitled Re-membering the Mystery — The Mask Theatre of Sandra Hughes and Michael Hickey, I realized the pantheon of mask characters we've given birth to could be organized as Healers, Helpers, Teachers, Ancestors and Humans. The elements of Mask Theatre are ephemeral, alchemical and, at times, defy categorization and definition in order to serve their own surprising purposes. A Healer could also be someone's Ancestor. A Teacher might function from time to time as a Healer. Nevertheless, to introduce the work to you in terms of these five categories may provide certain insight.”
 

Healers

“Healers are powerfully revealed in the non-verbal work. Free from the limitations and restraints of language their true essence comes to the forefront. The journey with them is essential, elliptical and poetical. They live and move between the worlds in perfect balance and are able to retrieve and reveal, often in timeless moments, the images, myths and magical connections that create peace deep within our souls.”



Character: The Blue Heron
Materials: Basswood, Paint, Feathers, Fabric
Productions: Living as the Last of My
Tribe/Illusions
Created:1992

Helpers

“The Helpers take many forms — animal, bird, mythical beast and halfling. Birds, bears and dragons are capable of remarkable feats of archetypal multi-tasking. These creatures remind us of nature's blessings and the unexpected support that often appears from unforeseen sources and unknown realms.”

Character: Dragon
Materials: Basswood/pecan, leather, fabric, sequins
Production: A Mummers Tale of the Seasons
Created: 2000

Teachers

“Our archetypal Teachers tend to instruct (usually with comic results) by demonstrating what not to do in any given situation. They flock to our theatre in droves in their gourd, straw, paper and red rubber nose masks — anxious to participate in the cosmic clown tradition.”
 

Character: Oops
Materials: gourd, paint, fabric
Productions: Visions of North American
Indians/Illusions
Created: 1985

Ancestors

“If all human belief systems were considered, it's possible we'd discover that every mask character in our theatre is someone's ancestor. With our strong Irish backgrounds Michael and I identify and rejoice in our straw-headed Irish Mummers.”

Character: Mummer
Materials: straw, fabric, ribbons, evergreen, holly
Productions: 12 Mummer Productions 1998-2007
Created: 1998

Humans

“Our Humans are diverse and typically transformed by their interactions with the other four categories of beings.”

   

Character: Pueblo Woman,
Materials: wood, paint, fabric, bass wood
Production: Old Man Kokopeli
Created: 1996


Photos:  Compliments of Jan Stittleburg

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