“IN DUST WE TRUST”
Interlochen Arts Academy
Interlochen, MI | 2023

About the Show

WHOOP DEE DOO was invited by the Interdisciplinary Department at Interlochen Arts Academy to host a one week intensive to create a WHOOP DEE DOO production from start to finish. Combining a theme for the performance chosen by the students (“generations”), and a theme for the set design chosen by WHOOP DEE DOO (“washing machine”), the students worked with WHOOP DEE DOO to utilize their ideas, talents and interests to design the show from start to finish. 

Collaboratively, WHOOP DEE DOO and students engaged in brainstorming sessions to explore new and existing performances incorporating the "generations" theme. Each student-created performance underwent a transformation with handmade sets, props, and costumes inspired by the overarching "washing machine" theme.

The show was bursting with unique, bizarre and hilarious ideas, all of which were conceived of and produced in a highly collaborative process by all of the students. 

Performances included an oversized ball of lint show host, a telenovela-style opera & love story between soap suds & liquid hand soap, and a Kazakh traditional performer who, after a tumble cycle in the oversized dryer, had grown a dozen new limbs. Additionally, there was a laundry room-themed battle-of-the-bands between two live rock performance groups,, a student created game show called "What’s in Your Pocket" centered around guessing items commonly lost in the dryer, and a massive mosh-pit performance titled “Wash Pit”  for the show’s finale!

During the one-week collaboration, each day was crucial and acted as a necessary milestone in order to achieve the amazing ideas in such a limited timeframe. Each student’s participation was crucial to the show’s success: student’s took on roles (many of which they had never done before) such as performer, stage manager, Director, puppeteer, song writer, and more.

Timeline:

Day 1 focused on an introduction to the project, viewing inspirational material and examples of past WHOOP DEE DOOproductions, and engaging in a comprehensive  large group brainstorm. 

Day 2 was an introduction to set, prop and costume design techniques, utilizing our favorite material: cardboard! 

For Day 3, we collectively edited and finalized our ideas, breaking off into smaller groups to hold practices and create all props and sound cues necessary.

Day 4 was a building day, finalizing our set design and combing through our show layout. 

Day 5 involved practices, run-throughs, set touch-ups, and finalizing our costumes and props. 

Day 6 involved dress rehearsals, sound cue practices and lighting designs.

Day 7 was our final rehearsal before our live shows!

WHOOP DEE DOO Artists

Emily Flores
Sofia Dixon
Jaimie Warren

Student Artists & Performers

Julian, Munira, Jay, Elijah, Melodie, Willow, Dante, Kino, Molly, Alex, Stephen, Jamie, Ellie, Jaden, Tavish, Nadine, Jade, Noah, Juni, Jude, Bianca, Zach, Juniper, Johanna

Organized by

Clyde Sheets, Director of Interdisciplinary Arts, Interlochen Center for the Arts
Steven Speciale, Instructor of Interdisciplinary Arts, Interlochen Center for the Arts

Links

Interlochen Arts Academy
WHOOP DEE DOO Brings Joyful Enthusiasm to Interlochen Arts Academy