Call for Cranky (Movable Mural Storytelling) Performance Art

Got a cranky (a rolled-up mural in a frame that moves when hand-cranked)? Do you have a story you’d like tell with a cranky and would like to make one?

Cranky art uses ancient scroll technology, with a TV-like interface, to tell stories that are typically politically-themed. We think that the artform came out of the 1960s peace movement, and the art form was recently performed by the San Francisco Mime Troupe, SF Art & Revolution, and the Big Tadoo Puppet Crew. A cranky is easy to make, and better than watching cable TV. But the art form is underutilized and not widely known.

A small group of artists would like to have a Cranky Fest that would help share this niche art form. We are putting our feelers out to other artists who have a canky story to tell or would like to make one for a night of performance.

We are in the early stages of booking this event at the CounterPULSE space. The date is TBD, but will most likely happen in the month of November.

If we get enough interest in performers who wish to tell a story with a cranky, and can work out a 2 hour show with the content, then we’ll have an event!

No experience necessary, but we also do not have any budget to help you build a cranky. We would like to offer a workshop to show ours, and give you ideas on how to build one.

Any type of performance is OK as long as you use a cranky in it somehow. Times should run about 10-20 minutes for your part.

We also hope to have a “Make Your Own Cranky” workshop at the time of the event. This will entail making simple shoebox crankies for the folks who come to the workshop, with maybe a performance or two during the main show’s intermission.

Please get back to me ASAP so I can get an idea of the show for the CounterPULSE events bookers.

If you want to commit to this event, please do not flake out in the process. We want solid artists who’d like to make this unique night fun, collaborative, and informative.

Please help us start the Neo-cranky revolution!

Contact: happyfeet[insert @]happyfeettravels.org