In May of 1984, world-renowned French mime, Marcel Marceau did something he had never done before: He moved his entire school of teachers, staff, and students from L'Ecole Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris to another city-Chicago-to be able to continue to teach classes during an extended performance run.
The University of Chicago's International House played an integral role by housing the school and its classes during its three weeks in Chicago. UChicago students benefited, with Marceau offering classes to I-House residents and giving an impromptu performance at I-House's annual Festival of Nations.
Now, two of Marceau's former students and touring mime artists, Chicago-based T. Daniel and Laurie Willets, will return to I-House at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 28, with their production of Jean Cocteau's pantomime farce about a Frenchman's view of an American bar during Prohibition, Le Boeuf sur le Toit, with music by Darius Milhaud. Daniel and Willets also will perform selected works from their own creations.
"It is our shared passion to keep mime alive," said Willets of their return to I-House. "It is not that well known, but mime is an incredible art form dating back to the Greeks and Romans."
The performance is open to the public; general admission is $20, student admission is $10. Tickets available at the door or online at www.tdanielproductions.org. For more information contact Mary Beth DeStefano at (773) 753-2274 or visit http://ihouse.uchicago.edu.
—Prof. Kunle Odunsi
