Behind the Projector: Manual Cinema Celebrates 10 Years
WDCB’s Gary Zidek shines a light on the Chicago-based performance collective Manual Cinema as the ensemble commemorates its 10 year anniversary.
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“It was very fortuitous that the name was able to encapsulate the type of work we’ve made the past decade, because its definitely expanded in so many directions. We work in video, animation and film and theater now, but there’s always handmade cinematic quality to those things. I don’t know if the name predestined that or if it was very coincidental, it’s been cool to see all the different ways we’ve been able to push the medium, but still have it be handmade and cinematic.” - Manual Cinema co-artistic director Julia Miller talking about the ensemble’s name.
Manual Cinema’s Artistic Directors from left to right Julia Miller, Kyle Vegter, Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace and Ben Kauffman.
One of Chicago’s most exciting performance collective is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. The Emmy Award-winning ensemble is commemorating the milestone with something its calling a 10th Anniversary Retrospectular. The company is presenting four of its favorite productions from the past decade online for free in August, every week a new show will be available to stream at manualcinema.com/watch
Manual Cinema’s Drew Dir working on puppets and sets for a new show
Julia Miller, Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter first came together in 2010 to work on a project that turned into a show titled LULA DEL RAY.
A rocket blasting off in Manual Cinema’s LULA DEL RAY
The success of that first project inspired the group of creatives to continue making things together, and Manual Cinema was born.
Puppets and a poster for THE END OF TV at Manual CInema’s studio
“I think it was pretty gradual, if I had to pick a moment, though, I would say a run that we did of ADA/AVA in New York. It was the first time we had done a run of a show in New York, we just got the timing right. We got a really positive New York Times review, our first mention in the New York Times, and just a ton presenters from around the country ended up seeing the show because of that review. In my mind there’s kinda before that run, and after that run.” - Manual Cinema co-artistic director Kyle Vegter talking about the ensemble’s growth over the years.
The ensemble has taken inspiration from a variety of subject matters to when it comes to creating its original projects. In 2018, Manual Cinema garnered rave reviews for its adaptation of Mary Shelly’s FRANKENSTEIN. A year earlier, the collective was commissioned by the Poetry Foundation to create a work celebrating the life and career of poet Gwendolyn Brooks. In the summer of 2017, the company premiered a show titled THE END OF TV, that explored the changing nature of media in the 90’s. That same year, Manual Cinema adapted Edith Nesbit’s 1910 novel THE MAGIC CITY for Chicago Children’s theater. And looking ahead, the collective is working on a streaming version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL to premiere this coming holiday season.
Manual CInema’s FRANKENSTEIN
Manual Cinema is celebrating its 10th anniversary throughout the month of August by presenting some of the group’s favorite shows from the past decade virtually. People can watch The End of TV (August 3-10), No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks (August 10-17) and Frankenstein (August 17-23) for free (there is a suggested donation if you’re able to help). Head over to manualcinema.com/watch for more information.
WDCB’s Gary Zidek talking to Manual Cinema’s Julia Miller at a safe distance outside of the collective’s Logan Square studio.
“We’re trying to figure out how to continue making the work we make, but we’re also asking a lot of questions to figure out how to be more sustainable, how to be more equitable, and how to engage with what’s happening now and what it means to be making art right now. I’m already sort of reeling that it’s been 10 years already, it went by pretty quickly. It’s crazy to think about making work for another decade, but that would be awesome.” - Manual Cinema’s Julia Miller looking back and thinking about the future.
Manual Cinema’s founders and artistic directors: Kyle Vegter, Julia Miller, Ben Kauffman, Sarah Fornace & Drew Dir
