The six hours will be filled: not chock-full-o-nuts jam-packed, but there will be at least two or three "things" ("events") going on at all times. For variety's sake, sometimes more, sometimes less. But always SOMETHING for the six hours: no intermissions or breaks (in the performance) [although the performers may escape to another room from time to time]

For you "legitimate" theater folk out there, this is something else. There will be no one stage: the "action" will be occurring throughout the gallery, around and amongst the audience. There will be some seats for the audience. But they won't be treated as nailed to the floor.

The performers and events affect and effect and modulate each other, much as the individual dots in a pointillist painting: the blobs of red and blue are painted separately but are perceived as other (purple). At times there will be an overload of information, other times, something obscure that tickles the brain with hinted meaning will eke out a slow existence until new events distract the viewer. Or not. With a multiplicity, the viewer can pick and choose between events, as amongst the thousands of satellite channels on TV or radio-but again, each of these stations is interwoven with static (?) from the others…..

As we learned at last year's event, no matter how much we prepare, we won't have enough material. Which is great! For it's precisely when we run out of stuff to do that the magic starts.... we do events and routines we had decided not to do; we repeat an event of four-hours prior with a twist, we suddenly find ourselves "onstage" with a prop in our hand and no idea of what to do with it, and 20 people staring at us expectantly.

Puppet Theatre permanent installion in a corner of the space of my green-trunk-on-a-chair puppet-stage with various toys and puppets. There will be Frankie & Godzilla (from Mr. Stein's Neighborhood Street) shows, the puppet version of the popular teen-existentialist movie "Dude, Where's Godot?", a pirate-puppet sock extravaganza authored by Chloe K, and more.

Astronomy for the People Salutes Broadway: Mike Benedetti & Michael Paulukonis (& various cohorts) rev it up with their de(con)structions of Broadway showtunes. A partial memorial (however unfitting) to Adolph Green.

Sonic Installation from Wayne Feldman

SWEATERS by Vanessa Norton. A one-woman exploration of wardrobe.

Di Kats der Payats: selections from the Yiddish translation of The Cat in the Hat recorded by the translator via telephone, a mini-disc recorder, and far too much other technology.

Musical Contributions from Matt Bonewicz, Wayne Feldman, Mike Benedetti, Vicki Ross and others.

Live Painting by all and sundry.

Aguila o Sol o Ciclon? A spoken-word piece from Mike Benedetti for six performers and audience. Three performers will be reading in Spanish. Practice, practice!!!! Mr. Benedetti will also present The Appalachian Trail: Live! on Stage and 5 Biographies or The Lives of the Saints

Connie's Box: a half-hour-or-so-work wherein performers AND audience suddenly interpret Ms. Sinavage's "poems".

"The Match Game" Mike Benedetti hosts this year's game show with fabulous prizes for the lucky winners!!!!

A FREE CD!!! for the first fifteen audience members to show up! Featuring selections from Mike Benedetti's Appalachian Trail Interview Project, Di Kats der Payats, and more.

Contributions from anybody who stops on in!
Encourage your friends and neighbors to not only "come on down"-but jump in as well! The water's fine!

What Will Happen?!
--Jack Keraouc

Any "free-form" performance piece contains too much stuff for anyone other than a dedicated observer to catch it all--as a performer, I think I only notice 10%. All the more so for something like the 6-hour Happy Times. For example, John Bert was always doing rad stuff, most of which I only caught out of the corner of my eye while doing something myself.

* Rachel, covered in nylons, rope, and fishing line, dragging a cinder block across the space

* I could write paragraphs about the mighty mighty Match Game (thanks, Mark), but amongst all the cheating (Connie!) and recycling (Wayne!) what stood out was: "Billy lost his..." (Matt jumps up. Matt swings his chair into the air. Matt slams his chair against the floor. His chair shatters.) "...TEMPER!!!"

* "One Thousand Wax Sandwich Bags On The Roof", the world's first all-wax-sandwich-bag-musical. A surprising mix of surrealism and crowd-pleasing fun. "What the hell is this box doing here?!"

* The huge pile of crushed newspapers, and the various collages. All the faces taped to the inflatable table.

* My own contribution, when a TV reporter had prepared his equipment to interview me: "TURN OFF YOUR TELEVISION! IT'S POISONING YOUR MIND!"

* The music, always interesting, often supportive of other performance, and never intrusive

* Alicia entering the gallery, rubbing up against me for a minute, reading a children's book, and leaving. That's the way to do it.

* Chloe's photos of the performance are great and pretty much comprehensive

It was a privilege to work with Scranton's Finest, and an extra treat to entertain an audience while doing it.