A happening (from the 50's and 60's) was an ordered event that occurred in real space/time.
The ordered part came from the instructions to the performers, usually written.
Chaos theory came in the 1960's. It ask the question "if a butterfly flaps its wings in China does it affect the weather in Kansas?" Edward Lorenz first ask this question in 1961.
Some Happenings of the 50's and 60's were multiple simultaneous events but. Chaos theories were not considered because they were not created at that time.
The original Happenings usually (perhaps always) were absurd content based with no relationship with reality. Our performance is equally absurd but is based on the reality of space and time. Our performance implies that real space time itself is absurd.
One of our goals is to have two simultaneous rallies in two places at the same time and see if one will affect the other. The artist is the butterfly. When he flaps his wings does it change or affect the world?
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Do two simultaneous performances in two nearby spaces. The performance will be a reading from Marx. The performance will take four minutes or less. Here is a copy of the Marx reading marxread.htm
The readers are the primary performers. They will wear a soviet union hat and tee-shirt. Someone will wave a Soviet union flag. Two people in Hazmat suits will pass out revolTlover flyers about Marxism (COPY OF THE FLYER). Two clocks will be on stage. Two CB radios will be on stage to tell the performers the exact starting time. Each primary performer will walk in the shape of an asterisk while reading. The asterisk will be about six feet at it longest line. Both will start at the middle of the asterisk. Performers are allowed to deviate from the instructions. The Hazmat suited performers will also give each audience member a Lenin pin (SEE HERE)
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Ideally there will be two motion cameras and a still. They will document the two performers and the flyer distributors. The documentation will also be viewed for the presence of Time Travelers.
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If more people want to participate, the Hazmat costumed performers can walk around the audience with Geiger counters pretending they are looking for radiation. Others can wear Soviet hats and distribute flyers. Two dancers could do the asterisk dance and the two major performers could be readers.
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Performance will probably be scheduled for Saturday October 22, 2005 Performance will be in the Dayton Ohio, Miamisburg Ohio area. For a copy of the venue/rule flyer go here index.htm I plan to pay the $35 fee.
Contact me (Jack Bowman) at mailto:dapoets@bright.net
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Go here for a similar performance http://www.jacksartcircus.com/cafe/firstread.htm
Go here for Communist Cafe web site http://www.jacksartcircus.com/cafe/index.html
Go here for another similar performance http://www.bright.net/~dapoets/bash/mintext.htm