"Star Keeper" by Emily Michaels King at Red Eye Theater

How do I describe Star Keeper, the latest of Emily Michaels King's very personal shows that combine theater, storytelling, spoken word, movement, dance, sound and lighting effects, and perfectly chosen nostalgic props? Simply one of the most raw, vulnerable, heart-breaking, and moving performances I've ever seen. Emily is the most fearless performer I know, sharing her deepest wounds with the audience, baring her heart, soul, and body. In this piece she explicitly works through the childhood trauma she's alluded to in previous works, and it's astonishing. At times difficult to watch (there was a moment when I, and probably everyone in the audience, wanted to rush the stage and stop what she was doing to comfort her, as she was causing real physical pain to her body in attempt to rid herself of the emotional pain of the trauma), at times esoteric (taxidermy?), but in the end one of the most moving experiences I've had at the theater. If you're looking for theater that's a little different, a little outside the box (we might call it "performance art"), and incredibly gutsy and risk-taking, head to Red Eye Theater to see one of the five remaining performances of Star Keeper.

Some people work through childhood trauma by going to therapy, or burying it way down deep inside, or taking it out on the next generation. But an artist makes art. An artist takes something painful and traumatic, and turns it into something beautiful, something communal, something healing for artist and audience alike. Adult Emily calls on child Emily, giving her the support, protection, and safety she so desperately needed when undergoing an unthinkable trauma, so that she can tell her story. We see little Emily sprawled out on a square of white carpet, mesmerized by the TV. She's obsessed with Rainbow Brite, taking inspiration from her. The musical Oklahoma! is also a recurring theme, as she watches various scenes (heard in recorded audio, or projected from overhead onto the carpet) with wonder, glee, and confusion (Oklahoma! is actually quite a dark musical that probably isn't appropriate for children).

photo by Dan Norman

The story is delivered via recorded audio, or projections of cryptic sentences, or Emily speaking live. And also through movement and dance, expressing little Emily's emotions when words no longer can. Three large clear plastic bins contain memorabilia from childhood, a Rainbow Brite doll and lots and lots of stuffed animals (in addition to the ones charmingly placed on the chairs in the audience, giving us something to physically hold on to in this journey). Dramatic lighting changes also help with the storytelling, including complete blackouts, strobe lights, and a handheld flash light. Even the programs are on theme, rainbow colored construction paper with childlike crayon scribbles.

I'm not sure I've ever been to a show where when the house lights came up after curtain call, the audience just sat there in silence for a few moments. It was an emotional and cathartic experience, bringing tears to the eyes as maybe you think about your own childhood, and the things your child self, who's always with us, lived through. Star Keeper is an incredible work of art, turning something ugly into something beautiful. She walks us through the trauma, not literally or explicitly, because she's not that kind of artist, but viscerally, in a way that will make you clutch that stuffed animal a little more tightly. The final dance, after she emerges from the trauma, is a fierce triumph. And this show is Emily's greatest work yet.