Hey ......You definitely should take a look at .

Amy Woodruff is an intermedia performance artist and a tenth-generation Louisianian. She has been working out of New Orleans since 1998. She grew up along the prairies & rice fields of the Mermentau River Basin, & was the first member of her family to receive a college degree. Trained in traditional theatre, her practice has transformed in the new century to consist of time-based work in performance art, experimental theatre, visual arts, handmade costume, & digital media design (still+moving images-light-sound, projection, performative photography).

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from McNeese University and an Master of Fine Arts from Goddard College. She has trained with Dah Teatar of Serbia, Odin Teatret of Denmark, Shakespeare & Company of Massachusetts, and Vortex Repertory Theatre of Austin TX. Her works have been seen at the Montréal Fringe Festival in Canada, the Harlow Gallery in Maine, the Pratt Gallery in Vermont, Louisiana’s McNeese Theatre, in online exhibitions, and at New Orleans spaces such as the M.I.C.A. Gallery, the Louisiana Crafts Guild, the Voodoo Mystère, Zeitgeist, the Pickery, the State Palace Theatre, and at five Dramarama festivals at the Contemporary Arts Center.

highlights of recent artistic work ::

Feeding the Moonfish (direction, performance): Byrdie's Gallery of New Orleans, 2011

Wicked Return, an ongoing performance experiment: Everywhere, 2011-when it is finished

fleetinghosts, a solo performance installation: Online, and at M.I.C.A. Gallery of New Orleans, 2009-2010

Our Lady of Sorrows Project, a collaborative performance installation: Pratt Gallery of Vermont and Harlow Gallery of Maine, 2009

Moon Cove, an original mixed-media solo performance: Voodoo Mystere Lounge of New Orleans, Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans, and Goddard College of Vermont, 2008-present (future stagings forthcoming)

The Music of Erich Zann, a multimedia stage version of Lovecraft's short story (direction, design, performance): Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans, The Pickery Art Space of New Orleans, Zeitgeist Arts Center of New Orleans, McNeese University of Louisiana, 2000-2005

artist statement ::

I am a Louisiana intermedia performance artist. My projects fuse realism, postmodernist performance, and visual design into integrated multi-layered artworks. My material includes original work, and existing literature I adapt for performance: traditional western writings and ancient epic tragedy.

I came to art through visual art and classical music very young, before experiencing theatre. I approach performance from the sensory perspective of a landscape painter or musical performer, so my pieces lean toward visual design, symphonic composition and the abstraction of poetic structure. Working not only in traditional theatre, I explore mixed-media, and my practice includes experimental performance and designs: handmade garments, performers' objects, photography and digital projection. Results encompass performances, videos, video integrated with 3D installations, and performance installations.

The content of my practice is humanity’s extremes: violence, war, fear, endurance, resilience, sexuality, body issues, ghosts, and death. Culture, geography, and mental illness resonate from direct encounters. Physical and chromatic elements of performance are as important to me as the textual or vocal. I enjoy juxtaposing intimacy with the epic, and toying with strategic spatial relationships, physical contact, and performers’ stillness as a tool. I deconstruct the content of projects during creation, to distill humankind’s primary experiences.

selected media acclaim ::

New Orleans Times-Picayune :: Woodruff “created an eerie mood” with the “ghostly, atmospheric” Moon Cove ... her “hushed, haunting tale … alters your mood for the rest of the evening” (2008). The Seven was “intense" and "intriguing" theater (2004). In Laughing Wild, Woodruff’s "performance and presentation are first-rate" (2001).

Montréal Gazette :: Woodruff’s dis+graced delivers “remarkable emotional honesty" (2006).

Saint Bernard Voice :: Woodruff (in Four Humours Theatre Company's Uncle Vanya) is “splendid” and “expressive … no one could ask for a more earnest and winning portrayal" (2008).

New Orleans Gambit Weekly :: As "the moving spirit of Theatre Louisiane" Woodruff "has given us challenging, thought-provoking plays and performance pieces" (2006). The Seven held "the audience spellbound from beginning to end" (2004). The Music of Erich Zann was "fascinating" and "stand-out" work (2001).

Ambush Magazine :: Woodruff’s “direction and acting" in The Music of Erich Zann are "inspired" ... this is "effectively and brilliantly conceived" theatre (2005). "Go see (her) shows. You will be impressed and entertained" with BloodReign; "epic theatre in the grand sense of the word ... chic touch, great energy" (2003).

Al Shea, theater critic, Steppin' Out, WYES-TV/PBS :: The Seven gets “3 (OUT OF 4) CLAPS!"... Woodruff has "cleverly cast" a "tremendous tale" and uses an "interesting approach and style" (2004).

mikko, theatre columnist, Where Y'at New Orleans Entertainment Magazine :: Woodruff is "a diminutive powerhouse" and "my favorite rising director in town" (2000).

Lake Charles American Press :: Woodruff's "brave and honest" performance (in the Louisiana Premiere of The Conduct of Life at McNeese Theatre) "will be talked about for years to come" (1993).

reviews and feature stories ::

Ghostly 'Moon Cove' Appears at Voodoo Mystere (Review) By David Cuthbert, New Orleans Times-Picayune (2008) OUTSIDE LINK | People To Watch for 2006 (Feature) By New Orleans Magazine (2006) HTML | Magazine Spotlights Theatrical Couple (Feature) In Lake Charles American Press (2006) HTML | dis+graced (Review) By Michael Faciejew, Montréal Gazette (2006) HTML | State of Grace (Feature) By Dalt Wonk, Gambit Weekly New Orleans (2006) HTML | Horror Story Sparks McNeese Graduate's Imagination (Feature) By Warren Arceneaux, Lake Charles American Press (2005) HTML | The Music of Erich Zann (Review) By Patrick Shannon III, Ambush Magazine (2005) HTML | The Music of Erich Zann (Feature, Italian) By Andrea Bonazzi, HorrorMagazine (2005) HTML | The Seven (Review) By Dalt Wonk, Gambit Weekly New Orleans (2004) HTML | The Seven (Review) By David Cuthbert, New Orleans Times-Picayune (2004) HTML | BloodReign (Review) By Patrick Shannon III, Ambush Magazine (2003) HTML | Wings of Desire: Portrait of an Underground Producer (Feature) By mikko, Where Y'at Magazine New Orleans (2001) HTML | Laughing Wild (Review) By David Cuthbert, New Orleans Times-Picayune (2001) HTML | Laughing Wild (Review) By Roberts Baston, Southern Voice Magazine (2001) HTML | The Music of Erich Zann (Review) By Dalt Wonk, Gambit Weekly New Orleans (2001) HTML | McNeese's "Faustus" is a Hell of a Show (Review) By Ed Alderman, Lake Charles American Press (1995) HTML | MSU Has Star Turn in "Conduct of Life" (Review) By Ed Alderman, Lake Charles American Press (1993) HTML

amy is also at ::

and on her video channels ::