From April 4 – 13, UMO ensemble will be offering SQUEEZE co-produced with the Seattle Public Theatre. In this interview, we go behind the scenes with Director Elizabeth Kolb and Ensemble member Janet McAlpin.

Janet McAlpin trained for two years at the School of Jacques LeCoq in Paris, France and co-founded UMO Ensemble. She has been teaching directing and performing physical theatre for over 38 years. She has participated in various roles, performing, creating and co-directing UMO Ensemble.

Elizabeth Kolb has worked in theatre as a director, designer, performer and producer for over 35 years. She moved to Seattle in the 90s where she found theatre that matched her artistic direction: physical theatre with a circus sensibility.  She joined UMO Ensemble in 2003.

About SQUEEZE

Written in collaboration with Trista Baldwin, “SQUEEZE”presents five lonely characters in their quest for connection, space, and freedom in a world constrained by fear, loneliness, scarcity, and greed. Award-winning playwright Trista Baldwin and UMO Ensemble explore the extremities of our times with humor, pathos, and acrobatic physicality using ladders and platforms reminiscent of Buster Keaton. With dystopian fun-house vibes, this Beckett-esque comedy promises the audience communion, with empathy pushing against despair.

In a landscape shaped by climate change, housing insecurity, wealth disparity, and social disconnection, a guy walks into a bar and asks,  “How did we get here?” Through humor, grace, and physical skill, “SQUEEZE” challenges us to adapt and connect in a world on the edge.

Founded in 1989, UMO Ensemble pioneers physical theatre through improvisations in movement, character, vocalization, and writing. With over 30 original shows, UMO is celebrated as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most innovative and critically acclaimed performance companies.

SQUEEZE will be performed at the Public Theatre in Seattle (at the old Bathhouse Theatre).

Here is the LINK for Seattle Public Theatre website;  https://www.seattlepublictheater.org/

Here is the LINK to buy SQUEEZE tickets specifically; https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?actions=10&p=3