About Lola B.
Two
Co-written, co-directed, and co-designed.
A music video for the song “Two” from the Flock of Dimes album "Head of Roses," co-created with Cricket Arrison. The video explores nagivating a sovereign self while in relationship with others. Filmed in January of 2021 "Two" is an attempt to honor the vital importance and joy of connection at a time when we are extremely isolated.
The First Thing That Happens
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The singers present the aspects of a play
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"Onset" demo
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The actors reaching
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Three singers have feelings
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Movement iii: For a moment nothing happens
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Movement vi: Here are the things we left out
Two actors explain the life of the playwright for the previous year while 3 singers in the back sing the dialogue from a previous show.
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Movement vii: Finally we are able to
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Movement v: We expect (by now)
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Movement i: The First thing that happens
The Institute for Counterfeit Memory
A piece made during and about the pandemic The Institute for Counterfeit Memory is a play in a box that gets sent to audience members at their homes. The piece chronicles the creation of false worlds using an mp3 player, diagrams, and small props. The audio track asks the audience to imagine what we would have happened if the pandemic hadn't, and to turn our attention to and be present with what happened instead.
The New York Times hailed The Institute for Counterfeit Memory as "bloodless," but The Washington Post said, "The Institute for Counterfeit Memory cannily employs the devices it provides to bring you back to the feeling of being in a room with other spectators, even as it reminds you that you are alone. Its ministrations so impressed me that when I turned over the final cue card instructing me to applaud, I actually did."
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The Institute for Counterfeit Memory set illuminated by tiny lights
The audience turns on small LED bulbs and places it inside of the set (an etched jar with a slide glued to it)
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The Institute for Counterfeit Memory feelings diagram
A small card that demonstrates the correct feeling to have while watching the play.
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Box contents
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The open box
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Box contents
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Diagram cards
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Audio trackThe audio for the piece that both tells a story and guides the audience through the experience of making the play at home.
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Box contents
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Instructions diagrams
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The closed box
Follow No Strangers To The Fun Places
Premiered in May 2018.
Follow No Strangers To The Fun Places explores the attempts of the artists creating it to manufacture beauty and meaning. One of the directors said this description is rather "workman-like," but even though the other director (who is also the playwright) is sick, the first director wouldn't take on the simple task of writing a one-sentence description of this show.
Later they came up with this description: Follow No Strangers To The Fun Places is loosely inspired by the structure of Italo Calvino’s 1979 postmodern novel, If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler. However, admirers of Calvino will most likely be keenly disappointed, since the play bears little similarity to the book. Instead of focusing (like Calvino’s novel) on the act reading, The Acme Corporation’s piece deconstructs the audience’s experience of watching theatre. Follow No Strangers To the Fun Places lovingly follows two characters’ repeated—and constantly interrupted—attempts at making a piece of theatre. Through constant breaks, disruptions and disconnections, the show breaks down theatrical narrative; explores the relation of fiction to real life; and ultimately tries to answer the question of why anyone would want to make art in the first place.
Follow No Strangers To The Fun Places was exactly 68 minutes long and was named Best Play of 2018 by Baltimore Magazine.
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The fake Sam Shepard PlayThe three women smoke in unison as part of a deconstruction of Sam Shepard and Pina Bausch.
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Follow No Strangers to the Fun Places silhouetteThing 1 admires her handiwork.
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big light box.jpgPart of the set made of pages from previous versions of the script.
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Thing 1 and Thing 2 hard at workThing 1 and Thing 2 program the light board
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Xrays in Dark.jpgLight boxes made of X-Rays (part of the set)
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The headphones signWhen the sign is on audience members put on their headphones.
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Empty chairsThe view of the audience as the headphones gives them an introduction about what their experience will be.
Putin on Ice (that isn't the real title of this show)
Directed by Yury Urnov
Premiered September 2018.
Everything that happens on stage is a lie. This spectacle is a fantastical new portrait of Vladimir Putin. This ostentatious piece blends counterfeit ancient texts, falsified scientific data, and manipulated video evidence to create something entirely new and thrillingly strange. Putin is elevated from man to myth, stretching through time to become more deity than dictator. You are free to leave at any time.
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Bees attack!Zsa Zsa Gabor (actor Ben Kleymeyer) is attacked by bees
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Bees attacking Zsa Zsa Gabor
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Romeo and JuietThe Cult of Putin performs Romeo and Juliet (annotated with secret messages from Shakespeare about Putin)
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Putin on Ice (that isn't the real title of this show)
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Franz Ferdinand and his Wife SophieThe inception of World War I as told by table top puppets (including the truth about Putin's hand in it).
Help
Help follows a woman through terrifying scenes into everyday situations. No matter what the scenario she can only say one word: Help.
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Help | Adult Swim SmallsA woman finds herself in several terrifying situations and calls for help, but none is forthcoming. As she transitions into normal life again she learns that she can only say "help."
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The Woman SwimmingA still from Help
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The Scary PhoneA still from Help
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Swamp Thing The CatStill of Swamp Thing the cat being transported.
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Period SpongeThe Woman rinses out her bloody period sponge.
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Doctor's VisitThe Woman visits the doctor and tries to get Help.
Thr3e Zisters
The Austin Chronicle's Top Ten Theatre Riches of 2015: #1
Austin Critics' Table Winner 2014/2015 "Best Production, Comedy"
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GestureThe three sisters are taught gesture.
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After the feastThe three sisters relax after the zombie attack.
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Irina eats
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Video of Thr3e Zisters (password protected)Password: Zisters15
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PreparationThe three sisters get prepared for their performance.
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Irina rebelsJenny Larson as Irina turning into a Zombie.
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Script of The Thr3e Zisters"Olga: To-day thou all shinest, thou-seemest extraordinarily pretty. And Masha also is-pretty. Andre would be good, only he filled-out very, this to him not goes. And I grew-old, grew-thin strongly, from-that, it-must be, that am-cross in college, on girls. There to-day, I-am free, I at-home, and by me not aches head, I feel myself younger than yesterday. To-me twenty eight years only...All well, all from God, but to-me seems, if-I-should-go-out for-husband, and whole day sat at home, then this would be better."
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Show posterDesigned by Salvage Vanguard
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Thr3e ZistersThe three sisters, Andrei, and Vershinin pose for the audience.
The Determination of Azimuth
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The Determination of Azimuth
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Space danceUsing minimalist music and abstract geture the human computers act out one of the mathematical principles used in Katherine Johnson's work, "All Moments Are Zero Math."
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Katherine Johnson solves equationsSurrounded by a whirlwind of activity including projections and puppetry Katherine uses Newton's 3rd law (equal and opposite reactions) to calculate space travel.
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MeetingThe white male engineers exclude Katherine Johnson, who is responsible for much of the math used on the mission, from a meeting.
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Katherine Johnson teaches other computers
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Song about orbit
Kaspar
Baltimore City Paper's Top Ten Stage Productions 2014
Directed with portions of the video production by Lola B. Pierson, the Acme Corporation's Kaspar was a contemporary version of Peter Handke's play from 1967. Using video, internet, and the audience members' own cell phones the show explored the idea that language and society simultaneously make us more connected, but less ourselves. Using over 60 local Baltimore artists the show parodied various shows and genres using the text of the original play. Included amongst them were Law & Order, exercise videos, the Eastern Motors commercial that plays on 92Q, movie trailers, soft core pornography, and unboxing videos.
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Kaspar speaksSophie Hinderberger as Kaspar speaks with a different effect on each microphone
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Kaspar and Other KasparsKaspar's identity splits into Other Kaspars.
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Kaspar's final moment"Already with my first sentence I was trapped."
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Kaspar on FacebookKaspar learns about Facebook.
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Video part 3 of 3
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Video part 2 of 3
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"KASPAR": directed by Lola Pierson, written by Peter Handke, (Part 1)
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Show posterDesigned by Jennifer Strunge
Office Ladies
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Foumi's Ant DanceSophie Hinderberger as Foumi dances about ants.
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SelfJenna Rossman as Self talks to Rosie (Deirdre MacAllister) about holidays.
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Midori makes it rainCaitlin Weaver as Midori sprinkles the lower level with rain made out of punched paper holes.
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Script of Office Ladies"ROSIE: Hey, how is your ant infestation? FOUMI:Oh, you know what? I finally just decided to let them in the house. I mean if they want it that badly then as far as I’m concerned they can just come on in. It was easier than fighting them. ROSIE: I know exactly what you mean. We’re planning Christmas with my husband’s family right now and it’s just a complete nightmare."
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Show PosterDesigned by Jennifer Strunge
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All six ladiesEach of the ladies working at her desk.