NOTES ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF SPECTRAL LINES, THE ART OF WATER WRITING, AND OTHER IMPORTANT EPHEMERA

CATASTROPHE THEORY ARTS

Notes on the Classification of Spectral Lines, the Art of Water Writing, and Other Important Ephemera is the first collaboration between Rebecca Whitehurst and Stephen Pruitt under the guise of Catastrophe Theory Arts. An assemblage of short vignettes covering a range of topics from baseball signs to the feminist history of astrophysics; the apparent absence of alien life to the sparseness of West Texas radio stations; the deconstruction of the music of Les Miserables to the economic game theory of Schelling’s Focal Points and what they can tell us about decoding secret messages (and meeting strangers).

Notes… is part jigsaw puzzle, part campfire story, part exploration of hidden history, and part ridiculous adventure. Created with all the technical elements exposed on stage, Pruitt and Whitehurst play the parts of performer, designer and stage manager all in the open. They zig-zag between lecture, dance and storytelling, while simultaneously creating an intimate connection with the audience. It is a passionate celebration of science, love, discovery and old Ford trucks. Also, there is red string involved.