Extraordinarily Ordinary Preview Jan. 21, 2023

Saturday Jan 21, 2:00pm - 3:00pm & 3:30pm -4:30pm 

Poetry, choreography, and performance, by reese johanson 

Music composed and performed by Cassie Watson Francillon

2pm - 3pm SOLD OUT

just added

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Because of the overwhelming interest in reese johanson's work, we have added a 3:30pm show!

Feel free to drop in anytime between 3:30pm-4:30pm

reese will perform  excerpts from Extraordinarily Ordinary, and will be available to discuss or answer questions about the show, her process, or her residency at Angela King Gallery.  

Angela King Gallery, Evolve, an Artspace (2nd floor, handicapped accessible.)

Cassie Watson Francillon explores folk, jazz, classical, modern & experimental music on the harp. With inimitable grit, tone, awareness and groove, Cassie crafts a narrative that connects past and future, existing and broken ancestral ties. Her sound and journey truly reflect her Haitian and Black American roots, crafting a precious and modern legacy by weaving weighted threads in mid air.

Cassie sat on the board of the New Orleans Chapter of the American Harp Society, was Assistant Producer of the annual New Orleans Jazz and Pop Harp Weekend, is a producer of the Sirens in the Twilight Music Series, and the principal harpist in Bernard Pearce’s new age opera: The Coronation, debuted at the New Orleans Airlift Music Box Village. 

Cassie has been sought-after for her unique session work and live productions alongside John Cameron Mitchell, Helen Gillet, Tank and the Bangas, Norah Jones, Julie Odell, Luke Stewart, People Museum,  Charm Taylor to name a few. 

She was selected by Prospect Arts Group to conceptualize and perform a diasporic piece with Guardians of the Flame Black Masking Indians, opening for Christian Scott at the P.5 Gala of 2022. Cassie was selected by Grammy and Tony Award-winning NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater to be a fellow of the Woodshed Network for Women in Jazz.

What is Extraordinarily Ordinary?

Let us experience exquisite life, flashing before us, in mi-nute essence, or stalling with exaggerated volumes. Witness, take stock, grieve and cherish, we oh-so-human. Who is that in the  mirror? How did they get here?  So much passed, was so, so, so  important, and finally, what was?

A poetry, dance, music, projection, theatre, installation, collage. 

The funny thing about PRESENCE, is that it is happening all the time.  A Buddhist, I imagine can (almost) grasp the cosmic hilarity of that statement.

How much life just rushes by? We put so much value in efforts that ultimately are worthless.  How many times a day? - a week? -  a month?... Do we take a moment to notice this gift of being alive, a moment?  

I meditate (somewhat) regularly, hearken myself as a Jewddhist, (Buddhist Jew), and I am ashamed to say how infrequently I slow down enough to brush off the rat race and sit with gratitude. Taking IT for granted is quite a habit, meanwhile treading waters of keeping IT all together. 

Can we sit in essence,  in volumes, can we BE?  

It’s not too late. 

The funny thing about PRESENCE is, you can’t  be late. Impossible. 

Let’s show up, shall we?

A little history about the journey of this piece:

I started developing Extraordinarily Ordinary in New Orleans, late 2018, with a group of seven performance artists.  It was a collaborative, improvisational, dance, theater, music piece-  without text. 

From this early development I composed a choreography script with the intention to recreate this improvisational show anywhere, incorporating artists who were completely foreign to the work and each other.   

I took it to Amsterdam in residence at Pickup Club in the NDSM arts warehouses, then in residence at 11 Jane Street in Sauogerties NY. Returning to New Orleans, I performed a work in progress of it at Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, Dec. 2019. 

Then  COVID happened.  

I dug deep into the piece. Asking myself, what is important to share at this time? A solo performance was distilled from the previous years work. And with it, I helped open the University of New Orleans outdoor amphitheatre.

Through this journey, people have often shared with me how moved they are, how relevant to the times and their personal lives they find it.  This has inspired me to share it further.  

Graciously Angela King Gallery offered a residency in their Evolve Space, to refine my craft, this piece, and expand nationally and internationally.  

xoxo~ reese