Deadtime Stories with Mariachi Goose and Friends

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Most of us know and readily recognize the canon of children’s stories and rhymes passed down from European traditions and spread into American colonial consciousness. We know that Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. We realize that Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But we don’t know who the hell Humpty Dumpty is. Even worse, we are expected not to question the meanings of these primer narratives and many of us are left shrugging our shoulders when asked to explain the origins and significance of these stories. Without much investigation, we can begin to find traces of nuanced meaning and indigenous European origins to these stories that have for the most part ceased to embody social and personal storytelling functions. We learn about Jack and Jill, Rapunzel, the Three Blind Mice, Snow White and all the princesses. But beyond the torrent of capitalistic appropriation of these stories, lies the opportunity to excavate lessons from these and other competing narratives and to re-create contemporary meaning that serve the greater social world.  

A story without a meaning is a like a body without a soul. Thus, we bring you “Deadtime Stories” as a humble attempt to rethink what we thought we knew.

'Deadtime Stories with Mariachi Goose and Friends' is Act II in the animated Xican@ Opera, 'Imperial Silence’. It chronicles the longest day of the year in Muertolandia where dead nursery rhyme characters converge to attend the Gran Solstice concert where the overnight sensation, Humpty Mariachi Dumpty, was to perform his hit huapango, “Qusiera Vivir” at the fundraiser for the Great Wall.

This animated opera examines the day’s events pertaining to the tragic fall of this singing egg. Follow Jill, as she takes destiny into her own hands. What starts with an incident on the hill, quickly escalates to a confrontation in the woods and a transformation at Abuela’s house.

Witness the rise of Little Dead Riding Hood and the potentially disastrous consequences for El Kingdom. Bond with this familiar skeleton cast of characters including Jack and Jill, Rapunzel, the Three Blind Mice, So White and the Seven Deadly Dwarves in a animated Dia De Los Muertos’ tribute and satire. The original score takes us from storybook to music video with Boleros, Bossa Nova, and Xican@ Rap—complete with three low-riding blind mice! A dead urban tale for your inner-adolescent.

Immature audiences only. In English, Spanish and Spanglish. (10:30min)


Deadtime Stories Credits

Co-Written, Co-Directed and Co-Produced by
John Jota Leaños and Sean Levon Nash

Animation by
Luz Cabrales and John Jota Leaños

Special Musical Performances by
Juan G. Aguilar
 J. Javier Enríquez
and
L3S

Cinematic Compostion
by Cristóbal Martinez

Character Design
by Sean Levon Nash, Andrea Vargas, and Ivan Wachter

Background Painting by
Andrea Vargas and Sean Levon Nash

Fire Animation by
Kenyata Diabase and Luz Cabrales

Voice Over Actors
Daniela Pineda and Christy Daly as Jill
Gabe Raffaelli as Jack
Mike Cohn and Federico Edwards as the Big Bad Wolf
Adriana Gordon as Abuela
Vickie Vertiz as So White
Jose Saenz as the King
Seven Deadly Dwarves by Mike Cohn, Adriana Gordon, Gabe Raffaelli and José Saenz
Gabe Raffaelli as the All the King’s Horses and All the King’s Men
Additional voice over by Elena Gardella
and
Adriana Gordon as Mariachi Goose

Voice Over Studio Engineer
Michael Rodríguez


Actors Recorded at Dangerous Audio with YOSH! (San Francisco)
Original Score Recorded at Red Rug Studios (Mesa, AZ)

Special thanks to Aurora Torres-González, Camino Ximena Torres-Leaños, Parousha Zand, Betty Hall, Jade Raybin, Tony Coleman, Evelyn Orantes and the Oakland Museum of California and
 the countless others who have contributed to this project.



Character Studies and Sketches for Deadtime Stories


So White Study by Andrea Vargas

El Rey Study by Andrea Vargas
(A Capitan Hook and Rick James fusion)


An early, early study of Humpty by Andrea Vargas

(It took us weeks to figure out what an anthropomorphic skeleton singing egg would look like.)

Jill Study by Andrea Vargas


Jack Study by Andrea Vargas
(Jack changed a bit because we thought he looked
a bit too Tm Burtonesque here...)


Another King Study by Andrea Vargas
(more of the Rick James look)