About Deadtime Stories

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.

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)

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)