"...you are one of the rare performers who has the ability to capture the attention (and imagination) of an entire audience in a big room (NULL,400+ seats) as soon as you open your mouth!" ~ Pike Performing Arts Center

Doug Berky’s newest offering is a variety show entitled “Imaskinations!”. This theater show features Berky’s large mask theater pieces. The stories are from many cultures around the world and are appropriate for family and adult audiences depending on the story selections. The Presenter may work with Doug to select stories that fit for a variety of audiences - great for multiple day residencies in a community! The stories featured include The Tiger's Whisker, a Korean folktale about healing; Simple Gifts, a French story about giving; The Crocodile and the Monkey, a Jataka Tale of caution from India; The Drip Nose Boy, a Native American story about loyalty and finding one’s calling; The Blind Man and the Lame Man, a Persian Sufi Tale about cooperation; the classic The Lion and the Mouse reminding us to never underestimate the importance of another.

And while in your community, Teacher Workshop, Doug Berky’s IMaskinations:Building Concentration and Creativity Through Mask Theater. This movement workshop uses Creative Dramatics to teach skills in observation, creativity, improvisation, cooperation, concentration. Doug uses mask theater techniques and a collection of masks within this workshop to teach both the art form and demonstrate how masks can be used to teach these skills. Teachers will receive instruction and simple templates they can use to make masks with students. Doug also offers several residency options including Give It a Facelift: Unmasking Literature With Mask Theatre and The Soldier's Tale - see further descriptions below. CONTACT US FOR DETAILS

And HUMOR AND HEALING; HUMOR HAPPENS - In this seminar, Doug explores humor and laughter; what it is, and how it brings healing to individuals, communities, and it’s restorative effect on our world. Doug experienced first hand the importance of humor growing up with a mother suffering from a chronic disease, lupus. Doug will share stories, sketches, and other discoveries made along the way on how laughter has a bumpy ride easier to handle.

Doug is now offering “Kairos,” a three to six week theatre residency approaching one of the oldest stories on earth, the Gospel story, with an emphasis on the art of storytelling in theater.  Through mask theater, Doug will involve residency participants in the creation and improvisation of this story and the audience in their own discovery and interpretation of its meaning. This is an exciting and new approach to the telling anew of an old story with myriads of meaning to many different people.  Listen to the artist describe this work and see a few clips from one residency experience.

Offerings from the Master of Handmade Masks, Voices, Physical Comedy & Mime!Children and Families:
Gems: The World’s Wisdom Stories Doug Berky presents stories from around the world by weaving together many art forms into a full stage, large mask theater production with clever and creative costuming. Masks, puppets, mime, drama, comedy, music, and storytelling are integral elements that help the audience to experience these treasures of wisdom. Classic collections such as “Aesop’s Fables” from Greece and stories of Hans Christian Andersen from Denmark have inspired and educated the world’s young people for years. Also included in the performance are stories from lesser known collections of folklore and mythology from Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and Native American peoples. A preschool version is available to gently introduce children to mask theater.
Mask and physical theater artist Doug Berky's large mask theatre production FOIBLES, FABLES AND OTHER IMASKINATIONS presents stories for children and family audiences including The Tiger's Whisker, a Korean folktale about healing; Simple Gifts, a French story; The Crocodile and the Monkey, a Jataka Tale from India. The performance is appropriate for families and elementary to middle school student groups. Video


More For General Audiences:
No Show Doug combines the classic performance arts of mime, mask theater, and physical comedy into his performance of No Show. A performance has been scheduled, but the actor fails to show. Or does he? What will happen when a lone spectator finds himself unwittingly on stage? Doug is transformed into several characters ranging from a gorilla to a ballerina as he explores the props and masks on stage. Audiences experience a variety of theatre forms: mime, mask theater, circus arts, and storytelling in this hilarious performance for the whole family.
Foolosophies Foolosophies is a collection of dramatic and comic reflections inspired by the role of the fool throughout history. The sketches included in this performance are selected for each audience. Foolosophies includes circus, vaudeville slapstick, mask and contemplative theatre meditations.
A Soldier’s Tale Residency and Performance by Igor Stravinsky A Soldier’s Tale was written during World War I by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and Swiss poet and novelist C.F. Ramuz. Inspired by Russian sto- ries, it is a Faust-like tale in which a soldier eventually loses his soul to the Devil. Written for a “portable” ensemble of seven instruments and three actors, this production is directed by Doug Berky who also plays the soldier. Doug works with local actors to fill other roles in the production, usually for a period of five days before the production. Other show offerings and workshops are possible while Doug is in the community.Doug’s brother, acclaimed theatrical clown and mime Bob Berky, often joins Doug in the role of the devil for the production.

Special Needs Audiences: Doug Berky has special performances and pre-performance materials and sessions to help introduce mask theater to very young students or special needs students of all ages, particularly those with Autism and ADHD. In addition Doug can sign many of his performances. See Doug talking about his work!

Residencies and Workshops Doug has specifically designed residencies of one day to three weeks for elementary to college students and for theater students and professionals including: Mask Making • Mask Theater Technique • Mime • Physical Theater and Comedy • Commedia Del Arte Workshops in communications, movement, cooperation, healing & humor are available for elementary students to adults.
Exploring Communication and Cooperation with Mask and Physical Theatre Doug conducts versions of this 45-60 minute interactive workshop for elementary to high school students. Students learn and practice skills in better cooperation and communication by exploring how we "talk to each other through body language." Students engage in movement and character development and experience mask theater and mime. Younger elementary students will participate in physical theater games that encourage cooperation, following directions, communication, and movement. Older elementary, middle and high school school students explore more subtle movements and communication through techniques from mask theater and mime.
Give It A Facelift: Unmasking Literature With Mask Theatre Five day residency for elementary and middle school students. Imaginative literature (stories, folktales, myths), its context and content, can be creatively opened to students using the theatre disciplines of mask, mime, and storytelling. Each class will select an international folktale, myth or story. After learning about the culture, context, story, and characters, the students will create their own presentation of their selection using these theatre arts. Theatre and mask artist Doug Berky will guide students in this creative process. CONTACT US
DOUG BERKY'S WEBSITE