Conceived and Directed by Stephan Koplowitz

Choreography created in collaboration

with the Core Company and Performers

Assistant Director/Rehearsal Director: Karen Stokes

Core Company Performers: John Box, Cynthia Robinson Cupach, Julie Fox, Sonia Noriega, Sophia L. Torres, Mireya Valdez, Toni Leago Valle

Original Music: Anthony Barilla (Musical Director),

Chris Bakos, John Duboise and Brian Farrell

Lighting Design: Kevin Rigdon

Costume Design: Trish Rigdon

Sound Design: Malcolm Nicholls

Production Stage Manager: Karen Mata

Rice Dance Theatre Faculty Liaison: Linda Phenix

Project Coordinator: Debs Ramser

Performers:, Anita Bangale, Abigail Bartlett, Amy Belaire, John Bellard, Jr., Julia Buergler, Star Chacko, Lucretia T. Cotton-Cornell, Jennifer de Vega, Kara Duval, Kristen Dybala, Allyson Giesen, Anne Marie Grout, Jessi Harper, Aslinda Hassan, Mariah Anne Johnson, Linika Jones, Ann-Marie Lobo, Denise Marchand, Leo Munoz, Misti Mynhier, Kristina Perello, Semelle Ramsey, Susan Salter, Shilpa Sarang, Brooke Sinclair, Brent Smith, Julie Yau-Yee Tam, Amy Tankard, Elizabeth Ann Uriegas, Livia Van, Ellen Wan and Allysa Warren.

Open Book/Open House

(2000)

COMMISSIONED BY RICE UNIVERSITY, HOUSTON, TX, FOR THE NEW HUMANITIES BUILDING, OCTOVER 17-21, 2000.

The idea for Open Book/Open House began in 1998, when I

was premiering Babel Index, a site-specific work for the new

British Library. Word of that project reached former dean of

humanities at Rice University, Judith Brown. Soon after, she invited me to visit Rice, where I met David Buergler from Alan Greenberg architects and reviewed the plans for the building (which at that point was just a hole in the ground surrounded by a

fence). Within a few months, we were making firm plans to

create a new event to coincide with the dedication of the building. This is the first time I had to conceive a work for a site

not yet in existence.

From the start, Rice wanted this project to reach out to

the Houston community and not only to incorporate public

performances but to have the cast composed of Rice students,

University of Houston students, and an ensemble of Houston

professional dancers.