“Phantoms” — An Immersive Exploration into Art, Spirituality, and Magic/k

For the past two months, I’ve participated in an online magic and art class hosted by Aaron Gach, founder of the Center for Tactical Magic through The Alternative Art School. My classmates, all professional artists from around the globe, incorporate different aspects of magic into their daily and creative lives. Many class discussion topics, such as illusion/spectacle, conjuring, commuting with the spirit world, and visibility/invisibility, are themes present in Therefore’s current project Phantoms. 

I’ve followed the work of Therefore, the brainchild of UTD professor and artist/musician Dean Terry, for many years. The work is not easily categorized as it is a multimedia hybrid of many artistic forms including music, video projection, performance, spoken word, dance, theater, and audience interaction. The productions always rupture linear narratives and do not shy away from tackling complex philosophical and concrete topics. Phantoms is no exception. 

As I sat in my chair waiting for the production to begin, I was struck by the space — a beautiful Gothic church in the historic Oakcliff area of Dallas. The light coming in from the stained glass windows bathed the interior in a warm rosy glow. The space felt welcoming and familiar (which is not a feeling I often have when walking into a church for the first time). The aim of Arts Mission Oak Cliff (which owns the church and hosts events and performances) is to provide a sanctuary for artists, but what does it mean to provide a sanctuary in today’s politically fraught world? A haven, refuge, or safe space where creativity can flourish? By creating a site-specific piece responding to the architecture, history, and symbolism of the space, Therefore’s production acknowledges these questions with humor and levity, leaving viewers with many ideas to ponder. 

In some ways, the immersive experience follows the structure of a Christian church service, employing similar rituals. In lieu of Christ’s body in the form of grape juice and a cracker, communion is given by performer Hyunjhee Kim who presents each audience member with a sacred sea shell. Kim’s powerful movement/dance performance at the beginning evokes a sense of ecstasy and possession. She looks upward with a serene expression on her face, as if welcoming a spirit into her body, a silent communion with ghosts from the past. It reminds me of a Pentecostal church service I once attended where people writhed in agony or ecstasy as they invited the Holy Spirit to take over their bodies. Their expressions were much less serene than Kim’s. 

Performer Abel Flores presents a satirical monologue equating religion with football (Texas’ second religion). Using “game day” language, Flores speaks to the necessity of screen real estate and also points to our obsession with social media and online presence. The language of the game has been co-opted by the church, as it strives to entertain and fill seats, using spectacle and social media jargon to attract followers. In another monologue, Flores plays a young teen who has a crush on a girl from church. The poignant story speaks to the struggles of adolescence and the need for acceptance. 

Music is always an integral part of a Christian church service. Dean Terry, Patrick Murphy, and Kit Presley provide the music. Presley debuted with the troupe in Therefore’s last performance, Poems from Broken Screens. I’m thrilled that she has a more dominant role in this year’s production. She is a talented musician and her soft-spoken voice commands presence on the stage. Her moving monologue about forgetting the feel/knowing of a kiss is a powerful reminder about the importance of human connection. I see Presley’s performance as a testimonial, which relates back to the syntax of the church service. 

Terry is a skillful guitarist and it’s difficult for me to tell which parts are improvised within the performance. I suspect that no two performances are ever the same from a musical perspective. Terry gives a masterful solo performance backed by video images of “I voted” stickers projected throughout the space. The music serves as an anthem or a call for action (an altar call of sorts), rallying the audience to take a stand and affect change. 

Hilly Holsonback’s performances always leave me in awe. Her monologue in the piece, Phantom, explores the connection between physical and metaphysical spheres. Using video projection to distort her features, the performance delves into the psychological conflicts between interior and exterior worlds. Holsonback’s presence is always ethereal, and yet she adeptly plays strong, commanding characters as well as tortured souls — each with convincing ease. In Air Gap, she brings up a different audience member at each performance and engages in a complex conversation. I did not realize that this was an improvised segment. It’s a risky venture for a performer, since the piece’s success relies on the cooperation of an individual. It is a frequently used tactic in magic shows. 

The last scene included Flores and Holsonback in a communal dance with a church pew. The piece is about creating intimacy and distance within a relationship. With each movement and gesture, there was a call and response, not only with the performers’ bodies, but through their use of the pew as a contested site of connection. 

I started this essay with some themes prevalent in magic. Phantoms conjures our desire to connect with what we cannot see or understand. The work challenges us to question what phantoms haunt our lives — ghosts from the past that prevent us from being who we are meant to be. Perhaps it is the sin of disbelief in other realms beyond the physical that prevents us from channeling the magic within ourselves. I appreciate that a Therefore production always leaves me with more questions than answers. I’m still thinking about the performance days later. Creating art is an act of magic, and presenting that magic to the world is a gift. 

Therefore’s Phantoms was performed at Arts Mission Oak Cliff on May 23-25 and May 30-June 1.