“crackpot modernists and cartooning Michelangelos”
“Debussy meets Godzilla”
“Rust Belt dada”
HISTORY
We created our first show in a Pittsburgh junkyard over 30 years ago, with choreographed cranes and roaring earthmovers and screaming machine shears. Composer Jackie Dempsey and artist Steve O’Hearn work with an ensemble of 10-20 artists to create post-industrial performances with original music, design, and staging, outside the rules of mass culture, fashion, or academia.
We received our first major commission in 1995 to create Night of The Living Dead: The Opera, from Marc Masterson. During a NYC stint of Bigsmorgasbordwunderwerk in 2000, we were PS 122 critical darlings for 3 months when The New York Times critic Ben Brantley called our work “ingenious, hallucinatory, hypnotic” and were painfully transferred to Broadway for 2 months where we received an American Theater Wing Award. Squonkumentary, a film about our time in NYC, was produced and directed by independent filmmaker Peggy Sutton in 2005.
We roll up our sleeves and develop work that attacks and celebrates the idiosyncrasies of our world. Squonk has played on 3 continents and in 35 of the United States, for over 1 million people live, and for over 14 million on network TV.
We strive to create work that is accessible and transformative. The Buffalo News hailed us as “Rust Belt dada” and the Washington Post described us as “Debussy meets Godzilla,” although we suspect that last one may have been an insult. Often overblown, site-specific and participatory, our work was born from Middle America, places where people like their art boisterous and their food greasy.
We have shared squid for breakfast in Korea, and “ham und kaas” every night in Flanders, and missed meals because we were changing flat tires in Scranton. We have been touring internationally since 2003 – to Scotland, Belgium, Germany, China, and South Korea, where we opened the Busan International Performing Arts Festival. Reviews include “insane majesty” from The Scotsman, and “…surreal and poetic” from USA Today. We have been fortunate enough to receive 10 grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as support from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Jim Henson Foundation. We gratefully receive support from the Heinz Endowments, Buhl Foundation, Grable Foundation, Pittsburgh Foundation, Anonymous, and others.
We have taught workshops, directed collaborative creations, and done residencies at over 100 universities, middle schools, and museums all over the United States, and have worked with dance groups whose styles have ranged from African gumboot to Dutch clogging to hip hop to modern.
We are currently touring 2 outdoor shows. Brouhaha, Squonk’s newest show, is a riotous romp featuring the Squonkcordion, an enormous musical instrument the audience gets to play. Hand to Hand is propelled by 2 giant puppet hands, each the size of a house and rigged like a sailing ship.
We also accept special event commissions.
We shall celebrate our curiosity, our doubt, our best and worst instincts. We will create work that is fast, funny, shameless, and inclusive: an art that will include the cheap thrills of a monster truck show, as well as the fragile beauty of the hothouse flowers created in artist lofts. We will let art, high and low, battle for our souls. We will let music and design struggle for supremacy. Let science and art have at it. Mano a mano.
Board of Directors
Jay Silberblatt
Chair
Lawyer, Silberblatt Mermelstein, P.C.
Jackie Dempsey
Secretary
Artistic Director, Squonk
Mike Wasco
Treasurer
Firm Administrator/CPA, Wilbraham Lawler & Buba
Michael Gans
Project Manager, Google
Susan McLaughlin
Content Marketing Manager, Teletracking Technologies
Steve O’Hearn
Artistic Director, Squonk
Board Honor Roll
Gale McGloin
Chair: 2016-2024
National Advisory Council
Carol Brown
Former President, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Pam Coates
Marketing Communications Manager, EQT Corporation
Carolelinda Dickey
Consultant, Performing Arts Strategies
Sara Durkacs
VP of Lot Holder Relations & Corporate Secretary
Green-Wood, Brooklyn
Charlie Humphrey
President, Charlie Humphrey and Associates
Anne LeBaron
Composer, Professor, California Institute of the Arts
Marc Masterson
Former Artistic Director, City Theatre
Richard Parsakian
Owner, Eons Fashion Antique
John Schaefer
Senior Producer, WNYC Radio
Jimmi Sue Smith
Chief Financial Officer, Koppers
Funders
Squonk productions are possible because of the generosity of:
The Heinz Endowments
National Endowment for the Arts
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Rockefeller MAP Fund
The Fisher Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation
Anonymous Foundation
The Opportunity Fund
A.D. and J.W. Wilson Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation
Henry C. Frick Educational Fund of the Buhl Foundation
The Grable Foundation
Henry L. Hillman Foundation
McKinney Charitable Foundation through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee
Caroline Fredricka Holdship Charitable Trust through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee
Remmel Foundation through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee
John E. & Sue M. Jackson Trust through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee
Gail N. Platt Arts Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation
A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust of The Pittsburgh Foundation
Joseph E. O'Brien and Eileen N. O'Brien Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation
The Fine Foundation
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Ensemble Theatre Collaborations Program
Jim Henson Foundation
Richard King Mellon Foundation
The Giant Eagle Foundation
Target
BNY Mellon Foundation
EQT Foundation
Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD)
Contributors
Squonk would also like to thank the following individuals for their contributions:
15233 Properties LLC
Debra Acri
Faith Adiele
John Altdorfer
Don Ammon
Kristin Amos-Abanyie
Anonymous
James & Patty Antenucci
James B
Ian Bacon
Brandi Baros
Dan Baselj & Emily Klein
John Bauerlein
April Bell & Gabrielle Michalek
David Bennett
Nell Berger
Don Bertschman
Dwight Bishop
Elizabeth Blum
Deborah Bocian
Susan Bonello
Karla Boos
Sierra Brandegee
Dawn Brashear
Mary Brenholts
Jack Brice & Kate Freed
Frances de Broff
Carol Brown
Laura Budde
Jill Burgman
Nancy Byrnes
Zac Cageao
Sheena Calderwood
Pru & Brian Carabine
Sarah Carr
Kathryn Carroll
Christine Carvajal
Evelyn Castillo
Rebecca Chapin-Ridgely
Kenny Chen
Nic & Willie Cherry
Diana Cherryholmes
Paul Cicozi
Leslie Clark
Axel Claussen
Pam Coates
Scott Conklin
Bruce Connelly
Michael Connor
Rene Conrad
Robert Conroy
Beth Corning & Marc Nieson
Veronica Corpuz
CTCZEKAI
Michael Cuccaro
Colleen Daddario
Stefani Danes & Doug Cooper
DangleGlump
Nicholas Darke
Perry & Becky Darke
LaMoyne Darnall
Ed & Dorothy Datemasch
Leslie Dean
Ellen & Gil DeBenedetti
Maria DeCrosta
Michele de la Reza
Ava DeMarco
Patricia DeMarco
Ronald & Janice Demblowski
Gina DeSimone
Aradhna Dhanda
Chrissie DiAngelus
Carolelinda Dickey & Fred Serino
Matthew DiGiacomo
Dallas DiLeo
Madelyn Dinnerstein
Anna Doering
Kirsten & Eric Donny
Elizabeth & Pat Donohoe
Sam Donovan
Mary Dopler
Zach Dorn
ML Doyle
Sara Durkacs
Dina Dye
Steve Dzurilla & Donna Wojnar
Richard Edge
Emily
Susan Englert
Shane Fernando
Fink
Jessica Finkelberg Silver
Jeremiah Fitzwinkle
Tao Flaherty
Ralph Flaugher Jr.
Jenny Forsgren
Mark Freeman
Alan Fuehrer
Amisha Gadani
Judith Galbraith
Michael Gans
Jody Garin
Sheri Giger
Linda Gilmore
Dale Giovengo
David Godsey
Scott Godwin
Carl Goldman
Jake Goodman
Jean Grace
Gregory G. Granger
Darren Grant
Marybeth Griffin & Marc Gabriele
Paula Grooms
Shannon Light Hadley
Alex & Tammy Hardy
Ian Harris
Gail & Leon Harper
Dean Hastings
Gordon Haw
J. Gavin Heck
Mark Heine & Helene Bender
Adrienne Heinrich
Dean Helfer
Ron Heller
Gail Henry
Paula Hinston
Tom Hollander
Allyson Holtz
Chris Howard
Charlie Humphrey
Lynne Humphries-Russ
Amy Hurst
Rose & Michael Hutchinson
Rose Hutchinson
Dan Iddings
Donna Isaac
Gene James
JFS Giving Fund
Beverly Jones
Brian Jose
Kathryn Kane & Andrew Kaiser & Arwen Kozak
Cameron Kaplan
Mary Katz
Susan Keeler
Lorraine Kennedy
Laura Hill Kilbaugh
Michelle Kirkpatrick & Family
Jodi Klebick
Craig Knox
Dawn Kosanovich
Geeta Kothari
Carolyn Koutcher
Curt Kovach & Fran Czak
Kristie Kovacyk & Lee Mason
Stacey Kranick
Ellen Kretchmar
Bob Lacey & Catherine McCann
Jana Lambert
Joseph Lappa
Jill Leahy
Larry Leahy
Amy Lederer & Eric Gipson
Kurt Leininger
James Leslie
David Lesondak
Christopher Letzelter
Doug Levine & Lauren Braun
Amy Kara Lewis
Stephanie Lonsinger
Ken Lovorn
Tom Maguire
John Mahood
Bill Mandicott
Janette & Jerry Maple
Barbara Martin
David Mason
David & Heidi Matthews
Wayne Maxwell
Kathy McCafferty
Janet McCall
Carly McCoy
Anne McDuffie
Helen McDuffie
Keith McDuffie
Allison McGee
Gale McGloin
Bob McGrogan
Susan & Sean McLaughlin
Lori, Ralph, & Mary Melton
Gretchen Mendoza
Matt, Emily, Alta, & Enzo Mercurio
Linda Metropulos
Rachel Sica Meyer
Barbara Miller
Marcia & Buzz Miller
Pat & Charlie Miller
John Miyasato
David Molter
Cesar Montesano
John R. Montgomery
Lee Morris
Abby Morrison
JoAnn & Gary Morse
Cooper & Rick Munroe
Rachel Myers
Heidi Nagle
Roberta & Jim Nagle
Chris Shaw Nedley
Kathie Nelson
Tao Neuendorffer Flaherty
Lisa Newman
Bob & Carol Neu
Lisa Newman
Kara Newmeyer
Deborah Nichols
Jeffrey Nytch
Amy & Josh Obusek
Megan O’Donnell
Seán O’Donnell
Kirsten O’Hearn Donny
Bob & Theresa O’Hearn
Tim O’Hearn
Sue O’Malley
Norman Papernick
Richard Parsakian
Andy Pavlik
Cynthia Pennington & CW Donohue
Irina Peris
Allen Perper
Martha Perry
Sam Perry
Frank & Judy Petrich
Michele Petruccelli
Tom Petzinger
Mischelle Pickett
Renee Piechocki
Sam Pierce
Melinda Piertrusza
Jim Platania
Joel Platt
Suzanne Platt
Chuck Porter & Hilary Tyson
Mark Power
Myshel Prasad
Bill Price
Gregg Purinton
Maureen Puskar & Angelo Baiocchi
Daryl Putman
Babeth Raible
Pat Ramicone
Catherine Raphael
Chris & Mary Rawson
Alexander Reed
Peter Renfro
Bill Repicci
Becky Reynolds
John Richard & Lois Schuster
Scott Richards
Drew Richardson
Larry Rippel
David M. Rizzo
Linda & Jim Roberts
Hilary Robinson
Tim Roolf
Marybeth Rose
Edmond Rosen
Roger Rouse
E.S.
Joy Sabl
Janet Sarbaugh
Dan Sassenberg
Tim Saternow
Caroline Savage
C. Scheftic
Bill & Mikell Schenck
Demler Schenck
John & Denise Schiller
Adam Schloss
Camille Schmoeker
Jolie Schroeder
Rosie Schulz
Leonard & Millie Schwartz & Family
Rose Scilla
Rick Sebak
Jon Seeley
Evan & Tracy Segal
Jerome & Monica Segal
Susan Segal
Christine & Duane Seppi
Janice Serra
Kirk Shadel
Phoebe Sheftel
John Shepard
Todd Sherman
Sruti Shiva
Jay Silberblatt & Lori Sisson
Lawrence Simms
Justin Simons
Nancy Simpronio
Sarah Siplak
Ron Siwica
Beth & Donald Smith
Jimmi Sue Smith
Janera Solomon
Kate Sphar
Batyah Spiker
Kathy Stefani
Bob & Jane Steineck
Brian Strazisar
Julie Ann Sullivan
Maureen Sullivan
Peggy Sutton
Mitch Swain
Kathy Sweeney
Kathy Swiderski
William Tanner
Pilar Tanning
M. Ellen Tarpey & John Battaglia
Anne Toccket
Allie Thompson
Ron Thorpe
Molly Tighe
Alan Tignanelli
David Tobin
Anne Toccket
Matthew Urick
Jay Vaccaro
David Vachon
John Van de Grift
Jane Vanneman
Shelley Vanneman
Jane Vranish
Ruth Waalkes
Nuiko Wadden
Susan Wallace
Diane Walter
Michael & Jen Wasco
Rick Watling & Sofia Sunseri
Mike Weis
Dianna & George Whetsell
Anita & Dave White
Emily Whitney
Rick Williams
Ron Wilson
Linda & Jim Winegar
Joanna Wolfe
Andy Wolfinger
Michele Woltshock
D Woods
Eileen & Norman Wuerthele
Mark Yingling
Elise Yoder
Yuk
Zach
Anne Marie Zellner
Bill Zettler
Erik & Linda Amaral Zettler
Gantry Zettler
Jo Zettler
Zach Zettler
Zorba Zettler
