The Story Behind ‘Fowl Play: Conference of the Birds’ at LaMaMa

As a long-time admirer and sometimes collaborator of the artist Peter Sís, I have come to expect not only excellence but also an element of surprise from his work. His remarkable talent in painting, illustration, and children’s books has always impressed me. Still, his involvement in the object-theatre rock opera, Conference of the Birds represents a bold new direction akin to his recent collaboration with NASA. The piece dramatizes an allegorical Persian epic poem with music by Avi Fox-Rosen, direction by Vít Horejš and the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre (CAMT), and striking imagery by Sis and premiered at LaMaMa Experimental Theatre Club in November.

Sís expressed his excitement about the project: “It was incredible to see The Conference of the Birds come to life. Inspired by Attar’s 12th-century Sufi poem, the story is about the world’s birds, dissatisfied with their state of affairs, seeking change. They learn of the mighty Simorgh, who resides on the distant Mount Qaf and might offer guidance. Led by the wise hoopoe bird, they embark on a perilous journey through several valleys. The tale is far more complex, but at its heart is a profound truth: in the end, only thirty birds make it, discovering that ‘you are what you are looking for.’”

A precursor is Sis’s book The Conference of the Birds based on the 12th-century Sufi poem by Farid ud-Din Attar published in 2013. In turn, the story of Simorgh, a mythical bird that he encountered while doing illustrations for Jorge Luis Borges’ The Book of Imaginary Beings, inspired him to create the book. A decade later, Sis’s book captured the attention of Vít Horejš, a long-time friend of Sis, who saw its potential for theatrical adaptation. Vít was no stranger to the story, having first encountered it in a stage performance by Peter Brook’s company in New York during the 1970s, soon after he had arrived in the USA. Inspired, Horejš wrote a play and asked Sís to collaborate by producing illustrations. Together with Tom Lee, they brought the visuals to life through animation, blending them seamlessly into a production staged at La MaMa. Imagine birds singing, dancing, and screaming just like people do.

The production featured a band of actors who have collaborated for over 35 years. Deborah Beshaw-Farrell (Hoopoe), Michelle Beshaw (Noisy Bird), Vít Horejš (Scholar), SK (Duck), Theresa Linnihan (Nightingale and Sparrow), Gage Morgan (Peacock), Sammy Rivas (Owl), Sarazina Stein (Dancing Lovebird), Emily LaRochelle (Dancing Lovebird) and Ben Watts (Flock member). Together, they transformed this timeless allegory into a contemporary exploration of leadership and self-discovery. With Sís’s illustrations animated on a screen above the vibrant stage, the production was further enriched by its rocking musical score.

For Sis, this collaboration marked a joyous reunion with his longtime friend Horejš, finally blending their creative visions into a timely and timeless work. Based on ideas that have simmered for years, I was curious about Sis’s background and its relation to his work. Sís’s story begins in Central Europe, in what was then Czechoslovakia and is now the Czech Republic. For centuries, puppet theatre was cherished in cultural life, serving as entertainment and a communication medium—renowned families of puppeteers traveled far and wide, captivating audiences. As a child, Sis was deeply immersed in this tradition, attending school trips to puppet theatre performances and later studying under the legendary Jiří Trnka, a master of puppet animation, at the High School of Applied Arts. Sis’s artistic journey took off early—while still living in Prague, one of his animated short films won the prestigious Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival, which opened doors to exciting opportunities.

In 1984, he was invited to Los Angeles to work on a film for the Olympic Games. When Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the event, he faced pressure to return to Prague but chose to complete the project instead, ultimately deciding to stay in the United States where he settled in New York City. This pivotal moment marked his transition from animator to illustrator. Since then, Sis has created over a thousand illustrations for publications such as The New York Times Book Review, Time, Newsweek, and The Atlantic. Over time, he discovered a deeper passion: storytelling. “I realized I wanted to tell stories through my imagination,” he says. This realization propelled him into the world of book illustration and authorship.

Soon Sis became part of a vibrant artistic community of writers, filmmakers, painters, musicians, actors, and puppeteers. Among them was Horejš, whom Sis had known from Prague. “We were all working hard on our ideas, constantly thinking about collaborations,” Sis recalls. “But it didn’t happen—until now.” With Conference of the Birds, that long-awaited partnership has finally come to fruition. This production reflects not only Sis’s lifelong creative evolution but also a profound cultural and artistic heritage reimagined for contemporary audiences.

For years, Sís had been drawn in different creative directions, particularly by his large-scale public art projects. Notable among them were the mosaic he created for the MTA’s 86th Street and Lexington Avenue subway station and a mural with my organization CityArts, the CITYarts Peace Wall in Jacob Schiff Park. The latter, created together with youth from 26 countries, was a poignant response to the tragic events of September 11th. These endeavors, alongside his many award-winning books, exemplified how one art form often inspired another in Sis’s practice.

Reflecting on the performance, Horejš wrote: “The play addresses a burning issue in modern democracies: selecting a leader. In the USA, this process has become agonizing as the very foundation of democracy is being tested. While it may seem unfair to project human flaws onto guiltless birds, the resemblance is striking. Yet, both birds and humans share immense potential—to soar to great heights, search for sustenance and truth, and achieve extraordinary feats of creativity, from singing to painting to hatching eggs.”

Fowl Play: Conference of the Birds produced by GOH Productions played at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club from November 21 to December 8, 2024.

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