Deep within the underworld, two skeleton friends, a Dodo and a boy, tirelessly dig for fresh bones. Their ancient skeletal forms are deteriorating and without them they will disappear completely. One day something peculiar happens: The Dodo miraculously sprouts feathers!  A wave of transformation begins, shattering the established order of the dead.  

As the Dodo continues to grow flesh, fear and chaos erupt. The two friends must flee, fighting to stay together as they are drawn into the heart of an epic battle between life and death. With dazzling puppetry, original music, and jaw-dropping visuals, Dead as a Dodo is a mesmerizing musical odyssey— sparking a darkly funny, life-affirming tale of friendship, transformation, and survival. 

“THESE PEOPLE MAY BE GENIUSES.” — The New York Times 

Suggested for Ages 7+
Content Advisory: depictions of death, skeleton characters, staged violence, and some intense imagery, haze, loud noises, and darkness.

Sensory Preview – Meet the Puppets!
Saturday 5/30 and Sunday 5/31 1:30-2:00PM

This brief pre-show tour is designed for children and adults with sensory sensitivities. Participants will be introduced to the cast of friendly puppeteers who will guide the group through a show and tell presentation on how their puppets work, introduce the sounds they will hear, and preview lighting cues and haze. These creative elements work together to create the world of Dead as a Dodo, but for some, the experience can be intense. This guided experience creates access and aims to ensure our audiences can comfortably enjoy the performance. Limited to 25 participants per session, advance registration required.

About Wakka Wakka
Wakka Wakka is a visual theatre company led by co-artistic directors Kirjan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock. Since 2001, the company has developed 13 original works that combine physical performance, puppetry, masks, and original music to explore contemporary global themes through visually arresting, often surreal storytelling. Our mission is to create new works that are bold and unpredictable.  The work is driven by a commitment to formal experimentation and an interest in the intersections between fantasy and reality, humor and sincerity. Productions such as SAGA (on the Icelandic financial crisis), Made in China(on international consumerism and human rights), and The Immortal Jellyfish Girl (on climate change and genetic engineering) reflect the company’s ongoing pursuit of stories that are both thematically ambitious and formally inventive.  Wakka Wakka has collaborated with international institutions including the Princeton Atelier, Stockholm Royal Opera, the Oslo Philharmonic and Nordland Visual Theatre (Norway). They have toured internationally since 2006. The company has been recognized with honors, including an OBIE Award, a Drama Desk Award, and multiple UNIMA Citations of Excellence.

Dead as a Dodo has received support from: Arts Council Norway, The Jim Henson Foundation, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FFUK, and Sea-Cargo AS. Special Thanks to the Nord University Theatre Class of 2023

Attendance at all events is subject to the Festival security policy.

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