'John Cage 101'

A theatrical mixtape celebrating the renegade life and controversial ideas of the 20th century’s most influential experimental composer. 

If there was a rule about music in place, John Cage found a way to break or at least tease it, posing fundamental questions about the relationships between art and real life. In a style emulative of Cage’s indeterminate “happenings,” “John Cage 101” tells the story of the composer’s life through 38 vignettes, exploring how art can be both ordinary and sublime. In the true fashion of Cage’s work, the play makes room for spontaneity and audience interaction. Forgot to turn your cell phone off? No worries—its ring only adds to the soundscape of the show. 

In introducing Cage to audiences, it’s only natural that Cage’s many collaborators have a voice as well. “John Cage 101” is a primer for those interested in learning about the intersection of Cage’s work with many of his contemporaries, perhaps most importantly, Merce Cunningham, Cage’s longtime collaborator and life partner. This piece is also suggested as a preview for Dancing with Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown, and Cunningham Onstage, which will be performed at the Wex on Friday, February 6, and will feature compositions by Cage accompanying Cunningham’s piece Travelogue. (program approx. 90 mins.)

Performance Dates and Times are as follows: 

• Friday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 1, at 3 p.m.