Arias with a Twist

1. “My intention is to create a lush and vibrant environment for Joey to inhabit and play. Joey is a beguiling jewel, and I want the world I am realizing with my puppeteers onstage to support and match his energy—if that is possible!”

2. “This is a quickie sketch—a rendering of how Joey is laid out in the jungle scene. I don’t do that many drawings when I work—the puppets and set exist in my head and trickle out in conversations with people. I’ll be like, ‘For God’s sake, it’s like this!’ and scribble onto whatever paper is right there.”

3. “The painting is called The Dream and is by Rousseau. It’s a naked lady on a couch in the jungle—it seemed like Joey to me because he’s such a glamour-puss, and a wild creature.”

4. “A key part of the scene is these big, colorful, exotic flowers that open up as Joey is singing. This flower is from a Georgia O’Keeffe painting.”

Arias with a Twist runs Thu 12–Jul 13 at HERE Arts Center (145 Sixth Ave between Broome and Spring Sts; 212-352-3101, here.org).