Inspired by the stranger-than-fiction secret weapons that floated over America during World War II, 9000 Paper Balloons is a poetic and eerie performance that examines distance – the distance between two friends, between two enemies, two cultures and two generations. Japanese artist Maiko Kikuchi and American puppeteer Spencer Lott blend puppetry, animation and mask as they weave their own family histories into a surreal and visually stunning collage that speaks to the past and the future. 9000 Paper Balloons is directed by Aya who also serves as dramaturg.

The live stage production was presented at Japan Society in October 2022.

CO-CREATORS / PERFORMERS: Maiko Kikuchi and Spencer Lott; DIRECTOR / DRAMATURG: Aya Ogawa; PROJECTION SYSTEM DESIGNER: Jeanette Yew; LIGHTING DESIGN: Marie Yokoyama; SOUND DESIGN & EDITING: Ashur Rayis; ASSOCIATE PROJECTION SYSTEMDESIGNER: Christina Tang; STAGE MANAGER: Mariko Takizawa; TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Andrew Murdock; ANIMATOR: Maiko Kikuchi; PUPPET DESIGN: Spencer Lott; PUPPETEERS: Amanda Card, Nick Lehane, Andrew Murdock ; BUILDERS: Rowan Magee, Dorothy James; MODEL PAINTER: Io Okazaki

Photographs below: production stills by Maria Baranova.

The performance film of this project was created through HERE and available for streaming November 2021. - January 2022.

CO-CREATORS / PERFORMERS: Maiko Kikuchi and Spencer Lott; DIRECTOR / DRAMATURG: Aya Ogawa; DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO EDITING: Jeanette Yew; LIGHTING DESIGN: Ayumu “Poe” Saegusa; SOUND DESIGN & EDITING: Ashur Rayis; ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Christina Tang; ASSOCIATE LIGHTING DESIGN: Marie Yokoyama; STAGE MANAGER: Mariko Takizawa; ANIMATOR: Maiko Kikuchi; PUPPET DESIGN: Spencer Lott; PUPPETEERS: Nick Lehane, Betsy Rosen with Ora Fruchter & Rowan Magee; BUILDERS: Rowan Magee, Dorothy James; MODEL PAINTER: Io Okazaki

Photographs below: behind-the-scenes photos by Richard Termine, others are production stills from the film.