Professor visits
NYC to see
play inspired
by her textbook

by Tom Parisi

Carla Montgomery just couldn't pass up what might have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Montgomery traveled to New York City two weeks ago to catch the final performances of a successful off-Broadway production. It was inspired by a geology textbook that Montgomery originally wrote in 1987.

The dance and acrobatics performance, titled “(w)HOLE,” an acronym for the (Whole) History Of Life on Earth, had a seven-week run at the Flea Theater. It was staged by LAVA, an award-winning Brooklyn-based troupe headed by founder and artistic director Sarah East Johnson.

Johnson invited Montgomery to a performance after informing her last semester that the geology book was the source of inspiration. Montgomery was thrilled, but she didn't think her schedule would permit a visit to the Big Apple. Montgomery serves half-time as acting associate dean in the NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and also is teaching two geology courses this semester.

“I finally decided it was just too special not to go see the show,” said Montgomery, who took in two performances and dined with Johnson and other cast members.

“We talked for the better part of two hours over a Korean dinner,” Montgomery said. “Sarah developed the performance concept during an invitation-only small-group artists' retreat on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2004. She took my book with her and used it to create (w)HOLE as her project for the retreat.”

Johnson wanted to treat Montgomery 's textbook as if it were a play. Geologic systems and processes, such as volcano formation, magnetic polarity reversal and rock cycles, were choreographed to dance, music, acrobatics, trapeze acts and background video images.

Montgomery 's book also was one of the stage props, along with other geologic equipment. During each performance, Johnson also inserted a mini-lecture to highlight for the audience some key geologic concepts, and she introduced Montgomery during that segment.

“In retrospect, I can't believe I even thought about not going,” Montgomery said. “It was a blast.”

3-3-06