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A very extraordinary tour of the kingdom. 

On the docks of an unfamiliar city by the sea, a boy stumbles across a mysterious old man, who proclaims he is a peddler of dreams and memories. Over the course of six nights, the man takes the child through six fantastical dreams, mirroring the evolution of life itself: Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Insectum, Mammalia, and Aves. As the dreams grow in strangeness and complexity, the man’s curious past unfolds, hurtling toward a triumphant and staggering conclusion.

In April of 2014, the Fox & Beggar unveiled its first feature-length theatrical production, Animalia. Based on Nat’s poetry series "The Galapagos Nocturnes" (© Gold Wake Press 2010), Animalia expanded the poetry of the Nocturnes into a full-on theatrical narrative, using the six classes of animals to create a surreal and visually-striking fairy tale designed to lend a touch of mystery to our empirical world.
 
Implementing dance, circus arts, mask-and-puppet theater, elaborate costuming, and a live orchestra, Animalia wove Asheville’s performing arts community together like never before, into a mind-blowing collaboration of ninety-seven artists and performers. The show broke attendance records at Asheville’s iconic Hazel Robinson Amphitheater.
Written, Directed, and Produced by Nat Allister 

"Animalia" artwork by the Lady Octavia

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