American Girl: Cathy Rigby
puppet performance
15 minutes
Roots and Culture, Chicago
Unlearning Exercises Exhibition by Chris Reeves and Lauren Sudbrink
When Chris asked me to come up with a performance for his exhibition on Cathy Rigby, I dove into the legacy of the American Girl--a gymnast for the US olympic team in 1972 followed by a 40 year career as Peter Pan on Broadway, also known for producing aerobics work out videos for Stay Free Maxi Pads. Transforming an American Girl doll, the Wellie Wisher “Camille,” into a makeshift rod puppet that attached to my own shoes, I attempted to perform one of Cathy Rigby’s aerobic routines.