Cartoon voice-actors, sound effects artists and an orchestra perform a live soundtrack for vintage animation

This summer Filmusik is turning the Hollywood Theatre into a recording soundstage.  A team of 20 Portland professionals from the field of movie soundtracks create the sound for a classic animation live in the pit.  As the movie plays on the big screen, 4 cartoon actors give voice to the on-screen characters, sound effects artists create the noises from over a hundred foley props and the Filmusik Chamber ensemble performs the music from the film including many musical numbers and several sing-a-longs.  For cartoon buffs, family, new music lovers and anyone who’s ever wanted to know how they make that funny noise when Daffy Duck falls over.  Filmusik: Gulliver’s Travels is a new way to experience movies and sound.  Incidentally, it’s also the only place in town where you can sing along to a bouncing ball with a live orchestra and chorus backing you up!

Oregon has always been particularly gifted when it comes to cartoon voice-over actors.  Mel Blanc, graduate of Lincoln High School was the most widely recognized voice actor in the world, the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and hundreds of others.  Filmusik: Gulliver’s Travels features 4 contemporary Portland talents: James Dineen, Todd Tolces, Chris Porter and Bill Barry. They have their hands full dubbing this cartoon with a cast of colorful singing Lilliputians.  The voice-overs are directed by Sam A. Mowry, long time radio actor and Filmusik collaborator

David Ian and his team of film foley artists create the sound effects live.  Tapping shoes together for footsteps, rattling doorknobs and crinkling cellophane.  The props are flying as they keep time with the movie, matching every rattle, whistle and explosion.

“As a long time fan of the Fleischer Bros. work,  it’s a thrill for me to be able to work with this wonderful animation. It’s also a delight to be able to gently update some of the SFX while preserving that “vintage sound” that is so much part of the experience.”

– Marc Rose, Sound Designer

The originally composed score by Galen Huckins draws on elements from the musical-toon era of the film with a more contemporary sensibility.  The ensemble features strings, piano, clarinets and mallet percussion.

“Music from animation tends to be very fast paced,  the characters move with a musical rhythm of their own that the score adapts and transforms to its own purposes.  It sounds a little schizophrenic played by itself, but its a lot of fun to perform.

- Galen Huckins, Composer

Fleischer’s animated feature from 1939 tells Jonathon Swift’s travel adventure in a Betty Boop meets Moby Dick sort of way.  There’s songs and dance, live sound effects, live voices and live music.  It’s like Fantasia if Mickey Mouse were Goliath and the orchestra was right in your lap! With an original score performed live by the Filmusik Chamber ensemble and a cast of 20 performers.  GULLIVER’S TRAVELS is a movie experience not to miss. It’s a rare chance to see professional soundtrack artists at work.  Get yourself some popcorn and be prepared to sing along!!

“WRW is very excited to work with Filmusik on Gulliver’s Travels. For the voice actor, everyone of us, it started  when we watched the Saturday morning cartoons. We copied the voices, learned what made an exciting vocal choice or dynamic characters. Even before we knew thats what we learned. I’ve been lucky enough to work on some original animation projects and we have Todd Tolces, one of Will Vinton’s stalwarts during their heyday. Using your voice to add that final sparkle to such an amazing film is really quite magical. We all somehow become a bunch of little kids goofing in front of the TV with you friends. Only these friends are all as good as you. Recreating these classic cartoon legends with fidelity to the original, but being your own man, or king or giant for that matter is a dream come true for all of us. This is going to be amazing.”

- Sam A. Mowry – Voice-over Director

Filmusik: Gulliver’s Travels
Hollywood Theatre
July 16th, 21st, 23rd at 7pm
July 18th at 2pm
TICKETS $12/$10 Students & Seniors
Available at www.filmusik.com
Or by phone (503) 493-1128

JAMES DINEEN – Voice of Gabby
James Dineen started making nonsensical noises as a radio DJ in Boston. The art of the perfect commercial was his quest. Moving on to the bustling metropolis of Jackson Wyoming, he continued his reign as a radio rebel. Los Angeles then played host to his exploits as a commercial and animation voice over artist working for companies from Disney to MGM to Sony and beyond. Portland was next to conquer, and that’s where he bought his house and met his wife Kate. He now has a recording studio where he hosts a music performance podcast that can be heard at www.sessionsfromthebox.com.

DAVID IAN – Foley Artist
David Ian has provided Foley artistry for Coaster Theatre, OPB radio, Imagination X Web Radio, and most successfully for Tapestry Theatre’s Christmas From Home series where he was awarded Portland’s prestigious Drammy Award for designing and performing live staged sound effects using circa 1940s materials. As an actor, David’s voice talents contributed to other excellent production values for Imagination X Web Audio Theatre’s The CONvergence which was awarded the Gold Mark Time Award for best Science Fiction Audio on the Planet for 2004. David’s turn of the pen has gained him an award-winning Shakespeareanesque play script slated for performance fall of 2006, along with sketch comedy for LIVE WIRE! on OPB. David is the founder and Artistic Director of Unchained Productions, a theatrical resource company, and when he is not writing, directing, acting and doing sound effects for stage and radio, he does fight choreography, sometimes even for productions.

MARC ROSE – Sound Designer
Marc is a composer, sound designer who has been co-producing Dry Smoke & Whispers Holodio Theatre on and off for 23 years. In addition to bringing to life the inter-dimensional exploits of Emille Song and company, Marc has composed themes for the likes of AT&T, Jack Hanna’s Wildlife Adventures, Busch Entertainment and Capitol Radio London.

BILL BARRY – Voice of Gulliver
A graduate from Portland State University, with a degree in Theatre Arts as an actor and director, William has been involved in the Portland theatre scene for the past 12 years. He provided his vocal talent in a variety of roles for the WRW in their live show A Murder of Crows performed Halloween 2003 and as Trinculo in their production of The Tempest which was presented in April 2004. He has been seen in many productions and some favorite roles include Hugh Houghtontot in The Pirate Show (Really BIG Dance Company), Principal Blandsworth/ Detective McSmogg in Miss Nelson is Missing (Northwest Children’s Theater) and Touchstone in As You Like (Quintessence:Language & Imagination Theater). He is also the Artistic Director of his own company, Six on Shakespeare, which produces alternate versions of the Bard’s work including The Comedic Tragedy of Macbeth and Hamlet the Vampire Slayer.

TODD TOLCES – Voice of King Bombo
I’ve been in radio, television, movies, theatre, and creative writing projects for almost 30 years. As a young lad, I delighted in mimicking my favorite cartoon characters… and

their accompanying sound effects… much to my parents’ horror. Convinced I’d grow out of my “cartoon phase” when I reached puberty and my voice changed, mom and dad received another shock. Not only did their son continue to multiply his cartoon voices… but also he expanded his repertoire of character voices with his almost unlimited range

CHRIS PORTER – Voice of King Little
Chris Porter is a founding member of the WRW and has served as an actor in most of its productions. He was the doomed radio correspondent Carl Phillips and the Secretary of the Interior in War of the Worlds. He was good guy Professor van Helsing in Dracula and bad guy Joe Bricker in The Shadow: Silent Avenger. In our adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol he played Scrooge, and was a department store psychologist and the harried D.A. in Miracle on 34th Street. He took part(s) in Murder of Crows, where he was called upon to do much screaming.