Shadow puppetry and music will combine for one surreal experience in Bedlam Theatre's upcoming production Below, or the Womb of the Worlds: A Shadow Opera.

The show dives into the life of Leonora Carrington (1917-2011), a British-born Mexican surrealist whose life was marked with constant excitement. Carrington, besides being an accomplished artist, married fellow artist Max Ernst (who was arrested by the Gestapo during World War II and later fled to America), was hospitalized and received shock therapy after a breakdown in Spain, and went on to become a founding member of Mexico's Women's Liberation Movement.

The production combines the talents of Erik Ruin, a shadow-puppeteer and artist based in Rhode Island, with psychedelic folk band Spires That in the Sunset Rise, which consists of longtime members Kathleen Baird and Taralie Peterson. In a press release, Ruin said,  “We're aiming to create a truly haunting and immersive experience, the likes of which is rarely had outside of dreams." Together, the music, narration, and puppetry will provide a dreamlike atmosphere to accompany the story of Carrington's life and work.

Below, or the Womb of the Worlds: A Shadow Opera runs at the Bedlam Theatre in Lowertown St Paul two weekends in a row,  April 17-19 and April 25-26. All shows begin at 8 p.m., with "pre-tainment" and "after-tainment" after each show from various comedians and local musicians, such as Paul Metzger and John Zuma St. Pelvyn. Tickets are $15.

Below are the details about the performers who will be preceding and following each performance. All pre-shows start at 8:00, and all post-shows begin at 9:30.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17th

OPENING the show will be Paul Metzger

CLOSING will be Land

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

OPENING the show will be Circadia (Crystal Myslajek of Brute Heart and John Marks)

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

OPENING will be International Novelty Gamelan

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

OPENING the show is Carly Wicks, with a brand-new one-woman show

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

OPENING will be John Zuma St. Pelvyn

with a TBA closing act for the show's closing party

Hannah Marie Hron is a sophomore at Hamline University who is double-majoring in English & Communication with a minor in Women's Studies. She enjoys the Beastie Boys, Hannibal Burress, and collecting setlists.