Mummenschanz’s the word

‘Musicians Of Silence’ perform

at Miller Symphony Hall

Mummenschanz is a Swiss mime theater troupe that pioneered a daring new form of visual theater. Their performances in abstract masks and use of surreal, colorful stage props and everyday objects create a playful and intriguing theater experience.

Mummenschanz’s newest show is an anniversary program highlighting 40 years of the troupe’s extraordinary creativity.

“Mummenschanz: Musicians of Silence” performs at 8 p.m. Jan. 16, Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown.

Mummenschanz has awed audiences for more than 40 years with quirky and thought-provoking non-verbal stage shows, which include inventive use of light and shadow and subtle choreography. “Clay Masks,” “Slinky Man” and “Giant Hands” are audience favorites.

Mummenschanz has toured 60 countries on five continents. The troupe had a three-year run on Broadway (1977 - ‘80) and has appeared on television’s “The Muppet Show,” “Sesame Street,” “3-2-1 Contact” and “Northern Exposure.”

Mummenschanz is the German name for “mummery.” Mummer is an early English term for mime artist.

The Mummenschanz Mask Theater was founded in 1972 by Bernie Schurch, Andres Bossard and Italian-American Floriana Frassetto. Mummenschanz met with huge success in cities such as Berlin, Rome, London and New York.

The group’s art form put its mark on the mime-masque theater world. Its puppetry and on-stage antics transcend language barriers and continues to mystify and delight people of all ages.

In an email interview, co-founder Floriana Frassetto says the tour combines classic skits with new trends: “We will be presenting the best of our 40 years. It comprises three different shows from the Seventies to the Nineties, from the Nineties to 2000, and from 2000 to today.

“This is to describe how we have evolved. Using different techniques, mask playing à la Comedia del Arte style, body sculpturing and puppeteering. The rhythm of the show forms itself according to the different audiences and the different cultures, and the different mix of ages that occur in each performance.”

Creating such extraordinary skits is an ongoing process, yet not difficult, according to Frassetto.

“Imagination is an accumulation of what you experience daily. It can occur in a walk on the Swiss mountains, through a visit in a museum, or in a market. Some of the best ideas have happened by accident.”

Mummenschanz enchants audiences across all cultures, ages and socioeconomic backgrounds.

“We never expected to last more than three weeks. And here we are celebrating our 45th year of existence. I think in the current world of digital communication, emotions at such a pure state as we present them, with no music and no words, are deeply appreciated.”

Members of the troupe offer workshops that are open to all ages.

“My workshops are a guideline to bring out the creativity and the ability to construct your own mask and enjoy improvising,” Frassetto stated. “From bankers to old people to children to youngsters, they all have fun and discover that they can be creative.”

The Mummenschanz tour is performing in Germany, Italy and the United States. The Miller Symphony Hall performance is the third stop on the tour, which began Jan. 4 in Bologna, Italy, with 23 performances, including a stop at the McCarter Theatre, Princeton, N.J., and prestigious venues in New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Montana, concluding in June in Italy.

“After each performance, I am so moved by the emotional reactions of our audiences worldwide,” Frassetto stated.

Tickets: Miller Symphony Hall Box Office, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown; allentownsymphony.org; 610-432-6715