The All Souls River Procession is both a performance art piece and a community ritual with many characters within its framework.
Acting experience is not necessary. We are looking for enthusiasm and the willingness to embody the energy of a particular being. Most major characters will need to attend one or two rehearsal sessions.
2024 rehearsal dates:
Sunday October 13th
10am-1pm Giant puppet practice at Green Anchors: River Dragon, Bone Mother, Ancestors.
1pm-4pm Giant puppet practice at Green Anchors: River Dragon, Bone Mother, Ancestors.
Sunday October 27th
10am-12:30pm River Ritual Rehearsal at the river: 4 guardians, reliquary attendants, ancestors.
1:30pm-4pm Opening Ceremony Rehearsal at Green Anchors: ALL characters.
We hope you will feel called to join us!
PLEASE NOTE: If you previously filled out our performer info form, it unfortunately failed and did not save any entries ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ , so please send us your information again via wildlandroots@gmail.com . Thank you!
2024 Cast of Characters
Greeter/s at the Gate
The threshold guardian/s at the gate between Green Anchors and Cathedral Park. The Greeter/s invite/s visitors and guests into the gardens and points them to the correct path. Playful character/s with an original style and demeanor (i.e. costume and concept is up to the volunteer/s). A general familiarity of the event would be ideal as you will likely need to field people’s questions. No rehearsal required. This role can be held by one or two people.
2024: 1 or 2 position/s available.
Tenders of the Book of Souls
The Tenders collect the names of the departed before the procession begins, and write them in the Book. At the river ceremony, the Tenders will read the names aloud.
2024: 2 out of 3 positions available
The Ritual Leader
Embodying a different form each year, the Ritual Leader might appear as a Water Dragon or a Spider at the center of the web. But regardless of her guise, she is the one who guides the ritual and holds the space at its center. This position is held by our Ritual Director.
The Lantern Dancers
The Lantern Dancers guide the front of the procession and illuminate the way with softly glowing paper lanterns. They are familiar with the route and make sure the rest of the procession finds their way, while also setting the pace and steering the procession away from low hanging branches and other obstacles.
The 2024 Lanterns Dancers are sacred dance group Bulla! who invite community members to join them. Please bring a lantern to carry and plan to arrive right at 5pm on procession day to learn the steps of the dance. Costume ideas: White and flowing.
The Reliquary Keepers / Message Carriers to the Dead
The Reliquary contains a bowl filled with messages to our beloved dead. The Reliquary Keepers collect paper messages from participants during procession line-up, and then they carry the Reliquary on a litter to the river’s edge. Additional Reliquary Keepers walk through the crowd when the procession reaches the river, then the final messages are added to the bowl before it is placed into the river and the messages set alight. Costume ideas: Formal, robed, priest/priestess/priestex-ly. Rehearsal attendance required.
2024: positions filled
Salmon / Guardian of Water / East
Calm and flowing. Carries the salmon lantern and represents the element of water, the season of Spring, and the direction of East (where our headwaters flow from) in our opening and closing circles. Salmon also helps lead the new Procession of the Species section, representing those beings who dwell (or once dwelt) in our planet’s bodies of water from the smallest creek to the widest ocean.
Costume ideas: Blues, teals and greys, flowy fabrics. Rehearsal attendance required.
2024: position available.
Coyote / Guardian of Fire / South
Sparky trickster who carries the coyote lantern and represents the element of fire, the season of Summer, and the direction of South in our opening and closing circles. Coyote also helps lead the new Procession of the Species section, representing those beings who bask (or once basked) in the warmth of the sun.
Costume ideas: Fiery colors, furry textures. Rehearsal attendance required.
2024: position filled
Mushroom / Guardian of Earth / West
Grounded energy. Carries the mushroom lantern and represents the element of earth, the season of Fall, and the direction of West in our opening and closing circles. Mushroom also helps lead the new Procession of the Species section, representing those beings who dig and tunnel (or once did tunnel) beneath the surface of our planet, or stretch their roots, mycelial or bacterial networks deep underground.
Costume ideas: Earth tones. Rehearsal attendance required.
2024: position filled
Owl / Guardian of Air / North
Quiet intensity. Carries the owl lantern and represents the element of air, the season of Winter, and the direction of North in our opening and closing circles. Owl also helps lead the new Procession of the Species section, representing those beings who travel (or once traveled) the currents of the winds.
Costume ideas: White and beige colors, feathery textures. Rehearsal attendance required.
2024: position available.
The Bone Mother
A towering skeleton queen. She guides the recently departed Souls to the river where the threshold between the realms of the living and the dead awaits their passage through. She also leads the Blood and Bones section of the procession. The 2024 version of the Bone Mother is a backpack-mounted puppet worn by one puppeteer with 2 additional puppeteers to control the hands, plus a spotter to watch out for uneven ground and low hanging branches. Rehearsals required. Puppetry experience recommended but not required.
2024: 4 positions available.
Image credit: Ada Matusiewicz
The Ancestors
New for 2024 we are adding four simple rod (head on stick) puppets to represent the ancestors. Rehearsals required. Puppetry experience not required.
2024: 4 positions available
The River Dragon / Spirit of the River
New for 2024 we are adding a 22 foot long illuminated dragon lantern puppet carried by 6 people to represent the Spirit of the River in our River Procession. Rehearsals required. Puppetry experience not required.
2024: 6 positions available
Grandmother Moon
The Old One who watches over all, and leads the Celestials section of the procession. The moon herself is an easily carried illuminated paper mache face mounted on a pole. Costume suggestions: Black and/or dark blue with bright sparkles. No rehearsal required.
2024: position available
Characters of the Past
The Autumn King
The main character of our 2022 procession. Carried on a litter to the river’s edge, he then transformed into the Winter King, symbolizing the shift from the bright colors and abundance of the harvest season to the darkness and decomposition that comes after.
The Ghost Salmon
The main character of our 2021 procession. A large, illuminated willow-frame lantern, it was carried through the procession to the river’s edge where a tandem kayak awaited to spirit it away downstream.
Spirit of Oak & Spirit of Maple
In the 2021-2023 processions, these two characters represented the deciduous trees in our region whose falling leaves capture the essence of the season of Autumn. Both characters dressed in earth tone colors and carried fabric banners printed with oak or maple leaves. These are no longer official “Character Roles” but the Spirits of all leafy beings are invited to join in with the Procession of the Species section of the procession.
Performer Info Form
If you previously filled out our performer info form, it unfortunately failed and did not save any entries ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ , so please send us your information again via wildlandroots@gmail.com . Thank you!