Brownsign
{ 1993 } Collaborative performance art piece

Brownsign was a multilingual performance art piece performed as part of a National Poetry Month celebration in April of 1993 at the Barnes & Noble in Burlington, Massachusetts. Robert W Steffen, Chris Borden and Lou Susi each had their own scripted material and performed in solo rounds, and also performed in unison between each round, reciting the nonsensical and sarcastic anti-consumeristic phrase 'Brownsign, brownsign, sell me your shoes'.

Sections of the solo material reflected current events of the time or parodied media concepts or political happenings. The entire piece reflected the globalistic economic tendancies that saturated the news of the day. Every fourth piece, following the 'dreichorus' turned into a more collaborative sketch that heightened the absurdity of each section.

The accordion was used as a means of pre-punctuation prior to each repetition to the 'Brownsign' chant.

Brownsign was very poorly attended, but is considered to be a major success due to the fact that such an outlandish and playful piece was performed within such a corporate-driven and regulated commercial environment.

Bread and fish were distributed to the limited and sparse audience with 20% off { see the signage in the photodocumentation } given to customers as a courtesy to accomodate for the interruption to their typically quiet shopping experience.

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