KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 26, 2025

Four hands. Three overhead projectors. Two hundred shadow puppets.

 Kennesaw State University’s Department of Theatre and Performance Studies is bringing an innovative, genre-bending work to campus this fall with Unraveling, an award-winning shadow performance by Shadow Girls Cult, the creative duo of Cass Bray and Zane Exactly. The artists will be in residence for 10 days, collaborating with KSU students and presenting three public performances of Unraveling.
 
Unraveling is a compilation of short shadow vignettes, each introducing a new character, genre and thematic element. “We begin the show with yearning and searching, move through identity, wonder and grief, and close on a dream sequence,” Bray and Exactly explain. “Because these pieces are so different, and because they encompass a vast spectrum of the human experience, there is something for everyone in the show.” 
 
Shadow Girls Cult use overhead projectors, shadow puppets, masks, silhouettes, liquid light techniques and live animation to journey through haunting dreamscapes. “One of our favorite components in our work are the use of shadow masks and human silhouettes,” the duo said. “We are excited for everyone to experience the dramatic use of scale in our work, especially when the masks come into play.” 

 
At its core, Unraveling asks: Are we destined to always come apart at the seams?

“We were both drawn to this idea that perhaps every story unravels, and that this is something we all experience at some point in our lives,” they said. “We figured, why not explore that question through a lens of surrealism, horror, sci-fi, poetry, live animation and shadow puppetry? I think the biggest discovery has been that falling apart isn't always the end.”
 
Chuck Meacham, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, says the residency reflects KSU’s bold commitment to connecting curriculum with innovative performance. “We are making a conscious effort to lean into storytelling strategy by choosing shows that resonate across disciplines and invite students to see the future of their craft. Shadow Girls Cult exemplifies the multi-hyphenate artist: self-contained creators who can build, perform and produce their own work. This is exactly the kind of artistry we want our students to experience.”
 
While shadow puppetry has ancient roots, Bray and Exactly are reimagining it for today’s audiences by blending analog tools with modern storytelling. “We firmly believe that the magic we are creating is made all the more special by knowing that everything created is analog and happening in the moment,” they explain. “People are craving art that exists in the physical world. Shadow puppetry offers that, while also creating an accessible, immersive experience.”
 
Their residency at KSU will include hands-on workshops with Theatre and Performance Studies students, focusing on design, fabrication and performance techniques. “We are thrilled to share our love of shadow puppetry with KSU students and give them space to experiment,” said the duo. “We also want them to see that working full time as a performance artist can be exciting, personal and deeply creative. We love to open people’s eyes to a new way of telling stories in a visual medium.”
 
For KSU and the surrounding community, Unraveling represents a new direction in programming; one that embraces niche, experimental performance alongside more traditional works.

“Beyond the technical marvel of what they create,” said Meacham, “this work reminds us of why we tell stories in the first place — to make sense of what it means to come apart, and to come together again.”
 
Performance Details:
September 5, 8 PM
September 6, 8 PM
September 7, 3 PM
*Recommended for ages 13+

Tickets available now!

 

*Video trailer courtesy of Shadow Girls Cult