Audiences will join in unconventional musical performance as Squonk troupe makes Ann Arbor debut

This story is part of a series about arts and culture in Washtenaw County. It is made possible by the Ann Arbor Art Center, the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Destination Ann Arbor, Larry and Lucie Nisson, and the University Musical Society.

Squonk, a Pittsburgh-based group of musicians and visual artists, will bring the free outdoor show "Brouhaha" to Ann Arbor Summer Festival's (A2SF) Top of the Park on Ann Arbor's Ingalls Mall in six performances June 20-22. Co-sponsored by the Ann Arbor District Library, "Brouhaha" promises "rollicking music and dazzling imagery" as Squonk members welcome the audience to create music alongside them in a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. The performances will mark Squonk's Ann Arbor debut.

"We’ve been hearing about Ann Arbor Summer Fest for quite a long time, and 'Brouhaha' felt like the right fit for it," says Squonk co-director Jackie Dempsey. "It seems like a great, family-friendly, ‘everyone gets involved’ type of event, and that’s really what this show is about."

"Brouhaha" started in 2023 as a piece commissioned by ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. It features a variety of musical and visual styles presented on a stage called the Squonkcordion, which acts as its own massive musical instrument. Audience members will be able to contribute to the performance by helping Squonk performers play the Squonkcordion, pulling ropes to activate massive foghorn-style bellows. Dempsey says Squonk is known for emphasizing audience participation. The group's previous traveling show, "Hand to Hand," featured two massive inflatable sculptures of hands, which audience members were invited to manipulate as part of a collective dance.

Elise CoatesPeople play the Squonkcordion at a performance of "Brouhaha."
Dempsey says Squonk got its start presenting a unique musical and visual experience in a junkyard. The group has since performed across the world. While the group started on stage, Dempsey says that the energy of an outdoor performance at a festival like A2SF really speaks to what Squonk is all about.

"We did theater shows for many years, but when we started doing more outdoor shows we realized that’s where we need to be," Dempsey says. "It’s so fun to capture the imaginations of an audience, and to surprise them with the kind of show we do."

Dempsey says that part of the Squonk experience is allowing audience members to see all aspects of the performance, including what goes on behind the scenes. She says there’s no distinction between technicians and talent, and that every member of the Squonk team works together to put on a great show. While a Squonk show doesn’t feature a traditional narrative or vocals, Dempsey hopes that "Brouhaha" might inspire audience members to create their own music or explore creativity in other unique ways, both on their own and with their neighbors.

Heather MullPeople play the Squonkcordion at a performance of "Brouhaha."
"Our shows take a lot of effort, but it isn’t rocket science," Dempsey says. "We want people to feel like they could do this not just on their own, but with their community. That’s part of the joy of it."

"Brouhaha" will be performed June 20 and 21 at 5:45 p.m. and 8 p.m., and June 22 at 4:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. More information is available here. 

"There’s so much discord and polarization in the world right now, but since there’s no language or speaking in these performances, you could be sitting in an audience with a whole bunch of people that all have different thoughts and opinions, and it doesn’t matter," Dempsey says. "Everyone in the audience is there to be open and free, and that’s really why we do what we do. We want people to take away the joy we spread."