The Northwest's most acclaimed physical theater company, UMO Ensemble, brings their irreverent approach to ancient tales of wonder. Red nose monk clowns tackle Buddhist, Zen and Sufi stories through mask, puppets, music, laughter - and breathtaking physical skill.
This event is suitable for the whole family.

"UMO stumbles, as if by accident, on the part of us that's closest to heaven."
-Village Voice.

Tickets are $20, performance times are May 29 - 7:30pm & May 30 - 3:00 pm.
To order tickets visit ArtsWest ticket page for the event or call 206-938-0339.

Zen Tales, performed by UMO Ensemble, is a special event and is not part of the ArtsWest season.

The UMO Ensemble monk clowns each tackle a different life problem… dangling from a rope, juggling or balancing, singing and clowning.

In the past seventeen years, UMO Ensemble has become known as one of the most innovative, compelling and critically acclaimed performance companies based in the Pacific Northwest. The Ensemble has performed in theaters, at festivals and in schools throughout the Northwest, the United States, Canada and Europe. UMO began their creative collaboration in 1987.

The company is committed to an Ensemble of performers who create and compose their own productions. The Ensemble's creative process is rooted in physical theatre. Since their arrival on Vashon Island in 1989, UMO Ensemble has created over twenty original works for the theatre.

Janet McAlpin, project visionary, is a co founder of the UMO Ensemble. After studying at Ecole Jacques Lecoc(Paris), Janet conceived and directed UMO’s first full length production, El Dorado. Janet has co-created and performed over 20 original productions with UMO since 1989 and has also appeared in Seattle’s Teatro ZinZanni. Elizabeth Klob, director, is the current executive artist for the UMO Ensemble.Marchette DuBois, musician and composer, has created music for Uncle Tom Deconstructed with the Conciliation project (Seattle/New York) and Dracula: A Case Study with Monkey Wrench Puppet Labs, among others. Zen Tales marks Marchette’s 3rd collaboration with UMO.