Our next installment of “Out of the Shadows” features the man who can do anything with a stick, Scavenger.  Scavenger brought his gyroscopic juggling and drum talents to the Dark Follies way back in 2008 when it first began and has since also taken on the occasional duty of co-MC, stage hand, sound effects and comic relief.   Versatile with a special talent for improv and warming up a crowd, Scavenger is part of the heart and soul of the Follies…

Name: Bryan Burns, “Scavenger”

1.      What do you do and how did you come to do it? 

The “devil sticks,” or as our esteemed Lady Selcouth likes to call it, “gyroscopic juggling,” started as a lark when I was sixteen. I picked up a set at a Ren-Faire and I haven’t set them down yet. As for running my mouth in front of an audience, I’ve been talking for ages, and all I needed to add was shamelessness.

2.      Where do you find inspiration? 

Seeing things in motion always fascinated me, and I find the human body an amazing machine. I love seeing people in motion, because everyone moves just a bit differently. I find the idea of a kinesthetic identity absolutely fascinating.

3.      How did you become a part of Dark Follies? 

I had just moved to Portland, and Selcouth was talking about getting a group of people to go do something in Monument Square on a First Friday. I had a drum and a set of sticks, and I said I’d be there… and now, here we are.

4.      What is your favorite part of performing with Dark Follies? 

As much as I’m a sucker for a responsive crowd, I say my favorite part is working alongside such a talented and diverse group of performers. The energy is amazing, and we each bring something different to the party.

5.      When you leave this world for the great hereafter what do you hope to be remembered for? 

Hopefully something positive. I’d like everyone I know to have at least one entertaining story they could tell about me, the kind of story you keep telling at parties and it never gets old. If I had the knowledge that I was able to give everyone a good story to tell, I’d consider it a life well lived.

6.      If you were left on a deserted island and you were allowed one book and one tool what would you choose to bring?

I suppose a book on how to escape a desert island would be cheating… I think I could read Neil Gaiman’s short story collection “Fragile Things” over and over again. And if there’s one thing I learned from my grandfather, it’s that a good, well maintained pocketknife is a great tool for a number of situations.

7.  How can people find you…should you want to be found?

I don’t make my Facebook private, but if you really want to find me, your best bet is at the Asylum on Center Street, especially on Fridays. Some Wednesdays and Thursdays too. I’m the guy with the orange bandana. Come say hi. I don’t bite. Usually. 🙂