Presented by New Paradise Laboratories, Sat., Aug. 5, 11 a.m. through Sun., Aug. 6, 9 p.m., $99, The Parlor, 1170 S. Broad St., 215-923-0334

With last summer's interactive study sessions, the now decade-old New Paradise Laboratories offered insight into what they do by creating classes as well-defined as their titles ("4 Hours: Maximize Physical Presence" and "18 Hours: The Creative Body"). That's pretty good for a company so oblique.

Under the wing of NPL artistic director Whit MacLaughlin, Philadelphia's premier experimental movement theater troupe values wild humor, shock, history and a muscular visual sensibility.

"NPL's spent years behind closed doors working out a technique and a way of creating distinctive and wholly unique theater pieces," says MacLaughlin. "Now we want to share the fruits of our research."

This summer's "33 Hours: Create Out of Thin Air" is a study session/sleepover wherein attendees expand on their notions of motion. Designed to get the mind and body working together, MacLaughlin calls the 33-hour action an overnight urban campout. Expect NPL's most exciting physical-mental exercises and a showing of new NPL work on the final night (Sun., Aug. 6, 7:30 p.m.).

"There is still a place in the world for artistic research," says MacLaughlin. "The time we have spent figuring out what we are about can be of use to others."