Tickets Now Available!
Performances are April 27, 28, 29 from 8:00-10:30pm.
At Twenty Sided — Event Space (362 Grand St, Brooklyn)
Live-Streaming ($15) and In-Person ($20) tickets.
Purchase here!
So, What is it?
"Given Circumstances" is a term from acting methodology, referring to the environmental, historical, and social conditions that influence a character's actions. In a nutshell, the pieces to homebrew a campaign!
Three weeks ago the pastoral townships of Squall’s End were leveled by a series of environmental disasters: a hurricane, earthquakes, forest fires, and all food grown in the townships turning to ash in their hands. Rebuilding around the rubble and radiation are Mayor Ibiscus Skyfall, tinkerer Kit Katteridge, and lone fighter Ilbryen Eilhorn, brought together when a mangy fox with glowing footprints delivers a mosaic key with a promise of knowledge long since forgotten. What follows is a journey to reconcile what you would do and what you would want to do if the world was wiped clean.
You'll experience:
Interactive theater based on tabletop roleplaying games, with an outcome unique to that audience and that night.
An equally engaging hybrid in-person/online experience, with an intimate audience.
Writing and deciding the given circumstances of the story such as NPCs, obstacles, the antagonist! (collaborating with the GAME MASTER and fellow audience members)
Three PERFORMERS as the heroes (or are they?), who respond to and improvise around what you set in their path.
An exploration of power, privilege, freedom, and what we do once we have it.
Are you ready to spend the night as a Game Master?
Creative Team
Violet Woundy
Creator, Executive Producer, Game Master
Violet Woundy (she/they) is a director, producer, and stage manager. Most recently, she was the Producing Intern for The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway (The Town Hall). Favorite directing/producing credits include Hang’d Like a Dog (The New School), and premiere of You’re Invited to: Jessica’s 10th Birthday Bash! (The Tank). Stage management credits include time at The Public, Hudson Classical Theater Company, Inspiration Performing Arts Company. www.violetwoundy.comGiven Circumstances is Violet's capstone project for the MA Arts Management and Entrepreneurship program at The New School.
Angela Stevenson
PERFORMER — IBISCUS SKYFALL
Angela (she/her) is thrilled to join the cast of Given Circumstances! She has been in plays such as Antigone (Antigone) and Rhinoceros (Jean), and musicals such as Grease: The Musical (Jan), and Scooby-Doo: The Musical (Heather Jasper Howe), as well as created original collaborative theatre, been trained in improvisation at Second City Toronto, and recently graduated from the New School of Drama. She would like to thank Violet for giving her the opportunity to be a part of this project and her fellow collaborators for going on all kinds of tangents with her during the wonderful Sunday and Tuesday rehearsals. @_angelastevenson on instagram!
Lee Simes
PERFORMER — Kit Katteridge
Lee (she/her) is so excited to be a part of Given Circumstances! Although she has a background in theatre and comedic improv, Lee has been playing and running TTRPGs of various systems for over five years, and is currently in two campaigns that have been running for most of that time! Some of her favorite past shows have been Hairspray, Rock of Ages, Birds and Bats, and many more. Special shoutout to her family in GA, and a heartfelt thank you to her NYC family, her adventuring party: D&D is storytelling game, and no story is complete without the people you love the most. -- Love to Piper, Risha, and Blaze. Kaloo kalay!
SouJee Han
PERFORMER — ILBRYEN EILHORN
SouJee Han (they/them), is a NYC born and raised artist. SouJee is an alum of MCC Theater’s Youth Company and holds a BFA in Theatre & Performance from Emerson College (’20). SouJee is officially starting their artistic career after being discharged from the US Army, is thrilled to be part of this production, and is especially grateful to be in such a collaborative project. Former productions include Love & Information (Emerson College), Sliver of Moonlight (MCC’s Freshplay), and most recently, Playground-NY's Monday Night Playground. IG/Twitter: @soujeexhan
McKelvey Courtney Collins
STAGE MANAGER
McKelvey Courtney Collins (she/her) is a playwright, choreographer, and stage manager based in New York City. She is currently studying playwriting at the New School for Drama. Previous stage management credits include Red Bike (The New School), MFA New Visions (The New School), and Romeo & Juliet (The New School). Previously choreography credits include Identity (Halestone Dance Studio), and Present Expressions (Halestone Dance Studio).
Transcend Streaming
STREAMING PRODUCERS
Cutting-edge streaming producers Kyra Bowie and Leanna Keyes produce bespoke virtual and hybrid theatrical productions. Our mission is to elevate digital and hybrid theater to the level of magic of in-person performance. We prioritize accessibility, engagement, and the kind of innovation that leaves the audience wondering, “How did they DO that?!”https://www.transcendstreaming.com
Accessibility
Having a variety of accessibility options is vital to the values of our production. Equity, respect, and creating a space of psychological and physical safety are our aim. Below, we’ve listed our confirmed accessibility measures. If you have further suggestions/concerns, please contact us!
We really mean hybrid. Online audience members on Zoom will still create the given circumstances. Our goal is to create an equally engaging experience no matter your location.
Live captioning will be available on Zoom.
Message us if you cannnot afford the ticket price and we can arrange one for the VOD.
There is one step into the venue, and the seating arrangement offers wheelchair accessibility.
All crew & cast are fully vaccinated, including booster.
All cast and crew are mic’d, and our high definition camera work alongside fully integrated projection design enhance the online viewing experience.
A note from Violet Woundy on Accessibility:Given Circumstances represents the culmination of my undergraduate and graduate education, and is directly responsive to the past several years. It was conceptualized to try and address multiple levels of accessibility: physical, monetary, educational, and community. So many people I’ve spoken to find performing arts spaces unwelcoming, unaccommodating, or stifling, for many reasons and systemic injustices. Especially when one is chronically ill and/or disabled. So many of my loved ones are excluded from attending and participating in performing arts due to a flare up of an illness out of their control. It’s especially unacceptable now, when online options were rapidly and easily available during the height of the pandemic, and are suddenly being taken away. There’s no going back to how our world was before, and we can’t ignore what has happened. It’s possible to make hybrid theater work well and be equally engaging to in person and online audiences, dismantling hierarchical traditional theater structure, if we have an open mind and a concentrated effort.
A note from Transcend Streaming & Accessibility:The pandemic and our collective pivot to digital content have revealed something important: streaming and digital accessibility is a massive opportunity for every industry. Many traditional audiences want to attend events in person, and now we know that there are so many more people who are eager to engage virtually.In the past, there were many barriers to accessing the magic of live events: A potential ticket-buyer would have to be in a certain place, at a certain time, with their family obligations taken care of, with any accessibility needs met, to even consider attending a show or event. Now, everyone can engage with the wonderful work we make. Everyone can participate. Everyone is welcome. Your community can expand beyond the traditional limits and you can have an impact far beyond your own doors. Your message can transcend.Accessibility is central to our mission for performers and audiences alike. Early in the pandemic, we pioneered the use of “open captions,” or captions that are burned into the live feed for everyone. Of course, that was a boon for folks who are hard of hearing or Deaf, and then we found it had the unexpected benefit of making it easier for everyone to follow along if they had an internet blip.After a few months of work, we’ve finally managed to implement closed captions for scripted content. That means even in fully live shows, we’re able to send captions that can be turned on-and-off by anyone watching (the same way you would on Netflix, but LIVE). Normally the software, hardware, and personnel to pull that off costs thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. We can pull it off using our in-house system and pass those savings along to you--plus you’re making the cool work you do accessible to everyone.
Make it Possible!
Just a $5 donation to our GoFundMe helps pay emerging artist and designers. With the generosity of our donors, and a grant from The New School, we’ve made 57% of our goal so far!
Contact
Questions about the show, GoFundMe, accessibility options, ticketing, or anything else?
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© Violet Woundy. All rights reserved.
Thank you!
You'll hear from us soon.
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