Ocean Filibuster fuses myth, song, video, stand-up, and science to explore the vast depths crucial to our daily survival.
American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University announced today that single tickets are on sale now for the upcoming world premiere of Ocean Filibuster. Commissioned and developed through a collaboration with the Harvard University Center for the Environment (HUCE), Ocean Filibuster will begin performances at the Loeb Drama Center in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Friday, February 18, open officially on Thursday, February 24, and run through Sunday, March 13, 2022.
Ocean Filibuster takes place inside the Senate chamber of a global governing body, where Mr. Majority introduces an "End of Ocean Bill" designed to shrink Earth's oceans into a more manageable (and marketable) collection of inland seas. When the floor is opened for debate, the Ocean arrives to speak in its own defense...and so begins an epic Human-Ocean showdown. A world-premiere, genre-crashing music theater experience, Ocean Filibuster fuses myth, song, video, stand-up, and science to explore the vast depths crucial to our daily survival.
Ocean Filibuster is created by the Obie Award-winning company PearlDamour. Text is by Lisa D'Amour, music is by Sxip Shirey, and direction is by Katie Pearl. The production features Obie Award-winning performer Jennifer Kidwell playing both Mr. Majority and the Ocean. Kidwell will be joined onstage by a choir of six performers who will be announced at a later date.
Scenic Design is by Jian Jung. Costume Design is by Olivera Gajic. Lighting Design is by Thomas Dunn. Sound Design is by Germán Martínez. Projection Design is by Tal Yarden. Lisa McGinn is the Production Stage Manager.
A limited number of "Senate Seats" will be available in the front of the Loeb Drama Center auditorium, allowing audience members to experience the Human-Ocean showdown from the floor of the Global Senate. See a seating map here.
"As we make climate a focal point of our work at A.R.T., we are once again inviting audiences to join us as we radically reimagine our relationship with the planet," said Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus. "Several seasons ago, HUCE Director Dan Schrag approached me about how we might communicate the urgency of the climate crisis to a broader public. With Dan's support, HUCE has commissioned a series of new works exploring the many different facets of climate change and celebrating resiliency and imagination. This partnership has led to groundbreaking exchange between artists and Harvard scientists, and I can't wait for audiences to see what this team has created."
In conjunction with performances of Ocean Filibuster at A.R.T., partnerships between the theater and community organizations will provide audiences with information and actions around local marine ecologies and efforts to protect them in the following ways:
Conservation Law Foundation forges lasting solutions for New England's most critical environmental challenges, using the law, science, and the market as tools for advocacy.
Mass Audubon protects the nature of Massachusetts for people and for wildlife.
Additional information about Ocean Filibuster partnerships and associated activities will be announced at a later date.
Tickets from $25 are available at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/OceanFilibuster. Discounts are available to students and ticket-buyers under age 25, Blue Star families, EBT card holders, seniors, Harvard faculty and staff, and others. More information at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/PlanYourVisit.
Audience, artist, and staff safety is A.R.T.'s top priority. The theater is taking many steps to protect against COVID-19. Enhanced ventilation, universal masking, vaccination, and testing are critical cornerstones of our multi-layered mitigation efforts that prioritize the safety of the community. Visit A.R.T.'s website for a full list of current ticketing and attendance protocols and procedures: AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Covid19Protocols.
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