ENDURE, Outdoor Immersive Theatrical Experience, Premieres July 3 in Central Park

ENDURE: Run Woman Show, an outdoor immersive theatrical experience based on the real-life struggles of runners, is set to premiere in Central Park on July 3-August 8, 2021, with an opening of July 14.

Created and written by Melanie Jones, ENDURE is both a physical and emotional journey telling the story of a woman running her first marathon, and the events in her life that propel her to the race. Directed by Suchan Vodoor, the show explores human resilience from inside the lived experiences of athletes and celebrates the creative potential of sport to tell deeply human stories.

ENDURE: Run Woman Show is, quite literally, a walk in the park. Equipped with a sanitized and synchronized audio player, audiences will follow one performer (Mary Cavett or Casey Howes) on a winding and circular 5K / 3.1 mile journey. Audiences are not required to run. As park goers listen to the inner monologue of the athlete, they'll not only be greeted by the natural beauty of Central Park but also the vulnerable and transformative thoughts of the runner. Set to a musical soundtrack by Swedish composer Christine Owman, the intimate audio serves as a backdrop to the highly physical live performance unfolding in front of audiences.

"When I discovered running, I realized that the stronger I got on the outside, the stronger I felt on the inside," said Jones, 45, who has completed four marathons and one Ironman. "Long-distance running, at its best, is a spiritual experience: uplifting, clarifying, transformative. A runner feels connected to their environment, their best self, even humanity. My hope is that ENDURE gives audiences a sense of that tranquility and peace."

37 performances of ENDURE: Run Woman Show will take place July 3-August 8 with performances scheduled Wednesday-Friday at 6pm and Friday and Saturday at 3pm and 6pm. Critics are welcome as of July 8 for an opening on July 14. Tickets, starting at $44.99, can be purchased at https://runwomanshow.com/.

ENDURE: Run Woman Show is designed to be pleasantly Covid-safe with intentionally small audiences of 15 people. Audiences are encouraged to observe at their own pace, distance, and discretion. ENDURE takes place in the southern end of Central Park, beginning and ending within walking distance to Columbus Circle. The exact starting point will be communicated to ticket buyers in advance of the event. The running time of ENDURE is 75 minutes.

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