Emit Theatre to Premiere New TYA Production WAVES OF WONDER This Month

Emit Theatre will present a brand-new TYA production, Waves of Wonder: A Play About Water and our World, written by Becca Bernard with devising by Sindy Castro, Marisa LaRuffa, Lily Lipman, Nicole Orabona, Crystal Marie Stewart, Talisa Velazquez, and Ring Yuqi Yang. Emit Co-Artistic Director José Noel directs with company founder Gianna Cioffi. Free public performances will take place on Saturday, June 24 at Carl Schurz Park (Peter Pan Circle near 87th St) and Sunday, June 25 at bkONE's Tom Kane Theatre (51 35th Street Bldg. 5, Brooklyn, off the D, N and R trains). A pre-show craft will begin at 1 pm with a 1:30 pm showtime. In line with Emit's mission to make theatre accessible to the community, performances are free/by donation but may be reserved at EmitTheatre.org.

Waves of Wonder is an interactive play for young audiences that takes students on a journey to help save their town's waterfront from harmful development. Along the way, they encounter mythical creatures who teach them about the importance of conservation and community. Devised by the company, it features traditional Afro-Caribbean, Nigerian, Chinese, Scottish, and Gullah mythology.

Both show locations are ADA accessible. Additional accessibility accommodations will include handheld fans, shade umbrellas, fidget spinners, noise canceling headphones, and ice packs. Fun for all, crafted for ages 3-8. Additional accommodations can be requested by emailing info@emittheatre.org.

The cast features Becca Bernard, Sindy Castro, Marisa LaRuffa, Crystal Marie Stewart, Talisa Velazquez, and Ring Yuqi Yang. Ross Hamman is the puppet designer, production design by José Noel. Stage managed by Rachel Dennis.

About Emit Theatre

Emit Theatre is a 501c3 organization originally founded by Gianna Cioffi, Amy Frey, Jo'Lisa Jones, and Amanda Urban, formed from a desire to create immersive theater that held education at its core and could be easily shared in order to impact as many people as possible. The collaboration began with an immersive production of Romeo and Juliet at BrooklynONE as part of the Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival. The production closed after an extended run and uniformly positive reviews.

Drawing from their diverse experiences in both interactive theatre and education, the team saw the potential for the immersive format to be used to educate students struggling with literacy comprehension. Their theory was put to the test as part of Gianna and Amanda's master's thesis project at The City College of New York. Using previous productions as a template, this version of Romeo and Juliet was specifically crafted to appeal to the average high school student. The project sought to create greater connection between the students and the characters in order to maximize comprehension. Data was recorded at every stage of the project. The research was awarded the Edward W. Stitt Memorial Fund grant for demonstrating excellence in research in an educational field in 2016.

About bkONE

brooklynONE productions (bkONE) was established in 2006 as a haven for emerging artists. Based in the heart of Brooklyn, the company cultivates innovative & experimental performances of both original and established works. They maintain a strong relationship with the arts in their community and are committed to the continued expansion and creation of opportunities for artists across the New York City area. bkONE focuses on theatre, film, music, mixed media projects and more. brooklynONE productions was founded by Anthony Marino & Tom Kane.

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