Simon McBurney's THE ENCOUNTER Starts Final U.S. Run Tonight at the Curran

Carole Shorenstein Hays and the Curran theater have announced performances for THE ENCOUNTER begin tonight, Tuesday, April 25 for a strictly limited two week run, which marks the final U.S. engagement of the production through Sunday, May 7.

The Curran will become home to an incredibly progressive and immersive theater experience, as well as a newly released calendar of educational events around the performance's themes of technology, solitude, consciousness and imagination:

In Simon McBurney's riveting one-man play, THE ENCOUNTER, audience members must wear headphones to take part in the journey. THE ENCOUNTER tells the true story of National Geographic photojournalist Loren McIntyre lost in a remote area of Brazil in 1969, which leads to a startling encounter that changes many lives. Written, directed and performed by Simon McBurney, this solo performances traces McIntyre's journey into the depths of the Amazon rainforest, using binaural technology (3D audio) to build an intimate and shifting world of sound. As McIntyre's mesmerizing tale reaches its climax, this extraordinary performance asks some of the most urgent questions of today: about how we live and what we believe to be true. More information on the making of THE ENCOUNTER can be found here.

This morning THE ENCOUNTER received two 2017 Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Outstanding Solo Performance and Outstanding Sound Design. Additionally, Simon McBurney was nominated for the Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award for the Broadway engagement.

Inspired by the book Amazon Beaming by Petru Popescu, THE ENCOUNTER is Co-Directed by Kirsty Housley, Design by Michael Levine, Sound by Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin, Lighting by Paul Anderson, Projection by Will Duke, and Associate Direction by Jemima James. Co-produced with Edinburgh International Festival, the Barbican, London, Onassis Cultural Centre - Athens, Schaubühne Berlin, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, and Warwick Arts Centre, with support by Sennheiser and The Wellcome Trust.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

SILENT DISCO
Tuesday, April 25 following the performance
Wednesday, April 26 following the performance

Following the special Plugged In At Curran Silent Disco event this past weekend, the Curran welcomes back HUSHconcerts for two special post-performance Silent Discos in the upstairs lobbies immediately after the performances on Tuesday, April 25th and Wednesday, April 26th. Patrons will put on a pair of wireless headphones and the silent, historic Curran theater instantly transforms into a high energy club. Rather than using a speaker system, music from dueling HUSH DJs is broadcast via a radio transmitter with the signal being picked up by wireless headphone receivers. Participants have the choice of which DJ to listen to, while their neighbor could be dancing to beats from the other DJ, adding to the excitement of the evening. Those without the headphones hear no music, giving the effect of a room full of people dancing to nothing.

SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL POST-SHOW DISCUSSION
With Simon McBurney

Thursday, April 27

Stay after the show for a special post-show discussion with Simon McBurney and Survival International, an organization near and dear to McBurney's heart that has been helping tribal peoples defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures since 1969.

AMAZON WATCH POST-SHOW DISCUSSION
With Simon McBurney

Friday, April 28

Start from the beginning with Amazon Watch, a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin. Join Simon McBurney in the post-show discussion with Amazon Watch, and learn how they partner with indigenous and environmental organizations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems.

GRAY AREA POST-SHOW DISCUSSION

Tuesday, May 2

Enjoy a post-show discussion with Gray Area's Director of Education, Matt Ganucheau as he shines light on the use of sound technology and art to create social and civic impact. Like McBurney, Ganucheau is known for creating sonic environments that engage his viewers by evoking a deeply reflective internal space.

JAD ABUMRAD POST-SHOW DISCUSSION
With Simon McBurney

Thursday, May 4

Join us for a special on-stage chat with THE ENCOUNTER's Simon McBurney and the ever-brilliant Jad Abumrad, founder of Radiolab as they discuss inspiring curiosity and experimenting with sound to find more effective and entertaining ways to tell a story.

Purchase a ticket to THE ENCOUNTER.

Built in 1922, the Curran has housed some of the most important productions in history and has maintained a reputation over the course of its life as one of the greatest venues in North America. Now, nearly 100 years after it welcomed its first Bay Area audiences, the Curran has undergone a 2 year restoration under the leadership of eight-time Tony Award winner Carole Shorenstein Hays. The Curran has relaunched with a new look and a bold new mission: to create a new kind of artistic hub here in San Francisco-one that engages new and existing audiences, and attracts the most visionary artists in the world by presenting bold, daring work. For more information, visit SFCURRAN.COM.

Photo Credit: Tristram Kenton

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