THE THINGS AROUND US Comes to ArtsEmerson
The performance blends stunning multi-layered music, created on the spot with looping technology, and intimate storytelling.
ArtsEmerson will present The Things Around Us, an inventive and unexpected one-person show created and performed by acclaimed musician, storyteller, and composer Ahamefule J. Oluo. Running February 20–22, 2026 at the Robert J. Orchard Stage at the Emerson Paramount Center, the performance blends stunning multi-layered music, created on the spot with looping technology, and intimate storytelling to reveal the surprising beauty hidden in everyday life.
With a trumpet, live looping technology, and an expertise for rhythm and narrative, Oluo builds an entire symphony onstage, layering sound and story. Weaving hilarious personal anecdotes with moments of striking emotional depth, The Things Around Us invites audiences to rethink what surrounds them and discover the extraordinary in the ordinary.
The Things Around Us is the third installment in Oluo's celebrated trilogy, following Now I'm Fine and Susan. The 90-minute performance showcases Oluo's signature ability to transform simple sounds into sweeping musical landscapes while delivering stories that are heartfelt, hilarious, and profoundly human.
“In some ways, The Things Around Us is a simple and direct show,” explains Ahamefule J. Oluo — “just a performer and an audience in a room, experiencing sounds, words, and lights. That's it. Which means that the space contributes significantly to our shared experience. The Emerson Paramount Center's Robert J. Orchard Stage is one of the most beautiful venues in the country. It takes my breath away. I'm so grateful to ArtsEmerson for bringing this show to Boston and I'm counting down the days until opening night when I can share this space with you.”
“Ahamefule J. Oluo has an extraordinary gift for turning sound, story, and spontaneous moments into something moving and unexpectedly joyful,” says Ronee Penoi, Interim Executive Director of the Office of the Arts & Director of Artistic Programming at ArtsEmerson. “The Things Around Us captures the kind of inventive artistry that ArtsEmerson is proud to champion; work that connects audiences through humor, music, and shared humanity.”
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