Welcome to Campfire Will Premiere CHALK OUTLINE PORTAL

The New York–based dance-theater company Welcome to Campfire is soon to unveil its newest original work, Chalk Outline Portal, an immersive danceplay that traverses grief, consciousness, and the fluidity of self in a raucous romp through surrealities. The world premiere is set for May in Midtown Manhattan with official dates to be announced next month. 

Devised through an extended creative process and developed across multiple residencies, Chalk Outline Portal invites audiences into a shifting psychological landscape where multiple worlds coexist and collide. The production integrates live sound mixing and real-time video feed, creating a layered theatrical experience that blurs the boundaries between performer, creator, and observer.

Stretching those boundaries even further, Chalk Outline Portal incorporates an interactive gaming element: select audience members are invited to engage with the performance using video game controllers, influencing the trajectory of the performers in real time. This system introduces an element of unpredictability and shared authorship, placing agency directly into the hands of the audience.

The development of the work was documented by three-time Emmy-Award winning theater journalist and visual artist Roberto Araujo, who captured the evolution of the piece during a residency at The Mercury Store. The resulting short documentary offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative process and the unique ecosystem that shaped the work's creation. View the documentary and sign up to be notified when tickets go live HERE. 

Welcome to Campfire, helmed by creators Tony Bordonaro and Ingrid Kapteyn, continues its commitment to storytelling through movement-driven performance. Their work merges dance and theater to construct visceral, often dystopian worlds that examine human intimacy under extreme pressure.