The Living Room Announces World Premiere Of STORIES TO GET US THROUGH THE NIGHT: An Interactive Play

The Living Room has announced the upcoming production of Stories to Get Us Through the Night, an interactive theatrical experience where audience members use candles to explore a branching narrative. This eerie and immersive production is set to take place at Brick Aux from February 16- 25, 2024.

Stories to Get Us Through the Night follows three storytellers at a makeshift academy 20 years after an apocalyptic event. People now live in semi-nomadic groups, relying on a "teller" to share stories that help them fall asleep at night. The audience members determine which of four distinct endings is experienced by the characters through choosing to illuminate or obscure the stories they hear. Playwright and game developer Isabelle Smith asks, "What kind of stories do you want to hear at the end of the world?"

In addition to the cast, the production is directed by Erin Gray [UCLA School of Theater Film and Television, 2021], supported by producer Naomi Schiller [Joan of Arc in a Supermarket in California], stage manager and assistant director Eliana Gershon, and costume designer Alex Wilensky.

Billy Bates (Anyone) is a transfemme nonbinary person born in Evanston, IL and raised here in New York City. They graduated from Colorado College in 2022 with a BA in Theater. In addition to acting, Billy is a film photographer inspired by artists such as photographer Saul Leiter, filmmaker Marie Menken, and sculptor Isamu Noguchi, as well as the aesthetics of Marcel Duchamp, John Cage, and Cy Twombly. Billy's improvised no-flash long and double exposures often capture live performances and concerts and have been featured in As Of's Group show at The Living Gallery and in The Living Room Zine.

Naomi Jackson (Someone) was born from an egg after her father Venasaur met her mother Ditto in daycare. She's been nominated for two Broadway World awards for her work with FUSE Theater Ensemble in Portland, Oregon. Her Instagram is @jaomi.nackson

Lydia Sims (The One) Previous acting credits include: How To Make Friends & Kill Them, HIR, and Gertie & Alice. Lydia is a recent graduate of Sarah Lawrence College where she spent a semester studying at The National Theatre Institute. At those places, she learned really helpful things like Chekhov and how to embody an egg frying on the ground. When she is not acting she is usually swimming, talking, eating, and dancing. Find me at lydiacsims.com!

KCA (The First Teller) is an interdisciplinary artist based in New York City.

Naomi Schiller (Producer) is an arts administrator and producer from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is currently the administrative associate for the props department at the Metropolitan Opera and recently produced Joan of Arc in a Supermarket in California by Chloe Xtina in collaboration with The Tank. She was the Company Management Fellow for Berkeley Repertory Theatre's '21-'22 season. Her experience also includes music video producing and script supervision as well as stage management, wardrobe coordination, costume design, and event facilitation with Berkeley Playhouse, Oakland Theater Project, and the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden. She graduated from Occidental College with a degree in sociology and gender studies.

Isabelle Smith (Playwright, Producer) is a game developer, playwright, and educator based in Brooklyn. She is currently in her first year of NYU's game design MFA. She received her BA from UCLA's theatre program, specializing in playwriting and arts education. Her fiction writing can be found in The Living Room Zine. She is the developer of Swallowed by the Subway and The Happiest Place to Give Birth, which you can play at imissmywisdomteeth.itch.io.

Erin Gray (Director) is a director and interdisciplinary artist from Berkeley, California. Erin received her BA from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television. Recent directing credits include Between Lightning and Thunder by Colette Shaw, Push Pull by Evelyn Coffey, I Build Giants by Ryan Stevens, and Galatea by Jacob Menke. Erin works supporting productions at theaters including Performance Space New York, Target Margin Theatre, and Mabou Mines. She is the creator of The Living Room, a collaborative zine and art collective.

Eliana Gershon (stage manager/ assistant director) is thrilled to be a part of this wonderfully wacky and poignant project. Eliana's most recent theatrical experience includes directing for the musical theater showcase at Hunter College, puppeteering a squirrel in an original play (also at Hunter College), and studying Meisner technique at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Acting this past summer.

Alex Wilensky (Costume Designer) is a gender-fluid nonbinary person born and raised in Los Angeles, California currently attending Brooklyn College. Alex is a writer, a tattoo artist, and above all else, a designer. Their main medium is crochet. They focus on large intricate handmade pieces that take up to a year to make, meant to give the maker and viewer a better understanding and appreciation for the hands behind every piece of clothing.

Brick Aux

628 Metropolitan Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11211

Performance Dates and Times:

- [2/16], [7:30pm]

- [2/17], [7:30pm]

- [2/18], [5:30pm]

- [2/23], [7:30pm]

- [2/24], [7:30pm]

- [2/25], [5:30pm]

Purchase tickets here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/122/production/1188978

The Stories team is raising money to help cover stipends, transportation, props, costumes, and other costs associated with this production. Please consider donating at the link below: https://igg.me/at/storiestogetusthrough/x/22768665#/

The Living Room is an art collective that fosters opportunities for artists to create and connect across disciplines. In addition to producing theatrical works, we release a multimedia collaborative zine every other month. You can find us @thelivingroomzine on Instagram.

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