Tiara Partsch Directs Reading of THIS BEAUTIFUL BLUE at Theaterlab

Tlab Shares, the curated rental program at Theaterlab, will host a staged reading of THIS BEAUTIFUL BLUE, a devised play produced and directed by Tiara Partsch, a Luxembourg-born theatermaker currently working in NYC. This workshop production marks the first iteration of original material inspired by the National Book Foundation Award-winning novel The Seas by Samantha Hunt. The reading will take place in Theaterlab's Gallery space (357 West 36th St., 3rd Floor) with two performances (Friday–Saturday, May 16–17, at 7:30 PM) and is free and open to the public. Seating is very limited; RSVP is required – click here to register.

Inspired by Samantha Hunt's bestseller The Seas, THIS BEAUTIFUL BLUE is a devised exploration of sublimation, grief, and the intricate rhythms of family mourning. A man walks into the sea; a young girl falls in love with a sailor; a soldier comes home from the war. In a world of water, these characters find themselves entangled in the myths of the sea, learning to heal, learning to love—learning to tell their story.

Featuring a solo performance by Ella Trisler as a complex, girlish, and somewhat magical narrator, and enveloped in soundscapes by Zak Kerhoulas, this workshop marks Tiara Partsch's first work presented at Theaterlab, where she originally began as an intern. “I could not find a better venue for the first iteration of this work than Theaterlab, with its amazing record of strong support for female and immigrant artists,” Partsch explains. “I was awe-struck by The Seas when I first read it. It is so vibrantly inspiring, surprising, and touching. I hope this reading will inspire audience members to pick up the novel and dive deeper into Samantha Hunt's work. It's been such a pleasure to live in the magical world she's created,” she adds.

Tiara and Zak's creative collaboration began at the University of Michigan, where they worked together on the devised piece People Are Things. They have continued collaborating by adapting short stories into multimedia performance pieces and creating new, unexpected experiences for audiences.

Learn more about the project at https://theaterlabnyc.com/this-beautiful-blue-i-may-16-17-2025/.