Photo Flash: First Look At WHOSE NAME WAS WRIT IN WATER

The Wilbury Theatre Group presents Whose Name Was Writ in Water, a 360˚ Virtual Experience by Becci Davis, from April 30 - May 15. This three-part performance explores the notion that nature bears witness to history and that water holds the secrets to lost narratives of the past and documents the events of the present for future generations.

"We can't separate ourselves from the past," Becci Davis explained in an interview with iolabs, "[The past] infuses our understanding, our behavior, our relationships and our surroundings. Similarly, I look to the future. While finding the stories that were left for me to discover and retell, I often think about what stories are left in my own wake. This ritual of researching, exploring, dreaming, making, sharing is deeply rooting in place because my relationship with place is reciprocal. Place and I simultaneously shape one another. I like to use the metaphor of a river. The riverbed determines the movement of water, while the force of the water gradually shapes the riverbed.

She continues, "As a Black American woman, I am acutely aware of the lack of subjective, non-biased representations of Black culture and family life in the mainstream historic archive. I also understand that the lives and contributions of my ancestors have historically been ignored or erased. This knowledge is a constant source of inspiration. For me revising and annotating the past, infusing historic narratives with a subjective voice and documenting the present are mandatory practices."

Wilbury's Artistic Director, Josh Short, explains, "When Musae approached us last winter about incorporating some of their VR technology into our work I thought of Becci Davis immediately. Since first witnessing Becci's work at the Providence Fringe Festival a few years ago, I have admired the intimacy it creates between herself and an audience. I'm very excited to see how this performance comes to life as a new virtually immersive experience."

Presented as a 360° Virtual Experience using technology by New York-based virtual event production company Musae, audience members will be able to view performances of WHOSE NAME WAS WRIT IN WATER on their phone, tablet, or computer, or may elect to receive a VR headset with their ticket purchase. Tickets and contribution levels are available at https://www.musae.me/thewilburytheatregroup/experiences/1023/whose-name

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