Art 4 to Present A Virtual Performance of 35MM: A MUSICAL EXHIBITION

A picture is worth a thousand words, but what about an entire series of pictures? What about an entire series of pictures that is set to music? Well, picture this, a professional musical theatre company in South Bend producing a movie musical that's all about photography. If this unique approach to see theatre sounds too good to be true, don't worry, it's definitely true.

"We pulled up our creative bootstraps and fashioned a solution to keep our artists and audiences safe, while still bringing high quality theatre to everyone here in South Bend," says Art 4's Artistic Director, Mark Albin.

Art 4 is capturing the moment with a virtual performance of 35mm: A Musical Exhibition, a musical song cycle by composer Ryan Scott Oliver. With a limited narrative, 35mm tells a story through photography and showcases snapshots of American life in the modern age. The musical is written to be a multimedia theatrical experience, and is meant to incorporate photography, exemplifying the power of collaborative art forms.

"Our emerging performance of 35mm is another example of how Art 4 is leading the conversation in our community to create accessible, relevant contemporary musical theatre, even in the most difficult of times," says Aaron Albin, Executive Director.

Art 4 responded to global health concerns back in March. With live performances seeming unlikely, they postponed two large events, their annual Masquerade Fundraiser and their summer performance of the regional premier of The Spitfire Grill. In early April, Art 4 created ShowTunes Sunday, a program that raises money for artists who've been financially impacted by COVID-19. 35mm is the latest in an impressive sequence of online content from this local South Bend theatre company.

"I think everyone is ready to see theatre again, but not everyone is ready to be in a theater. So, we're going to bring the theatre directly to you," says Aaron Albin, Executive Director.

35mm is a completely virtual way to view local professional theatre from the safety of your own home. This pre-recorded production was filmed and produced Labor Day weekend and can be streamed directly to an iPad, iPhone, laptop, or TV. However, due to musical licensing rights, the production may only be temporarily available for viewing and remain behind a password protection wall. Therefore, purchasing a virtual ticket will grant audiences access to watch Art 4's production of 35mm as many times as they want within an exact 6 hour window. Each password, which will be sent to the email included in an individual order, is unique to each audience member and only corresponds to the ticketed date and time of their specific order. Performances cannot be viewed before their designated start times, and all passwords will expire 6 hours after their designated start time begins.

With an all-star cast of talent from South Bend, Goshen, LaPorte, and Chicago, 35mm is bound to impress and leave you with lasting memories.

"Photography encapsulates one moment's entire essence. This is a time in our lives that we will never forget, which is why a story about photography is not just relevant, but necessary. We're is here to capture this historic moment," says Mark Albin, Artistic Director.

Performances will be available for streaming on September 25 and 27, and October 1 and 3. Tickets are $20 and on sale now. To purchase tickets online, visit art4sb.org.

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