Real Stories

The narrative core of SYMPHYSIS is built upon a series of deeply personal interviews with immigrants, edited by Caroline Lawton. These first-hand accounts capture the raw emotion and complexity of immigration, exploring the dual lenses of hope and opportunity and nostalgia and familiarity. Each story serves as a testament to the resilience, courage, and humanity of those who have navigated the challenges of starting anew while holding onto their roots. Caroline's skillful editing weaves these voices into a cohesive and poignant narrative, grounding the performance in authenticity and emotional depth. Together, these interviews not only shape the show’s backbone but also invite the audience to reflect on the universal themes of identity, belonging, and the transformative power of the immigrant experience.

Original Scores

The auditory landscape of SYMPHYSIS is brought to life through two distinct original scores, masterfully composed by Manu Monogenis. Drawing from rich musical expertise, Manu has crafted two parallel soundscapes that mirror the duality of the performance. One score embodies the hope and opportunity of new beginnings, weaving together melodies that evoke ambition, resilience, and the promise of the unknown. The other captures the nostalgia and familiarity of roots and heritage, blending motifs of memory, tradition, and the comfort of the past. Together, these scores tell the multifaceted stories of immigration, offering a deeply emotional and immersive experience that bridges the divide between two worlds.

Movement

The choreography of SYMPHYSIS, crafted by Dani Crosta, is a powerful visual and emotional anchor that brings the stories of the interviewees to life. Dani's movement design splits the performers into two distinct yet interconnected groups: a soloist on the nostalgia/familiarity side, and an ensemble that flows fluidly between both sides of the stage. This deliberate separation reinforces the tension between holding onto one’s roots and embracing new beginnings. The soloist’s movements are intimate and reflective, embodying the weight of memory and tradition, while the ensemble’s choreography is dynamic and transitional, mirroring the journey of adaptation and transformation. Through this physicalization of the immigrant experience, Dani's choreography not only amplifies the emotional depth of the interviews but also creates a visceral connection between the performers, the space, and the audience.

Light & Sound

The sensory experience of SYMPHYSIS is elevated by its meticulously crafted sound and lighting design, co-created by Ethan Chin, Jay Sexton (lighting), and Willow Lopez (sound). Each environment is individually tailored to immerse the audience in the duality of the performance. The hope and opportunity side comes alive with dynamic, forward-moving lighting that pulses with energy, paired with a soundscape that crescendos with ambition and possibility. In contrast, the nostalgia and familiarity side is bathed in warm, subdued lighting that evokes a sense of comfort and reflection, accompanied by a soundscape rich with echoes of tradition and memory. Together, these designs create two distinct worlds that are both visually and sonically immersive, guiding the audience through the emotional and thematic contrasts at the heart of the show.

Visuals

The nostalgia and familiarity side of SYMPHYSIS is brought to life through a stunning series of motion graphics, expertly designed by Kellyn Scheel. These abstract visuals serve as a visual language, seamlessly intertwining with the choreography and interviews to immerse both the audience and performers into the world of the story. Kellyn's designs evoke the essence of memory and heritage, using fluid shapes, textures, and colors that resonate with the emotional weight of the interviewees’ experiences. The graphics act as a bridge between the tangible and the intangible, creating a layered narrative that deepens the connection to the themes of roots, identity, and belonging. Through this innovative collaboration of movement, sound, and visuals, the nostalgia/familiarity side becomes a vivid, immersive journey into the heart of the immigrant experience.

Unique Threads

The costumes of SYMPHYSIS, crafted and curated by Ali Rubin, transform the performers into a cohesive, abstract entity, blurring the lines of individuality to emphasize the collective experience of the immigrant journey. Ali's designs span the duality of the performance, with subtle yet distinct elements that differentiate the hope and opportunity side from the nostalgia and familiarity side. The soloist, who remains anchored in the nostalgia side, is visually set apart through intricate details and textures that evoke a sense of rootedness and history, while the ensemble’s costumes flow seamlessly between the two worlds, symbolizing transition and adaptation. Through this intentional design, Ali's costumes not only unify the performers but also deepen the narrative, allowing the audience to engage with the emotional and thematic contrasts of the story on a visual level.