What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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sort of stuff just doesn't exist in the industry so far," Silven shares. We've all had the experience, he notes, of being on a clunky Zoom call with audio cutting in and out, sub-par picture quality and trying to wrangle 15-plus people to be productive. "The Journey" will be nothing like that, he assures. Through the use of pre-filmed visual content and a biurnal sound experience that viewers will watch leading up to the performance; the audience participation in bringing their own memories to the experience; and the process of utilizing projection and HD video, hopefully all these elements will lay the foundation for an immersive journey that builds connection as well as a sense of the fantastic. "I think Scotland itself is just a place where myth and mystery, it's woven into the fabric of its identity. So it felt like a natural place for me to return to and create something here from that moment," Silven says warmly. "I remember as a kid, all I wanted to do was leave Scotland as quickly as possible, and tour the world, head to New York. And being forced into this standstill really has made me reconnect with the power of those landscapes of my childhood. The power of nostalgia and the power of memory, rediscovering things from your past, really did have a profound effect on me." "It's lovely that it's going to be the first stop on the digital tour as well; it sort of came full-circle in some ways," Silven says of debuting his new show in Bentonville. Though he won't physically be here, Silven admits he has a special place in his heart for Northwest Arkansas as Bentonville was the first stop on his 2018 world tour of "At the Illusionist's Table," following a sold-out Off-Broadway run. Yours truly was in attendance at one of those intimate January performances, and I can confess I remain enchanted by the encounter nearly three years later. After participating in Silven's immersive evening of storytelling and mysticism firsthand, it's hard to conceptualize how the experience would translate to a screen. "I had the same questions that you probably had when I initially thought about how am I going to create something here," Silven admits. "Because everything I do is about human connection; it's about the intimacy of the experience. And I've never had the experience before of performing to people on the other side of the world and trying to have an authentic rapport and connection with them. So that was my North star, was creating something where the technology didn't feel like a challenge or a hindrance, but we exploited the technology in an interesting and compelling way." Bringing together a team of notable creators from across the globe, "The Journey" took shape quickly — in fact, it's the shortest lead time in which Silven has ever developed a show — as a performance that will invite only 30 participants per event into Silven's own home. By that point, having already seen artists and creators using Zoom and other such tools to connect with and perform for their audiences, Silven knew the online platform simply wouldn't do for the kind of interactive engagement he was looking to achieve. Then, of course, there's the issue of adding magic into the mix. The nature of Silven's work always invites a sense of paranoia or suspicion among some, he reveals. Add a screen between himself and the participants, and how can one be sure what they're watching is truly happening before their eyes? That none of the other viewers are plants? It was a tough, but thrilling challenge, Silven enthuses. "Whilst there's a challenge of connection because we're in separate spaces, there's also a very profound link connecting with someone as they sit in their own home — as you're surrounded by your personal objects and the comfort of your own space, with your family or with your partner — that I thought was a really interesting thing to explore," Silven muses. "The story and illusions and the audience experience are all, hopefully, perfectly intertwined," he goes on. "And what is also important for me in all of my work is that it's not about me standing on a stage or sitting at a table or standing in a room saying, 'Look at these amazing things I can do.' It's about the collective experience and us going on that journey together. So the illusions I've created for the experience, and the experience as a whole, hopefully allow the audience to interact very keenly with us in the show, shape the story, be agents of the experience, and they'll achieve the impossible together at the end." Broadway and West End award- winning veterans Jeff Sugg (visuals) and Gareth Fry (sound), Tony winner for "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," designed the experience utilizing Streamweaver, a new system that integrates IT operations management. Streamweaver's application and vast range of technologies will be introduced to theatrical presentation for the first time with "The Journey." "We were kind of amazed that this Thank You ! Call 479-306-4660 today so your dog can play! 912 S MaeStri rd • Springdale Best of Northwest Arkansas the To show our appreciation, we are offering a 'front line' discount for everyone from healthcare workers to grocery store employees–please call us for details! Bring your best friend for a fun day of daycare or boarding and request a bath. Your dog will go home happy, safe, healthy and tired! Open 7 Days a Week. Extended Hours. Licensed Therapists. Walk-ins Welcome. Franchise opportunities available. 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SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2020 Scott Silven: 'The Journey' WHEN — Sept. 29-Oct. 18, 6 & 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 2 & 4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday WHERE — Purchase tickets at themomentary.org; participants will be sent the performance link COST — $25 per screen, only one person per screen ($20/ members) INFO — 657-2335, themomentary. org, scottsilven.com Silven Continued From Page 3 FEATURE FAQ