Theatre Engine
Shark! empowers the audience to make tough choices and join the performers as they grapple with issues thematically represented by a great white shark. This performance project explores themes of racial identity, gender identity and the secrets that lie deep below the surface. The audience can input suggestions, vote on choices, and become shark, mentor, or hero in this 60 minute interactive musical. Developed at Georgia State University as part of Theatre Engine, Shark uses a web based application that allows audience members to use their phone to vote, control lights, alter music, and be immersed in the performance. The goal of each performance is to transition the audience into performers.
Using the metaphor for what lies beneath and the polarizing effect of water, Shark explores the classic monomyth with the theme of the great white shark representing the challenges in our own lives. Safety, risk, danger, and defense are all explored at the waters edge in this performance where the audience has control.
Shark! was performed at Michigan State University, April 4-6 2019. Shark is currently in development for performances at Science Gallery Detroit, June - August 2019.
Cast & Crew MSU 2019
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Photo credits Eloy Gomez Orfila & Bauer
The audience chooses the underlying tension and which actor will play the hero.
Interactivity:
In the next section the hero sees the shark for the first time. Vacationers splash around in the house amongst the audience with the shark roving along the edges of the seats. One hapless swimmer becomes shark bait.
Interactivity:
The climax of the performance is the moment when the hero, sidekick and anti-hero finally face the shark. The shark attacks and the trio must bring the audience up on stage to help them defeat the shark.
Interactivity:
Please see the video below of the workshop performance from April 5, 2019 at Michigan State University.