Above the Water
“At what point does loss cause loneliness so vast that you drown in an ocean of despair?
When you are flooded with feelings you can no longer bear, is it easier to simply numb the pain? ”
Above the Water is a poetic physical theatre performance inspired by true stories of loss. This piece is a deep dive into the complex emotional landscape of grief, explores the depths of love and loss, and seeks out what it takes to stay afloat. Above the Water invites the community to share their stories about loss through poetry, which will be used as inspiration for the show. The show incorporates movement and puppetry to express the 5 stages of grief, allowing the audience and performers to walk through the shifting complexities of grief together. After each performance, Above the Water offers an optional movement de-briefing workshop, led by a licensed clinical counselor – Susan Imus, which allows the audience to process their emotion that occur during the show. Above the Water is not limited to a theatrical experience, but serves as a vehicle to decrease stigmas against, and increase the universality of the need to grieve, in hopes to increase compassion and empathy for one another.
Review
"It’s poetic, haunting, beautiful and difficult. ...Seeing this audience open up renewed my faith in humankind for one more day, and for that I am grateful."
Credits
Created by Chih-Jou Cheng
Collaborating with
Choreographer/Performer – Chih-Jou Cheng
Puppetry Designer/Puppeteer – Caitlin McLeod
Composer – Macy Camille
Lighting Designer – Daphne Agosin
Poets – Daisy Salto, Henri Sudy, TJ Jacobs
Workshop Devisor – Tiffani Lawrence
Lead Voice-Over Artist – Henri Sudy
Voice-Over Artist –
Rachel Livingston, Gabriel Fries, Kat Kaplan, Lindsey Ball,
Richard Schiraldi, Jaime Gutfeldt, Anna Roemer, Alexa Erbach, & Henry Walker
Tech Director/SM – Richie Schiraldi
Post-show Workshop Leader – Susan D. Imus
Marketing Director – Gabrielle Confer
Social Media Marketing – Myra Kalaw
Graphic Designer – Alua Amangeldikyzy
Videographers -- Blake Huang & Maximilian Vanderwerf
Photography -- Max Li & Tong-Qian Li