THE HANGOVER REPORT – At BAM, Andrew Schneider’s immersive and introspective N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) serenely evokes the cosmos

Brooklyn Academy of Music presents Andrew Schneider’s “N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars)” at BAM Fisher (photo courtesy of BAM).

This past weekend at BAM Fisher, I had the opportunity to experience Andrew Schneider’s N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars), the final entry in BAM’s 2022 Next Wave Festival. Since having my mind blown by Schneider’s YOUARENOWHERE back in 2015, After the following year at Under the Radar, and NERVOUS/SYSTEM (also at Next Wave) in 2018, I was determined to get a slot to attend the theater artist’s latest creation, which is in essence a meditation on the profound miracle that is each moment of our lives and our place in the cosmos.

With the precision of a master magician, Schneider warps our sense of perception, particularly through meticulous sound and lighting design, to create intensely immersive and introspective experiences that implore audiences to investigate their concept of reality. As typical of his other works, technology — in this case, five thousand dynamically programmed points of light that serenely evoke the cosmos, giving audiences the overwhelming illusion of floating amongst the stars — and active participation play a central role in N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars), which exists at the intersection of art installation and immersive theater. Although I opted for the guided experience narrated by Schneider’s disembodied voice, audiences can also choose to roam freely in a self-guided “open universe” version of the show.

I’ve long considered Schneider — a longtime member of the Wooster Group — one of the more adventurous theater-makers out there, and in N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars), he continues to build upon his previous experiments, further pushing the boundaries of what constitutes theater. I’m eager to see how he builds on this current plateau, and I look forward to where his visionary mind will take us to next. Although the run is completely sold out, I encourage you to be patient and snag a ticket to this singular work should they become available.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars)
Immersive Theater, Art Installation
Brooklyn Academy of Music at BAM Fisher
Approximately 45 minutes (without an intermission)
Through December 22

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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