Surfacing

by Julya Rabinowich | translation by Karin Rosnizeck

“riveting performances”

“a meditation on a condition”

“love and torture are inexplicably intertwined”

“timely for contemporary discussions of refugees”

SURFACING ran September 12-29, 2019 at ATLAS Performing Arts Center.  The piece features three characters (A, B, and C) living in captivity:  a female refugee (A) hiding underground, fearing deportation, and traumatized by her journey across cultures, a kidnap victim (B) locked in a basement at the mercy of her perpetrator, and a young man (C) imprisoned in his own home due to the threat of blood revenge against his family. Each is trapped, isolated, and unable to surface or take part in everyday life. The play explores their mental states, survival strategies, and the way their minds work through cycles of hope, fear, anger, and desperation. In a world where millions of people are fleeing oppression and dealing with hopelessness, this thought-provoking production opens our eyes to the plight of the marginalized, dispossessed, and downtrodden. Here are some background readings and videos on global migration and the plight of refugees.

SURFACING previously ran July 9-28, 2019 as part of the the D.C. Capital Fringe Festival and featured Yvonne Paretzky (A), Christine Jacobs (B), & Danny Santiago (C).

Featuring Nichole Chimere, Christine Jacobs, & Greg Ongao

Directed by Karin Rosnizeck

Choreorgaphed by Erica Rebollar 

Lighting Design by Ian Claar 

Scenic & Projection Design by Johnny Robertson 

Reviews/Audience Feedback

“love and torture are inexplicably intertwined”

“riveting performances”

“thought-provoking”

“timely for contemporary discussions of refugees”

“terrific analysis of captivity impact”

“Edgy and avant-garde”

“Very moving and raw”

“terrifically well done and thought-provoking”

“a 10 out of 10”

“this work needs to reach the audience made up of people working in amnesty, human rights, immigration, and trauma-informed care”

“a meditation on a condition”

Additional Resources on Refugees & Global Migration

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