La MaMa in association with En Garde Arts presents Visual Echo's “SpaceBridge”
Conceived & Directed by Irina Kruzhilina
Presented in partnership with Under the Radar
World Premiere
January 7-11, 2025 at La MaMa Ellen Stewart Theatre
La MaMa, in collaboration with En Garde Arts, proudly presents the world premiere of "SpaceBridge," a groundbreaking live performance conceived and directed by Irina Kruzhilina. Scheduled for January 7-11, 2025, at the La MaMa Ellen Stewart Theatre in New York City, this production emerges from a three-month workshop program that brings together Russian refugee children who fled to the U.S. due to their families' anti-war stance, alongside American peers. The performance seeks to build lifelong friendships and foster understanding as these young participants navigate their identities and experiences in a new society.
"SpaceBridge" tells the poignant stories of immigrant children as they grapple with their heritage, collective responsibility, and the complexities of guilt by association. The project draws inspiration from Samantha Smith, an eleven-year-old American activist who undertook a peace mission to the USSR in 1983, bridging gaps between American and Russian children during the Cold War. The performance is a culmination of creative storytelling workshops designed by Kruzhilina to encourage meaningful interactions between local and refugee youth, with aspirations to expand this initiative nationally and globally amid the ongoing refugee crisis.
The ensemble features eleven young Russian refugees, ages ten to fifteen, alongside eight American-born participants, creating a vibrant tapestry of voices and narratives. The creative team boasts a wealth of talent, including projection design by Tony Award nominee Peter Nigrini and sound design by Tony Award winner Darron West. The performance runs approximately 95 minutes without an intermission, with shows taking place on January 7-10 at 7 PM and January 11 at 2 PM & 7 PM. Tickets are priced between $10-$35.
Irina Kruzhilina, a New York-based director, scenographer, and educator, leads this innovative project. Her work often intersects visual art, live performance, and civic engagement, and she has showcased her creations globally in venues such as Times Square and the Barbican Center. As the founder of Visual Echo, she aims to create environments for genuine connections across cultures. "SpaceBridge" not only highlights the importance of youth-led conversations surrounding identity and belonging but also emphasizes the critical need for empathy and understanding in today's world.
For more info, visit LaMama.org.
