The Universe is a Small Hat
Photo by Nora Merecicky
The Universe is a Small Hat is a participatory electronic music theater work, which tells the story of a techno-Utopian space colony leaving Earth in order to form a new, more rational, civilization. It is designed as an entirely interactive experience that merges narrative with the participatory feeling of a game. Audience members are all enlisted as colonists and responsible for their own paths within the story. The Universe is a Small Hat is an exploration of the roles we play, the choices we make, and the space we occupy in society and the Universe.
Developed with support from The Ground Floor at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, CA.
Collaborating Artists: Creator/Composer: César Alvarez; Director: Sarah Benson; Game Designer: Ivan Safrin; Game Designer: Syed Salahuddin; Dramaturg/AI Supervisor: Nora Casey; The Founder: Sophie Nimmannit; Performers: Clifton Duncan, Andrew Hoepfner, Eric Farber, Ben Simon, Erynn Sosinski, Lizzie Stark, Ben Stuber, Storm Thomas, and Lorenzo Wolff
About César Alvarez: César Alvarez is a Drama Desk-nominated composer, lyricist, performer and writer. His Civil War sci-fi musical FUTURITY world premiered at American Repertory Theater in 2012 and was a co-commission of Walker Art Center. César’s band, The Lisps, has released 4 albums and played hundreds of shows around the country since 2005. César is co-founder and resident composer of LA-based dance theater company Contra-Tiempo. He has presented work at Lincoln Center, MASS MoCA, The Stone, Roulette, Dixon Place, The Tank, Joe’s Pub, HERE, La MaMa, Ars Nova, Walker Art Center and The Public Theater among others. César was a member of The Civilians R&D Group for 2012-13, is a visiting artist in the Sarah Lawrence College Theater Program and a Visiting Lecturer on Dramatics at Harvard University for Fall of 2013. Recent Composition Credits: FUTURITY directed by Sarah Benson (A.R.T, Walker Art Center, Mass MoCA); Brecht’s Good Person of Szechwan directed by Lear deBessonet (Foundry Theatre at LaMaMa, Public Theater); Mac Wellman’s 3 2’s; or AFAR directed by Meghan Finn (Dixon Place), Full Still Hungry for Contra-Tiempo (Ford Amphitheater, Dance Motion USA). He is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, BM from Oberlin Conservatory and MFA from Bard College.