TURNERS FALLS — Clad in darkness and woven with neon hues, the Shea Theater Arts Center will once again transform into what organizers describe as “a sandbox to explore and play in” with “A Happening” on Friday.
“A Happening” looks to build on a successful inaugural year with another round of performances, vendors and multi-sensory art installations from 7 to 10 p.m. Those who attend are encouraged to wander the building and interact with different aspects of the presentation as they collectively compose a “fairytale and storytelling” theme. This “creates a uniquely powerful immersive experience for performers and audience alike, where the lines between witness and participant are disrupted and dissolved,” according to the event description.
“It’s not like you’re sitting in a chair watching a performance on stage,” Director Samuel Perry said. “Upon entering the space, you will encounter these characters that are enacting this sort of mythos we have created ourselves. … It’s a full sensory experience.”
Perry said this year’s format was fueled by wanting “a little more emphasis on the audience having an influence on the creative process.” Audience members will have agency over how closely they adhere to the offered narrative. Some may choose to follow specific characters and take part in story-building throughout the evening, while others may opt to engage in a more casual, free-flowing exploration, he said.
“If you’re hungry for it, there is a storyline to follow and grab onto,” Perry explained.
Regardless of how they move through the Shea, audience members will have their full set of senses stimulated. Alongside the visual and sonic aspects of typical performance art, portions of the space will be scented with different essential oils, for example. In addition, tastes will be appealed to with craft cocktails. Perhaps the most imposing, though, will be an 8-foot concrete pod that attendees can immerse themselves in for a “sound bath.”
In total, Perry expects about 18 local performers and 10 vendors will attend. Featured performers include actors from the Eggtooth Productions ensemble, musician Corey Laitman of “Cloudbelly,” Father Hotep, and “a collection of new and seasoned artists.” The festival will be “underscored by the sonic musings of SVIP,” previously described by Perry as “an ambient musical endeavor with no genre boundaries” that he produced “to create an arresting atmosphere, transmute energy in a given space and transport listeners to another world.”
It’s not a coincidence that this event was scheduled for October, Perry noted. Just as Halloween brings life after death to the forefront, “A Happening” brings people closer to another world.
“We do think about this as the time the veil is the thinnest between worlds,” Perry said.
Tickets to Friday’s event can be purchased in advance for $20 at showclix.com/event/eggtooth-productions-presents-a-happening. While there will be no performances on Saturday, installations will be available to experience at no cost.
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.