Teresa Sapien talks about the Without Walls Festival
Sometimes the audience goes to the theatre but in the case of the La Jolla Playhouse Without Walls Festival the theatre comes to the audience at the Liberty Station Arts District. This exploration of immersive, and site specific theatre is running through Sunday, October 20th and promises a variety of theatre.
Teresa Sapien, the Without Walls Festival producer is excited for the public to see what WOW has to offer over the course of this long weekend. The festival features shows ranging from free to ticketed, family friendly, to immersive and interactive, by local artists, to international companies. Teresa put the festival together with the hope that there would be something that would appeal to everyone.
I knew I wanted programming appropriate for children, and we've always had a big commitment to immersive types of experiences, so the artists are going to interact with the Liberty Station environs in a really specific way.
With so many options, think of the festival of as a theatrical choose-your-own- adventure way to experience art. This opportunity for people to discover and gravitate to what interests them is one of the things that Sapien finds exiting about this bi-annual festival.
I'm very excited that someone can go down and just discover and go from free show to free show, no tickets or RSVP necessary. It was a real desire in our programming to basically have one thing to lead into another show, into another show. I know there will be a patron or an audience member who has planned their day, but I'm really excited that you don't have to plan it that way. You can come down and move from show to show as you whims take you. That is something that I am proud of and want people to take advantage of during the festival.
The festivals proposal process has allowed for an eclectic mix of artists and shows from companies that make their home at Liberty Station to international companies that have traveled the world to get here.
We were so thrilled that Liberty Station based artists submitted proposals and were happy we were going to be down there, and we were able to shape a really eclectic lineup with the hope that there's a lot of different type of art to experience. I'm excited for many of the shows for different reasons.
I have a soft spot in my heart for PEREGRINUS by Teatr KTO because I was able to see them perform at a theatre festival in Spain. It's exciting to see them and totally love them and then bring them here.
Without Walls is about encouraging people to have multiple art experiences outside of the what is thought of as the traditional theatre world, and offer an opportunity for some artistic adventuring. Teresa and the La Jolla Playhouse hope everyone gets out of this festival weekend.
We like being out in the world.
The La Jolla Playhouse Without Walls Festival is running through Sunday, October 20th at Liberty Station. For show details and times go to wowfestival.org