NOW FUNDING: TRUE LOVE FOREVER
Third Rail Projects will return to NYC, with YOUR help
Third Rail Projects is, inarguably, the United States’ premiere immersive theatre company.
With productions ranging from the seminal Then She Fell (NYC) to collaborations with Chicago’s Albany Park Theatre Project and work presented by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Off-Center, and Lincoln Center.
Now, with multiple productions presently percolating outside New York City, the company is looking to make a return to their home turf with True Love Forever:
Where immersive theater and an indie rock concert intertwine, True Love Forever crafts a love story you are not just watching but living. Created by Jennine Willett of Third Rail Projects and multi-platinum-selling composer, singer, and songwriter Coyle Girelli, this whirlwind of music, theater, and dance cuts straight to the heart and keeps us laughing along the way.
Let us be clear for a moment: without Third Rail Projects’ Then She Fell there wouldn’t be a No Proscenium. No Everything Immersive. No Next Stage Summit. Basically nothing we do.
The crowdfunding campaign stands at less than $100 from its goal of $20K as I write this, with a few days left on the clock. We can get them there and then some, providing more runway to bring TRP back to NYC. Perks start at as little as $25, so just a handful will take them over the top.
But don’t just take our cheerleading for granted: Jennine Willett, Co-Creator of True Love Forever, gave us an interview about the upcoming show and current campaign.
No Proscenium: Tell us a little bit about this planned experience. What’s it about? What makes it immersive?
Jennine Willett: True Love Forever is about love, lust, heartbreak, and everything in between. We all live with love’s battle scars- so this is a universal theme everyone can relate to. This iteration of this project leans into the immersive superpower of connecting people through performance and building community through a shared experience- in this case, one that surrounds the audience with live music, theater, and dance and invites them to participate and create parts of the show along the way. We are all in good company–and being together as a group is integral to the show.
By becoming part of a quintessential love story, embodied by a cast of performers and set to live music by Coyle and his band, audience members experience a story that is as much about them as any of us. From love at first sight to the bitter end of the break-up, we hope the show will be emotional, entertaining, and healing all at the same time. In a subject matter that emphasizes the notion of being either “with someone” or “single,” it feels important to create a space where no one feels alone. Where we might feel comfortable enough to laugh, cry, and maybe even end up in each other’s arms.
NP: What is the inspiration for your upcoming experience?
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JW: The inspiration for the show came from meeting Coyle and aptly falling head over heels for his album Love Kills. One song after the next, I found myself saying, “Yep, I’ve been there.” His lyrics capture precise moments we’ve probably all experienced, from seeing an ex with someone new for the first time or realizing when a relationship has become toxic but finding it so hard to walk away. Yet, inside of lyrics that conjure some pretty dark imagery–these songs are infused with hope. That’s what drew me in. “Love kills, every time,” says it all so succinctly. No matter how much it might hurt, we still have to keep ourselves open to love and be loved.
NP: What do you think fans of immersive will find most interesting about this upcoming experience?
JW: I think the cast and the band are so compelling, and they bring so much care, honesty, and much-needed humor when handling emotions that run deep around matters of the heart. They embody vulnerability and humanity that have set a special tone for our creative process, so I am excited to see how this plays out when the show is complete. The immersive format allows us to meet our audience eye to eye. We can take someone by the hand and invite them to participate. This is at the heart of this iteration of the show. Can the audience arrive as strangers and leave feeling like old friends? This might be ambitious- but if any type of performance has the best chance of achieving something like this- it would be immersive, right?
NP: Third Rail Projects has crowdfunded multiple times before, what’s different, if anything, about the experience this time?
JW: We are so grateful for our success with crowdfunding over the years. This time, we created the campaign for True Love Forever through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas, and that means donations are tax-deductible. We are so fortunate to have generous supporters who are interested in our process and enjoy glimpses into what happens behind the scenes, so we created the campaign with that in mind.
NP: What are some of the perks on offer for backers?
JW: Many of the perks offer great sneak peeks and ways to feel involved in the making of the show. And my favorite rewards are the Valentines…I can’t wait to send those out!
Join the crowdfunding campiagn.
Follow the project and the creators on Instagram:
@trueloveforevershow
Discover the latest immersive events, festivals, workshops, and more at our new site EVERYTHING IMMERSIVE, new home of NoPro’s show listings.
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