WILDERNESS at Abrons Arts Center

More about Wilderness:

Six kids stand at the brink of emotional chaos. A mother risks losing her child forever. Thoughts racing, emotions firing, one question plunges forward: how do we persevere when we feel most alone in the world? 

In this captivating documentary theatre piece, En Garde Arts employs their signature brand of multi-media storytelling to illuminate the real experiences of young adults who struggle to find meaning in their lives, and parents who refuse to give up hope for their kids. Developed over two years through firsthand interviews and extensive field research, Wilderness features a driving folk score and sweeping video landscapes. The penetrating, no holds barred docu-drama transports us from our familiar domestic confines to the brutal and enlightening solitude of the high desert, where we have no choice but to confront our demons—and hopefully develop the courage to change.

Wilderness is a pulsating new documentary theatre event and education and outreach initiative that speaks to our collective search for connection and hope, as families survive the extraordinary pressures of the 21st century. It explores the challenges of coming of age in an increasingly fragmented society and presents multiple perspectives of trauma and recovery, anchored by real life narratives that elucidate issues of mental health, addiction, and gender and sexual identity.