Bedrock Theatre
The Nature Bar
A sniff of Air. A touch of Water. A taste of Earth. A sound of Fire.
In a clearing ringed by tall Cedars, the Nature Bar beckons. Elemental flavors, with pairings of story and song, await the traveler who dares to step off the path, pause and sip from their surroundings.
The Nature Bar, Bedrock's immersive installation and performance, focuses on the four elements--Earth, Water, Fire and Air--characterizing these components of The Verdancy Project landscape through song, movement, storytelling and sensory offerings. The Nature Bar draws attention to the decadent sensory feast around us at all times, and demonstrates our innate ability to connect with our environment as beings who evolved in tandem with all we experience in the natural world.
Bedrock Theatre's mission is to connect audiences to their environment and to each other through immersive storytelling in natural landscapes. Incorporating music, movement and scenic activation, ordinary paths become the world of the tale. Bedrock’s creative process stems from the idea that nothing grows without a strong foundation; projects are built around specific locations that inspire ensemble members to explore over long periods of time. Past projects include Persephone (2019), an original adaptation developed over the course of a 9-month residency at Leach Botanical Garden, and The Nightingale (2016), an interactive hike through underrated East Portland gem Powell Butte (2016).
Created, Installed and Performed by:
Emily Eisele (she/her)
Sean Grosshans (he/him)
Joellen Sweeney (she/her)
Becca Wirta (she/her)
“Terra Incognita is a beautiful match for the kind of work Bedrock Theatre aims to do—long-term, thoughtful collaborations with landscapes. Like many performing arts groups, Bedrock took a producing hiatus during the first years of the Pandemic. We have been (and remain) deeply grateful for TVP’s artist residency program, which has provided an organic way to rebuild a creative practice and reengage with our mission. Being part of Terra Incognita, and meeting all the other artists involved, has been incredibly inspiring. ”