New Phase Collective is a collaboration between a people and their time. These ten artists ranging in theatrical discipline are following the evolving truths of what performance is now, has always been, and can be in the future. This ongoing exploration exists inside a redefined landscape of collective vision, communal health, and shared performance.
NPC was founded by Anton Volovsek and is composed of designers and directors, Kindall Almond, Jacob Basri, Zach Blumner, Ebony Burton, Henry Nettleton, Lexx Onigbanjo, Leia Squillace, Tyler Thomas, Anton Volovsek, and Christopher Wong.
Phase One: The Underbrush led an audience through a patchwork of video, audio, and live performance, asking how we protect and preserve our environments.
Phase One: The Underbrush manifested as NPC’s inaugural collaboration and took place August 7 and 8th, 2020.
This live, digital, and interactive experience marks the first installment of a continued collaboration.
Anton wrote and designed the last stage, Stage 4, with Chris Wong, Leonie Bell, and Leia Squillace. Stage 4 was a zoom phone call between an actress and the audience and explored what it means to be alive in 2020. In addition to Stage 4, Anton organized and managed much of the production process. Through delineating tasks and keeping everyone on a schedule, Anton was able to help Phase One come to life on the screen and phone for over 250 audience members.
Shadow on the Wall is a digital shadow puppet opera with music by Zonia, Tsang Lok Sze and Libretto by Alex Higgin-Houser. It was directed and designed by NPC, with the lead artists being Leia Squillace, Anton Volovsek, and Henry Nettleton. It was produced by New York University’s Opera Lab and American Opera Project and had its premiere on December 2, 2021.
Anton designed all the puppetry and visuals, Alex constructed and played all the puppets, and Leia, Henry, and Anton played with the shadow puppetry footage to take the story outside of the 2-dimensinotaliy of the shadow puppet world. Through the use of multiple projectors, post processing work, and a lot of hard work, they created visuals that continually surprised and excited.