NSIDER: Brave New Works Lab at OZ

As part of its celebratory 10th-year performance calendar, Oz Arts Nashville introduces its third season of Brave New Works Lab.

For three nights, May 16-18, in OZ’s dazzling Cockrill Bend venue, four artistic groups will present unique performances that incorporate music, rap, spoken-word poetry, dance and other visual arts, in a program artistic director Mark Murphy describes as “a structure to provide support for independent artists in performing arts to create something new.” 

A quick glimpse at the roster of performers, whose résumés criss-cross the country and the globe, might not immediately suggest a program of hyperlocal work, but look again and you’ll recognize local ties weaving throughout the innovative and experimental performances, which include:  

God’s Country, a collaboration between Nashville-based choreographer Asia Pyron’s dance troupe, PYDANCE, and Oklahoma-based rock-metal band Chat Pile 

The Galaxy Cut, a blend of multimedia and live action by Nashville-based musical artist Sarah Saturday, who is returning from the first season of Brave New Art Lab, in collaboration with writer Dan Hoy and improvisational dance by The Garage Collective

Gorrión, a collaboration between primary choreographer Arelys Hernandez and Sandy Perez—both living in Nashville—using images of Hernandez’s homeland Cuba along with kinetic movement to explore dualities of personality and memory in a woman living away from her native land

Regicide, high-energy layering of spoken-word art and live music, coordinated by Middle Tennessee-based poet and lyricist Cameron L. Mitchell and drawing on material from Seattle Children’s Theater artistic director Idris Goodwin, to explore historical leaders lost to violence. 

All three evenings showcase all four short-format performances, with each segment running approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Tickets are available at ozartsnashville.org