This three-part performance ritual is based on the notion that nature bears witness to history; that water holds the secrets to lost narratives of the past and documents the events of the present for future generations. Whose Name Was Writ in Water has been presented as a video work and as a 360 degree, live-streamed VR performance. The latter features dual narratives woven together; the interrogation of history through an imagined conversation with my enslaved 4th great-grandmother and a rite of passage for my son entering adulthood at that time. Water serves as the device that connects generations through time and space. By questioning the past, I attempt to navigate the present through ritual, labor, the exploration of landscapes, examination of old family snapshots and documents, original and appropriated poetry, and photography.

Written and Directed by Becci Davis

Produced by The Wilbury Theatre Group

Introducing Noah Lequerica

Stage, Lights, and Sound Manager - Brittany Costello

Tech Manager and Stage Construction - Max Ponticelli

Support and Graphic Design - Josh Short

Presented by Musae

Production Photos - Erin X. Smithers 

Documentation Video - Oliver "Syde-Sho" Arias

Publicity - Niki Healy