Forms of Fire

       Tong Ze Bu Tong; Bu Tong Ze Tong

if there is free flow, there is no pain; if there is pain, there is lack of free flow

defining principle of traditional asian medicine        — Huang Di Nei Jing, ancient Chinese text 

We’re just off of our wildly successful expanded staged reading of Forms of Fire at the Romanian Cultural Institute, NYC –– see more here and here

Forms of Fire is a powerful, multimedia theater experience that intertwines the lives of three people—a scientist, a music teacher, and a dancer—each grappling with the long shadows of personal and collective trauma. Through a fusion of scientific exploration and artistic expression, the play delves into the fragile human psyche, asking how and whether we can truly rewire our minds to overcome the past. Set against the backdrop of experimental neuromodulation, the characters’ journeys are mirrored in sculptures that evolve as metaphors for their fractured identities and disparate quests for healing. With a chorus of dancers embodying their internal struggles, Forms of Fire offers a poignant meditation on memory, resilience, and the transformative power of connection.

Our expanded staged reading offered a first glimpse into the evolving piece, with immersive and staging elements prototyped in real time. The audience not only witnessed but participated in the experiment.

Rewriting personal story requires memory and imagination, it is art — it is one’s internal art. Through our story, images, dance and sound, we aim to portray how this internal art commands the body’s ‘plastic capacity’ to change and to heal

Aureola’s Collaborators

Micah Ariel James is a masterful playwright, poet, director and dramaturg who has guided, breathed life into all aspects of of this production. Her work is subtle yet vivid, with remarkable reveals, suspense while deftly infused with social and political themes and motifs Learn more about Micah Ariel James here

Clove Galilee: Director/choreographer Clove Galilee is co-artistic director of Trick Saddle and an artistic associate with Mabou Mines, one of the most storied avant-garde theater companies in the U.S. Her works and performances have been presented at venues including LaMama, P.S. 122, the Public Theater, St. Ann’s Warehouse, and many others. Former artist-in-residence at U.C. Santa Cruz and Bard College, among others, Clove brings a unique vision to Forms of Fire, emphasizing immersive choreography and tactile connection. Her accolades include a TCG New Generations Fellowship, Princess Grace Foundation-USA Fellowship and Jerome Robbins Grant

Melvin Gibbs is a Grammy-nominated bassist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist renowned for his versatility across genres including avant-garde, jazz, rock, and hip hop. Described by critics as ‘the greatest living bass player’, Gibbs has received numerous critics and readers' choice awards. A founding member of Harriet Tubman and a touring member of Living Colour, he contributed warmth and depth as a member of Rollins Band. His impressive career spans collaborations on over 200 recordings, showcasing his exceptional talent and broad influence in the music world. His important new book: How Black Music Took Over the World (Basic Books/Hachette 4.2026) will change how you hear

Dean Parker is a New York–based composer, producer, and sound designer whose career bridges film, television, and live performance. Originally from Newcastle, Australia, he studied guitar with Steve Cowley before moving to New York City in 1996. Since 1998, he has collaborated closely with acclaimed film composer Carter Burwell, contributing to over a hundred film scores. In addition to his work in media composition, Parker performs immersive outdoor guitar and ambient soundscapes throughout NYC and is an active advocate for public education, serving both as an elected Bronx education representative and as a researcher at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Lin Jingjing is an internationally recognized installation performance video conceptual artist whose work is frequently on display in New York and Hong Kong. In April 2024, Jinging was cited as one of the top 10 artist participating in Art Basel Hong Kong. Her work is included in eleven museum collections and has been featured in over a dozen solo exhibitions, as well as more than twice that number of group shows. Profiled in the Tate and highly regarded, Jingjing describes herself as a multimedia conceptual artist who frequently employs experimental narrative techniques to present a possible future infused with absurd imaginings and humor. How perfect for us!

Cat Tate Starmer is a genius lighting designer who miraculously added autonomic elements to her array for Forms of Fire. Truly stunning and truly gifted, intuitive artist

Rosa Elling is a half visionary abstract puppet making team of IT Figures Puppet Company, and the thoughtful, insightful sculptor who brought our script’s found object sculptures into form, and function

Simona Măncănescu: Acclaimed Romanian actor known for her nuanced performances on stage and screen. Her participation ties the project more directly to our European roots and expands the emotional register of our staged versions

Boris Gutkin PhD, Group Leader, Ecole Normale Superieure/The Pasteur Institute; Research Director CNRS; Invited Professor, Higher School of Economics, Moscow. Dr Gutkin is a pioneer computational neuroscientist and a Director in the Pasteur Institute's Department of Neuroscience. As the Coordinator of the Group for Neural Theory (GNT), he has significantly advanced the field of computational neuroscience through his innovative research on neural dynamics, brain rhythms, and decision-making processes. His work bridges theoretical models with experimental neuroscience, offering profound insights into how neural circuits function and adapt. His contributions have earned him numerous honors for his contributions to computational neural modeling and neural theory

Staged Reading Cast 2025

Amanda - Meghann Reynolds

Edgar & Diego - Jack Pappas

Irene - Shauna Pinkett

Mila - Christianna Nelson

Sasha - Finley Rosser

Zeb - Felice Rosser

The Chorus - Nicola Bosco-Alvarez

Narration - Liz Colarte & Andrei Codrescu

life is going it is internal traffic

if things are going badly the traffic of the body and the soul is bad

if things are going well the traffic between yourself and the world is light or in any case bearable ––   Andrei Codrescu

Life stories do not simply reflect personality. They are personality –– Dan Mcadams

in production fall 2024-spring 2025; culminating performances summer/fall 2025