Emergence: Things Are Not As They Seem NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (250)
See it if you like multi-media productions delving into "the deepest aspects of the human experience" with ethereal music/singing, creative dance, etc
Don't see it if you're not interested in shows with thought-provoking questions on the nature of the reality and just want to sit there and be entertained. Read more
See it if You see the world in a philosophical context.
Don't see it if If you’re not interested in philosophical discussions of things in this world.
See it if The show was fantastic! So creative and smart. It reminds me of the first time I saw Blue Man Group don't miss it.
Don't see it if You want something traditional.
See it if like intelligent content, cool lighting and rock and roll music. Go it is fun!
Don't see it if you are looking for a traditional musical, hate rock and roll or hate intelligence.
See it if You want to see something a little different, psychological musical science lecture. Give it a try, you never know you might love it
Don't see it if You’re into more traditional theatre fare, that can more easily be categorised. Or, if you don’t believe that science has answer to life.
See it if You enjoy new information presented in a play. It is provided along with excellent singers, dancers and musicians.
Don't see it if You like dramas or one man shows
See it if You enjoy shows that make you think about your life, science, the workings of the universe. Also if you feel connected to those around you.
Don't see it if You don’t appreciate originality or a different way of viewing life.
See it if If you like thought provoking shows with a Metaphysical / Quantum Physics Dimension w/ great video artistry, singing, staging and dance.
Don't see it if You are not into a Metaphysical / Quantum Physics view of reality. You not into shows that encourage you to think from different angles.
Critic Reviews (9)
"It's like an episode of Bill Nye, the Science Guy, hijacked by a prog-rock band."
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“...Emergence contains familiar elements of an arena show yet it blends theatricality and dramatic structure to create a more intimate experience. The show ponders such existential questions about consciousness, the time continuum, and the hugeness of the cosmos, but to Olson's credit, we are always aware of the individual and outsized talents of people on stage.”
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"It’s an offbeat show that fulfills all of its intentions. It makes you think about the big questions and it points to pure science for the answers, something we desperately need in this hopelessly fractured world. At its best, 'Emergence' is a balm for what divides us with a sense of cosmic connection."
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Olson might very well be the three-way love child of Thomas Dolby, Bill Irwin, and Max Headroom. He carries the show with an unbridled, infectious, childlike enthusiasm, sharing what he knows and loves--science and music--using songs he wrote in his car and lyrics that support his storytelling. He puts on this show like a life-long project that he couldn’t wait to find the barn for. Olson reels us all in as he fills our minds with profundities in the same ease and flair he might have if he were telling us an evening of dad jokes. He shares postulates about time, space, color, light, thought, consciousness, love, and existence, in easy-to-grasp terms using purposeful words and with exquisite imagery.
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“If you’re looking for a musical sermon about life, consciousness, perception, and the universe, 'Emergence' offers the gospel truth.”
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“I wanted it to be mind-bending and experimental and I wanted to question my existence. I wanted the performative ideas and psychedelic elements to go farther–to readily, eagerly close my eyes when summoned and immerse myself into the experience; but the mesmerizing experience didn’t meet me.”
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"This show is uplifting, insightful and definitely a unique theatrical experience."
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“ ‘Emergence’ is a genuinely refreshing addition to the season. Surprise, shock, the gasp of discovering that things are not as they seem are what make this work hum. It is a thought-provoking experience, and more.”
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