Ushuaia Blue by Caridad Svich

World Premiere: 2022 Contemporary American Theater Festival. (Postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19)
Nominated for the 2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.
2020 The Kilroys List.
2019 Finalist Pasadena Playhouse & Caltech MACH 33 Festival of Science-Driven Plays.

Jordan is a marine biologist. Sara works in bio-acoustics and film. They have been traveling to do research in...
World Premiere: 2022 Contemporary American Theater Festival. (Postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19)
Nominated for the 2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.
2020 The Kilroys List.
2019 Finalist Pasadena Playhouse & Caltech MACH 33 Festival of Science-Driven Plays.

Jordan is a marine biologist. Sara works in bio-acoustics and film. They have been traveling to do research in Antarctica for some time now. On a recent trip, Sara connects with Pepa, who is native to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southernmost tip of the world. This connection begins to affect how she sees the world and how she begins to hear the music of the ice. As Jordan and Sara's relationship as a couple becomes more fragile, Sara suffers an accident. In the land of spirit dreaming, suffering and awakening, lessons are learned about life and climate change.

A love story set against the backdrop of climate science, this play was inspired by interviews conducted by the playwright with polar marine biologist James McClintock (author of non-fiction book LOST ANTARCTICA).
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Ushuaia Blue

Recommended by

  • Travis Bedard:
    29 Jan. 2021
    “ "Like the sound of the wind itself." This is a mature play. A play by an author who fundamentally understands theatre and liveness. It doesn't feel the need to shout. It is about actual adult love, in the quiet ways and in it's permanent state of breaking and healing. About staying when a partner needs you no matter what the voices are saying.
    It is a play about relationship to each other and the world. And it is kind. A kindness that we all need to be in a room with right now. ”
  • Lyra Nalan:
    25 Jun. 2019
    “ Ms Svich's writing is cinematic, poetic, full of compassion and ANXIETY for human race and our future generations. While using humor to allow the audience to breathe through the heavy subject, she does not refrain from reminding us of the inevitable consequence of global warming and excessive human exploitation. Disturbing, moving, and timely. ”
  • Annie Harrison Elliott:
    22 Feb. 2019
    “ This play offers exquisite language and a distinctive voice. The poetic imagery weaved through-out is nothing short of stunning. The story is propelled forward not by a traditional dramatic structure, but by the poetry itself, which I believe speaks to the genius of the piece and its creator. I highly recommend reading and producing this play. It needs to be experienced by a wide audience. ”
View all 5 recommendations

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    University of Alabama-Birmingham
    ,
    2018

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF)
    ,
    2020

Awards

Selection
,
The List
,
The Kilroys
,
2020
Finalist
,
Mach 33 Festival of New Science-Driven Plays
,
Caltech and Pasadena Playhouse
,
2019