An outdoor, drive-in performance. Two ways to view. Splash! is here.
Meet Leah Towle, a performer, and Syrhea Conaway, the musician for Splash!, the Lawrence Arts Center’s newest outdoor, drive-in performance for very young children ages 0-6!
Leah Towle is a teaching artist, director, and performer. She loves inventing games and attempting anything silly and possibly impossible. She prefers to splash in the ocean, and is always up for a good sword fight.
Syrhea Conaway (COCA) is an artist, multi-instrumentalist, and music instructor. She loves figuring out vibrational frequencies and rhythms of traditionally non-musical objects. (Ya know? Like she’s that woman who’ll make up a song to her washing machine that shakes a little too hard and has a low hum). She sometimes wishes she could plug cables from her ears to a PA system so people can hear the music she hears in her head. She likes to go swimming or get wet when it’s blistering hot outside. She’s a bit of a nerd for gadgets, classic video games, and the push and pull of life.
So what is Splash! and how does it work?
Welcome to Splash!, an outdoor, drive-in style performance for very young children and their families that explores the wacky world of water, soap, and bubbles! How does water like to dance? What sounds do bubbles make? Do cars like to take baths? We explore these questions (and more!) in a performance directly inspired by the ideas, sounds, and movements of children ages 2-6 in our Play Lab research series. Join our Splash! investigators as they spray water hoses, create giant bubbles, and make a big soapy mess!
Splash! performances will be held outdoors where we invite families to pull their vehicles into a socially distanced parking spot. From there, you have two options for how to experience this performance.
Car Wash Style: Stay inside your parked vehicle with the windows rolled up and we will send the music and vocals directly into your space through a designated radio station. Think of this option as a silly car wash experience where you can hear and see the performance, but also interact together as a family.
Splash Zone Style: Sit just outside of your parked vehicle within your designated zone and bring your own water-safe seating (like lawn chairs). If you select this option, please note that you are guaranteed to get wet, so wear your water gear and bring towels for comfort on the ride home! If sitting in the Splash Zone, we ask families to follow the CDC guidelines on mask-wearing for all audience members age two and up.
What do Leah and Syrhea do for Splash!?
Leah and Syrhea were researchers in our Play Lab Series and serve as two of five collaborator/performers in Splash!. After studying the ideas of our very young partners, both of these artists are busy bringing all kinds of magical moments to life. Leah is all about conducting a rainbow symphony, doing crash landings, and stirring a cauldron filled with pasta and soap. Syrhea is an expert at creating carwash soundscapes, rain that sings, and wild ocean current jams! Also, Syrhea lives in St. Louis, MO and is building the music for the show completely from scratch from afar!