A Virtual Scavenger Hunt Unfolds in 'PRIMAVERA!' from The Neo-Political Cowgirls

The Neo-Political Cowgirls (NPC) are a theatrical troupe unlike any other on the East End. With immersive, dance-infused productions like the epic Eve, the achingly intimate Voyeur and the lovely, annual theatrical scavenger hunt Zima, Founder and Artistic Director Kate Mueth has provided audiences with innovative and truly unique experiences. But with COVID-19 sending the world behind closed doors, it’s easy to imagine an in-your-face, experiential group like NPC having to retreat into the darkness for the time being. Thankfully, that’s not so—Mueth and the talented group of actors and dancers at NPC have rapidly adapted and will present PRIMAVERA!, a virtual scavenger hunt inspired by mythical folklore to coincide with Mother’s Day, on Saturday, May 9. Created in conjunction with the Musae platform, PRIMAVERA! is an adaptation of Zima and recreates the immersive theatricality NPC is known for.

Theater, as an art form, has always had to adapt, whether it be to please a certain audience, make the best use of a physical space or tell the most potent kind of story. “We always say theater’s been dying for a thousand years, and here we are,” Mueth says. NPC’s method of adapting, in this case, was to work with Musae. “They curate the artists and the work they’re representing. It’s kind of a boutique. We wanted to reach people we wouldn’t normally reach,” Mueth explains.

Mueth and her troupe of artists are taking the quarantine in stride, and embracing the imperfection that comes with this kind of production. “I think there’s something quite magical that’s happening with a lot of artists,” she says, “of letting go of the things we usually try to control as artists. We don’t have that control now, and so how do we let go into that and say, ‘you’re seeing all of the underbelly of this art-making,’ and it’s the heart of the story that we’re getting. I think we should always enter theater with a blank slate in our head and just try not to preempt what we think we’re going to be experiencing. We need to start to embrace looking at the heart of things more than that process of non-existent perfection.”

So if you’re starved for theater, looking for something whimsical and colorful, check out PRIMAVERA! “It will be sweet, and great, and weird and magical,” Mueth says with a smile.

For tickets and more information, visit musae.me.