The Momentary Announces World Premiere of Illusionist Scott Silven’s Immersive Virtual Experience, The Journey

Bentonville, Ark. – The Momentary announces the World Premiere of a new virtual experience by renowned illusionist, mentalist, and performance artist Scott Silven, titled The Journey, co-commissioned and supported by the Momentary. Through breathtaking visuals and immersive sound, the engaging live performance takes the audience from their homes to Silven’s in rural Scotland. The World Premiere of The Journey will be presented by the Momentary from September 29 through October 18, 2020.

Tickets for The Journey can be purchased online here or by calling 479.657.2335 starting September 9. Members of the Momentary may purchase tickets during their exclusive pre-sale period starting September 2. Tickets are limited. Only one person per screen can participate in the event; $25 per screen ($20 for members). 

“It has been a pleasure to work with Scott Silven, a true master of his craft,” said Lieven Bertels, director of the Momentary. “The Momentary was built to embrace the conversations of the current moment. Scott has found a new and engaging way to explore the ideas of home, place, and connection in this moment, and we are excited to introduce him to our community in this way.”

The Journey is set amongst the landscape of Silven’s childhood, where he shares a long-forgotten story that reveals mysteries of the mind and unlocks the secret of his glorious Scottish homeland. Through extraordinary illusions and feats of imagination, The Journey explores the sense of home and the transformative power of place, inviting the audience to discover the path that connects to them to Silven’s past, their own present, and a collective future.

 “The Journey is about using storytelling, illusion, and visuals to explore the power of home, connection, and the power of place to transform,” said artist Scott Silven.

Following a sold-out, highly-acclaimed world tour of At the Illusionist’s Table, including Northwest Arkansas in 2018, Silven will perform the all-new, immersive, and intimate virtual experience for 30 participants per show. Each show is shaped into its own compelling adventure—and supported by groundbreaking technology—through Silven’s direct interactions and engagement with the audience as The Journey unfolds.

Preceding the performance, audience members will receive materials by email to preview. The materials include videos exploring the Scottish landscape and a short set of instructions asking the audience to consider a memory and bring an object to the broadcast that could become a key moment in the narrative of the show.

“At this profound moment, we are quickly developing The Journey as a piece that speaks to these times. As soon as the pandemic hit and had us locked down, I knew that I wanted to create something that could connect an audience despite us being physically apart,” said Silven. “This format we are employing affords an amazing opportunity to bring people together who normally wouldn’t share a space—and uses digital technology not as a limitation, but as a compelling element to allow the audience to participate directly with me and shape the events of the show.”

For The Journey’s world premiere season, Silven teamed up with an award-winning creative team including Broadway and West End award-winning veterans Jeff Sugg (visuals) and Gareth Fry (sound), Tony winner for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The Journey is directed by Allie Winton Butler, one of Scotland’s leading creative talents. It is written by Silven and Rob Drummond. The creative producer is Michael Mushalla. Music is an original score composed by Jherek Bischoff.

Following the Momentary performances, The Journey will be presented by The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA (October 20-November 1, 2020). The Journey was created with the generous support of the Momentary, The Broad Stage, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Virginia Arts Festival, Arizona Arts Live, Traverse Theatre, Purdue Convocations, Utah Presents, Krannert Center – University of Illinois.

For additional ticket assistance, call the Box Office at the Momentary at (479) 657-2335 or email boxoffice@theMomentary.org.

More information about upcoming performing arts events at the Momentary can be viewed online here.

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About Scott Silven

Scott Silven, who pushes the boundaries of his craft by creating stylish, smart, and uniquely immersive performances for stage, screen and now in the digital realm, has mesmerized audiences across the globe for more than a decade.  He is a modern-day marvel like no other.

Hailed by Vogue as a ‘world-renowned mentalist’, his work has been described as ‘a marvel’ (The New York Times), ‘mesmerizing’ (Town and Country) ‘truly astonishing’ (The Daily Beast) ’unforgettable’ (Entertainment Weekly) and theatre that ‘wows everyone’ (The New Yorker) through a combination of ‘elegance, sheer mind power, and profound philosophical insight’ (Manhattan Digest).

The Journey follows previous shows including two major sold-out runs in New York and an extensive tour on the international stage including headline engagements with leading arts organizations including the Melbourne International Arts Festival, Sydney Festival, Stanford Live, Luminato Festival, Seattle Theater Group, and Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

As a child, Silven reveled in mystery. His innate fascination with the enigmatic and unexplainable guided him to the craft of illusion at a young age and evoked a sense of wonder that he knew he had to share with others. From stage to screen, Silven’s objectives remain absolute: to orchestrate an awe-inspiring experience, to reveal the mysterious side of human nature, and, ultimately, to lead his audiences to a place that suggests untold possibilities, a place that challenges perceptions; a place that allows them to look at the work, and themselves, in an extraordinary way.

About the Momentary

The Momentary is a new contemporary art space in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, for visual, performing, and culinary arts. The mission of the Momentary is to champion contemporary art’s role in everyday life and explore the unfolding story of contemporary American arts in an international context by actively commissioning and exhibiting outstanding works that explore new ideas and inspire action. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. The Walton Family Foundation is supporting this project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. The Momentary is a satellite to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences including an Onyx Coffee Lab, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a gift store. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.