Broken Open brings together circus, storytelling

BATTLEBORO — On a spring evening in southern Vermont, gravity will feel a little less certain. On Friday, May 8, the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) will transform its Brattleboro home into a stage for Broken Open, a high-flying theatrical circus performance that leans as much on emotional storytelling as it does on physical daring. With just two shows — at 5 and 8 p.m. — the production marks both a culmination and a beginning: the final performances of NECCA's soon-to-graduate ProTrack class before they step into professional careers around the world. At its core, Broken Open is not just about spectacle. It's about people. The show follows a community navigating the challenges of growing up, growing together, and sometimes being pulled apart. Through aerial silks, partner acrobatics, and ensemble movement, the performers translate universal experiences — connection, fracture, resilience — into motion. The result is a performance blending the thrill of circus with the emotional pull of theater. A different kind of circus Contemporary circus has evolved far beyond the traditional ring. Companies like Cirque du Soleil and Circa helped redefine the art form as something narrative-driven and visually poetic. NECCA sits firmly within that lineage — but with a distinct mission rooted in education and community. Based in Brattleboro, NECCA has grown into one of the premier circus arts training institutions in the United States. Its flagship ProTrack program is a rigorous, three-year professional training pathway that prepares students for careers across the global circus and performing arts industries. Graduates routinely land contracts with major companies — including Ringling Bros. and The 7 Fingers — as well as on Broadway stages and international cabarets. But NECCA's identity goes beyond producing elite performers. The organization also offers recreational classes, youth programs, and community outreach — inviting people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with circus arts, whether as a career or simply as a creative outlet. Built through collaboration Each year, NECCA invites directors from around the world to apply to create the graduating class's capstone production. This year, that role went to Marisol Rosa-Shapiro, a New York and Philadelphia-based theater maker known for blending play, physicality, and community-driven storytelling. Her approach to Broken Open reflects that ethos. Rather than imposing a fixed narrative, Rosa-Shapiro worked collaboratively with the performers, developing the piece through a structured but flexible creative process. "Contemporary circus is such an exciting art form to me, not only because it marries poetry and athleticism, but also because it's an art form so much about making the impossible possible," Rosa-Shapiro said. "Circus exemplifies the dreams that we make into reality when we imagine, communicate, practice, and collaborate at the very highest levels of human potential and creative risk taking." That sense of shared creation is central to the production. The performers — who have spent three years training together — bring their own experiences into the work, shaping a show that feels personal as well as polished. Serenity Smith Forchion, NECCA's co-founder and the tour's producing director, said the process is designed to push artists creatively while supporting them as they take risks. "Marisol's process evokes metaphors through storytelling, developed with the artists using a structured methodology that helps them feel confident that they can go out on a creative limb," Forchion said. A final stop before the leap Before returning to Brattleboro, Broken Open toured across New England, giving students the experience of performing in different venues and in front of varied audiences. The Friday, May 8 shows serve as a homecoming and a sendoff. "After three weeks of residencies and shows around New England, we are coming back to Brattleboro for the final performances before the students graduate," Forchion said. For audiences in Brattleboro, Keene, and surrounding communities, the performances offer a chance to see artists on the cusp of their professional careers — at a moment when technical mastery meets emotional depth. Why it resonates now In a time when many people are searching for connection and meaning, Broken Open leans into themes that feel immediate. The idea of a community navigating uncertainty — leaning on one another, breaking apart, and finding ways back — mirrors broader social experiences. What makes circus uniquely suited to tell that story is its physical honesty. There's no hiding in an aerial drop or a partner catch. Trust is visible. Risk is real. And when something succeeds, the payoff is shared between performer and audience. That immediacy is part of what has helped contemporary circus grow in popularity, particularly in arts-forward communities like Brattleboro and nearby Keene, where audiences often seek out performances that blend disciplines and push creative boundaries. Tickets range from $20 to $40, making the performance accessible for a wide range of audiences. For more information, visit necenterforcircusarts.org/performances-events.