
Sea of Trees
(a new musical by Ryan Oliveira and Adam Phillips)
In the Suicide Forest of Japan, a young woman named Aimi seeks to reunite with her lost lover, Kats…much to the chagrin of her stuffed calico cat, Neko. She learns from a priest that the only way to communicate with Kats is through a near-death experience, so she plays with death to meet him. Every close call with death brings her closer to total destruction at the hands of the malevolent spirits of the forest, including Moriko, who desires to devour her delectable soul. Aimi’s only hope of finally reuniting with Kats on the same side of life is a sacrifice – but how big of a sacrifice will she actually make?

Photo by Lucas Ingram

Photo by Lucas Ingram

Photo by Lucas Ingram

Photo by Lucas Ingram

Photo by Lucas Ingram
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
February 2015
Creative Team
Director: Marina Bergenstock
Music Director: Frankie Rose
Costume Consultant: Hiram Orozco
Lighting/Set Consultant: Raymond Ockenfels
Violence Designer: Lukas Brasherfons
Stage Manager: Samantha Paradis
Guitar: Adam Phillips
Electric Bass: CJ Kent
Percussion: Riley Cook
Cast
Aimi: Katie Boothroyd
Neko: Maya Bassuk
Kouki: Zach Hendershott
Kats: Nicholas Montgomery
Moriko: Megan Henry
Otsuyu: Madeline Ascherl
Kuchisake: Raine Welterlen
Okiku: Rubina Vidal
Oiwa: Ariel Davis