About the Project

Beneath the towering redwoods, a world of quiet miracles unfolds. From fire-resistant bark to fog-drinking leaves, every part of a redwood tells a story of survival and interconnection. Underground, their roots intertwine with vast mycorrhizal networks — fungal threads that help trees communicate, share nutrients, and support one another. Redwoods flourish not alone, but in community.

The Hidden Network invites audiences to engage with the redwood forest as both teacher and collaborator.

This immersive arts experience transforms redwood forests in Marin County, Eureka, and Big Sur into living theaters where science, art, and Indigenous wisdom converge through three interconnected elements.

A Call for Community Reflections

Help shape a new audio tour and live performances inspired by the redwoods.

Right now, we are gathering stories, observations, memories, and reflections about the redwoods. These reflections will directly inform the content of The Hidden Network — shaping the self-guided audio tour and the live, site-specific performances.

Whether you are a lifelong local, a scientist, an artist, or someone who simply feels something shift when you step beneath the redwoods, your voice matters.

Why We’re Gathering These Reflections

The reflections we are gathering now will be used to shape:

• the narration, prompts, and structure of the audio tour

• the themes, imagery, and movement of the live performances

• how audiences are invited to listen, pause, and reflect in relationship with the forest

This is not an archive for its own sake. It is a collaborative creative process, and community voices are foundational to how the project takes form.

1. Self-Guided Audio Tour (Accessible Anywhere)

The Hidden Network will include a free, self-guided audio tour that can be experienced from anywhere, at any time.

The tour will be shaped by reflections gathered from:

• community members and forest visitors

• ecologists and forest researchers

• Indigenous knowledge-holders

• artists and spiritual practitioners

These voices will guide listeners through moments of noticing, pausing, and reflection — whether they are walking through a redwood grove or listening from afar.

Example prompt:
“Pause beside a fallen redwood. Notice the seedlings growing from its decomposing trunk. Reflect on how endings become beginnings in the forest cycle. What transitions in your own life have created unexpected growth?”

2. Live Performances
(Launching in 2027)

In 2027, the audio experience will be accompanied by live, site-specific performances in redwood forests across Marin County, Big Sur, and Ukiah.

These performances will be directly informed by the reflections gathered now, translating community, ecological, and spiritual insights into movement, music, and embodied storytelling within the forest itself.

Circus artists, dancers, and musicians will bring the unseen networks of the forest to life, creating experiences that are visceral, intimate, and deeply rooted in place.

3. Community Reflection
(Ongoing & Integral)

Community reflection is not a separate layer of this project — it is what fuels it.

Responses shared through writing, audio, video, interviews, and artwork will:

• inform audio tour narration and reflection prompts

• influence performance themes and imagery

• shape how audiences are invited to engage with the forest

As the project grows, so does this collective body of knowledge — a living exchange between people and place.

Where This Will Take Place

Our preliminary project locations include:

We will collaborate closely with parks and cultural organizations to ensure meaningful site selection and deep community integration.

We are also partnering with Bioneers, whose Native-led Indigeneity Program will help guide our process, ensuring Indigenous perspectives shape the project from conception through implementation.

Share Your Reflection

There is no right way to participate. Short or long. Scientific or poetic. Personal or observational. If it’s real, it belongs.

Ways to Contribute

• Fill out our reflection form (written responses + optional uploads)

• Share an audio or video recording

• Submit an artwork, poem, or image

• Schedule a live interview over Zoom

• Attend a community gathering in Fairfax, Big Sur, or Ukiah (dates TBD)

You may also email contributions directly to:
polina@crescentmoontheaterproductions.org

Who This Is For

We welcome:

• community members and forest visitors

• ecologists, scientists, and researchers

• artists, writers, and educators

• spiritual practitioners and nature-based thinkers

• anyone who feels connected to the redwoods

No credentials required — only a relationship.

A Note on Process

Reflections shared may be edited, woven together, or translated into artistic form for use in the audio tour and live performances. Contributors will always be acknowledged according to their preferences, and no material will be used outside the scope of this project without consent.

Call to Action

Help shape The Hidden Network.
Share your reflection and become part of the living forest conversation.