The Circuit

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The Circuit is a multimedia dance show that takes place outside, using a combination of narration, dance, and music that allows the audience to watch a story unfold across the streets of DUMBO. Audience members are given headphones that play both the show’s score and its dialogue, delivered via prerecorded voiceover while the performers act and dance silently. Director John Kroft (Dan Cody’s Yacht, The Weak and the Strong) and choreographer/co-director Josh Zacher (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, La Cage Aux Folles) stage the performance wonderfully, making innovative use of the city as a set.

The story itself, by writer Connor Wentworth (Queer Bait, Sister Brother Gemini), is a meditation on desire and loyalty. Their script follows various bisexual characters who find themselves dissatisfied in their relationships and thus cheat on each other. The perspective shifts frequently, while generally keeping two characters to any given sequence. The initial scene features fairly lackluster narration, but once the show moves on to its second character things become more interesting. The Doll – played by Luke Swaller (Cats, Utah Festival Opera; Mary Poppins, Argyle Theatre) is given quite a lot of characterization, and his scene is the main highlight narratively. The chemistry between Swaller and dance partner Tessa Fungo (Time Lapse Dance, Ballaro Dance) is electric, with both feeding each other’s energies wonderfully and pulling off several impressive moves on the railing.

The movement overall is quite well-choreographed and well-executed. Manatsu Aminaga (Japan International Ballet Competition) plays The Guest and is given the task of both opening and closing the performance by herself, both of which she handles admirably. The ending routine is more complex, her movement much freer than the opening, representing the show’s emotional journey from shame to catharsis. Fabricio Seraphin (Lane Co. Arts, Ballet Theater Company)’s dancing is another major high point of the show, especially his routine with Arzu Salman (Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre, Ballez Company) towards the end of the show. His movement is intense and fast, yet always incredibly well controlled. Seraphin’s skill is evident and a joy to watch during his scenes.

Kroft and Zacher’s directing is such that it truly feels as if one is simply following these characters on their night out, hearing their innermost thoughts and watching their dramas unfold. The perspective shifts after each scene, letting the show always feel as though something new and exciting is happening. Throughout the show, the audience is led between a few different locations, each of which was carefully chosen both for its lovely view and for providing an interesting set piece for the dance numbers. One scene, for example, takes place outside a building with a ramp and railing, both of which are incorporated flawlessly into the scene’s choreography (Zacher also serves as chief choreographer). Others take place in a park, providing both a place to sit and positioning the dancers so they’re cast against the Manhattan skyline in the distance. The finale takes place right next to the Brooklyn Bridge at night, providing a breathtaking backdrop for the emotional release of the finale.

Composer and sound designer Jacob Ryan Smith’s (Like Father; The (Disaster) Marathon of 1904) score sticks closely to minimalist EDM for much of the runtime, aiming for more of a nightclub atmosphere but with occasional flourishes that keep the sound from feeling stale by the end.

In summation, The Circuit is a pleasant and unique experience. It achieves exactly what it sets out to do. The multimedia experience explores desire through a winding story and dances unfolding across New York City’s streets. Clever choreography and stellar dancing make this show’s unique premise work wonderfully.

The Circuit (through June 29, 2026)

New York Theatre Company & Second Set Entertainment

Various locations throughout DUMBO, in Brooklyn

For tickets, visit https://www.nytheatrecompany.com/thecircuit

Running time: 75 minutes without an no intermission