The Shed is an innovative 200,000-square-foot structure designed to support artists’ ideas. Its movable outer shell can cover the plaza, creating a large, temperature-controlled hall.
The Darla Moore Gallery and fourth-floor gallery offer museum-quality spaces, while the Kenneth C. Griffin Theater seats 500 and can be divided for more intimate performances. Level Eight provides space for rehearsals and small events, and when the shell is retracted, the plaza becomes an outdoor programming venue.
The architecture reflects The Shed’s mission: to introduce audiences to the future of art. Its artists continually imagine new forms and experiences while addressing important issues of our time. F.I.T.O. is a production that aligns with those goals.
Rudi Goblen created F.I.T.O. Goblen is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and an award-winning playwright whose work has been presented at several venues. His writing has appeared in Theater Magazine, Imagined Theatres: Writing for a Theoretical Stage, and PEN America. He has also trained and worked with DVS Physical Theater and Cirque du Soleil. These experiences come together in F.I.T.O., an interactive concert play that combines live music, dance, storytelling, and spoken word to explore the immigrant experience. Images and words are projected on the walls, adding to the immersive atmosphere.
The music is performed by two musicians. Andrew “NonMS” Mujica, the percussionist, is also a producer, performer, and professional dancer who blends rhythm, performance, and innovation in both English- and Spanish-speaking markets. Daniel “Felix” Garcia, the drummer, founded and performs with Fusik, a live band known internationally. As a DJ, Fusik has performed throughout North America, South America, and Europe. Together, Mujica and Garcia provide music that moves seamlessly through the production.
Goblen tells the story of a Nicaraguan immigrant taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. Although he is told that “there will be no before,” he moves through snapshots of his life and turns the story into a communal experience, inviting the audience to consider what it means to hold onto one’s roots while becoming American. As he takes the oath, he recreates moments from his past and shows how cultural memory carries its own rhythm. Although the production is disjointed at times, which can create confusion, F.I.T.O. is ultimately an ode to the difficulties, dreams, longings, and joys experienced by immigrants.
This love letter to immigrants runs about fifty minutes. Goblen forms a strong connection with the audience as he asks us to explore the immigrant experience. The story of one Nicaraguan immigrant becomes a symbol for the experiences of many immigrants.
