First to Cross

Audio Walk at Tompkins Square Park, NYC

Participants embark on an audio journey through Central Park at night, uncovering the often-overlooked natural and human-made features hidden in the darkness. As night falls, they follow a winding path into the heart of the park, encountering its urban wildlife along the way. The journey culminates in a meeting with one of the park’s most intelligent tree-dwelling residents—the Common Raccoon.

Throughout the walk, participants will explore the perceptions and realities of nature in cities, focusing in on the story of raccoons in particular, to acknowledge how their nature has adapted and changed through their relationship with humans. The participants’ movement is choreographed through sounds and narration to create an immersive psychological landscape. The audience is drawn to moments of delight and wonder, so that they will reevaluate their preconceptions of the urban habitat.