Preview: Tiny Lives at Empire Arts Collective

Improvisation and journaling are the bread and butter of devised theatre rehearsals.

Improvisation and journaling are the bread and butter of devised theatre rehearsals.

Photo courtesy of Empire Arts Collective

Showtimes: Fri, 7/26, 7pm; Sat, 7/27, 7pm; Through 7/27; Free admission; Oblivion Comics & Coffee, 1020 11th Street; (916) 329-8839; empireartscollective.com.

Ever heard of the butterfly effect? In chaos theory, the concept explains how the smallest action can cause massive changes across space and time. On a similar note, this weekend will see the birth of Empire Arts Collective’s Tiny Lives, a “devised theatre event” and the product of collaborative writing and improvisation among cast members. Directed by Lily Tanner, the show is about the impact of everyday interactions and how they affect our relationships with others. Like that one time you accidentally stepped on your boyfriend’s pet butterfly. Everything changed after that one devastating moment.