Disaster—or the possibility if it. A glass of milk precariously close to the edge of a table. This is how XOXO Moongirl begins, by setting us on edge– at least the nervous among us. But the artist soon explains how there are two kinds of people, those who are distressed by the milk risk, and those who…well, push the limits. Guess which one she was? As the story evolves, we discover that her being that sort of person evolved in direct opposition to her control freak, abusive father, and suddenly her wish to go to the edge, to test the seams, to escape—even all the way to the moon, makes sense.

Normally, when an artist or show pulls out the old trope that they want to fly to outerspace to escape life here on earth, David Bowie comes to mind and I think, ‘Yeah no one can beat Starman, sorry.’ But Almanac Dance Circus Theater’s XOXO Moongirl by Nicole Burgio made me stop mid-shrug and savor the very human urge to rise above. ...