RLT Presents a Staged Reading: When The Mind's Free

Friday, June 16, 2023, 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm
June 16: a pay-what-you-can staged reading for anyone impacted by dementia/Alzheimer’s or addiction, featuring a community conversation with the Alzheimer’s Association as well as information about local resources

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When The Mind's Free is a dance-theatre piece that lifts language, ideas, and story from Shakespeare’s King Lear and places them in a contemporary context, that of a lesbian couple dealing with the early-onset-Alzheimer’s of the matriarch and the opioid addiction of their youngest daughter. The language in this piece is mainly contemporary and has emerged out of improvisations outlined and shaped by the director and performed by the ensemble.

“There is a desperate need to increase the representation of those living with Alzheimer's and caregivers in media and pieces like this; this disease continues to impact more families and we need art pieces to help the broader public understand this disease.” -Meghan Lemay, Alzheimer's Association, Regional Manager, supporting consultant to When The Mind's Free.

We are guided in our process not only by our study of the text of King Lear, but also by these big questions: What does it mean to have accurate memories, and why do we need them? Separated from our memories, who are we? Can we maintain intimate relationships without shared memories? How can the Buddhist principle of non-attachment help us in caring for those with memory loss and those who suffer from addiction? And finally, how do we bring levity and light into our darkest hours?

This evening is a pay-what-you-can staged reading for anyone impacted by dementia/Alzheimer’s or addiction, featuring a community conversation with the Alzheimer’s Association as well as information about local resources for those living with, or caring for loved ones with, memory loss and/or addiction.

These 2023 staged readings will help us build momentum for the world premiere (here in the Valley!) in 2024, followed by a national tour 2024-2025.

This project is funded in part by generous grants received from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors and Underwriters

Australis Aquaculture • Artisan Beverage Cooperative • Benjamin Company • Berkshire Brewing Company • Cohn and Company Real Estate Agency • Community Credit • Common Capital • Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts • Connecticut River Internists • Dean's Beans • Easthampton Savings Bank • FirstLight GDF Suezna • Gill Tavern • Goff Media • Great Falls Harvest • Green River Festival • Greenfield Community College • Greenfield Cooperative Bank • Greenfield Savings Bank • Loot • Massachusetts Cultural Council • Montague Bookmill Montague WebWorks • Northeast Solar • People's Pint • Rainmaker Consulting • The Rendezvous • Solar Store of Greenfield • Stobierski and Connor • Told Video • True North Transit • Turn It Up

Exciting News for A Happening IV: Leviathan

Cloudgaze and Eggtooth Productions are thrilled to announce that we have received a generous grant from the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice to support our 2024 Immersive Arts Festival, “A Happening IV: Leviathan.”

This festival will transform the Shea Theater into an exploration of theme, hosting installations, music, theatrical performances, and movement pieces, featuring the collective contributions of over 30 local artists. Audiences will experience otherworldly environments and narratives inspired by folklore, fairy tales, horror motifs, American literature, and the mythos of the Old Testament, all of which delve into the central question guiding the festival: "What does it mean to encounter something greater than yourself and to be consumed by it?" Through this theme, we explore how a community reemerges and imagines itself after destruction and transformation.

With the support of the Markham-Nathan Fund, we are excited to create an event that complicates perspectives and fosters meaningful dialogue. We are grateful for this partnership and for the work of the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice.

Thanks to the Mass Cultural Council for their vital support this year.We'd also like to thank the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for their support in the form of a Flexible Funding grant. We couldn't do this work without you!