The Grief Dialogues come to BIMA June 15th (WU-440)

Each of us, even the youngest, has experienced grief: the loss of a pet, a home, a job, a parent, a child, a friend -- each requires a certain amount of processing, and The Grief Dialogues can help.

Starting with a single entry in Island Theatre's 10-Minute Play Festival, The Grief Dialogues now constitute 6 plays, which will be performed here at BIMA on June 15th before going on to Seattle and New York City. Listen here as playwright Elizabeth Coplan, founder of this series of plays and author of one of them, explains their success.

Inspired by stories of dying, death, and grief, the Dialogues have been shown in venues across the country, and use theatre to help facilitate conversation about this shadowy and near-taboo topic. Exploring the situations, relationships, emotions, aftermath, and logistics of death, the plays combine humor, heartbreak, and reality to offer an honest and provocative look at this difficult subject.

With the help of Dr. Sharon Stanley of Bainbridge Island, who will be present after the performance for a question and answer period, the plays can help audience members vocalize and process their own experiences with grief and loss. Ms. Coplan, Dr. Stanley, and the actors hope that this new conversation about dying, death, and grief will lead to a better understanding of these and aid in closure after an event.

Dr. Stanley and the plays' director, Wesley Fruge, were recently interviewed on Q13's "This Morning" show by Travis Mayfield, who will MC the Dialogues. To access those interviews, visit: https://youtu.be/arywHohSJy0 and https://youtu.be/sAkjio2LDvc.

The Grief Dialogues will be presented June 15 at BIMA in the Frank Buxton Auditorium. There is a reception for ticket holders at 6 pm; the show begins at 7pm. The plays move on to Seattle in June and then to New York City, for a presentation with the Dramatist Guild.

For tickets for the Bainbridge performance visit BrownPaperTickets.com. Tickets for the Seattle showings (June 18,19,26, and 27, 18th and Union Theater at 7:30) are also available at BrownPaperTickets.com.

Credits: BCB host: Carolyn Goad; audio tech Chris Walker; audio editor and publisher: Diane Walker.