In conjunction with the Sun Valley Center for the Arts’ current BIG IDEA project, Contemplative Practice, Company of Fools will present High Grass—a specially commissioned short play by Irene Ziegler about healing and forgiveness. Performances are free to the public and will take place on the following dates:
- Friday, March 31, during the Contemplative Practice Opening Celebration, 5–7 p.m.
- Tuesday, April 11, in conjunction with the guided meditation session, 4 p.m.
- Thursday, April 13, during the free Evening Exhibition Tour, 5:30 p.m.
- Thursday, May 18, during the free Evening Exhibition Tour, 5:30 p.m.
- Thursday, June 8, during the free Evening Exhibition Tour, 5:30 p.m.
In writing this short play, Ziegler was inspired by volunteers on a road cleanup crew and the items they discover in the tall grass along the shoulder. “Collecting roadside trash is not unlike an archaeological dig,” said Ziegler. “This idea put me in mind of the mandala workshop offered as part of The Center’s Contemplative Practice BIG IDEA project, where found objects are used to create a contemplative work of art. Both activities are about recycling, in a way, and once I found my characters and wound them up, the story started to spin.”
High Grass is directed by Company of Fools’ Artistic Director John Glenn and features local actors Jana Arnold and Richard Rush, with design and stage management by K.O. Ogilvie. The play will be a unique, engaging and immersive experience for patrons, as the actors move around and amongst members of the audience. How the actors move and where they ultimately land will be different with each performance.