Directed by Sydnie Grosberg Ronga

Garden of Memories opens on Lisa and Brian, middle aged siblings organizing their mother’s funeral.  They are waiting for their youngest sister Charlotte to arrive from LA, she is characteristically late. Charlotte arrives, surprisingly 8 months pregnant and tightlipped about the father, which does nothing to ease the already high level of tension between uptight Lisa and people pleaser Brian.  It seems their mother has changed her end-of-life plans without letting anyone know—and Brian is desperately trying to understand why. Meanwhile, in the same house, some 30 years earlier- Shirley and Ron (the children’s parents) struggle to figure out how to move forward once Ron finds out Shirley’s deepest secrets. 1982 and 2018 mix and mingle on the same stage, with the young parents moving through their adult aged children, neither timeline aware of the other- but both making decisions that were predestined for them and that will affect those who come after. 

Jessica Bashline is an Assistant Professor of Theater at the University of Miami, where she teaches acting and theater creation. She was the Artistic Director and co-founder of Strange Sun Theater, a theater company in New York City dedicated to creating magical new theater that ignites in audiences and artists, the power of possibility. In addition, she was the Consulting Artistic Director of the Sheen Center, when it opened in downtown Manhattan, curating a full season for 2 theaters. 

Jessica’s plays include: Ann and Me, a solo piece about abortion has been developed in collaboration with American Theater Northwest and Syracuse Stage. Wickedest Woman; The story of Ann Lohman, midwife and abortionist in the 1800’s in NYC. Finalist, Scrap Mettle Arts Playwrights Festival, Production January 2019 NYC, published with Next Stage Press. Garden of Memories the story of siblings dealing with the loss of their mother and the acceptance of their past. Runner Up W. Keith Hedrick Award at HRC Showcase Theater and Semi-Finalist, Trustus New Playwrights Festival 2016. 

Tickets: $10 members, $15 not-yet members

This performance will take place at the Kleinert/James Center for the Arts at 34 Tinker St in Woodstock, NY.