In a unique collaboration, the New York Council for the Humanities has joined forces with The Open Eye Theater, 960 Main Street, Margaretville, to offer “Growing and Aging,” a monthly reading and discussion series that runs from February 26 – June 11.
Pre-registration is Tuesday, February 5, 7:00 – 8:00 pm at The Open Eye Theater. “With its thematic focus, this reading and discussion program offers an unusual twist on the standard book group format by making time for thinking deeply about one idea, over time, from a variety of perspectives,” says Sara Ogger, executive director of the Council.
Group participants will come together over the course of four ninety-minute sessions to explore questions about entering middle age, growing older, caring for aged loved ones and finding peace and satisfaction in the later stages of life. The discussion facilitator is Gail Lennstrom. Ms. Lennstrom graduated from Columbia University College of Physical Therapy and has worked for over forty years in a variety of settings including O’Connor Hospital in Delhi, nursing homes, home care agencies and also completed training as a Hospice Volunteer. She trained as a Spiritual Director in a two-year program at Mercy Center in Madison, CT, and has facilitated a wide variety of workshops and programs exploring Health and Wellness; the creative process using “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron; and has been a Program Co-Facilitator of Alternatives to Violence in Prisons, Schools, and the Community. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the MARK Project and a Trustee of The Open Eye Theater.
Drawing on her life and work experience, Ms. Lennstrom intends to approach the topic of aging with a holistic theme. “Our personalities are a compilation of physical; mental; emotional and spiritual aspects,” Ms. Lennstrom stated. “People often tend to manifest one aspect more strongly than others. This focus often changes as we grow and age.” One key text in the program is “Literature and Aging--An Anthology”. Over sixty short stories and poems reflect these differences. Salman Rushdie is quoted in the preface;
”Literature is the one place in any society where…we can hear voices talking about everything in every possible way.” Authors including Anne Sexton, Kurt Vonnegut, Harold Pinter, Robert Frost and Katherine Anne Porter explore the endlessly variable ways people approach aging and dying. “Great literature, by asking extraordinary questions, opens new doors in our minds,” added Rushdie. The Pulitzer Prize winning short novel “Tinkers” by Paul Harding explores the intertwined memories of a Maine watch repairer as his time winds down with those of his peddler father and Methodist preacher grandfather. The third text, “A History of Old Age” edited by Pat Thane, is a very visual and artistic compilation exploring the concept of old age through time.
“This collaboration with the New York Council for the Humanities provides a particularly exciting opportunity for The Open Eye Theater,” said producing artistic director. “The Reading/Discussion Program enhances our focus on literature and poetry, and the topic of “Growing and Aging” is meaningful on many levels. We’re thrilled to be able to enhance our program and serve our diverse community in this new way.”
The program is free and open to the public, although pre-registration is required, and contributions to The Open Eye Theater are welcome. The program is limited to 15 participants. All texts are on loan from the New York Council for the Humanities and will be distributed at the orientation session. To pre-register, please phone The Open Eye Theater at 845-586-1660 or e-mail [email protected] and plan to attend the pre-registration and orientation session on Tuesday, February 5, from 7:00 – 8:00 pm. The four reading/discussion dates are Tuesday, February 26, Wednesday, March 27, Tuesday, May 14, and Tuesday, June 11, all at 7:00 - 8:30 pm. For further information, please phone 845-586-1660.
Something special happens when we talk about what we read with others in our community. The New York Council for the Humanities’ Adult Reading & Discussion programs are designed to foster active reading and thinking, incorporating texts that serve as catalysts for civic engagement and cultural understanding, as well as personal reflection. Adult Reading & Discussion programs are currently being held in communities across New York State.
For more information about “Growing and Aging” visit www.theopeneye.org.
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The Open Eye Theater is a professionally-led not-for-profit theater company that develops and produces new plays, classics, and important contemporary plays for a diverse audience in the Catskill Mountains. Programs include a production season, rehearsed readings, workshops and classes for children and adults, arts-in-education partnerships and school residency programs, and a film series. The Open Eye Theater is a member of Alliance of Resident Theatres/NY, Theatre for Young Audiences/USA, American Alliance for Theatre in Education, and is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group.
