The Living Orchid

March 3 & 4 at 7pm

Becca Carter Freeman - Playwright/Producer
Acadia Barrengos - Director
Savannah Ritz - Producer
Caleb Martin-Rosenthal - Composer
Angus Goodearl - Lighting Designer

The Living Orchid is about the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner. We watch her grow up in three characters from her childhood to the opening of her museum. Isabella Stewart Gardner was a prominent figure in Boston’s cultural and social circles during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was an art collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. Her passion for art and culture led her to assemble her collection of paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and manuscripts at her museum which was established in 1903. Mrs. Gardner was a controversial and flamboyant figure who, despite her immense influence, brazenly defied the conventions of womanhood during her time, whether she intended to or not. This play is about the people she encounters, the passions she pursues, and her garden she grows. It’s about art as a form of fulfillment, the cyclicality of grief, and navigating the regulations imposed upon a woman's expressions of excitement and passion. It is a historical female epic, a rarity in the world of theatre and a detailed dissection of the complex woman behind the iconic name.

Content Warning: Child Loss. Audiences 18+.

*Please note that this performance will be presented at the Tank's in-person performance space at 312 W 36th St. All attendees and artists will be required to have a covid vaccination before being admitted to the space. Patrons will also be required to wear masks, when not eating or drinking.