author: Steven Kirkpatrick & Charles Boyington 

“Can we begin to imagine a world where we put care for one another at the center?”

Running from October 31 to November 24, Mosaic Theater Company is presenting the world premiere of The Art of Care, a theatrical event interweaving storytelling, music, movement and personal memoir to explore how we care for, and are cared for by, others. As part of Mosaic’s 10th anniversary season, The Art of Care “celebrates the capacity of art and storytelling to be forces of care and healing,” according to director Derek Goldman, who also conceived the moving piece.

The must-see event features six veteran DC actors (Billie Krishawn, Raghad Makhlouf, William T. Newman Jr., Tuyết Thị Phạm, Susan Rome, and Tom Story) and showcases original music composed and played live by Jabari Exum, the Lead Djembe player (African Drummer) for Marvel’s Black Panther 1 & 2. Over the course of roughly 90 minutes, the actors share personal stories and songs around the theme of caring (combined with the voices of interviewed caregivers, medical professionals, and everyday people) to highlight our collective resilience in the face of unexpected crises; the beauty of caring through births, passings, and other boundary crossings, as well as the humor unexpectedly found in dark situations.

The storytelling approach occasionally achieves a slight emotional distancing from the material, yet at other moments, the same approach succeeds at inviting direct engagement from the audience. Director Goldman has clearly perceived the importance of gathering publicly to share our need to give and receive emotional care and has the actors moving fluidly from the cozy living-room feel of the set into the audience to generally reinforce that intention.

Before the show begins, the cast is in the audience asking questions and striking up conversations. This sense of intimacy with the audience is crucial when you are presenting a show that has a through line but no actual plot. The stories are all centered around caregivers and there is a method to their presentation. Actors will help each other as they share personal moments and often pick up the narration when someone is too swept up with emotion. Not that the show is overly sentimental or a strict memory play, rather it is almost a support group in which you feel yourself uplifted by hearing others share their stories. Often in storytelling it is the specific details of each individual story that makes it more relatable, the more specific it seems, the more we as the audience can connect to it. The stories and their unique presentation are formulated to make you feel connected, to elevate you, and to make you think about a better way of life.

Raghad Maklouf may yield the most vivid moments of the piece as she recounts her experience as a Syrian refugee to the US, but each actor delivers strong moments of humor, emotion and connection with their other cast members. Billie Krishawn is a force to be reckoned with as her voice rings clearly through the space, calling you to follow her on her journey. William T. Newman Jr. brings the gravitas of age to the ensemble and reminds you of the rich history of the area and how far we have come and how much farther we must go. Tuyet Thi Pham tells a story of her large family – and the way they deal with death will leave you wondering why Americans have such strange hang ups about dead bodies. Susan Rome manages to bring across a sense of support and safety as we explore these stories, when she speaks you get the sense that she is encouraging you to engage in a dialog that will make you feel better. Tom Story probably has the opportunity to be a bit wittier than the rest of the ensemble, even as he moved effortlessly between making you laugh and wowing you with a dramatic moment.

Reinforcing the “art of care” theme in the scenic and costume design, Misha Kachman embraces the audience in a round space perfect for storytelling. Misha creates a simple unit set that is flexible, utilitarian, and deceptively simple that manages to serve the actors well. The tones for both set and costumes are muted comforting tones with minimal patterns. Scattered about and hanging in the air, are several “shadow boxes” with random memorabilia like teddy bears and baseballs and books that serve as reminders that there are very real people attached to these stories.

Projections are used throughout the production to serve as a virtual program at times or as a family album at others. Projections Designer Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor keeps the colors muted as he projects images of the actors and their families, images of caregivers, names to help us follow who we are hearing about and at times just moody images to set the tone. The overall feel is effective and keeps the focus on the stories being told.

Lighting designer Venus Gulbranson has the arduous task of focusing the audience’s attention on specific actors wherever they may be, including the aisles of the audience. Sticking with the same palette as the set, costumes, and projections he does a remarkable job of making a complex light show feel smooth and somehow natural.

In short this is a must-see moment of theatrical history in the DC area. Live theater is meant to be of the moment, and I believe that each performance of this show will be just that, a shining light that is here for just a moment.

Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission

The Art of Care plays through November 24^th 2024 at Mosaic Theater Company located in the Sprenger Theatre of the Atlas Performing Arts Center— 1333 H Street NE in Washington, DC. Tickets are available through the box office 202-399-7993 ext 501 or in advance online.