'It's an eye and heart opener' Kirkbride Arts & History Weekend explores preservation, mental health

Sept. 03--PlaceBase Productions, a site-specific theater company based in St. Paul, was commissioned as part of Springboard for the Arts' efforts since 2012 to engage the community in the past and future of the Fergus Falls State Hospital through the arts. The initiative is called Imagine Fergus Falls and is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town program.

"We hope that, in addition to reflecting on the past of the State Hospital, this event will also create new beginnings and possibilities for the community," said Michele Anderson, Rural Program Director at Springboard for the Arts.

More than 50 local residents of all ages, some of whom are established performers or artists, and some who are performing in a play for the first time in their lives, have spent the last four weeks rehearsing an original script and music that was written by the PlaceBase Productions team, Andrew Gaylord and Ashley Hanson, after eight months of conducting interviews, holding story swaps, researching historical documents and learning about the local arts community.

Gaylord and Hanson regularly work across the state producing community-driven, site-specific theater. Last year their "paddling theater" production on the Minnesota River in Granite Falls drew national attention including an article on CNN.com saying their work "may be the most exciting entertainment news of the summer."

"It was a profound experience collecting stories about the Regional Treatment Center, since just about everyone in and around Fergus Falls has a story to tell," Gaylord said. "We encountered every imaginable emotion, and at every step of the process new people were contacting us hoping to get involved. We came to find that this building is intertwined with the identity of this community. Now, we look around in rehearsals to see old and young, former employees of the RTC and former residents, community leaders and even families -- acting, singing, and getting to know each other in the shade of this great landmark. This is theater at its most powerful."

Lowell Carpenter, Fergus Falls High School's recently retired theater instructor, portrays Thomas Story Kirkbride, the Pennsylvanian psychologist who came up with the bat-wing structure and surrounding green space that many state mental institutions adopted throughout the country in the mid 19th century. In the play, Kirkbride leads the audience through his vision for moral mental health treatment. Along the way, each vignette explores the complex reality and the many perspectives of how mental health treatment changed through the decades.

Long-time community residents will also recognize memorable Fergus Falls "characters" such as Elmer Fick, the band director at the hospital (played by Denny Johnson), and the founder of Fergus Falls, Joseph Whitford (played by Dan Olson).

"It's an eye and heart opener," said Bert Whitcombe, another cast member who plays several roles in the play. "My hope is that everyone gets a chance to see it. Ashley and Andrew have done an amazing job of capturing the spirit of our community and the state hospital."

Because the play takes place around the entire perimeter of the building, audience members are encouraged to bring bikes to ride from scene to scene in the play. Those who cannot ride bikes will ride on a "people mover," and a limited number of bikes will also be available for the audience to borrow. The event is free but reservations are encouraged.

In addition to The Kirkbride Cycle, dozens of additional free activities will take place on Sept. 6 and 7. A pop-up sculpture walk will be installed on the grounds by artist Naomi Schliesman. Local artists will display interactive art projects, including a community mosaic, a storytelling booth, bicycle decorating, and a costume/photo booth. Elmer's BBQ of Battle Lake will be available for purchase, in addition to popcorn and ice cream. A bike ride for mental health will take place from 10 a.m. to noon, led by PartnerSHIP 4 Health. The day will end with a street dance at 7 p.m. featuring the Lakes Area All-Stars, the Swellz, and the Explosive Rockats. Sunday, there will be a cemetery dedication ceremony presented by Remembering with Dignity from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

A full schedule and registration for tickets to the Kirkbride Cycle can be found at www.imaginefergusfalls.com

___

(c)2014 the Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minn.)

Visit the Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minn.) at www.fergusfallsjournal.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services