THE BEYOND: The Vision of Georgia O'Keeffe at Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts

A work in progress

Music by Harrison Lewis
Created by Julie Marie Myatt, Jessica Thebus, Harrison Lewis, Jeff Hancock, Chloe Johnston, Cheyenne Casebier, and the Northwestern community.
Directed by Julie Marie Myatt and Jessica Thebus

“When my eyes began to not see sharply as they had for 80 years and the world began to turn grey, I was bothered and gradually stopped working. In time, I was surprised that this world could sometimes be beautiful in a new way and began to think — how could I start again and begin to paint this new world.“ Georgia O’Keeffe

The Beyond asks what it means to see as an artist, explored through the vision of the monumental American artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Weaving together original text, music and choreography alongside historical material, this new play, conceived by Northwestern faculty members Jessica Thebus and Julie Marie Myatt, homes in on two pivotal moments in O’Keeffe’s long life: the discovery of her own unique artistic vision as an artist in her twenties teaching in Texas, and the re-discovery of how to keep working in her eighties when she began to lose her eyesight to macular degeneration. The Beyond depicts the journey of an artist who never gave up her desire to express her imagination in new forms.

Approximate run time: 80 minutes, no intermission
Suggested ages: 11+

A Note on Sensitive Content is available for this production.

At The Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Centers, we recognize that sensitivities vary from person to person. If you have questions about the content, age-appropriateness, or stage effects of a show, e-mail our box office at wirtz@northwestern.edu or call 847-491-7282.