Rhubarb Theater Presents Premiere of Valerie Hart's RISING AND FALLING, Closes 8/20

Rhubarb Theater Company will present the final performance of Nashville playwright Valerie Hart's Rising and Falling, August 20, at Darkhorse Theater.

"As the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, I want Rhubarb to have a voice in the community acknowledging these pivotal events in our lives, but I didn't want it to be a rehashing of the attacks on our country," says Trish Crist, Rhubarb's artistic director who will direct Rising and Falling. "Val's play is challenging, beautiful, and very thought-provoking around a key aspect of 9/11 that has nothing to do with terrorists."

Hart describes Rising and Falling as "a play about art set against one of the largest tragedies of our time."

The story is inspired by a real-life, public arts controversy in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 where funding was spent on a statue that many in the public rejected and which was removed after just eight days on display. That story and the feelings around it are told to us by fictitious characters exploring the questions of who gets to decide what public art is, how much is spent on it, how a city mourns or celebrates a major event, what is acceptable art and good art, and what is the proper timeframe to acknowledge tragic events through art.

A panel discussion around these topics featuring experts and artists will follow the performance on Saturday, August 13.

All tickets are $12. For reservations and information, call (615) 397-7820 or email rhubarbnashville@gmail.com.  All performances are at The Darkhorse Theater, 4610 Charlotte Avenue in Nashville,  opening Friday, August 12 and running through Saturday, August 20. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows at 7:30pm, Sunday matinee on April 14 at 2:30pm. No performance Monday or Tuesday.