The Anthropologists Announce Next Workshop Performances For New Play AXES, HERBS AND SATCHELS

As recipients of the 2024 Episcopal Actors' Guild Winter Residency, the Anthropologists are launching the second developmental workshop of their new research-based play axes, herbs and satchels.

The play is a celebration of the traditional knowledge held in the Black birth worker community and a potent examination of maternal mortality. Workshop performances take place February 25-27, 2024, and are paired with a free roundtable conversation on "The Cost of Birth" on Feb 10.

Co-directors Sandie Luna and Melissa Moschitto lead a dynamic ensemble of BIPOC artists devising this play from ethnological research, medical texts, and primary sources documenting granny midwives and the history of midwifery. The resulting performance is an act of reparative history and a space for communal learning, reckoning, and healing.

In NYC, the maternal mortality rate for Black women and birthing people is nine times higher than that of white women (nyc.gov). It is this stark statistic, and many others, that are the driving force behind axes, herbs and satchels and related programming. As part of the holistic research and development process behind the new play, the Anthropologists is encouraging audiences to attend the next installment of "Re-Setting The Table" a conversation series on gender and public policy. Episode 7: The Cost of Birth will feature a panel of experts and advocates in the birthing community. This event is free with RSVP.

"Like many BIPOC women, I've been impacted by the Black and Latine maternal mortality crisis," says Luna. "The Anthropologists' commitment to authentically representing communities whose voices have been historically silenced is evident in the projects they take on, which are developed with artistic rigor and integrity while creating a safe and supportive environment for artists to do their best work."

Tickets

Performances will take place at Guild Hall (Church of the Transfiguration) located at 1 East 29th Street, NY, NY 10016 on February 25 at 4 PM, February 26 and 27 at 7 PM. Tickets available here.

To learn more about axes, herbs and satchels, and related community programming, visit: https://www.theanthropologists.org/.

This developmental workshop and winter programming made possible in part by the EAG 2024 Open Stage Grant and the 2024 NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund. EAG's Open Stage Grant is funded with generous support from the New York State Council of the Arts, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Teri Black Performance Fund.

About The Anthropologists

The Anthropologists is dedicated to the creation of investigative theatre that physicalizes research to interrogate a cultural issue while nurturing intimate community and audience relationships. Formed in 2008, The Anthropologists create original, ensemble-devised theatre inspired by found text, source material and cultural artifacts, guided by rigorous dramaturgy.

About The Episcopal Actors Guild

The Episcopal Actors Guild (EAG) (est. 1923) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. EAG's mission is to provide emergency aid and support to professional performers of all faiths and none who are undergoing financial crisis. The Guild is also dedicated to helping emerging artists advance their careers through scholarships, awards, and performance opportunities. Throughout the year, EAG hosts events and fundraisers including concerts, variety shows, play readings, and professional workshops. Learn more at www.actorsguild.org.