INERTIA, An Interactive Digital Ritual, Explores A New Way To Grieve During The Pandemic

Stanford students and graduates stage a digital production that will live stream May 7, May 8, May 14, May 15 @ 7:00pm PST at the Nitery Experimental Theatre.

INERTIA, an interactive digital ritual, explores a new way to grieve during the pandemic

An object at rest stays at rest, unless acted upon by an outside force. An interactive digital ritual, INERTIA is an invitation into the daily forces of life: striving and failing - holding the pieces of what we were and searching for the pieces of what we might be. This devised, site-responsive work weaves together personal narrative and Stanford history to challenge the ground we walk on, the bodies we live in, and the direction in which we are going.

INERTIA is a multi-artist collaboration that invites audiences to reflect on the intergenerational performances shaping our past and to participate in new performances for our collective future. Right now, we're in a prolonged moment of continuous suffering: from the surging wave of the pandemic, the percussive drumbeat of anti-Blackness, and a throbbing ache that comes from the inability to purge this dis-ease. These forces seem unstoppable. INERTIA is an examination of how we can provide an outside force to disrupt those forces in our lives that are continuous yet very important to be upset.

"Because we can't gather, many of our rituals for grieving people are unavailable," says Williams, "How can we make new ones? How can we create movement in a new direction?"

"A hope of the work is to create a space where we can be there for each other to grieve, to make ritual, and to help people heal from the losses that have been happening."

INERTIA is supported by Stanford's program in African and African American Studies, the Institute for Diversity in the Arts, and the Committee on Black Performing Arts.

Please be advised that INERTIA is a piece that depicts grieving and loss. The piece also contains rapid color, light, and sound changes.

Notes on Accessibility: INERTIA is a virtual performance piece that will be streamed online. There will be an access script available to all viewers. For optimal viewing, the use of headphones, stereo setting, or playback is encouraged. Viewing will not be negatively impacted without these features or equipment!

For more details about the creative process, view our blog at https://www.inertia-2021.com. Performances are May 7, May 8, May 14, May 15 @ 7:00pm PST. RSVP Link: http://bit.ly/INERTIArsvp.

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